Solar Fury

by E A Chance

  She groaned in frustration and pounded her pillow into a ball while shutting out thoughts of him. She’d brought Julia along to spend some one-on-one time and create new memories. The last thing she wanted to do was let some random man interfere with that.

  Riley stepped onto the balcony at six the next morning and quietly closed the door to keep the street sounds from waking Julia. Breathing in the fifty-degree air and letting the sun stream onto her face, she savored the warmth that was unheard of in Colorado on a January morning. She hadn't slept well and hoped the sunlight would rejuvenate her.

  She looked over the brilliant, bustling city and smiled, excited to show Julia the sights. She was looking forward to the conference as well, despite Dr. Cooper, and hated that he was part of the reason for her restlessness in the night. The only solution was to keep her distance from him. There would be hundreds of doctors at the conference. He could undoubtedly find someone else to annoy. She took another breath and headed inside to enjoy a bubble bath in her elegant jetted tub.

  Julia was still sleeping an hour later. Riley hated to wake her, but if they were going to have breakfast before the conference orientation, she had no choice. She looked so serene sleeping there, and thirteen or not, Julia was still her angelic little sweetheart. Riley wished she could stop her from growing up. Losing her father had forced her to face more than her share of the harsh realities of life.

  Riley sat next to her on the bed and brushed a strand of soft brown hair from her face. Riley had always envied Julia's thick straight locks that were so like Zach's and not her red, unruly ones. Poor Emily had inherited Riley's hair and blamed her almost daily. Julia was tall and wiry like her father, too, not puny like Riley.

  Julia stirred and grinned at her. "What time is it? Feels like I just went to sleep."

  Riley kissed her forehead. "It's seven-thirty, so only five-thirty at home. It'll take a day or two to adjust to the time difference. Do you still want to go downstairs for breakfast, or would you rather eat in the room?"

  Julia flew out of bed and grabbed a handful of clothes from her suitcase. "If I have to be locked in here all day, I better get out while I can. I'll take a quick shower."

  "You won't be locked in here the entire day," Riley said, as Julia ran past her into the bathroom and slammed the door. "I'll have breaks and we’ll have lunch together. And we’re going to tour the monuments after dinner."

  Julia opened the door a crack and stuck her head through. "I still wish you'd let me go to the seminars with you."

  "You're not allowed to, sweetheart, and you’d be bored to tears. You need to stay here and do your homework."

  "I could take my homework with me," she said and closed the door.

  "We've been through this. Please, don’t behave like Emily. I don’t have the energy."

  "How dare you call me that?" she said over the sound of the shower.

  Riley chuckled and got up to prepare her materials for the day. She scanned the list of workshops she planned to attend and ran over her notes for the seminar she’d be teaching. The room phone rang as she slipped her laptop into the tote.

  "This is the front desk," a man said when she answered. "Dr. Cooper has asked me to relay his apologies, but he's unable to join you for breakfast this morning as he has conference duties to attend to."

  “Didn’t know he’d planned to join me for breakfast,” she said, "but thank you for calling.”

  "My pleasure, Dr. Poole. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

  "No, thank you," she said and hung up.

  "Who was that?" Julia asked as she came out of the bathroom.

  "Front desk. It's nothing. You ready?"

  Julia nodded and headed for the door. Riley followed her, more confused about Dr. Cooper than she’d been the night before. She’d taken his behavior as anything but an acceptance of her breakfast invitation. She followed Julia out to go for breakfast, determined to avoid him for the rest of the conference.

  Chapter Two

  The morning sped by as Riley absorbed the material presented in her seminars. She reflected on how caught up in the microcosm of her hospital she’d been. It was refreshing to remember the larger medical world that existed. Physicians from dozens of countries had arrived for the conference. She looked forward to meeting them and learning new cutting-edge technologies and treatments.

