Paranormal Link-36
"...That's how it went down. I guess we can call the job a failure in the end."
I tried to remember how I'd originally spoken to Lopez Wife. As someone with a guilty conscience, I wrapped up the story as politely as possible.
Rumors of discarded corporate cyberware buried somewhere in Iron Valley had drawn in mercenaries and scavengers looking to buy it. Then, today, the mercenaries accidentally triggered something, unleashing robots that attacked. The woman from next door and I held them off. We'd thought we'd taken care of the last one, but we got cornered again, and Blanca got hurt trying to save me. I stuck to the facts—no embellishments, no omissions.
...Well, I skipped the suspicions and uncertainties. But I didn't lie. It had nothing to do with my eyes constantly drifting to Lopez Wife's hands. I'm just not the type to lie anyway, so I told the truth like always.
Now it was judgment time.
"......"
"......"
She sat in silence before me, every nerve on edge as I braced to admit my fault, grovel, and flatten myself in humility.
...Now? Or a bit longer...? Now...?
Caught in this ultimate game of reading the room, my nerves frayed until I could even hear the needless sounds from behind me. The splashing water stopped, replaced by the rustle of towels drying off bodies.
Please... come out and save me from this suffocating silence.
As I mentally beamed SOS signals to the two in the bathroom, Lopez Wife finally spoke.
"Well, at least no one was seriously hurt. That's a relief."
I'd been poised to drop to the floor in apology but eased my back straight, waiting for what came next.
"Thank you for looking out for my daughter. I should thank Melissa later too."
"...I couldn't stop Blanca from getting hurt. As for the job..."
"Isan."
She cut me off with a gentle smile.
"Of course, my husband and I figured it'd be small-time thugs or low-rent mercs at worst. But you two handled robots we never even imagined. And honestly, up until the very end, Blanca didn't have a scratch on her. Any normal parent would thank you for saving their daughter—not nitpick over a scrape on your forehead. Once more: thank you for saving her."
"......"
"And that girl? Even if I'd tried to stop her, she'd have snuck out or worn me down eventually. Thanks to you and Melissa, she's safe. Don't beat yourself up."
...Mom?
That soft smile, her voice, the sincerity—I almost called her that without thinking.
Bang.
If Blanca and the woman from next door hadn't emerged from the bathroom right then, I might have slipped up.
"Already out... uh..."
The two emerged in thin robes, faces flushed (just Blanca's) and hair damp. They froze at the sight of me, words failing them.
"...You hurt worse than I thought?"
She sidled up and whispered.
"I've been wondering myself. Starting to lose track of just how banged up I am."
"Impressive look."
The neighbor woman, now beside me, chimed in. Guess my state was something else.
"Blanca, come here, sweetie."
"Oh, I'll handle that."
At Lopez Wife's words, the neighbor stepped up. As she did, the wife excused herself to prep dinner, leaving me, Blanca, and the neighbor on the living room couch.
"I already told her what happened."
"What'd she say?"
"Glad no one was badly hurt."
"...That's it?"
"For me and that woman? Yeah. Plus thanks for getting her daughter back safe."
It was the perfectly sensible, compassionate response you'd expect from someone motherly.
"That's all. For me and her."
"...Got it, no need to hammer it home."
As she grumbled, the woman finished tending Blanca's forehead and stepped back.
"...Nice work."
Impressively clean. Unlike me, who looked like a critical case, Blanca had just the injury neatly patched.
...Wait, is that normal?
As I pondered, she answered.
"You get used to it with practice."
Know how to save a life, and you know how to take one. Famous saying. So doesn't knowing how to kill mean you should know how to save too? I couldn't wrap my head around it, but this woman clearly had.
I sat there reeking of antiseptic, while Blanca sported a single neat bandage—the contrast was stark.
"Heard there was chaos in Iron Valley?"
A voice from behind made me turn. Gustavo was coming in, door open.
His glance flicked to Blanca's forehead, then to my bandage-wrapped state.
"...You okay?"
For a split second, his eyes flashed murderously, but seeing me all trussed up seemed to calm him a bit.
"......"
Surely not—I glanced at Lopez Wife. She winked one eye and kept prepping food.
...Ahh, Mother... I finally get your grand wisdom.
A father's rage at his daughter's scratched face could be soothed by a mother's love. Reflecting on that profound principle, I repeated my explanation to Gustavo.
...Why the sudden honorific? He's the boss—gotta show some respect. Definitely not cowed by paternal fury.
He sighed faintly but, like his wife, said little—just thanked me and the neighbor for our trouble. He'd probably heard from the beggars or Rom, so he knew better than Lopez Wife how bad today's mess had been.
"Dinner time! You all look beat—eat up and rest."
Right on cue—or timed perfectly—Lopez Wife called us to eat.
The meal was quieter than yesterday's. I stood to leave—my piece said, now it was between the parties involved. No one stopped me, though Blanca shot me a look like I was ditching her solo. But as I said, I'd said all I could.
Just before heading downstairs, I left one last word.
"Lopez Wife knew you were still doing it."
No direct talks, but probably true. As I said, kids' lies improve, parents' bullshit detectors sharpen too.
...Did I say that? Anyway.
To her wide-eyed stare, I added to take the day off, then left the hosts behind.
Now, time for some meditation and circulation training... while I wait for things to wrap up.
Isan gone, four remained at the table: the Lopez couple, Blanca, and Melissa.
"......"
Blanca clamped her mouth shut. Lopez Wife didn't nag, just sipped water. Gustavo sat watching them both. And she... just sat by Blanca.
Not quite a bystander—though part of it was not wanting a scolding alone. More than that, though...
"Mom."
Twitch.
The word slipped from Blanca's lips, and her hand moved unconsciously under the table. Gustavo's gaze flicked her way briefly, but she either didn't notice or didn't care—just stared at Blanca.
"Actually..."
Blanca started her tale, hesitant and fidgety like any kid more afraid of disappointing parents than getting yelled at. But she spilled it all, holding nothing back.
Of course, midway, Lopez Wife spent more time eyeing Gustavo than Blanca. Those eyes screamed to call Gustaf right now, but she patiently heard Blanca out.
"Sorry for hiding it all this time. But I want to keep doing this. Yeah, it started for the money, but now it's fun—I like it, so I wanna keep going."
She bowed her head, done, too chicken to face Lopez Wife.
"......"
Melissa raised a hand to pat her shoulder, then lowered it. Her blank face gave nothing away as Lopez Wife drew near Blanca and slowly lifted a hand.
"If you had a passion, you should've said so from the start. I'd oppose something crazy, sure. But if it's real and you'll give it your all, no parent says no."
Her voice soft, she pulled Blanca into a tight hug.
"Cliché, I know. But all my nagging? It's for your sake. You've picked your path—go hard. Mom and Dad will always cheer and help."
"...Yeah, Mom. I'll do my best. Sorry for lying."
Rubbing Blanca's back as she mumbled thickly, Lopez Wife eyed Gustavo, who'd been watching warily.
"You and I need to talk."
"...No, uh..."
As Lopez Wife lit into him like she wanted Gustaf summoned now, Blanca—sniffling—giggled at his fluster. Catching Melissa's gaze, she grinned awkwardly.
"...Glad it worked out."
Amid Gustavo's stammers and Lopez Wife's scolding, she curved her lips in a smile and said it.