Ruthless Saints

The smile that’s changed my life.

The smile I live for.

(5 Years later…)

Standing on the airfield, I watch as the plane makes its descent.

Hailey’s grip on my hand tightens, and she practically bounces with excitement.

MJ stands by the car, her eyes scanning our surroundings. I’ve continued to train her during my off time, and she’s become a little fighting machine.

When the plane comes to a stop and the door opens, my heart begins to beat faster. Lekgari is the first to step out, then Thandi… and then a smile tugs around my lips.

The moment Dimpo’s feet touch the ground, I begin to walk toward her.

A wide smile explodes over her face, and then she runs to me. “Mr. Carson!” She slams into me with the same innocence I remember from when we last saw each other.

I hold the girl who’s become the closest thing I have to a daughter, happy to finally see her again after all these years.

Pulling back, I glance over the beautiful woman she’s become. “Damn, you’ve grown. You’re almost as tall as me.”

“You look the same as I remember,” she says, the happy smile not leaving her face.

I turn to Hailey. “This is my girlfriend, Hailey.”

Hailey and Dimpo hug, and I watch as the two rays of sun in my life come together for the first time.

Thandi moves toward me, and when we hug, she says, “Thank you.” The word carries her gratefulness for all I’ve done for them.

“You’re welcome,” I murmur as we pull apart.

I shake Lekgari’s hand, who’s permanently on my payroll to watch over Dimpo and Thandi, then turning back to Dimpo, I ask, “Are you ready to look at the universities?”

After talking with her over the phone, we’ve decided she should study abroad. I wouldn’t let her come to Switzerland, so we settled on Germany. She’ll be close by, but not too close.

“Yes,” she replies, excitement shining from her face.

And for the first time in my life, I admit to myself I’ve done something good. I’ve made a difference in this girl’s life, the same way Hailey’s done in mine.

The End.