The Senator's Choice

by Combs, Sasha

  When Greta returned with the added supplies; Michael, Frederick and William divided up the items. Miguel, Glen and the other driver named Dave; they joined them in the foyer. The men had already talked about the path and the trail they would travel. Miguel had also given them cellular phones that were normally used by William’s guest whenever they visited the cabin to hunt in the mountains. Most mobile phones didn’t work in the area due to a dense canopy caused by the height of the trees. William’s highly adaptable phones weren’t affected by the uppermost tree branches, which is the reason it was decided that these phones would be used as their primary communication source.

  As expected, Frederick took charge, doling out instructions to everyone in the foyer.

  “If Morgan is found...on the trail or at the house; notify William first. He will then, tell me. If she has not been found while we travel up the mountain; when we each reach the most outer cabins at Beckards Point and Easterly Alley...Miguel is to phone in his report to me at Beckards Point. Even if you haven’t found Morgan, it is essential that I hear from you. I will then phone the family members waiting here at Barn Wood Hudson, to update them about the days events. The one point that I cannot express strongly enough is that we must all remain in control. The events that are taking place on this mountain must not go outside of this tight circle of people. We must keep a tight hold on this information...until I say when and who the details can be revealed to.”

  Frederick looked at each face in the room. He noticed that Greta had remained because she would be in charge of the staff that worked for William. These people would return to their homes at the end of the day. They were accustomed to keeping secrets because most of them had worked for the senator for many years. They knew the value of their jobs and William had always been a wonderful employer which is the reason they all loved working for him.

  “You do not have to worry about anything Mr. Frederick. We will guard this secret with our lives.”

  Greta said, as she trilled her response to him, her words flowing with a thick accent.

  William smiled at his head of staff. She had worked for his family for many years and she was more like family than an employee.

  “Thank you Greta. You and everyone else may need to take a little time to rest. You’ve done more today than I could ever pay you for.”

  “Senator...you have only to ask of us and we will do whatever you need. We love Morgan. Most of us have watched her grow from that crawling baby that she once was.”

  A male voice interrupted their conversation, causing heads to turn in his direction.

  “I don’t mean to be rude...but we have daylight on our side. We need to take advantage of well lit trails before it gets dark and seeing becomes difficult.” Miguel said in a low voice. He was glad to hear William’s thankful words but he needed to remind everyone of the reason for them all standing in the large open foyer.

  Not long after that, they said their goodbyes by shaking hands, hugging and the exchange of teary kisses. With their sentiments shared; those traveling up the mountain left the house, while those staying behind reluctantly watched the others go. When the path bisected, the groups split, hiking up partially obstructed trails in different directions. At first the path was long and straight, then the landscape became unleveled. William led the way, and with each step he prayed that he would soon stumble upon his daughter, Morgan.

  ________________________

  Chapter 6

  Come out, come out wherever you are...

  Four weary souls climbed the mountain; at times pushing through thickets and tree limbs that were as thick as mosquito netting. A lackluster vibe overtook their spirit and the feeling had nothing to do with the trail. The emotion had been seeded from the moment they left Barn Wood Hudson in search of Morgan. Even though they made good progress and finding the cabin’s didn’t present any problems for them. This did little in the way of making the situation better. Pamela watched helpless when William’s heart plummeted once they finally reached the first hunters cabin in the area of Beckards Point. Before arriving there, Miguel had already phoned Frederick, to report that the first cabin in the Easterly Alley area showed no signs of being inhabited. Then an hour later, Miguel phoned again to say that his team had reached the last cabin and no signs of Morgan were there. Since Beckards Point was the farthest hunting ground near the properties border, they had already known that Miguel would reach the Easterly Alley Cabins before they made it to the first cabin at the Point. So hearing Miguel’s news had shifted the hope over to William and his team. Frederick had told Miguel to stay at the cabin and he would check in with them once they had reached the last cabin at Beckards Point.

  The first Cabin had been such a disappointment. William had tore through the trees, pushing past protruding branches like turnstiles in a subway station. Frederick had tried to grasp a hold of his shoulder to stop him, but no one had been able to hold back his enthusiasm. William burst into the dark cabin calling out Morgan’s name loud enough for all the woodland creatures to hear. By the time everyone else had reached the porch, then entered the house; it was clear that the place was completely empty. There were no signs to indicate that anyone had recently been in the cabin. Pamela had placed her hand on William’s shoulder to rub the tenseness from muscles that had rolled up in revolt.

