Torchwood

Chapter 28

Meh. I’ll e-mail her back later. I get ready to type my e-mail to Em, when my mobile rings. It’s from a blocked number. Hmm. Haven’t had one of those in a while. Oh well. If it’s important, they can leave a message. I get back to my e-mail. “Hey. I haven’t heard from you or Derek in a while. I have gotten worried that I had Jack have local police check in on you. I wish you would call me. I miss you guys so much. Call me or e-mail me back. Love you. Laters.” I push send. Thinking about Em and Derek has me feeling sad.

I start thinking about grandfather too. I truly hope he is alive and well. Sitting on my bed for some time, I hear a knock on my door. “Hey Charlie. We’re about ready, are you?” It’s Des. “No. I’m going to stay home. I have a few things to take care of.” She’s silent. “Okay. We’ll see you later.” I didn’t hear her walk away, so I had the chance to say, “Okay.” After a minute or two, she finally walked away. I pull my search back up for Zoey. She lives in Norman, Oklahoma.

I close my computer and get up. I grab my duffle bag and start packing. The last thing to be packed is my computer. I go downstairs to find that Amber and Des have already left. I lock up and head to my car. I have to go to grandfather’s house. He has my passport from when he brought me here from Oklahoma. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to update it. Once I get to his house, I let myself in and go up to his office.

I dig around his desk drawers. Nope, not there. Oh yea, he has a safe. Maybe it’s in the safe. I go to his room, move a picture some and enter the pin for the safe. It opens. I look through the papers and other stuff until…Good. I he still has my passport. I put everything back in the safe, close it and move the picture back. I go head downstairs and lock up before leaving. I get into my car and drive off to get my passport renewed.

I find a place. I get my picture taken and get my passport renewed, then I head off to the airport. I’m not going to tell Jack until I get on the plane. I just know he’ll be furious with me and would try to stop me if I told him before getting on the plane. After driving for some time, I get to the airport. I buy a ticket, get to the baggage check and head to where I need to be. I have to wait about twenty minutes before I can board the plane.

When the twenty minutes go by, I board the plane, find my seat and get settled in. I take a deep breath and call Jack. “Hey Charlie. Are you having a good time with Amber and Des?” I swallow and take another deep breath. “I’m not with them.” My voice is a little shaky. “Oh. Are you at home?” He sounds a little surprised to know that I’m not with them. I don’t blame him either. “No. I’m on a plane.” I calmly said. I didn’t think I could. It’s silent. A moment or two later he, as calmly as possible says, “Why are you on a plane?”

I have a hard time answering. “Well?” I close my eyes, slowly breath and count to ten. I know he’s angry at me, which makes it harder to tell him. “I’m on a plane to go home.” Well, not really. It hasn’t been my home since I was five. I can tell by the tone of his voice he’s trying not to yell. “What do you mean home?” This is harder than I thought. “I’m going back to Oklahoma. I found some family there and I want to ‘meet’ them. I haven’t seen or heard from my dad’s side of the family in years.” Tears fill my eyes. “Ladies and gentlemen, you have five more minutes before take-off. Please make sure your electronics are turned off before then. Thank You.” The stewardess smiles at me as she walks past me.

“There’s a reason why you haven’t heard from them all these years!” He’s really angry now. “I’m sure there is, but I’m still going. I promise I’ll be safe.” He scoffs. “Why go now? Why tell me that you’re going when you’re already on the plane about to leave?!?” I sighed. “I knew if I told you before boarding the plane, you’d stop me. And, I’m going because I didn’t know I still had family back in the states. I just recently found out I still have family. I want to find them and try to reconnect with them.” I’m trying not to get upset. “Miss, you have just another minute or two left.” The stewardess put her hand on my shoulder. I nodded. “Thank you. I’m almost done.” She nodded and walked away.

“Jack, I don’t want to fight with you and I know you’re beyond angry with me, but please, please understand that I will have no one when grandfather passes. I just need to know if I’ll have someone and if that someone is them.” I paused. “I know you’ll always be there for me and I really do appreciate that. More than you’ll ever know, but I want to be sure that my ‘family’ will be there for me too.” He sighed. He doesn’t say anything. “I know you’re busy and the plane is about to take off. I’ll call you when I get there. I love you.” I can see the stewardess walking towards me. I am just about out of time.

“Jack?” I can hear him breathing. “You better call me as soon as you land.” I chuckle. “I will.” The stewardess grabs the intercom thing. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to take off. If you could please turn off all electronics. Thank you and enjoy your flight.” I sighed. I was about to say something when Jack spoke first. “I love you too Charlie. Please be safe.” He hung up before I could say anything else. I turn off my mobile just as the stewardess walks up to me. “It’s turned off.” I smile at her. She smiles back and walks off. WOW. I really didn’t expect him to say it back to me. I’m blushing and smiling like a kid in a candy store. The old lady next to me smiles. “Ah, young love. I remember when my husband and I first met. We were married for sixty-three years.” I smile back at her. Sixty-three years? Wow, that’s a long time. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The plane is starting to take off. I’m leaving the United Kingdom for the first time since I got here fourteen years ago. I’m scared and nervous. Was this really such a good idea?