the illegitimate

Jacob smiled at that, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they walked. He missed out on so much of her life, he constantly had to question whether or not it was worth it. He liked to believe it was. Maybe even needed to believe it was. For now, it was sweet to just hear about Astine. "She was a firecracker... Kind, fiercely so, but she would never let anyone get pushed around. We got into trouble back then -- sneaking out of town and doing bonfires by the lake. It was fun. She was fun."

carine happily walked alongside him, unable to shake the feeling like they had both been robbed of time together over the years but that could be changed now. she smiled at him, getting to hear what type of person her mum was like when she was younger. "you were? that sounds like her." she laughed. her mum the troublemaker. "she always made sure there was fun to be had even with the most boring tasks. she has these photo albums, they're filled with pictures of people from here. i guess that would be you and the group of friends you both had. i can give them to you if you'd like. it seems only fair that you have access to them."

Jacob wrapped his arm around his daughter as they walked. It just felt natural to him, that little bit of contact. "All I ever really wanted for you was to be happy... Really." Whether he was in her life or not. With a little squeeze, he released her. "Actually, what was your Mom like growing up? I know Astine always wanted to be a Mom."

"i am, even with everything going on in the town, i'm still happy i'm here with you" finding her father had been something she really never had thought would've happened and yet against all odds she did. "she was amazing, my best friend. she taught me the musical instruments i play, she taught me to be the best version of myself. she lived life to the fullest, there was never a dull moment with her. she made the most mundane things fun. what was she like when she was younger?"

"I'm the happiest I've been in quite some time now. I've got you and I have Sandra... The people that matter the most are satisfied with my decision. I couldn't be luckier."

carine smiled at the idea of her being someone that mattered to him. for the longest time she wasn't sure she'd ever meet her dad never mind actually getting to know him and be a part of his life. "the feeling is mutual. i feel incredibly lucky and grateful that we found one another and i got to see you as more than a blurry photo in an album"

@carine-agassi / closed event starter / carine agassi setting: the lake

"grandma sounds like she was a wise woman. i know you're right but i hate the way sister hardy talks to you, it's horrible. some people are so judgey around here"

"What other choice do I have? Have you tried to reason with the woman?" Jacob asked this and chuckled, finding himself leaning against the bartop while they spoke. This was all so normal. Perhaps that was why it felt so abnormal for him. All the conversation and speaking with his daughter like this-- it was natural when he hadn't expected it to be. "That's the conclusion I've come to as well... I'm trying not to feel guilty about it. I don't want to be. It's just the life I've lived up until this point." It didn't feel tragic to him. Just a collection of the choices he had made with his life. He smiled at her, nodding. "You know, you've grown into a very wise woman," he said, a chuckle escaping from him.

"noooo, and i don't intend to. no offence to you, but you'll be dealing with that nun all on your own. i don't want to be kicked" she chuckled along with him. since finding out jacob was her father, she could see some of the physical and personality traits in him that she had inherited. she wondered if her mom were still a round would she have ever found out about him. "you shouldn't feel guilty about it. i support whatever decision you land on with this." not that he needed her support but it was important for her to let him know that she was with him in focusing on his happiness. "i have two wise parents that trait comes from. i like to think my mom knew your stance on things and taught me that way. we can catch up later. go find sandra, go after someone you care about" she smiled and encouraged him.

“You grow somewhat used to it over time.” Jacob hoped that would quell his daughter’s worries but he wasn’t fooling himself— he wasn’t used to her and probably would never be. “It’s believed to be a distraction from our devotion to God. For everyone else, it’s wonderful, but we have a duty to fulfill.” He was making his own peace with it all. “I’ve spent all my time caring for others. Making myself a priority feels foreign.”

"you're used to her tantrums and kicking? at her big age?" carine doubted she'd ever understand the so called god soldier, but sister hardy wasn't her priority, her dad was. "you can be devoted to god and have a life, dad. people do it all the time. i know there are rules in place and all that, but it hardly seems fair that you lose out on love." hearing that he had spent his time caring for others, broke her heart. "all the more reason for you to make yourself a priority now, don't you think?"

