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"No, listen I can’t let you ?"

My blood heated "You can’t letclearly around this guy Don’t you remember what he did to you? Don’t you reet mad in a public place, I bit my nails into my palm "I’ rational decisions--"

"But--"

"No ‘buts’ He was seventeen and hehim a second chance It would be nice if you’d support me on this"

"Support you?" Andie’s voice had quieted "Supergirl, all I ever do is support you However--and note that was not a ‘but’--I can’t support this decision I don’t think you’re in a position to think rationally around Jake"

Not at all happy with her reaction, I felt queasy as well as angry "Stop being condescending You have no idea what you’re talking about"

"Your whole faree with this, Charley Doesn’t that tell you soht’s conversation went down"

Yeah, that had not gone… well

Mom and Dad stared at me with completely bemused expressions

I shifted unco the Skype screen

Finally, I said quietly, "Well?"

I’d just told the speech

"I don’t even…" Moin"

My dad stood abruptly so I lost sight of most of him He disappeared off screen and I stared after him in disappointment

Mom looked in his direction and from the way she sed, I knew my dad was all kinds of , Dad was back on screen, slaave good glower "Are you crazy?"

"Jim," Mom admonished

"I’m sorry I had to tell you like this," I hurried to explain, "but I need you to knohat’s going on with me I need you to support me"

"Support you?" Mom narrowed her eyes "Support you? All we ever do is support you and up until now, you’ve never given us reason to doubt your decisions But getting--"

"Back together with that boy is ain teot to do with the other A fewto law school He comes back in the picture and suddenly you want to be a daain It’s morbid, Charley!"

Despite the severity of the situation, I struggled not to laugh He didn’t mean it to be funny, but it kind of was Especially considering I hadn’ta homicide detective Clearly, our discussion about it when I was sixteen had never left my father And I kneas purely because he worried aboutto do with my decision to apply to the academy I’ve alanted to be a cop--I just didn’t want to disappoint you and Moot to do what makes me happy That’s all you and Mom have ever said I should do"

"Since when," Moo hand in hand?"

I released a beleaguered sigh "Since when did beco deal? Rick is one"

"Rick’s notin my power to keepave me a look "This is not the tiht you trying to turn a coyote into a pet," Dad reued "He needed my help"

"He was a coyote!"

"Jim" Mom rubbed his shoulder "Chill"

I raised an eyebrow "Chill?"

They glared at me

"Dad--"

"When you were ten, you al to save Lacey--"

"Technically, Lacey al nearby, the two of you would’ve gone under! And let’s not forget the ti vehicle!"

"Oh, so you would’ve preferred that I let her get hit!" I shouted back, wondering where the hell all of this was co froain, his voice had lowered "I want , Charlotte, I am so proud of who you are But that doesn’t oing to put yourself into because you’ve got it in your damn head you have to save people"

"I don’t have that in ht me that you don’t stand idly by when someone needs help"

My parents were quiet for awhen a situation arises, and then there’s looking for that situation That’s what being a cop is"

"No, I disagree It’s being there to help when a situation arises It’s who I am"

"And Jake?" Dad said, his words brittle "Is he who you are? Because last tihter’s heart"

My defenses rose at his insult "Don’t talk about him that way," I said, quiet but stern "I won’t listen to it"

"You need to think" Dad leaned toward the ca "Just… promise me you’ll take some time away from him to really think"

"I don’t need to"

"Charley--"