by Ruby Forrest
So Isabella- Fae was willing to do everything and anything for him, willing to do whatever it took. Isabella- Fae was willing to go to the ends of the earth for him, to make sure that he was safe and home. Isabella- Fae swallowed, feeling a lump rise in her throat, an ache that she just could not deny, an ache that was throbbing through her body and her mind, intense and sickening. She just wanted him home. She just wanted him home with her, here in the USA and safe, safe like she was. She wanted that so badly needed it so badly that it hurt. Her whole body hummed with the pain, hummed with the need and the desperation. She shook her head and looked around. The airport was busy, humming with activity, full of bustling people who were running around back and forth. She knew that every one of these people were moving on to their next destination. She knew that every one of them was just as eager to move as she was. She supposed that some of them were even as desperate. She shuddered and rubbed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion hit her and hit her hard. She checked the time, deciding to get up and grab a cup of coffee. She had time for that before moving through the airport and she fully intended to enjoy it.
She got up, picking up her bag while she was at it. Most of her luggage was in check in, but she always had a few things with her, just in case. It was just smart and Isabella- Fae thought nothing of taking advantage of that, taking advantage of everything that she possibly could, in a crisis such as this. She smiled to herself, shaking her head at how silly she could be sometimes. Isabella- Fae headed over to the line, which was only a few people long, and idly decided that she would have a long black, something to get her a little bit more awake for the rest of her trip, something to kick her in the pants a little. It was definitely the right time for solid and strong caffeine.
Isabella- Fae thought back to her father again, a thought that she seemed to return to all the time, like a constant thing, a constant hum in the back of her head, in her thoughts, one that she just could not seem to quit, or push away. She could not stop thinking about his life and everything that she owed him, everything that he had done for her. It was important to her to honor him, after everything that he had done.
Not only had he raised her as a single father, but he had built an empire, built up a huge building, a fantastic company that had really flourished over the years. He had become one of the most powerful men in their city, one of the wealthiest and the most influential men that the city had seen in a long time. This was not old money, this was not anything but her father's dedication and hard work. She had no idea how he had done this, while trying to raise a baby girl and get a teenager through high school, but he had. He had built it up with his own hard work and his own two hands. He had built it up and let everyone know, in no uncertain terms, that he was a force to be reckoned with, that he was not someone to take lightly.
He had built it all from scratch, starting with a small business idea and building up until he was at the head of this huge company, a company that had not only gone national, but global. Isabella- Fae had no idea how he had done it. She could remember him working hard when she was small, late nights spent in the home office, after long days spent with her. He had continued with this, as she grew up, working afternoons and evenings when she was at school, and working more consistently when she was a young adult, when she was just starting out in the world.
But no matter what, he was always here for her when it counted, always there to back her up when she needed him to, when she wanted him there and needed him there. She was always grateful that her father showed up to her school events and parent meetings, took her out when she needed a pick me up, and helped her with dress shopping when she had a big date, even though he had poor taste and he did not approve of her date either. Isabella- Fae smiled faintly at the thought, feeling the emotion rise inside of her chest, sweet and bitter all at the same time. It was a lot to take in.
She shuddered and shook her head. She did not get more than a moment to sort out her thoughts, when she realized that she was at the beginning of the line that she was already there and expected to order. The lady at the counter cleared her throat and Isabella- Fae wondered sheepishly, how long she had been zoning out for.
"Sorry, just a long black, thanks." Isabella- Fae smiled and fumbled for her purse, pulling it out and rummaging for her card.
The lady sighed and nodded, turning and getting to work, getting Isabella- Fae's coffee ready. Isabella- Fae smiled faintly to herself, shaking her head quietly. She was not sure who this woman was, but usually, the moment they saw her card, their whole attitude changed. It was funny, but it made Isabella- Fae uncomfortable. She was looking to gain respect the way that her father had with people, without having to use money to get it, without having to rely on a history that was not hers to take. Her father had been the one to work hard and build an empire, not her. She should not be benefiting as much as she was from it.
Isabella- Fae was broken out of her thoughts as the woman leaned over and passed her the coffee. Isabella- Fae smiled and handed her card back, "Thanks."
The lady took one glance at the card and, like expected, a flush came over her skin and she smiled, "No problem, miss, no problem at all." She scanned the card, smiling again, "Anything else I can get you?"
"No thanks." Isabella- Fae grabbed the card back, tucking it into her purse and grabbing her coffee.
"Have a great day!" The call rang out behind her and Isabella- Fae shook her head quietly. To go from so unpleasant to so friendly all because of money? It was sickening. Isabella- Fae thought it was shallow and she hated it, hated it with a burning passion. That was not how it was supposed to be, not how it was supposed to work, not who she was supposed to be. Money did not mean all that much, when it came down to it. But no one seemed to see that like Isabella- Fae did. No one seemed to realize that, when it came down to it, there were much more important things to focus on, many more important things that were better to focus on,
Her father had always seen that and he had done his best to teach Isabella- Fae that, teach her exactly what she was going to do when she grew up, and how she was expected to treat other people. Isabella- Fae had taken his lessons to heart and she was glad that she did. When the news came that he was missing, everything had immediately fallen to Isabella- Fae. Suddenly, Isabella- Fae was expected to know how to run a business, to know how to take over her father's legacy, to know how she was supposed to act, supposed to be, supposed to understand things. Suddenly, she was in charge of a company that was so much bigger than she was, so much bigger than anything she had ever experienced. Suddenly, she was in charge of the company, until her father's return.
