Chapter 966

Jackson tenses, snarling too, tucking his daughter a bit behind him as Hank's eyes go wide, staring at the little girl.

"What's going on here?" Jackson growls. "How do you -"

"What is going on?" a voice says. "Dad, let me through -"

Maryam steps forward then, peering into the room with a frown, scowling when her eyes land on Jackson and his extended canines.

But then a little gasping shout of joy sounds and all of our mouths fall open as Marigold pops out from behind Jackson, jumps out from behind the couch, and makes a dash for Maryam.

"Oh my god!" Maryam says with a delighted laugh, reaching for Marigold as the little girl leaps for her. Maryam snatches Marigold up into her arms, turning her in a delighted circle. "Bunny rabbit! What on earth are you doing here!?"

Marigold laughs with joy, beaming up at this woman who she...so clearly knows. I watch in awe as Marigold rests her head on Maryam's shoulder and says a single, happy word. "Maryam!"

"No seriously," Maryam says, her face falling with worry and fear as she glances back at her dad and then narrows her eyes as she glares around at all of us. "What is this child doing here? How did she get here?"

"Maryam," Jackson says, slowly standing to his full, intimidating height. "How on earth do you know my child?"

"Your child," she spits out, laughing in derision - but then she goes still, staring at Jackson and then down at the little girl, and then back and forth at least three more times. "Oh my...oh my god..."

"Um, clearly...some clarifications need to be made," mom says, hurrying to shut the door and give Hank a warm pat on the shoulder as he stares around, clearly shocked and in a bit of awe. "How...how does everyone know each other?"

"Apologies," Hank murmurs, stepping forward, a little awkward. His eyes rest on Marigold and Maryam as he comes to stands next to them. Marigold again bares her teeth, snarling at the doctor, a clear warning to keep away. "As you've clearly all put together, I know this child. I've treated her twice in pop-up clinics outside of the Community. Once for a cough, and once for her vaccines."

Marigold snarls at the word, narrowing her eyes.

el?

"Yes," Maryam says, fonder and gentler than ve seen her before, laughing a little as she grins down at Jackson's daughter. "Bunny did not like her injections, and dad's reputation has suffered for it. But the two of us get on like a house on fire, don't we, Bunbun?" noveldrama

"But Maryam," Hank says with a sigh, resting his forehead in his hand before looking up at Jacks, guilt all over his face. "Maryam helped me, on both occasions as part of a humanitarian aid force, distributing food to the patients."

"Apples," Marigold whispers, blissful.

"I'm so sorry, Jackson," Hank says, stepping towards him. "Her mother must have used a false name - which makes a great deal of sense, in retrospect - there was no way for me to know -"

"It's fine," Jackson says, his voice flat, his eyes trained on his daughter in Maryam's arms. His hands twitch, clearly resisting the urge to snatch her back.

Maryam, intuiting this, crosses the room, pressing a kiss to Marigold's cheek before she passes the little girl to Jackson's arms. Jackson visibly relaxes, smiling down at his daughter as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"Why...why do you keep calling her Bunny?" Rafe asks, stepping forward, curious.

"Because that's her name," Maryam snaps, rolling her eyes at him. I smirk a little, thinking that no matter what Rafe had said, Maryam was going to throw it back at him like a damned bullet.

"Her name is Marigold," Rafe growls, his voice a low grumble.

My grin widens as I see my ever-calm brother start to lose his temper at the drop

of a hat. Damn, but this Maryam really knows just how to get under his skin. I

laugh a little, thinking it might be good for him.

"Well, she didn't tell me that, did

she?” Maryam snaps, glaring at Rafe

and then turning to smile at

Marigold again. "I think Bunny suits her, anyway. She's just a little fluffy bunny, with these cheeks." Maryam grins, giving Marigold's cheeks a squeeze, making her laugh.

"Please," Hank says, his voice breaking on the word a bit. We all turn to him, surprised by the worry on his face. "Maryam and I are leaving for the North in an hour - and I have to ask...the...the child's mother?"

Hank's face falls as our silence tells him all he needs to know.