Eye of the Storm

Chapter

Thirty-eight

“ALASTAIR, IT’S GONE past where we can control this.” Evans was upset and his voice showed it. “We have the company’s reputation at stake here.”

Alastair fiddled with a pencil, tossing it back and forth between his fingers. “I really don’t see a problem, John—”

“Oh, c’mon,” Berensen augered in with a disgusted sigh. “For Christ’s sake, Alastair. We’re in the middle of a political nightmare here.

She admitted to releasing that information. What more do you want?”

“Well, it’s not against company policy to tell the truth,” the CEO

reminded them mildly. “Despite what you might have heard.” He looked up as Bea stuck her head in and they exchanged rueful looks. “Besides, we got some great press yesterday, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, until they all figure out the connection and realize those two,” a vicious pause, “ladies are shacking up together. Then what, Alastair? You want to put your puss on television and explain why we’ve got a couple of—”

“John,” McLean warned in a low voice, “our company policy is one of non-discrimination on paper, and we all know that, so—”

“Alastair, no one’s gonna give royal crap what our policy is. This’ll be front page news. You better do something about it right now.”

Alastair got up, walked around his chair, and paced in a small circle.

“Like what?”

“Fire Stuart!”

“For?” the CEO shot back. “Honesty? Integrity? Good job performance? What would you like me to fire her for, John?”

The air crackled with tension. Alastair leaned forward towards the teleconferencing session, where the two board members were displayed, having stayed after his general session that had completed not much earlier. It hadn’t been either smooth or cordial, and the CEO had a feeling he might be on the losing end of at least one of these battles. “Well?” he asked again.

“For using company resources to get that information on her father and use it for personal reasons,” Evans stated in triumph.

“We don’t know she did that,” Alastair told him. “We don’t know she used company resources, and given what the poor kid just had to go Eye of the Storm 357

through, it’s hard to see where she got any personal gain from it.”

“Oh, c’mon, Alastair!”

“I’m just protecting company assets, John,” the CEO reminded him placidly. “That is what you pay me for.”

Berenson slapped his hand on his desk, audible through the connection. “McLean, enough of this stupidity. Look, I know you’ve got a thing for Roberts, but for Christ’s sake, is it worth your job?”

Alastair stared at the screen for a long moment. “Well you know, let me get back to you on that one.” With a quick motion, he slapped the disconnect key and cut off further discussion. With a disgusted sigh, he sat down at his desk and propped his chin up on his fist as Bea entered again and brought him a mug. “Don’t think I need any more coffee, thanks.”

“It’s bourbon,” Bea answered with a wry smile. “I just put it in a coffee cup to cut down on the gossip.” She set the cup down and perched on a corner of his desk. “Tough situation, huh? I saw the footage.”

Alastair rolled his eyes.

“You knew this might happen if you promoted Paladar.”

“Yeah, I knew,” the CEO agreed, with a rueful smile. “But you know, Bea, I still think it was the right choice. Look at all Dar’s accomplished since then.” He exhaled wearily. “I just hope the little bugger hasn’t achieved more trouble than I can handle this time.” He glanced at the media feed, which had Kerry’s image displayed prominently, running on the corner of his computer desktop. “Gonna be a close one.”

HAVING A FATHER who spent the balance of his life in clandestine operations was, Dar discovered, a damn useful thing when in the public spotlight. Andrew guided them out of the hotel and around the corner into a small alley, then out onto the street where they captured a taxi with little trouble.

They were surprised to find a crowd outside the hospital, but it wasn’t anything having to do with the hearings. The hospital was home to a family planning facility that performed abortions and the group was protesting outside, picketing the entrance and chanting.

Dar was ambivalent about the subject. The slightly frantic, almost overdone aggressiveness of the protesters set her on edge, but on the other hand she firmly believed a person had to take responsibility for their actions, and that included having sex and the potential result of it.

You play, Dar reasoned, you pay, and once the child was started, you owed it the right to come into the world.

They sat in a small waiting room outside the hospital’s obstetrics wing, while Kerry approached the nurses’ station in search of her sister.

Dar paced quietly in one corner, reading the meaningless notices on the cork board while her mother claimed a chair, and her father poked around the few vending machines nearby.

“Dar?” Ceci cocked her head, after she watched her daughter for a few minutes. “Is that list of pregnancy symptoms so fascinating?”

358 Melissa Good Dar nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned and gave her mother a dire look. “No.” She paused. “Why?”