Isabella- Fae had felt sick, and so out of her depth. She did not know how to run a company- she had no idea! And yet, here she was, sitting and trying to figure it out, not sure how to move forward and taking it one step at a time. Suddenly, she was grateful for everything that she had learnt, everything that she had been taught. She was especially grateful that her father had never let her be a bratty spoilt child to any of the staff- or she could have been in serious trouble when she most needed help.
As it was, Isabella- Fae was not sure how she could have gotten through the last week if not for the help of all of the staff that had surrounded her. From booking the plane tickets, to the most basic of tasks, they had been there, had been there helping her every step of the way. She was so lucky to have their support and assistance. Isabella- Fae did not know what she could have done if the staff hadn’t stepped in and given her a great, big boost. She was lucky. She was so lucky and she knew it. She was even luckier that her father had built this company up in the first place, that he had pushed and made sure that he had built something good and solid and sound. It was with his money that she was able to really search for him, to use the resources to bring her father home once and for all, to make sure that he was safe and not dead in some trench. With or without money, Isabella- Fae could have done something, would have tried her very best, but having access to his resource
s meant that she would and could look a lot harder and further and deeper.
Isabella- Fae sat down shuddering as the thoughts closed in on her, dark and depressing. She shook her head and took a long sip of her coffee. It tasted amazing and she was glad for the hit of caffeine. She did not usually know airport coffee to taste this good, and she could only assume that she was so tired and sleep deprived that everything tasted way better than it usually would. She could definitely deal with that, if it meant a hit of fantastic coffee. If that was the only upside to all of this, Isabella- Fae would take it until she found her father.
She took another long, deep sip and shook her head quietly to herself. She would have to make this work, one way or another. She knew that a lot of people who worked at the company thought that she had gone off the rails a little with all of this. They thought that she was being a bit obsessive searching for her father like this, but Isabella- Fae did not care. They did not give her grief, other than concerned glances and she did not care what they thought.
She had quit her old job in a heartbeat, payed for her own notice period and left to run a company and find her father. She did not regret a second of it, and she would do it all again, if it meant finding him. Isabella- Fae shook her head quietly to herself, thinking through it all as she sipped her coffee.
She needed to trace her steps and retrace his. She knew that he had been away for business when he had gone missing, but it had been hush hush where he was going, even from Isabella- Fae. It was unusual for her father to keep things from her, but Isabella- Fae did not mind it. He was a grown man and she was a grown woman. They had their own lives, no matter how close they were, and Isabella- Fae hadn’t pressed him. She had wished, at the start of this long week that she had pushed him harder, that she had insisted and made sure that she knew all the details. But she hadn't known back then how challenging this week would turn out to be.
She hadn't known that she would need that information and regret painfully, the fact that she did not have it. She could not have anticipated it and it killed her that she had let him go without a second thought. Still, she had managed to retrace his steps, his flights, and everything in between. It had taken her almost the whole week, digging into records and personal calls and getting help from everyone in the company. But it had been worth it.
Because, now, she had a country, a place, an address and a contact there and she was headed straight out into the midst of it all. She would find him by herself, find him and take care of him, like he had cared for her through her whole life. She would absolutely find her father and everything would turn out to be okay, just like she had always hoped, and dreamed.
Isabella- Fae shuddered and shook her head quietly, finishing her coffee and tossing the empty cup. She stood up, checking the time again, determining that she had enough time to freshen up, and then she’d have to go. She was ready to get on that plane, ready to stop with all these delays and get to her father, finally get to him and start looking in a real and earnest way.
She needed that, needed it so badly that it hurt. Isabella- Fae made her way to the bathroom. She needed to make sure that she found him, that he was okay, that the company flourished. It was the only thing on her mind right now.
She was travelling to the ends of the earth and she did not care. Isabella- Fae hurried to the bathroom, moving as quickly as she could. She did what she had to, before hurrying to the mirrors and the sinks. She did not care much for her appearance right now, but she guessed that she should do something with her looks, just so that she looked stable and presentable, if nothing else. She was wearing a dress that was comfortable and easy for travel that hugged her curves and looked flattering on her in a deep navy color. She idly ran her fingers through her hair, easing the flat spots and the knots that had taken up residence in there. She fluffed it up, splashed her face with water and dabbed it dry. She did not need makeup right now. She’d deal with that before she had to land. Right now, she was all about the practicality of it, getting through the day and the evening ahead of her,
She shook her head, straightened her shoulders and felt better immediately. She was going to get through it and it was going to be fine. She heard a chiming over the alarm, a call for her flight and she nodded. Soon enough, she'd be on the plane and on her way to her father. It was the only thought that kept her going, kept her moving forward, kept her body and mind in motion and she was not about to give it up.