  When they continued on, to the farthest point where the last cabin would be found; William told them that the hike should take no more than a few hours. They stopped only long enough to drink water and eat a few snacks from the food that Greta had prepared. It was hard pretending not to see the pain and angst on William’s face. It had been difficult for him when he heard the news telling him what Miguel had to report. Morgan wasn’t anywhere near Easterly Alley. He wondered if perhaps Miguel and his team should be sent to the western borders. But as he looked up to the sun and noticed the setting position of the rays, he knew that Miguel and the other men would need to rest at the cabin for the night. Heading off from the east to the western borders would be at least half a days journey and the hike would require daylight to safely travel.

  As Michael, Pamela, Frederick and William approached the last shelter farthest from Barn Wood Hudson, they all were experiencing degrees of nervousness. William didn’t pound through the woods ahead of everyone like he’d done a few hours earlier and he didn’t show any signs indicating his anxiety. Instead, he hung back with the group, walking along side Pamela and Michael. As they approached the clearing, marking the parameter of the hunters cabin; it was Frederick who chose to speak first. Witnessing the heartbreak at the first cabin had been enough to silence Pamela and Michael.

  “Well, if she isn’t here...I’ll call Barn Wood Hudson. Wallace is standing by the phone ready to contact the Park Rangers if need be.”

  Hearing his campaign manager assuming control of the situation, William had finally gathered his wits. He didn’t want to appear weak, even though his knees were trembling underneath him.

  “Not so quick Frederick. Morgan just may be inside. I’ll check first, while you and Michael look around the area.”

  Frederick nodded while he and Michael scanned the area for structures. William laced his fingers with Pamela, encouraging her to follow along with him. This time, the search for his daughter would be handled in an orderly manner. Their feet landed on the cabins wooden steps, leading up to the porch, then to the wooden door.

  William stopped for a few seconds because the magnitude of the situation was beginning to overtake him. He felt Pamela, when she squeezed his hand, to show her support. After feeling her physical show of encouragement, William felt a building of his courage. His hand grasp hold of the doorknob. When he turned it, he felt no resistance. Immediately his heart plunged to the floor because he believed if Morgan were inside of the cabin, she would have locked the door.

  As the door swung wide open, to his surprise, warmth from the cabin was his greeting. When his boots crossed over the threshold, he spotted wood burning in the f
ireplace, but there still was no sign of Morgan. It wasn’t unusual for hunters to take up refuge in the cabins, leaving the place pretty much as they’d found it. Most people in the area knew that the cabins belonged to the Hudson family. Even though the property had countless postings warning that the hunters had strayed onto private property, as a rule no one had ever been prosecuted for breaking these laws.

  William released Pamela’s hand, rushing to search the house. The small cabin had two sleeping quarters. One of the rooms was off from the kitchen, near a wood burning stove. The heat was enough to warm the entire first floor. William combed through every corner of the main floor, the order of events seemed to merge into one solid mass of incidents. William ran through the place like a madman. When he didn’t spot Morgan on the first floor, he dashed for the ladder leading up to the loft, the only place he had not searched yet. It was there that he found his daughter exhausted and fast asleep. He lifted her into his arms, planting aimless kisses on her face while tightly hugging her. He wasn’t attempting to fix his adoration on one target. He was just so thrilled to find her alive, it didn’t matter where his lips landed.

  Many things happened in the ensuing moments. Once William had awakened Morgan with his kisses, he told her how everyone had taken to the woods, searching to find her. Frederick made calls to Miguel as well as to Barn Wood Hudson, as he’d promised he would. Frederick informed everyone that Morgan had been found and his news had been received with jubilation but Frederick did not relay all of Morgan’s sentiments.

  At first, Morgan had looked at her father stunned. In all her wild thinking, she never would have guessed that he would come searching for her so fast. She’d thought she would have at least one day alone, to decide her next move. Barn Wood Hudson was miles and miles away from civilization and hiking to the nearest town was tantamount to signing her own death certificate. When she’d started out walking, initially it had been her intention to clear her head. When her father didn’t come to her room last night, Morgan knew that he would come to see her early before breakfast. When she carefully weighed her options, and she only had a few, Morgan wasn’t ready to stomach her father’s explanations. When she strolled out past the furthest garden, she recalled the many walks she and her mother use to take. Then she remembered the properties border markers and where they were positioned. This led her to think about the cabins and their locations. She remembered the dinner conversation about Beckards Point. Morgan knew that her father would never take Michael that far out to hunt. At least not for his first outing. She also believed that her father would never suspect that Morgan would walk to the properties furthest border from the main house.

  Following William’s kisses and hugs to his daughter, Morgan sat silent, looking at him pensively. When she heard what sounded like growing voices; the conversation between Frederick and Michael didn’t appear to move her. Then she heard Pamela’s voice added to their discussion. Like a startled animal suddenly realizing they’ve been cornered; her musing shifted from confusion, to anger, then leapt headlong in to rage.

  “I can’t believe you brought her here...especially after last night daddy.” Morgan’s eyes grew dark, as she stared at her confused looking father.

