Chapter 3 - The Honorable Discharge
Nora looked down at the check on the coffee table. The numbers written across the paper represented months of grueling double shifts at the security gate, standing on her feet for sixteen hours a day while managing the persistent, dull ache in her lower back where the shrapnel was still nestled near her spine.
She slid the check back across the table, stopping it right in front of Julian.
"Keep your money, Julian," Nora said calmly.
Julian’s eyes widened in surprise. "Nora, you don't have to be proud. You earned that money. You shouldn't pay a single cent for a party where you were treated like garbage."
"I'm not paying for the party anymore. The hotel refunded my primary deposit because of the breach of contract clause regarding guest harassment," Nora explained, offering a faint, reassuring smile. "The remaining balance was automatically blocked by my bank when you exposed the ledger on stage. I haven't lost a dime."
Julian stared at her, a profound sense of respect washing over his features. "You always land on your feet, don't you?"
"When you've survived an ambush in Kandahar, a toxic family dinner starts looking like amateur hour," Nora joked lightly, standing up to indicate that the conversation was drawing to a close.
Julian stood with her, walking toward the front door. Before he stepped out into the hallway, he paused, turning back with a hesitant expression.
"What are you going to do now, Nora? Now that you're completely free from them?"
"I'm taking a two-week vacation," Nora said, her eyes bright with a freedom she hadn't felt since she was a teenager. "For the first time in my adult life, I'm going to pack a bag, go somewhere warm, and not answer a single phone call from anyone who shares my DNA."
"Sounds like you've more than earned it," Julian said, offering a crisp, respectful nod. "Take care of yourself, Sergeant."
May you like
"You too, Julian. Good luck with the annulment."
As the door clicked shut behind him, Nora took a deep, steady breath of the quiet apartment air. The past was officially buried. The debt was settled. The gate guard was finally off duty.