Ceci’s brow knit. “Just asking. You’ve been reading it for a couple of minutes and I know you read faster than that.”

Dar paced over and sat down. “I wasn’t reading it.” She tucked her hands under her arms.

“Okay,” Ceci murmured. “I…um…don’t think it’s anything you have to worry about. Unless you two are um…” She found herself the recipient of an outraged, blue eyed gaze. “Guess not. Hmm?”

“Oh yeah, I’d make a wonderful parent,” Dar muttered. “No, Chino’s family enough for us.”

Ceci cleared her throat and pulled a small sketch pad from her shoulder bag, set it on her knee and removed a pencil. “Well, her college costs should be minimal.” She flipped the pad open to an empty sheet and paused, then started to work.

“MY SISTER IS here. I think she’s in labor?” Kerry asked the nurse, who was busy writing something behind the desk.

“Well, if she’s here, she sure ain’t got a broken leg,” the woman answered. “Hang on a minute.” The nurse struggled with a terminal keyboard. “Stupid thing. Jesus, I hate these stupid computers.”

Kerry scratched her jaw. “Make a deal with you.”

The nurse looked up. “Excuse me?”

“Tell me where my sister is and I’ll fix your computer.”

Long, dark lashes flickered. “You’re one of those nerdy people?”

Kerry nodded.

“Sure. Have at it. What’s your sister’s name?” The nurse moved out of the way and let Kerry get at the terminal.

“Angela.” Kerry unplugged the terminal and gave it a whack, then turned the keyboard over and rapped it smartly on the desk. Crumbs the size of a postage stamp were dislodged and she brushed them away as she flipped the keyboard back over and restarted the machine. “She’s been in labor a while, she said.”

“She’s in that third bay down there.” The nurse watched Kerry in fascination. “She’s having a bit of a rough time. Hey, that worked.” She took the keyboard back and typed in something. “Wow. That was really cool. Is that what you do? Are you one of those field services people?”

“Mmm. I don’t usually do hands on, but yeah, something like that.”

Kerry leaned on the counter. “Is it okay for me to go see Angie?”

“Sure, sure. Um, we’re kinda outside visiting hours, so if anyone says anything…”

“Don’t worry.” Kerry smiled. “I just want to see her for a minute.”

The nurse paused, then looked at Kerry for the first time. “Stay a while. It really helps the mothers sometimes and she hasn’t had anyone in with her at all. I felt kind of bad for her.” She held a hand out. “Call me if she needs anything. My name is Stacy.”

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“Kerry.” She took the hand and grasped it. “Thanks. No one else has been here to visit?”

“No.” Stacy shook her head. “The doctor said he’s going to give her a little while longer, then he might have to look at other options after that.”

Kerry nodded. “Okay, thanks.” She left the desk and walked quietly down the hall, passing two darkened bays before she reached the third.

The room was partially lit, lamps making a friendlier atmosphere than harsh fluorescent would. “Angie?”

Her sister turned her head, sweat dampened hair plastered across her forehead. “Oh…hey.” A tremulous smile crossed her face. “Nice to see someone I know.” She held a hand out and Kerry walked over and took it. “God, it’s so good to have you here, Kerry.”

“Hey.” Kerry put her arms around her and pulled her into an awkward hug. “Wish you’d called me sooner. It’s not right for you to be here by yourself, Angie.”

Angie curled half onto her side and kept hold of Kerry’s hands. “You were busy.”

“I’d have rather been here,” Kerry admitted.

“I bet.” Angela blinked wearily and put her head down on the pillow. “You looked great on TV, though. The cameras kept showing you in the gallery before they called you up there.” She inhaled and winced, her face tensing in pain for several very long seconds. Then she relaxed.

“Who was that guy you were with? He’s scary looking.”

Kerry leaned on the bed rails. “That’s Andy. Andrew Roberts, Dar’s father.” She adjusted the sheets. “He’s the sweetest, most wonderful man I know.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Kerry smiled quietly to herself.

“He knows about you guys, I guess.”

“Absolutely,” Kerry told her. “He’s so cool about it, and you wouldn’t think he would be, because he’s from the military and all—but it’s like…Dar’s his daughter and it wouldn’t matter what she was or what she did. He just loves her.”

Angie shifted uncomfortably and sighed. “That’s different.”

“Mmm.”

“Um, I saw Dar on TV today too,” Angie commented. “She looks great. I didn’t understand one word in six of what she was talking about, but boy, she impressed that reporter.”

