Fallen
#2
"I'm going to miss you do much Lyn!" Brandon exclaimed enclosing me in a bear hug. In the past three days I have quite my job, packed my things, slept for five hours, and now am getting ready to go to Chicago. Jen and I had gone over Lincoln's case thousands of times trying to find anything that may be useful.
Now we were in the airport, waiting for our flights. I was going "home" and Jen was going out of the country. She had done all that she could do in the States, for the time being anyway. Once things calmed down she would think about coming back. Paranoid? Maybe, but better safe than sorry!
"I'm gonna miss you too, Bran. I promise once things with my family calm down, I'll get a hold of you." I felt guilty about not telling Brandon the truth about why I was leaving. Technically, I didn't lie, I just didn't tell the whole truth. I wanted to be able to tell him everything; he was the only person who knew my whole life story. In California anyway. As much as I wanted to tell him, I knew that it would be selfish to do so.
Jen and I had finally left Brandon's side to venture to our gates. "So," Jen began. "What made you change your name, and why did you choose Lyndi Deacon?" she inquired. I laughed nervously before answering. "You know, things went downhill after Lincoln's conviction. It was like World War Three with my family, when I decided to leave Chicago I decided to leave my family and Cali Donovan there as well. So I changed it. As for why I chose Lyndi Deacon, well, Lyndi means beautiful and Deacon means messenger. Beautiful Messenger." I explained shaking my head. "If I remember correctly, Cali Donovan means "Beautiful, Dark Warrior" Jen replied with a sly smile. "Ah well, what's in a name right?" I asked with a chuckle.
Suddenly, Jen stopped walking nearly causing me to plow her over. I gave her a "what's wrong?' look before she turned a teary face to me. "If there is one thing that I know, it's that you will do both of those names justice! Don't doubt yourself so much Cal, don't let the past hold you back, ok?" By now we were both crying, it was the first time in 5 years that I had cried. I pulled my best friend into a hug, which very well could have been the last one we had. "I love you Cali. Stay safe and strong for me ok? For all of us!" "I love you too, kid!"
With that we separated, me receiving a glare and a shake of the head for the "kid" comment. Jen receiving a wink and a smile, before we headed for our gates.