  She was making her way to the next session after morning break when Dr. Cooper called out to her. She was tempted to pretend she hadn’t heard him, but not wanting to be rude like he’d been the night before, she pasted on a smile and turned to face him. She was surprised to see his crooked tie and unruly hair sticking out in all directions. Apparently, someone as rich and famous as Dr. Neal Xavier Cooper IV didn't need to worry if his necktie was straight. Despite her effort to dislike him, she found the obliviousness to his appearance charming.

  He grinned and moved toward her. "There you are," he said. "I've been looking for you."

  "It's break time. I was in the break room. Where else would I be?"

  Dr. Cooper raised an eyebrow and seemed confused by her coolness. "I was busy putting out conference fires and didn't check the time. How was breakfast with your daughter?"

  "Lovely," she said flatly.

  "That's it? Just lovely?"

  "Yes."

  He studied her for several seconds before scratching his head. "Good. Are you enjoying the conference?"

  "Very much. I should get to my next session."

  As she turned to go, and Coop reached for her arm but caught himself. “Can I have a minute?” She hesitated before nodding. "What's wrong, Riley? What happened between goodnight and now? Is this about me missing breakfast?"

  We didn't say goodnight, Riley thought, but said, "I need to go or I'll be late. See you around."

  Her lips curled into a smile as she turned and left him staring. Now you know how it feels.

  Julia was a prisoner in one of the most amazing cities in the world. The novelty of their suite had worn off, and she got bored thirty minutes after her mom left for the conference. Itching to get out and explore, she grabbed her phone, room key, and some cash ten minutes after her mom called during her morning break and headed for the elevator. Crossing the lobby like a girl on a mission, she was on the crowded sidewalk before she knew what was happening.

  People rushed past and jostled her in their hurry to get wherever they were going. Some stopped and stared at her like she was a martian. Others, mostly men, eyed her in ways that made her uneasy. Realizing her mistake in leaving the safety of the hotel, she dashed back inside and was back in their suite two minutes later.

  She dropped onto the bed, feeling like an idiot. What had she been thinking, heading out into a strange city without a plan? Her dad always hammered how vital it was to know your surroundings and have a route before going on an adventure. She didn’t even know where the hotel was. Finding the address in the guest information binder, she typed it into the maps app on her iPad. She was surprised to see they were only a few blocks from the White House. Their balcony faced the opposite direction, so she hadn’t noticed.

  Her mom had ordered tickets for a White House tour before they left Colorado, so that tour was covered. In fact, she and her mom had plans to see all the major sites and monuments. She made a list of other sites within walking distance since she didn't dare venture onto the Metro alone. With list in hand, she raced back to the concierge desk that she'd passed in the lobby. She'd seen enough TV shows and movies to know the concierge was her best source for information. She slowed and almost lost her nerve when she saw the hot guy behind the desk, but she'd gone too far to quit. She walked up to him with fake confidence and flashed a smile.

  He returned the smile. "May I help you, miss?"

  He was wearing a name tag, so Julia said, "Yes, thank you, Evan." She slid the list across the desk. "Which of these places should I visit first?"

  He glanced at the paper. "This is a well thought out list. Most people ove
rlook these sites when they tour our city. My personal favorite is the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Are you interested in art?"

  Julia scrunched up her nose. She'd only added the art gallery because it was so close to the hotel, but she didn't want Evan to know that. "I'd like to learn more about it."

  "This is the perfect place to start. I'm an art student. I'd be happy to give you and your parents a tour after my shift."

  "It's just me and..."

  "Julia," her mom called from across the lobby.

  She cringed and said, "My mom." She turned and smiled. "Hi, Mom."

  Her mom practically flew to close the space between them. "What are you doing out here? I told you not to leave the room. What’s wrong?"

  "Nothing’s wrong. Calm down. I just needed some air. I was asking Evan about sites we can visit near the hotel."

  Riley's gaze flicked from Evan to Julia. "What you’re doing doesn't matter. I expected you to be in the room. What if I had gone there and found you missing? I need to know your whereabouts at all times."