Kerry smiled. “I haven’t seen the interview yet. It was happening the same time as I was in that hellhole.” She exhaled. “But after last night, I guess they wanted to talk to her.” She caught Angie’s puzzled look. “The ATM thing yesterday?”

“Ew. That was you guys?”

“Sort of. It was the guys we used for the network, but Dar fixed it.”

Kerry rubbed her eyes. “We were up all night though. I’m so wiped.”

“You look as tired as I feel,” Angie admitted, grimacing as a contraction took hold again. “Augh. God, I’m getting tired of this.”

360 Melissa Good Kerry took hold of her hand. “Anything I can get you? Water or something?”

Angela shook her head. “It’s just nice to have someone to talk to.”

Her lips curled into a smile. “Are you here alone?”

“No. You up to a few more visitors? I’d like you to meet Dar’s mother and father. I don’t know when I’ll have the chance to introduce you again. “

Angela shifted and pulled herself up a little, pushing her hair back.

“I must look like a mess. Was that who was with you yesterday? Her mom?”

Kerry nodded. “Don’t worry. They’re not really formal people.” She ducked out.

“Yeah, sure,” Angie whispered to herself, listening to the footsteps come back down the hall. A moment later her room door was filled, and a slight, silver blonde woman entered followed by the tall, scarred man she’d seen on television. Then Kerry came back in with Dar right behind her, the dark haired woman glancing nervously around the room like something was going to bite. “Um…hi.”

Kerry slipped in front. “Okay. Angie, this is Andy and Cecilia Roberts. Dar’s mom and dad, and of course, you already know Dar.”

Ceci came over and smiled at her. “Nice to meet you, Angela.” She laid her hands on the railing. “Having a rough time of it?”

“Ungh.” Angie glanced shyly at her. “The doctor thinks it’s a nice, big baby, and that’s what’s causing the problems.”

“Ah, yes.” Ceci nodded seriously. “Been there, done that.” She smiled at Angie’s puzzled look, then turned and glanced first at Dar, then back at the woman in the bed. “Eight pounds, thirteen ounces.” Then she indicated her slight form and raised an eyebrow.

“Ooo.” Angie made a face. “I think you just made my toe hairs curl up.”

“Hey!” Dar affected an insulted look. “I wasn’t that big.”

Angela and Ceci looked at her, then snorted. Andy chuckled and patted his offspring on the back.

“You were a bouncing baby girl, all right, squirt,” he told her.

“Emphasis on the bouncing,” Ceci remarked dryly. They all chuckled and the tension relaxed.

“So. Do you have any tricks I should know?” Angie asked. “My first wasn’t this bad but she was a preemie.” She held her hands apart a little.

“All of five pounds. This one’s gone full term and more.”

“Well, there’s a famous Eastern technique that involves transcenden-tal meditation and the out of body thing, but I found drugs to be the best trick,” Ceci replied. “Have they tried to dilate you?”

Kerry leaned against the foot of the bed content to listen to the conversation and watch Dar and Andy edge curiously around the room, investigating the machinery. They both had a way of cocking their heads a little when they were figuring out something and seeing them do it together was pretty funny.

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Seeing Angie smiling was pretty nice too. Her sister was trading animated baby stories with Ceci, which Kerry was keeping tabs on to tease her partner with later. Dar had been, unsurprisingly, a very active baby who had gotten into some wild situations.

“And there she was, sitting on top of the car hood with the garden hose,” Ceci was saying, “terrorizing the squirrels.”

Dar sighed, then returned her attention to a blinking readout.

“Did you really?” Kerry murmured, bumping her with a hip.

“I don’t remember a thing,” Dar muttered back. “She could say I picked my butt up and flew across the front yard and I’d never know if it was true.”

“Sure you would,” Kerry disagreed. “There’d be a National Enquirer article archived somewhere.”

Dar rolled her eyes. “I’m sure I wasn’t half as homicidally destruc-tive as my mother describes.” She picked up a device. “What’s this?”

“It’s to suck fluid out of the baby’s nose,” Kerry advised her, as the taller woman dropped the instrument as though it was hot. “Dar, relax, would you?”

“I hate hospitals.”

“You’re just visiting, so calm down.”

“Yeah? So what was that about me having kids?” Dar whispered.

“Shh.” Kerry had to muffle a grin. “I just meant that I think you’ve got really good genes, and they deserve to stay in the pool.” She paused.

“If you know what I mean. Besides, your dad would make a great grandpa.”

“Oh.” Dar peeked at her father. “Well, maybe you have a point there.” She smiled quietly to herself.

