Retirement

[finch]

“After the autopsy, they’re sending her body back east. Her family insisted.”

Jin nodded. It didn’t surprise him.

“I did manage to slip one or two things into my pocket, though.”

He looked up, confused, as Victor pressed something cold and hard into his hands. No, two things.

He knew before he looked – the smooth band of the wedding ring, the heavier engagement ring. He thought about how well they had matched as they sat on his ex-wife’s hand. Jin closed his hand tightly around the rings and looked away for a long minute, until he was sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

“Oh, one other thing. I put in my notice; I’m retiring.”

“You’re not even thirty five,” Jin snapped. Just when he thought he couldn’t be any more alone.

“I’ll stay through the move, but I’m tired of jumping when my boss snaps his fingers, Jin. I’m going into the private sector.”

“I don’t need you to hold my hand.”

Victor didn’t even look upset. He just shrugged and showed Jin the clipboard. “I need you to sign that you took possession.”

Jin grabbed the clipboard and fished the pen out of his breast pocket, almost tearing the paper as he scribbled his name. Victor handed him a second copy of the report on the “retrieval” mission and turned to leave.

“Thanks,” Jin muttered, but if Victor heard it, he didn’t answer.

Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.