Page 28 of A Damaged Soul
"Of course we are. The more babies the merrier." I rolled my eyes because I already knew what was coming next. "Just like we can't wait for you to give us some grandbabies one day."
"Mom, I've already told you that's not happening. My career comes first. I'm not interested in dating."
This wasn't the first time we’d had this conversation or even the second or third. My mother knew my stance and yet still would ask in hopes that one day my answer would change.
"But what if the right girl comes along?"
An image of Elle popped into my head, and it took all my willpower to push her face aside because if there was going to be a woman in my life, It would be someone like Elle.
No, not someone! Elle herself.
"Sorry, Mom. Not going to happen."
The disappointed sigh filled the room through the phone. "It was worth a try."
I smiled. My mother meant well even though her pushing caused me pain. The truth was I did want a family someday. I just didn't think I deserved it.
The rest of the conversation was par for the course and a little boring. My mother and father tried to get me to tell them more about my life, but I was quick to evade and ask about my siblings instead. It was easy enough to do considering how much my parents loved to talk about their kids and grandchildren.
Zack––the middle child––and his wife were quick to make that dream come true for them and were constantly adding to their family. Honestly he made the rest of us look bad.
By the time I’d hung up the phone, I was mentally exhausted and wanted time alone, but it would seem that wouldn't be the case.
"You ready to go?" Oxford––our team pilot––asked.
"Waiting on me?" Normally I was the first to be ready, but calling both Elle and my parents threw me off.
"Maybe a little." Oxford smirked like he knew why I was running late.
I didn't give him the satisfaction to harass me more. Instead I gave him the middle finger and grabbed my go bag at my feet.
"I'm ready."
When we stepped on the plane, I took my seat in the back next to my team leader and waited for him to ask, "How did the conversation with your parents go?" Matthew was the only one who ever checked in on me after the conversations because he knew I never handled them well.
"As expected. Mom wants to know when I'm going to find a woman to settle down with and Dad just wants to know what kind of career pulls me away from them so often."
"I can't believe you've been able to keep it from them for this long. Especially Zack."
I had to laugh at that. "He's too busy knocking up his wife to care about what I'm doing."
That probably wasn't true. Zack was a nosy motherfucker, and to be honest, I was surprised he hadn't figured it out by now.
"How many kids does he have at this point?"
"Three. All under the age of five."
Matthew whistled. "Talk about having his hands full. No wonder Wes doesn't send him out of the country much these days."
And a good thing it was because it kept me from accidentally running into his team. There was no telling how Zack would respond if he found out what I was doing or how I lived my life.
"Where are we off to this time?" I hadn't bothered to ask before this. Truth be told, I didn't care. An assignment was an assignment. It didn't matter where Black was sending us. I would do the job and get out.
Hopefully.
"Naples."
"Italy?" Of course it would be Italy. I wanted to smack myself upside the head for even asking. It was rare we worked within the borders of the United States.