  "She's safe inside the hotel, Dr. Poole," Evan said. "I was just offering to take the two of you on a tour of the art gallery after my shift."

  Riley glared at him, then softened her look. "That's a kind offer, but we're occupied tonight. I'll see if I can fit it into our schedule later in the week. Come on, Julia, I'll walk you back to the suite."

  As Julia’s mom pulled her toward the elevator, she turned and mouthed a sorry to Evan. He dipped his head and turned to help another guest. Once she and her mom were in the room, she dropped onto the sofa and folded her arms, refusing to look at Riley.

  "I'm the one who gets to be angry here, not you," Riley said.

  "You were rude to Evan and embarrassed me. I didn't do anything wrong. I was just talking to the concierge, not running around D.C. alone. Why can’t you just chill out and not overreact like always? We’re on vacation."

  Riley sat on the sofa and turned Julia to face her. "I don't always overreact. I may be more vigilant than other parents, but I have my reasons."

  "You mean your PTSD?"

  Riley looked away and gave a slight nod.

  "You don't have to hide it or be ashamed, Mom. Lots of people have anxiety, even some of my friends, and we learned about it in health class. My teacher said people with PTSD should be open and talk about it."

  Riley sighed. "I'm not hiding it. It's just hard for me to talk about. This isn't about my PTSD, though. You disobeyed me. For me to concentrate on the conference, which is the reason we're here, if you remember, I need to know that you're safely tucked in the room. I'm sorry if you don't like those conditions, but I made this clear to you before we left Colorado."

  "I didn't know how boring it would be."

  "It’s only been a few hours. You can't be that bored already. How much homework did you get done?"

  Julia looked at her laptop and notebooks stacked on the little desk. She'd only finished one math assignment, but it was too hard to concentrate with all the excitement going on outside the window. "Not much. Now that we're here, can't we make a new plan that we’re both happy with?"

  "What new plan? Aside from what Evan says, it's not safe for you to wander around the hotel on your own."

  "I'm not five, Mom. I feel safer here than I do at school. Are you sure I can't come to your classes and sit in the back to do my homework? I won't make a peep."

  Riley brushed a lock of hair out of Julia's face and tucked it behind her ear. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but that's not allowed. I'll ask around to see if the hotel has a supervised area for you to study, but don't get your hopes up. Until then, promise me you'll stay in the room. I’ll get you at lunchtime."

  Julia frowned but nodded.

  "Say it out loud."

  "I promise."

  Riley kissed her cheek and stood. "Good. I'm late for my next seminar, but I'll see you in an hour. I love you."

  "Love you, too," Julia mumbled as she watched her leave. At least she’d gotten her to agree to find somewhere for her to study, but she still wasn't happy about being locked up in their suite.

  She was relieved they’d finally had a conversation about her mom’s PTSD. She'd wanted to talk about it for a long time. Her mom had taken them all for counseling after her dad died, and it had helped Julia. Even though she missed him every day, she’d moved on with her life and was afraid her mom never would. Julia was so over her being scared of every little thing and often felt more like a parent than a daughter.

  Julia grabbed her school materials and carried them to the balcony. At least she could watch the world go by from there, even if she couldn't be part of it.

  The incident with Julia left Riley feeling distracted, and she heard little of her next seminar. She asked the instructor if he’d mind emailing his notes before she went to pick Julia up for lunch. If they ate quickly, it would give them time to look into a place for Julia to study. Riley doubted there was one, but she'd promised to ask. She called to let Julia know she was on her way and found her waiting in the hallway.

  "I'm starving," she said and headed for the elevator like nothing had happened earlier.

  “When are you not starving?” Riley asked, wondering if she had overreacted earlier. She put the incident from her mind and enjoyed their meal as Julia chatted about what she'd seen from the balcony while she did her homework.

  Riley swallowed a spoonful of delicious butternut squash soup, and said, "Sounds like you did more people-watching than studying,"

  "People-watching is a kind of learning. Plus, I did do my homework and finished today's assignments. What else am I going to do all afternoon, watch boring hotel TV?"

