ABC - Penance
Chapter 49

Alvarez Gym, South Bank District

It was late in the afternoon before Papa called an end to our workout. I was dripping with sweat yet I felt better than I had in ages. My back wasn’t aching and all those little niggling pains in my knuckles and wrists had vanished.

I wasn’t even as fatigued as I used to be after such a lengthy session at the gym. Papa threw me a towel and told me to go have a shower and get changed. He was planning a big dinner for us and there was no way I was getting into his apartment smelling the way I did.

Minke insisted on using the women’s showers too, rather than heading upstairs to Papa’s place. It was fine by me and we joined a few other regulars showering and changing in the locker room.

The showers were in separate cubicles but the changing area was a set of slatted benches facing the lockers. Minke had been allocated her own locker alongside mine so we ended up undressing together then heading into adjacent showers. She chatted to me the whole time, unconcerned about getting naked in front of me.

I tried to be unaffected by her naked flesh, yet my eyes were drawn to the many scars and old injuries that dotted her body. Most of the scarring around her arms and neck looked like Arena wounds, shallow cuts and stabs that would have hurt like hell but left no permanent injury.

Her torso, in particular her back, showed the signs of burns and beatings I knew had to be from Victor. My rage at that asshole must have shown on my face because she caught my expression and gave me a rueful grimace.

“It’s Okay, Luisa” she told me. “The pain of my body goes away in time”

“What about the hurt he did to your heart?” I asked her.

“That will go away when we kill him” she said in such a matter of fact tone I had to gasp in surprise. “I know you plan on taking him down yourself, but I want to be there” she insisted.

“Okay, you got it” I promised her and stepped into the shower. She did the same and soon enough was chatting to me over the partition like nothing had happened. I smiled to myself as I washed away the sweat and felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

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Papa’s place was as tidy and neat as always, but something felt different. I stood in the living room and realised with a start what was out of place. There was a gaming cube neatly stacked under his big viewing screen, a comfortable looking rug and cushions laid in front. Looking around I could now spot other little changes, proof that in just a few days my father had made Minke a part of his household.

Minke had gone into my old bedroom as soon as we walked in, dropping a bag of used clothes and toiletries in there. She came out and shut the door, which at least still said ‘Luisa’s Room’ in faded lettering. I wondered how long that was going to last.

“Do you want a beer, Luisa?” the girl asked me, opening the refrigerator with easy familiarity. Papa was fussing at the kitchen unit, stirring a big pot of something spicy and then checking the oven. Delicious odours were wafting about, setting my mouth to drooling.

“Sure” I replied to Minke and sat at the long table. There were way too many places set for dinner so I threw a quizzical glance at the girl as she handed me a cold bottle. I was pleased to note she had a Panic Lite in her own hand, not the beer I half expected my father to allow her. “Are we expecting guests?”

Minke gave me a secretive smirk and sat beside me, taking a hearty swig from her opened can. She then let out a long, warbling burp which got her a reprimand of sorts from Papa.

“Stop being rude in front of company, Luisa” he said, then glanced at the pair of us. “Sorry, I meant Minke” he amended with barely any sense of apology.

“Sorry Papa” we replied in almost perfect unison. Since I had already been accused of the deed I took a long pull from my beer and added a raucous belch to the proceedings. Papa turned from his stove to give me a glare, but I just pointed at Minke like it was her fault.

I was pushing my luck I knew, since Papa was not averse to giving me a clip behind the ears even at my age. Luckily I was spared this abuse when the doorbell sounded. Minke leaped to the intercom and I caught a brief conversation before she unlocked the door that lead to the staircase from below.

Voices and eager footsteps sounded from beyond, then Minke flung the door open to reveal a small child and a damned attractive woman.

“Minky!” shouted Amy and hurled herself into the older girl, her blonde head slamming like a rogue bull into Minke’s waist. Minke laughed and grappled my God-daughter while her mother Jan entered at an only slightly slower pace.

I had already risen from my chair and was halfway across the living room, meeting my beloved somewhere around the floor rug. We met in a crushing embrace, Jan peppering my cheek and neck with kisses before we drew back and went for the whole deep tongue experience.

Papa was harrumphing and Amy was giggling but it was the “Eeew, old people kissing is so gross!” from Minke that made us pull apart.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?” I asked Jan, our bodies still locked together in the middle of the room.

She looked deep into my eyes, examining me for a moment, then seemed to be satisfied with what she saw in there.

“I wanted to surprise you” she confessed. “Maybe catch you out with your new girlfriend”

“You are the only woman I want” I told her with conviction.

“Liar” she chided me softly, then kissed me to take the sting out of her words.

“Get a room, why don’t you” Minke declared from where she was mock-wrestling with Amy.

I shot a glance towards my old room, contemplating the size of the bed in there.

Minke saw where I was looking and shouted out a quick denial.

“Don’t you dare!. I just finished washing the sheets!”

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Dinner was over and the dishes cleared away, only the full belly and tingle of spices on my lips proof that I had eaten at all. I was sprawled on Papa’s couch, with Jan snuggled up to me and a coffee in my other hand. Minke was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Amy in her lap, showing the youngster how to play some adventure game on the big screen.

Papa had seated himself to one side, having dragged over a chair from the kitchen table. He was sipping at his own coffee, looking over our little group with paternal satisfaction. I met his eyes over the top of Jan’s head and he nodded once, letting me know that I had his approval.

This was everything I was willing to fight for. The people I loved and who loved me in return. There were others of course that weren’t here at this moment, like dear Georgia, implacable Ghost and my absent kids, sweet Bingo and taciturn Clancy. All of them together represented the people that mattered to me, that made my life worth living.

Days like this were becoming scarcer in my life, perhaps the penance I was paying for the crimes I had committed to reach this point. Yet right now I was happy and the challenges ahead were tomorrow’s problem.

“Today was a good day” I announced, seemingly out of the blue.

“Mmm-hmm” Jan agreed contentedly, half-asleep in my arms. “Now shut up and let me sleep”

“You do remember we are in my Papa’s apartment, don’t you?” I said quietly into the top of her head, running my fingers through her hair.

“Shit!” she said. “I suppose I can’t stay here?”

“Not enough beds and not enough privacy if there were” I answered her. “Shall I call you an Auto-Cab?”

“Not yet” Jan mumbled into my chest. “Give me another half hour”

She snuggled in closer and I kissed the top of her head, enjoying the simple warmth of her proximity.

“I love you” I whispered so only she could hear, our heads touching as we sat together.

“Liar” she replied.