On The Run: Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Five - "Maternity & Beyond"

She gasped, “You were kidnapped?”

“I told you, being my father’s daughter was anything but unexciting.”

“What happened?”

“People got bored. They kidnapped the senator’s daughter for some quick cash,” I replied nonchalantly, “I’ll tell you later. Go on.”

She raised a brow, “Wow. Okay, well . . . where was I?”

“Roxy. Backyard.”

“Oh yeah. Then I swam. For a long time. Your dad had to talk to Jerry and his campaign assistant managers, so I did that. I met Javier, Roland and . . . I think his name was Samson, or . . . Samuel.”

“Who are those?”

“Javier’s the pool boy who’s trying to go to art school; Roland is head of security and he was there with Jerry; Samson or Samuel’s the butler. How do you not know them? They said they’d worked with your family for decades. Well, at least Samson/Samuel and Roland.”

I shrugged, “I don’t know. I was always in my own world. I don’t think I ever even knew there was somebody who cleaned the pool, talk less of why.”

I smiled uneasily as she raised a brow.

“I was trying to be sociable,” she said, “Anyway, when everyone left, we had lunch. And honestly, I don’t know how you are the way you are because if your Saturday meals were always like that . . . oh my. I think I put on ten pounds just looking at it.”

I laughed, “I was a cheerleader; I dared not put on a pound. Besides, I think my dad was pulling out all the stops for you.”

She gave me a wry smile.

“He’s not mad,” I said firmly

She looked skeptical, but nodded.

“If it’ll ease your worries, I’ll call him,” I said, pulling out my phone from the pocket of my sweatpants.

He picked up on the first ring, just like I knew he would. He was probably sitting next to the phone, waiting. I grinned as he said, “Hey, everything okay?”

Just like I knew he would.

“Yeah, everything’s great. Chloe wants to talk to you,” I said, handing her the phone.

I could still hear him through the speakers, as he said, “Hi honey, are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry for leaving like that,” she replied.

“It’s okay. I didn’t overwhelm you, did I?”

“No! I had a really great time. I promise.”

“Well, okay.”

“I can come back tomorrow. I left all my stuff anyway,” she glanced at me, “With Sarah.”

I smiled and nodded.

“Okay, Caroline will be here though. I don’t know how Sarah would feel about that.”

I winced. Oh, that ever-present suffocating elephant. It was a memory that simply hurt to recall.

Chloe glanced at me and answered, “We’d love to. Sarah doesn’t mind.” I glared at her through narrowed eyes, and she smiled, “We can all have dinner, since we didn’t get to today.”

“Okay, honey. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Can you give the phone to Sarah?”

She handed it over, and I sighed, “So, dinner,” I said to my dad, not bothering to hide my hesitation.