Persephone bristled as though gathering her resolve. “Just so you know… you’ve got two sisters. My mother just told me,” she observed Fernando for almost half a minute before continuing. “Eva and Maeva are twins- not identical obviously,” she could’ve laughed at the surprise that illuminated the man’s very appealing face.
“She sort of saved your life, you know?” Persephone did laugh then when his expression relayed horror.
“Do tell.” Fernando propped his hands to his hips.
“Well, she taught me there were places one could be shot- in the case of everyone on the island who had been given those injections- you could be critically wounded and heal. She told me whatever that stuff was, it sped up the healing process and that it could heal almost anything.
She um...Mae’s done terrible things, Fernando, but there’s a conscience inside her- an innocence. In many ways she’s like a child- one Eva turned but not completely. I think I was the one she’d have succeeded with. I was already on my way there with her once-”
“Persephone?” Fernando watched her for a while once he’d had her attention. “Do you think you’re a monster?”
“Evangela’s my sister- some of the things I did when I was with her… I wanted to do. I topped all that with hiding the girls from Hill,” she swallowed on a sob and released a shaky laugh. “And let’s not forget that I shot you.”
“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten.”
“Don’t try to tease it away, Fernando.” She saw the easiness in his eyes. “Don’t make light of it.”
“That’s the last thing I’d do. You can trust me on that too.”
He’d switched gears abruptly from playful to stern and Persephone finally saw the flash of anger she thought she’d been prepared for.
“I will never make light of that, Persephone. If your shooting had been off the mark, I could’ve been dead- regardless of how much of that shit they pumped into us. My wife would live her life longer as my widow than being my wife. No Persephone, I don’t make light of it.” He closed some of the distance between them.
“I guess I choose to dwell on what I do know- like how good a shot you are. Hill says you can take a fly off a hornet’s back twenty miles out.”
There was silence and then laughter following the claim.
“I hope you know that’s bullshit?” Persephone fingered a tear from her eye.
Fernando grinned. “Well, he said he could’ve been off a mile or two. Point is, I don’t see a monster before me and if I were to condemn you based on who you’re related to, I’d have to condemn myself, wouldn’t I?”
“I shot you in cold blood.”
“And you’re here now apologizing like hell for it- explaining yourself-asking my forgiveness. You’re here with a man who’s like a brother to me and I can see the love between you.” He smiled when he saw her blink away more tears.
“You’ve given him two girls- and you risked that love to keep them safe.” He interjected the last before she could repeat her sins. His perception of her actions sent her tears streaming anyway. When she pushed off the arm of the chair and would’ve turned away, he caught her shoulders to make her face him.
“Insane? Perhaps. Overprotective? Maybe. Monstrous and perverse? Never.” He declared.
“I could’ve killed you.” Her voice was quiet, matter-of-fact. “That you can stand here and offer words of comfort-”
“Was it your intention to kill me?”
“Bullets have no intentions, Fernando. You know that.”
“Okay,” his smile ignited the brilliant flash of his eyes. The gesture sent them crinkling at the corners. “Alright… let’s not talk about the bullet, but the shooter.”
Persephone bristled, but gave an approving nod and sat in the armchair Fernando directed her back to. He took a seat on a matching ottoman.
“Was it your intention to kill me?”
“No.”
“Why me, then? Kraven was there. He was on your sister’s list too.”
“She’s your sister too, remember? She had special interest in you, Fernando. Special purpose that didn’t involve killing you right away. You were right when you said she had a more creative way in mind. She had special interest in family and betrayal between family members.” Persephone studied her palms as though reading her explanation from them.
“I knew that targeting you would not only get your family’s attention, but hers too and that would eventually draw her to me and it did. She uh...she believes someone she fears is trying to kill her. She told me about Casper’s death- the intricacy of it had her believing it’s this person who's coming after her-it’s Jake Shannon.”
Understanding bloomed on Fernando’s face. “The guy who took Bill. Does Hill know all this?” His expression was then tight with concern as well as intrigue.
“He knows I’ve seen her. I’ve told him what I just told you, but no more. I’ll tell you all, but after...now is not the time.”
“But it is time for forgiveness.” Fernando insisted, dipping his head to maintain contact when she would’ve looked away. “There’s too much mending of fences going on all around to hang onto any more negative, agreed?”
Persephone lifted her chin. “Are you sure this is what you want, Fernando?”
“It is.” He offered a hand, squeezing hers when she clasped it.
“Do you think Hill will ever forgive me?” She asked, her eyes on Fernando’s hand covering hers.
“You don’t think he has?”
“I...there’s something- something he won’t say and I-” she grimaced over her hesitation. “I want to say that’s just my guilt talking, telling me I need more punishment.”
“But you don’t think so?”
Persephone could only shrug her response.
