Tarnished Armor
Part 144

Adam and Liza’s bedroom.

Adam is sitting up in bed, writing in a journal.

Liza enters.

Adam looks up.

Adam: The monitor is on your -- the dressing table. I’m sorry I took it. I didn’t know when --

Liza comes in and shuts the door.

Liza: No. It’s okay. I wanted to talk.

Adam puts his journal aside.

Adam: Sure.

Liza: I’ve been doing some thinking about Colby. I think the sooner we make her ... lineage known, the better.

Adam: It’s up to you, of course, but I think she might be better off not knowing --

Liza: The truth? I won’t have Colby believing that her father didn’t feel strongly enough about her to let himself be known. I want her to know that you’re proud to be her father. She’s going to find out about you one day, and I think that the sooner it happens, the less turmoil she’ll go through later. I’ll manage it right now.

Adam: How?

Liza: I'll figure something out. I’ll manage it.

Adam: If that’s what you want.

Liza: It is.

Adam: Grace Keefer called while you were in with Colby.

Liza: Why didn’t you --

Adam: It was just a quick call. She wanted you to know that there would be a memorial service for Belinda tomorrow at Wildwind.

Liza: It’s so soon.

Adam: She wanted to know if you would like to speak.

Liza shakes her head.

Liza: I can’t. I know that seems...

Adam: No. I understand.

Liza: I want to. I want everyone to know how uniquely... special she was to me. But I don’t think I can.

Liza is quiet for a moment.

Liza: Are you going?

Adam: I don’t know. I have this gift for walking in a room and sweeping everything tender out of it. I don’t think they’d want me there.

Liza: It’s always about you, isn’t it?

Liza picks up Colby’s baby monitor and leaves the room.

Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Forty Three
Part One Hundred and Forty Five