Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
7:30 a.m. December 24
“Did someone make this for you?” Lizzie asked JT as she wound the obviously handmade knit scarf around the boy’s neck before helping him into his new jacket.
“Momma C made it for me for Christmas last year.” He reached into his pockets and slipped his hands into matching red mittens. Wiggling his fingers, he announced, “She made me these for Christmas the first year I came to live with them.” His face suddenly dropped, and his chin quivered. As he raised his glistening eyes to her, his voice broke as he asked, “Do you think I’m ever going to see them again? Poppa and Momma C?” His gaze dropped to the handmade mittens. “And my Cantrell brothers and sisters?”
Lizzie had no idea and wouldn’t lie to the boy. He’d been through enough in his short life and was about to completely alter the course he’d been set upon in Kansas. Or he might end up right back in the orphanage where he’d been taken after the deadly accident with his aunt. The weight of her pending decisions seemed to slow her reactions.
Little by little she kneeled until she was face-to-face with him under the pretense of zipping up his jacket, she tried to explain to him that she herself wasn’t sure. “JT, ever is a long time. If you think of your life as an exciting book, you’re about to start a new chapter. The Cantrells were in the last chapter. Your birth parents were the first chapter. Those letters left by your father are guiding this next chapter. No one knows if the Cantrells will come back into your life because your book isn’t finished. But you can influence what happens by staying in touch with them, talking with Mr. and Mrs. Wolf about your desire to see them again. In ten years, you’ll be an adult and in control of your life and you can decide to go see them again. It may take that long but it’s up to you.”
Suddenly Lizzie had a brilliant idea. She stood and trotted to the desk where she gathered the notepaper and a pen. “We’re going to be on the plane for a couple of hours. Why don’t you write down some of your best memories of being with the Cantrells and once we get to Washington, D.C. we’ll put them in your remember box.”
JT’s face lit up. “Thank you, Miss Lizzie. I don’t ever want to forget my time with them.”
Jeff walked into the room with a bag in each hand and one over his shoulder. He rolled the Spider-Man suitcase to JT. “Looks like we’re ready to go.”
Forty minutes later, after driving through freshly plowed side streets and heavily salted interstates, the Guardian Security SUV pulled in front of a one-story, light brown brick building that practically sat on the runway.
“The pilot is pulling the plane over now,” Steve announced as he turned to the backseat where Jeff and Lizzie sat on each side of JT. “We’ll sit here until he pulls the plane up, then we’ll drive onto the runway, and you’ll be loaded first. The other executives will be allowed to get on once you’re settled.” His gaze slid to Jeff and the two men seemed to have a totally nonverbal conversation. Jeff tapped under his left arm and nodded. “Top Cooper will collect the gun and holster when you get to Guardian in D.C.”
What the hell? Jeff was carrying a gun?
“Thanks for being JT’s detail on the flight.” Steve looked a little sheepish, then shrugged. “It’s Christmas and I’ve given my men who have families extended time off so I’m a little shorthanded.”
“I personally thank you for taking on this duty.” Rock smiled as he glanced back at the three of them. “Because I got to know the little guy, I probably would’ve volunteered. My wife would not have been happy, though.”
Steve’s phone buzzed. He put the car in drive and drove slowly to an electronic gate that rattled as it rolled open, pushing close to six inches of snow out of its way. As they pulled up to the side of the plane, the stairway descended. Rock stepped out and scanned the area before tapping twice on the roof.
“Let’s go.” Steve and Jeff both stepped out and moved to Lizzie’s side of the car. She’d already been ordered to wait until someone opened the solid door for her. Steve, Jeff, and Rock surrounded her as she exited the SUV and helped JT out of the tall vehicle. As previously directed, she took JT’s hand and kept pace with the three men until they were safely inside the cabin of the private jet.
Lizzie hoped her mouth wasn’t hanging open as she followed Steve down the curving aisle past single and double seats on each side to a table between two facing chairs. She had never been inside such an elegant airplane. The seats looked more like a recliner in her parents’ living room and felt as soft as butter.
“I’ll ride back here,” Jeff announced as he looked around for someplace to stash his backpack near the single seat across the aisle.
“This is a good choice,” Steve declared as he turned around. “You can see the entire plane and JT without having to move your eyes except to watch anybody in the galley or bathroom.” He turned his attention to JT and held out his hand. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully Katlin and Alex will bring you with them when they come to visit.”
“Thank you, Mr. Steve. I’d like to come back and visit Chicago sometime…when it’s not snowing.” JT then stepped up to Rock and gave him a hug. “Thank you for teaching me how to play video games.”
“You’re very welcome, young man.” Rock held the boy tight. “Next time you come back to Chicago I’ll see if we can get you and my son together. Maybe go to a ballgame. Do you like baseball? We have two teams, but you’d better be a Sox fan.”