Kerry blinked. “I do?”

Angie laughed. “Oh my god. If my kid ever did that I think I’d just die on the spot.”

“Wall,” Andrew stuck his hands in his pockets, “ah seem to remember a morning where I had to be standing in the CO’s office, having to explain to him how an M1 tank happened to get cross the repair yard and take out half the mess hall.”

“Oh no.” Dar winced. “Not that story.”

“Is it true?” Kerry whispered. “Never mind. It must be. You’re blushing.”

“Well, given the food in there, I can’t say I blamed her,” Ceci remarked, drawing a laugh even from Dar. “If I remember correctly, we had to have Marriott cater the base for two weeks, and everyone came over and gave Dar candy.”

“Heh, heh.” Andrew nodded. “Fergot about that part.”

“Mmm. I didn’t.” Dar licked her lips.

Angie laughed again, relaxing back against her pillows. Then she gasped suddenly and her hands went to her belly. “Oh my gosh.”

“Water break?” Ceci asked immediately.

“Yes.” Angie hissed, grabbing for the railing as a contraction hit.

362 Melissa Good

“Whoa. I think I just jump started something.” All the unproductive pushing of the previous hours faded, as her body seized up.

“Oh…my…God…”

Kerry swallowed, her hands tensing on the rails. “Um…is there…what can we do?”

Cecilia glanced up. “First off, get those two out of here before they end up on the floor. Second, stop and tell the nurse.”

“Wh—?” Kerry turned her head and saw the widened, rounded pairs of blue eyes. “Oh boy. Right. Okay.” She grabbed Dar’s and Andy’s arms and tugged them towards the door. “C’mon, guys. Let’s go boil water.”

They emerged into the hallway and headed towards the desk, their footsteps echoing in the quiet space. “I wonder if it’ll be a boy or a girl?”

Kerry mused, as they turned the corner.

And came face to face with her parents.

There was a deadly silence.

“That young lady in there needs some help.” Andy deliberately turned his head towards the nurse.

The woman took one look at the tableau in front of her and immediately trotted towards Angie’s room purposefully.

“You have no place here.” Roger Stuart spoke in a low voice. “So take yourself, and whoever you have with you, and get out.”

Kerry let out a breath, hoping she wouldn’t throw up. “My sister asked me to come. It’s her choice. Not yours.” She forced herself to meet her father’s eyes and felt the disgust there hit her with almost physical force.

“You’re not part of this family. I thought I made that clear.”

Kerry sensed Dar and Andy moving closer. “You’re not a part of my family,” she responded bravely, “but Angie and Michael are. Excuse me.”

She turned her head and walked deliberately around them, towards the waiting room.

“Not if they know what’s good for them,” Roger said after her, not turning around. “Don’t be here when we come out.” He took his wife’s arm and walked down the corridor.

Kerry stopped just inside the waiting room door, her knees shaking so badly she almost fell. Dar seemed to realize it and got an arm around her, as Andrew came round front of her and patted her cheek.

“Kerry?”

She swallowed a few times, then looked up at him. “I’m okay,” she whispered. “I just wasn’t expecting that.” She tucked her trembling hands under her arms. “I can’t even blame him for feeling like he does.”

Kerry dropped her eyes to the highly polished tile floor, the reality of what she’d done hitting solidly home.

Andrew scowled, then looked up at his daughter gazing at him with a helpless, beseeching expression over Kerry’s shoulder.

He knew that please-fix-it-look, all right. “C’mere, kumquat.” He put his arms around the blonde woman. “Don’t you be chewing on yourself, hear? If I’d done what that man did, I’d hope mah kid would have the Eye of the Storm 363

guts and the honor you had in letting everyone know about it.”

Kerry absorbed the words and the emotion behind them, in this little pocket of grace she found herself in. Andy’s fingers scratched the back of her head lightly as she slipped her arms around his large and solid form.

She wasn’t sure he was right, but it helped. “Thanks.” She released him and hoisted herself up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Andy blushed. “That’s enough a’that.” He pointed to the chairs. “Sit yer butt down. I’m gonna go find me some coffee.” He escaped out the door, leaving Dar and Kerry to link hands and cross the room. They sat down and exhaled in perfect unison.

They looked at each other.

“You’ll be okay,” Dar told her reassuringly.

Kerry nodded. “Yeah, I think I will.” She glanced towards the empty doorway and smiled, just a little.

“OOO.” ANGIE WINCED, biting down on her lip. “Now you’re in a hurry?” She held her breath until the spasm was over, then panted.

