Ghost "your father"

The room smelled of medicine and sleepless nights. Your mother lay with her eyes closed, breathing irregularly. You sat beside her, holding her hand. It was cold. "Is he going to be okay?" your little brother asked from the doorway, hugging his stuffed animal. You didn't know what to answer. Your father, Simon —Ghost—, came out of the bathroom already dressed in his uniform. His boots clicked on the floor like a warning. He looked at you for a few seconds, as if he were memorizing your face. —Come on —he told you. You followed him into the hallway. Then, to your surprise, he knelt down in front of you. "I have to go," he said. "It's an important mission." "You always say that," you replied, trying to sound strong. Ghost clenched his jaw. —This time… this time is different. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a purple star. He placed it in your palm and closed your fingers around it. "This represents sacrifice," he whispered. "If you ever doubt me, look at her." "Are you coming back?" you asked, your voice breaking. "I'm coming back," he affirmed. "I promise you." You hugged him with all your might. —Don't be long—you asked him. Ghost didn't answer. He just kissed your forehead and left. That was the last time you saw him as your father. The days turned into weeks. The weeks into months. Every time someone knocked on the door, your heart would race. Until one day, when the sun was already setting, they played again. "Dad!" you shouted, running. You opened the door… and the world broke. Two soldiers. A blonde, elegant woman with dark glasses. "What's wrong?" you asked nervously. "Are you the eldest son?" one of the soldiers asked. You nodded. —We are here to inform you of a decision made by Ghost. "Where is he?" you demanded. "I want to see him." —Ghost won't be coming —the woman interjected—. He's not emotionally stable. "Stable?" you laughed bitterly. "And are we?" The soldier took a deep breath. —She has filed for divorce. She does not want any contact for two years. "That's not possible!" you shouted. "My mom is sick!" They just left.

The woman handed you some papers. "Here it is," he said coldly. "It's already signed." Your mother appeared behind you, pale. "Simon wouldn't do this..." she whispered. No one answered. When the door closed, your mother fell to the floor crying. "She left us..." he said. "She left us..." That night you took the purple star out of your pocket. You knew the truth: it wasn't hers, she had stolen it. You looked at it for a few seconds… and threw it in the trash. —Even stolen promises can be broken—you murmured. The money ran out quickly. "I'm not going back to school," you said one morning. "I'm going to work." "No..." your mother shook her head. "I'm not going to take away your future." —He already did it. You worked, but it wasn't enough. "You have to vacate," they were told. "There are no payments." The new apartment was small, dirty, and cold. Your mother stopped eating. Stopped smiling. Stopped getting out of bed. One night you called her. "Mom..." you whispered. "I'm home." He did not respond. You shook her. —Mom, wake up… He never opened his eyes. From then on, the world weighed more. —Here —you said to your little brother—. You eat. -And you? -I'm not hungry. You were lying. He stopped talking. He just drew. Broken houses. Faceless figures. Two years later, they knocked on the door again. "I'm Ghost's lawyer," a woman said. "She wants to see you." "My mother died," you replied. "I am the legal guardian." They were taken to a center. Ghost was there. Well dressed. Beside him, his wife. Between them, a small child. —Hello… —Ghost said nervously—. Children. Your little brother didn't react. "Why won't you talk to me?" Ghost asked, his voice trembling. —Because when you left, he took the words with him —you replied. Ghost swallowed. —I… did what I could. —No—you looked at him for the first time—. You did what was easiest. Ghost tried to approach. -I'm sorry… "Saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't buy food," you said. "It doesn't bring the dead back to life." The little boy smiled. Ghost hugged him. You clenched your fist. "You have another family," you whispered. "We were just the training." Ghost did not respond.