“Okay. I’ll be a Sox fan. I’ve only ever played baseball at school in gym class.” JT’s shoulders fell. “We couldn’t play Little League. Poppa and Momma C only had the truck so there was nobody to take us into town to practice or to the games.”
Rock put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I’ll bet if you tell Alex you want to play baseball, he’ll make that happen.”
Excited wide eyes looked up at the big man. “Really? Do you think he’d play catch with me?”
Steve chuckled. “Knowing Katlin, she’ll be out there pitching to you in the snow.”
“Does she play baseball?”
Both men laughed this time.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Rock admitted.
“Young mister JT, I believe you’re going to find that Katlin Callahan does anything she puts her mind to, and she does it well. She’s an amazing woman,” Steve added with respect in his voice. “Jeff, if you’ve got it from here, we’ll get your bags loaded and then release the plane for the other executives to get on board. It’s been a pleasure having all three of you with us.” With a mock salute Steve turned and followed Rock down the aisle.
Ten minutes later, a woman in a flight attendant-style uniform led three men and a woman, who all wore suits, onto the plane. The businesspeople took seats near the front. The first woman stopped when she reached the three of them.
“Good morning. I’m Mary Alice and I’ll be your flight attendant today. You must be JT Chambers.”
JT smiled ear to ear while nodding his head up and down. “Yes, ma’am.”
“So that means you are Elizabeth Hopewell, and you are Lieutenant Jeff Arwood.” She extended her hand and shook with each of them.
“Welcome aboard. I’ve already closed the door and we’ll be taking off from the gate within the next three minutes. Once we’ve reached cruising altitude, I’ll be coming by to take your orders for breakfast, brunch, or snacks as well as drinks. Is everybody buckled in?”
“Yes, ma’am.” JT leaned back so she could see his seatbelt.
“Thank you, young man.” She glanced at Jeff and Lizzie. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Once we’re in the air and leveled out, I’ll give you the pen and paper.” Lizzie looked the boy up and down. He didn’t show any signs of nervousness. Excited, yes.
Secretly, so was she.
Lizzie looked out the window and saw the long line of commercial flights waiting to take off. She was shocked when they taxied a short distance, stopped, and she heard the engines rev. They were in the air within a minute. It didn’t take long before the plane was running parallel to the earth. Lizzie ignored the murmur of deep voices from the seats in front of them as she retrieved the notepaper and pen for JT.
“Is this how my daddy used to fly?” JT asked Jeff.
“Not even close.” He chuckled. “SEALs fly in military airplanes that are so barren inside you can often see the cabling that runs from the cockpit throughout the plane. Seats are often little more than nylon mesh, or a metal square attached to the side of the plane. There’s very little light, often no heat so you try to curl up in your sleeping bag and catch a few hours’ sleep until you arrive in the country often under the guise of darkness. Sometimes we even sit on the floor.” He glanced around the interior of the luxurious jet. “I’ve never been in a plane like this one. I’ll have to be sure to thank Mr. and Mrs. Wolf for such a magnificent ride.”
Lizzie sat back in her chair and realized just how little she knew about the military. And about Jeff. She wondered if he would tell her the truth if she asked him about his job and his training. She doubted if those television shows were even close to reality and vowed to read some nonfiction books written by men and women who fought in war.
She heard Jeff talking to someone and glanced over at him. He was on his cell phone. Since she was riding in the backwards seat, she turned to see several other men in suits also speaking on their cell phones. Well, that didn’t happen on commercial flights. After checking JT’s progress on his best memories with the Cantrells, she decided to call her parents. When they didn’t answer, she simply left a message that as soon as she knew what time she would land she’d call them back. If everything went as planned, she’d be able to make the five o’clock flight to Florida.
As soon as she disconnected the line, Jeff leaned across the aisle. “Commander Carson is going to meet us at the Guardian Security building in D.C. Someone there will take all four of us to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wolf as originally planned.” His smile broadened and her heart warmed. He was so damn good looking. “The commander caught a ride up in a helicopter and he’s going to take me back with him to Virginia Beach. I’ll make it back in time to stand duty tonight at midnight.”
She could now see the relief on his face. She had no idea that he’d been even mildly concerned about getting back to base on time. Although Jeff was directly involved in this entire situation, she could handle it on her own.
Reaching across to him, she placed her hand on his solid bicep. “Jeff, if you need to get back to Virginia Beach sooner, I’ve got this. I have to be there to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Wolf. You don’t. As soon as we land you can catch a flight to the base and be there within a few hours.”
“It’s because of me that we’re here. I have a responsibility to see this through, especially now that Commander Carson is going to be there.” He patted her hand still resting on his arm. “Everything is working out as originally planned, just a few hours delayed.”
Their eyes met and held. Jeff’s smile softened. “I like that you’re concerned about me.” He lightly squeezed her hand.
In return, she squeezed his bicep. “Thank you for being there with me. I appreciate your support.” More than he would ever know.