“Kids.”

“Tell me about it.” Cecilia straightened the covers and helped the younger woman into a more comfortable position. “I was in labor for twenty-two hours.”

“Oh my god.” Angela breathed. “I can’t imagine anything enjoyable I’d like to do for twenty-two hours.”

“Well,” Cecilia mused, then chuckled to herself.

Angie blinked at her, blushing as she caught the reference.

“Um…thanks for distracting me, by the way. I know I hardly know you…but I…” She glanced up as the nurse hurried in, giving her a tense, professional smile.

“I see things are moving. Let me get the doctor.” The nurse moved into an alcove and picked up a phone.

“Don’t worry about it. I was glad to help.” Ceci turned her head at the footsteps, seeing the two older figures fill the doorway.

Interesting. Chinese version. “Hello,” she greeted Kerry’s parents, noting the angry, flustered glare she got in return.

They ignored her. “I thought I told you no contact.” Roger Stuart addressed the woman in the bed.

Angie curled up in a ball, her face tensing with pain. “I just—”

“Easy.” Ceci patted her arm.

“How could you, Angela?” Kerry’s mother said, visibly upset. “After all she’s done to us.”

“I just wanted someone to talk to,” Angie got out, as her contraction relaxed. “She’s my sister—”

“No, she isn’t,” Roger responded sharply. “And if you need someone to talk to, I’ll hire you a secretary. You can talk all you want.” His eyes went to Ceci. “Do you work here?”

“Unfortunately no.” The anger settle into the pit of Cecilia’s stom-364 Melissa Good ach. “If I did, I could call security and have you thrown out.” She plastered a searing polite look on her face and held a hand out. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Cecilia Roberts.”

They stared at her.

“Kerry’s mother-in-law?” Her eyebrows lifted in sarcastic emphasis.

CECI ENTERED THE room and ran her slim fingers through her silvered hair. “Well. That was certainly a treat.” She glanced at Kerry.

“Your sister’s settling down to some real pushing.”

“Sorry,” Kerry apologized. “I should have warned you my parents were here.”

“How?” Ceci asked, reasonably. “Send up a flare?” She turned her head, then gave Dar an inquiring look.

“Coffee.”

“Ah.” The older woman took a seat and laced her fingers around one knee. “I hope there’s a second waiting room, or this could be a very long evening.” She gave Kerry a wry look. “My telling your parents I was your mother-in-law was not a popular choice.”

Dar swiftly stifled a laugh.

“I’m really, really sorry,” Kerry told Ceci.

“I’m not.” Dar’s mother smiled. “No offense, Kerry, but I’ve never liked your father’s views and meeting him in person doesn’t do anything to enhance them. It was a pleasure making him attempt to swallow his tongue.”

She was still mad.

Not that she was a perfect parent. Oh no. In a group of a hundred of those, she’d come in last. But for the sake of the goddess, even she’d have the sense not to come in an yell at a woman trying very hard to give blessed birth.

Well, all right then, if the Stuarts were included, she’d come in ninety-eighth out of a hundred.

Moving up in the parental world. Who’d have thought it?

“Poor Angie,” Kerry murmured. “That looked like really hard work.”

“Oh yes,” Ceci muttered. “Ranks right up there with your retail jobs like expelling a watermelon out of your urethra.” She got up and went to the door, in search of her husband.

“Dar?” Kerry whispered.

“Mmm?”

“I think you should hire your mother.”

Blink blink. “Wh…for what?”

“The marketing department.”

Dar thought about that. “They’d all jump out the windows of the fourteenth floor, Kerry.”

“Mmm.” Kerry scratched her nose and nodded. “Yeah, but can’t you picture her and Eleanor in a meeting together?”

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Dar nibbled her lower lip. “Hmm.”

They heard Roger Stuart’s angry voice approaching and Dar dropped her hands to her lap. “That’s it.” She stood up, ready to meet him as he entered. “I’ve had about enough of his—”

“You!” Stuart had reached the doorway and pointed at her. “This is all your fault, you disgusting piece of filth. I want you and the rest of your rabble out of here before I call my security and have you thrown out.”

“Who are you calling filth, you adulterous, swindling asshole?” Dar bristled, moving towards him. “Take your judgmental bullshit and shove it right up your—”

“Dar—”

“Roger—”

A deep rumble suddenly slammed through the room, stopping the shouting and motion for a frozen moment.

Then the shock wave hit and the lights went out and the world started to crumble around them.