The Black Sparrow

LP: Chapter 4

Georgina woke up late the next day and Lucian was no longer beside her. It’s a weekday, and he has to go to the office. Nevertheless, he left her a note beside her phone.

Good morning beautiful! I’ll be home early, so don’t cook dinner. I love you! -LP

The note put a smile on her face. She felt silly as she kissed the small piece of paper. And if her friends from Vanguard could see her now, they would tease her endlessly. On her last day in France, Nikita was right. They talked about her service and directly asked her if she was going to retire. Her 25th birthday was approaching. She answered them truthfully and said she wanted to retire. They didn’t ask further and just noted down the discussion.

They will need her to do the turnover two weeks before her last day. They often have new recruits, so finding a replacement for her won’t be a problem. What she wasn’t sure about was if they could find someone with her caliber in IT. The Vanguard Triad knows that she is the best in the field, and if they could prevent her from retiring, they would say so. But then it’s their own policy, and they have to adhere to it.

Georgina tried to get up but immediately sat back down on the bed when she felt the pain in her hip. The effect of the Tylenol she took earlier had worn off. After being intimate with Lucian, he carried her to the bathroom to clean her up. Georgina didn’t have to walk, and when she returned to bed, she just asked for some water. She had pain relievers in the drawer and took two before going to sleep. She needs to visit a doctor and get stronger medication. Maybe Percocet will do until it heals, but that could make her drowsy. She will just have to deal with it.

She was having coffee in the kitchen when her cellphone rang. It was her father.

“Dad,” she greeted her father. It was four in the afternoon in Spain at the moment.

“Georgina, when are you coming to visit? It’s been so long since you last came. May I remind you that your father is still alive?” Georgina smiled. Her father missed her, so he suddenly called to check in.

“I miss you too, Dad. How are you?” She sipped her coffee. When was the last time she saw her father? Six months ago? Maybe seven?

“Getting old, otherwise I’m fine. So when are you coming to see me? If Lucian can’t come, just leave him behind.”

Georgina chuckled at what her father said. Her father loves Lucian like his own son, but as a father, he can’t help but worry because of the kind of family Lucian comes from. His father is a Don, and even though their worlds are different, their fathers have remained friends.

“You know he has to work for our future. You wouldn’t want your only daughter to be broke, would you, Dad?” She heard her father sneer. This is how they’ve talked for a long time. Growing up without a mother was hard, but what could she do when her father was all she had? She prayed every night for her mother to show up until she got tired of waiting and accepted that she wouldn’t return.

“Quit it. How’s your business? Do you need funds or—”

“It’s fine, Dad. The income is steady, and I’m not running out of clients. I’m the one turning down work sometimes to get some rest.” Her father has always supported her. As long as it makes her happy, he doesn’t object. But if he knew about Vanguard, he would surely disapprove. That decision was solely hers and hers alone. She didn’t consult anyone.

“Good. Don’t tire yourself out. Save some for yourself. Health is wealth, Georgina,” he reminded her. She realized that her father would always worry about her, and it didn’t matter if she was four or forty. To him, she would always be his little girl.

“Come on! Look who’s talking, the one who isn’t addicted to work.” She heard her father laugh.

When their conversation ended, she promised to visit him two weeks from now. Toronto to Spain is almost an eight-hour flight. They could leave on Friday and return on Sunday. She would ask Lucian if he could come with her, but if not, she would still go.

After her phone call with her father, she decided to go out. There’s a nearby clinic, and even though it’s within walking distance, she didn’t want to walk. She didn’t want to worsen her injury in case there was a dislocation. This might also be a sign that she should retire.

She presented her health card to the medical assistant, and while waiting in the lobby, Georgina picked up an old magazine. She wasn’t particularly interested in it, but she wanted to reduce her screen time.

“Beautiful dress.” She looked at the woman next to her and then returned her gaze to the magazine she was holding. It was only then that she realized it was a wedding magazine. That’s weird. She went to a clinic, but a wedding magazine was on the table.

“Yes.” She replied affirmatively to the lady who said the dress looked lovely.

“I’m Elena. Are you from around here?” The woman was clearly trying to make friends, and she didn’t seem far off in age from Georgina.

Georgina nodded. “George.” She shook the woman’s hand and redirected her attention to the magazine.

Elena tried to make conversation, but Georgina kept it to a minimum. Being cautious is not easy, and she didn’t know if the woman was trying to get information from her. But then again, she could be wrong. Maybe the woman just genuinely wanted to make friends. Perhaps she was new to the area.

Georgina shouldn’t be doing this, but she couldn’t help it. Using the chip on her phone, she was able to copy the woman’s information. Elena was holding her phone, and all Georgina had to do was click a button to activate it.

“Ladron.” Elena stood up and followed the nurse.

Funny. Her last name means thief in Spanish. If this is some kind of joke, she’s not laughing. While waiting, she read the information she gathered about the woman. She’s twenty-nine, from Madrid. An orphan. Her parents died when she was only eight years old. She has a business degree from Stanford.

Stanford.

Wait.