  “It'll only be three hours until I'm finished for the day. Then, I'm all yours."

  Julia clapped and gulped down the rest of her milkshake before getting up to go. "Let's go ask Evan if there's somewhere I can hang out while you're in class."

  Riley gulped the rest of her soup and ran to catch up with Julia.

  "We don't have a teen center,” she heard Evan tell her, “but there is a video-game room. "Not sure how much studying you'd get done." When Riley reached the desk, he said, "One of us will always be at this station, Dr. Poole. Julia is welcome to sit at that desk behind me to do her homework. We'll keep an eye on her."

  Julia folded her hands and looked at Riley with such hope in her eyes that she couldn't refuse. The area around the concierge desk was open and busy. It seemed safe enough. She gave a nod of approval and Julia kissed her cheek.

  "I'll get my stuff," she said and ran off before Riley could protest.

  "Thank you, Evan. That wasn't necessary, but I appreciate it."

  "Our pleasure. Julia seems like a bright girl. She'll be fine. Have her check out the game room when she's done studying. There's always a hotel staff member present."

  "I'll do that."

  Riley checked on Julia twice during the afternoon. The first time she was typing away on her laptop at the small desk. The second, she was draped over an easy-chair near the concierge desk absorbed in a novel from her required reading list. After her final seminar, Riley retrieved her so the two of them could dress for their big night on the town.

  Before they headed out for the evening, Riley called her aunt and uncle, who had a horse ranch in southwestern Virginia. She’d allowed time in their itinerary to fly to Roanoke for one night before traveling back to Colorado. Uncle Mitch was her mother’s older brother and Riley hadn’t seen him since Zach’s funeral. The ranch had always been one of her favorite places to visit as a girl. It was a picturesque five-hundred acre estate, nestled in the the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains.

  “Hello, Pumpkin,” he said when he heard Riley’s voice.

  “That’s Dr. Pumpkin to you,” she said, with a laugh. “Will it work if we fly in early on Saturday? Were you able to convince the kids to be there? I’d love to see the cousins and catch up.”

  “They’ll all be here. Holly can’t wait to see Julia. What
time does your flight get in?”

  “I was waiting to talk to you before I made the reservation, but I’ll do it before bed and text you. We can stay until Monday morning. Tell Aunt Beth I can’t wait to see her.”

  She hung up with a smile, then double-checked the address for the trendy restaurant near the hotel where they had reservations for dinner. Armed with directions, she and Julia grabbed their sweaters on their way out. Evan called out as they passed his desk.

  "You'll need more than sweaters. There's a cold front moving in, and the temperature has dropped ten degrees in the last hour. Calling for snow tomorrow."

  Riley and Julia groaned in unison. "We'd hoped to escape the snow, but thanks for the heads up," Riley said as they turned back to get their coats.

  They were almost to the elevator when Dr. Cooper stepped into Riley’s path. She steered Julia toward the bank of elevators at the far side of the lobby but Coop followed. When he called her name, she sighed and stopped to let him catch up.

  "Evening, Riley. You'll need warmer coats if you’re heading out tonight. Cold front moving in."

  "We heard," Riley said. "We're just on our way back to the room. We have a dinner reservation, so we need to hurry."

  Coop ignored her and held out his hand to her daughter, "You must be Julia."

  She took his hand and grinned. "Yes, I must be Julia. Who are you?"

  Riley elbowed her and said, "This is Dr. Cooper. He's in charge of the conference. We really do need to get going."

  "Nice to meet you," Coop said and winked at Julia. "Where's your reservation?"

  None of your business, Riley thought, but Julia blurted out the name of the restaurant before she could stop her.

  "Excellent choice. Mention me. The maître d' will give you the best table and treatment. What are your plans after dinner?"

  Riley tried to catch Julia's eye to keep her from divulging any more of their plans, but it was too late. She rattled off every item on their itinerary for the rest of the week.