She headed towards the boarding area, getting all of her things in order, making her way towards the entrance. It did not take much to get her through- all of her things were in order. She had all her visas since she was younger- her father had made sure of that for her. She was grateful now. A regular flyer, she was used to this and she was comfortable dealing with all of the drama. Plus, no one batted an eye at her travelling, which she was grateful for. She had tried to keep her father's disappearance hushed up, mainly for the publicity of it. If the public knew, there was a chance that the stocks could drop and Isabella- Fae was doing all she could to keep the company afloat, to keep it staying stable and good, and not plummeting under.
The company was important to her father and so it was important to her. For the second time since she woke up, Isabella- Fae could not help but think of her father and how he had lived his life so far, building everything up like he had. Isabella- Fae thought back to her father again, a thought that she seemed to return to all the time, like a constant thing, a constant hum in the back of her head, in her thoughts, one that she just could not seem to quit, or push away. She could not stop thinking about his life and everything that she owed him, everything that he had done for her. It was important to her to honor him, after everything that he had done.
Isabella- Fae shook her head and sighed, making her way up, moving into the plane itself and getting into her seat. It was first class, thanks to the fact that she flew as often as she did and, right now, Isabella- Fae was not going to argue. She was exhausted, even after the coffee and time to rest and to sleep and to get some privacy and good food, was too much to pass up, too much to turn her nose up at. She was lucky and she was grateful and she was definitely in the space to need this today, well and truly.
Isabella- Fae sighed and thought about her destination as she stared out of the window. She was travelling to Africa, to a little country that had faded into obscurity that her father had gone to on some type of trip. Her father loved exploring and searching for artifacts and it seemed like that was what he was doing on this trip. If there was more to it- if he was on a business trip, it had not come up in the records. That was not to say, however, that he hadn't been doing just that. It was often hard to tell with her father, and Isabella- Fae had begun to understand that as she had grown older.
She smiled to herself, feeling fondness twist in her guts as she thought about her father, the man who she cared so deeply for, who she loved and honored and had grown up feeling was invincible. She remembered thinking that nothing could ever happen to her father, because he worked so hard and he was so kind and he seemed to be able to overcome everything. That was a belief that, in a way, she had kept hold of into adulthood, without even realizing it. It was only now, standing and wondering if her father would ever be okay, would ever be back here, that the doubt started to creep in, and she realized that she had been clinging to this false belief.
Yes, he was in danger. She needed to be aware that he could be hurt. She wouldn’t allow herself to think that he might be in a worse state than that. She could not handle the idea and she did not exactly want to, did not exactly want to think of the damage. She sighed and leaned back instead, trying to take her mind off things. She looked through her bag, rummaging around and trying to find something to read, to focus on, and to consider, other than the panic that flooded through her and gripped her skin. Isabella- Fae knew that she could not let herself dwell. Darcy was waiting for her on the other end, a contact of her father’s and she would find out more then. For now, she j
ust had to get through this flight and get out the other side looking sane and in control for her meeting with him. She needed to rest, and reading seemed to be a good way to get her mind to settle, at least in part.
She smiled to herself, an idle sort of smile, as she pulled a book out of her bag and flicked through the pages. Her father had given her this. Apparently, it had been her mothers. It went with her everywhere, whenever she took a bag with her, it came along for the ride. She must have read every story at least a hundred times, but she did not care. Yes, she knew the stories well. Yes, she knew them well and she was moving through them yet again, but it did not matter. What mattered was the way they made her felt. Even the saddest and most frightening story made her feel safe, made her feel comfortable and close to her parents. Even the worst story seemed to hold a great lesson and that was something that Isabella- Fae clung to, unwilling to let go, unwilling to pass up that feeling.
The offspring of the Czar Played with a skipping ball In the May morning, in the Czar's garden, tossing it forward and backward. It fell among the flowerbeds Or fled toward the north entryway. A sunlight moon hung up In the Western sky, bare white. Like Papa's face, said Sister, Hurling the white ball forward.
While I ate a prepared potato Six thousand miles separated, In Brooklyn, in 1916, Aged two, silly. At the point when Franklin D. Roosevelt Was an Arrow Collar advertisement. O Nicholas! Too bad! Tsk-tsk! My granddad hacked in your armed force, Hid in a wine-stinking barrel, For three days in Bucharest Then left for America To end up a lord himself.
I am my's dad, You are your kids' blame. In history's pity and dread The tyke is Aeneas once more; Troy is in the nursery, the shaking horse is ablaze. Tyke work! The youngster must convey His fathers on his back. Yet, seeing that such a great amount of is past And that history has no ruth For the person, Who drinks tea, who comes down with bug, Let outrage be general: I detest a conceptual thing.