“Yes,” Jacob replied quickly and nodded his head at his daughter. “She sees herself as one of God’s greatest soldiers… Even in our situation, she demands tradition and perfection.” Perhaps years ago, he probably would’ve agreed with him being kicked. Oh, how this town truly changes a man. “I have had feelings for Sandra for as long as I can remember. It was just something I never considered because being a priest is who I want to be.” It still felt strange honestly. “...You and Sandra are the most important people in my life at the moment. My top priorities. I promise.”

she was taken back by the swift response she got that the nun would indeed kick a priest. judging by how quickly he answered it sounded like it had happened before. "she sounds like a lot to deal with" carine respected the desire for tradition but that didn't mean others had to be forced into the mindset of sister hardy. "you can do both. i know there's some rules or whatever, but why can't you be a priest and be with sandra if you wanted to? i don't see why you should put your happiness aside" she wanted to see him happy "while i'm sure she appreciates that as much as i do, please don't forget that yourself is a priority as well. you're allowed to be happy, don't let karate nuns take that away from you"

“If you see me on the ground, run. Hide. Save yourself.” And Jacob was only half kidding. It wouldn’t take long before she took him down for both Sandra and the daughter right in front of him. Still, he loved them both. He was proud of them and they were worth being kicked for. “This was a first! I promise,” he stated with a chuckle. “I was dramatic for the sake of Sandra. She deserved it, I promise.”

"what is her deal anyway? she's intense. would she really kick a priest?" something deep down told her that the nun would klick a priest. she'd only just found her dad, she didn't want to lose him to a crazed nun. carine smirked at his protest "you don't have to convince me. if she makes you happy and you want to take that jump then do it. that's all that matters and in a place like this i've learned that you need to cling on to who you care about"

Jacob was in so much bliss that he hadn't even noticed any potential danger. This perhaps wasn't the smartest course of action but with the amount of time that he made Sandra wait, she deserved it a lot more than he deserved any safety. He definitely hadn't been expecting it when his new daughter had swooped in and steered him away, but once he realized it was her, he placed a gentle hand on her hand. "I'm afraid she's going to catch me no matter where I hide," he said and laughed for the first time in a long time. "How much of that did you end up seeing?"

carine gave him a wide smile "from what i gather, she does seem to be a rather determined woman." that was putting it lightly. carina had been in town for a short period of time and she's counted four victims to that nuns steel toe cap boot so far. "enough to see that my dad is happy and that's all that matters...and that you have an eye for the dramatics, i get that one from you by the way"

"I'm glad. That's all I could hope for in a situation like this one." This familiar closeness was so instinctual to him. He wasn't exactly sure why but it felt like something he should do for her... Oh, but then it hit him. That name. It felt like a gut punch. Astine. Gorgeous Astine. His vision felt pinched at the edges, his fingers like static as he gently took the locket in his hand. There she was. A little older but the same woman he remembered. Jacob was still processing that she was gone let alone that the woman standing in front of him was his daughter. He released the necklace while tears gathered in his eyes. So incredibly gently, he touched her cheek and smiled. "My God," he said, laughing some as the tears fell over onto his cheeks. "You're just as beautiful as I always knew you would grow up to be." He shook his head, pulling his hand away and taking hers in his instead. "I'm so sorry-- I--" His lungs were so short of breath. It was so hard to try to explain himself, to face the truth of this after all this time. His knees felt like they were going to give out. "I haven't seen you since you were so little. I never thought I would again... Please forgive me. God, I'm so sorry, Carine."

"it's been the best case scenario for me. i don't know how i would've coped without the kindness from yourself and others around town" even the way he spoke reminded her of her mom, there was just something about him. looking at jacob now, he was of similar age and she thought he might've been someone her mom might've known. panic came over her at his reaction "oh god, i'm so sorry! i've upset you!" she apologised profusely "i didn't mean t-" the words caught in her throat when she felt him touch her cheek "y-you knew me?" she asked confused, holding onto the locket tightly "you knew my mom?" her voice cracking and tears threatening to spill over in relief that she had met someone that knew her. clearly he knew her mom well enough that it brought on such an emotional reaction from him, maybe he could tell her more about her life "ho-how did you know her?"

“Part of the welcoming committee, yes,” Jacob laughed. "I can't take all the credit. I'm just the lucky one that found you first." He tucked his hands into his pockets as they walked, nodding along with her story and setting a hand on her back for her loss before it returned to his pocket. This story sounded familiar. A bit too familiar and now his stomach felt off. "I'm sorry for the loss of your mother... What was her name? Do you have any of the pictures at the moment?" He asked, letting out a shaky breath. "We might've been friends when we were younger."

"having people like yourself and the others that i have met have made the transition to this new living experience much easier." the pat on her back felt oddly comforting considering it was from someone she had just met, it reminded her of her mom. "thank you, her name was astine. it was fitting for her, it means the beautiful in armenian" she smiled at the memory of her "i so, i have her picture in my locket" carine reached up to her necklace, unclasping it and opening up the locket to show jacob the picture. "you might have. she kept loads of memories from her time here. i found old photo albums, diaries, keepsakes when i was packing up her home"