  “Morgan...what are you doing? You scared the life out of all of us. Not only were your actions careless...you were thoughtless and down right disrespectful. What you did was completely dangerous. Miguel said that his brother reported seeing large cat tracks in the woods, not to far from the property.”

  “Daddy...you act like this is my first time coming up here. I know how to look for the natural predators in the area.”

  William didn’t doubt that but stumbling on those natural predators without a weapon was always a possibility.

  William stood, then began a slow pacing in the small loft. He had heard the front door when it closed and he knew that everyone else had gone outside to stand on the porch. He was pretty sure that Morgan’s voice had traveled to the main floor, moreover he knew that Pamela had heard what his daughter had just said. He was tired from the hike and he was in no mood to deal with Morgan’s anger because he wasn’t so sure if he could ever forgive her for putting him through hell. Even so, he also knew that due to the late hour, they would all have to get along somehow for the remainder of the night. Hiking back in the dark would be no smarter than what Morgan had done, coming up to the cabin all alone.

  William restrained his comments to be expressed at a more opportune time. He wasn’t willing to give amended versions. He wanted Morgan to get the unabridged version detailing his disappointment and broken heart.

  William slipped his hands slowly into the opening of his pant pockets, while standing at the foot of the bed. He closed his eyes, looking into the black of man made darkness. As his eyes shifted and rolled searchingly, he didn’t see any answers that would guide him through this touchy situation. The room had remained quiet, and he knew that Morgan still sat stubbornly glaring at him. He didn’t know at which depth of her gene pool Morgan had inherited her uncompromising spirit and her unwillingness to see reason. He was certain this new budding characteristic had not come from him nor Bianca. When William felt the burn of her stare, like hot coals peeling back his flesh for further examination; he opened his eyes and directed his gaze squarely on his daughter. There would be no more sidestepping.

  “Morgan...you must get a handle on your anger. I understand your reasons for coming here but...I cannot allow you to continue on this path. If you want to fight it out with me...then fine, lets do it.”

  Morgan shifted her weight on the bed, tucking her legs in a folded position underneath her.

  “Fine...do you want to know why I’m so mad?”

  Finally, William thought. He nodded, not sure if he was ready for her frankness.

  “You got married to Pamela without saying a word to me...poppy or nanny. You brought her into our lives without ever considering if we were ready for you to replace mommy.”

  “Morgan...I could never replace your mother...nor would I ever try.”

  “But you did daddy. And to make matters worse, you got her pregnant. You made certain that we would never be able to rid her from our lives.”

  William couldn’t believe what he was hearing. With each set of words, her explanation succeeded in slapping him in his face. In many ways Morgan was right. The baby would cement Pamela into their lives...marriage or no marriage. But then he reminded himself of one very important point; he did not marry Pamela due to the pregnancy. He married her because he loved her. He would have asked her to be his wife even if he had not learned about the baby. The child that she now carried had simply become the icing on the cake.

  “Morgan, sometimes a parent makes choices that are solely theirs to make. Just because they have children, that doesn’t mean that parents have to explain every decision that might affect their family. Sometimes, children don’t get a vote and they don’t have any right to comment on things that are of a private nature. I know this may seem difficult for you to accept but whomever I choose to marry; that is for me to decide. Not you, poppy or nanny.”

  Morgan shook her head, causing her ponytail to violently sway back and forth.

  “That’s not true. We are a family daddy and you should have asked me if I wanted another mother. You should have asked if I wanted you to have another baby.”

  William knew his daughter was simplifying what he’d done in terms that only she would understand. He stepped near the bed, reclaiming his seat. He cupped her chin, forcing her eyes to remain on him.

  “Morgan...just because I married Pamela, it doesn’t change things between you and me. You are my little girl. You’ll always be my little girl, no matter how old you get. I love you honey and you don’t have to feel threatened by Pamela.”

  “You don’t get it daddy.” Morgan said, as she moved back, causing his hand to drop from her face.

  “I will never accept Pamela in my life. I don’t care what you say or do, you cannot make me li
ke her. She’s your wife but she will never be my mother.”

  Morgan climbed off her bed in a rush. Her actions mimicked a raging bull. She hurried down the ladder to the main floor, taking the steps as if she’d memorized each ones distance. He felt the weight of the mattress when it lifted where just seconds ago she’d been seated. The blankets were still rumpled and rolled back in unkempt folds. William forced his eyes up and away from the bed because the room was the exact opposite of her bedroom back at the main house. This is the place she’d chosen to be her refuge.

  As he watched her hurrying to get away from him, a lump rose, forming in the rear of his throat. He gulped back pools of salvia that lay stagnate in the gulf of his mouth. His nerves were on edge making the tight forming grip in his neck increase with intensity. This was the same feeling he’d experienced when he’d ran through the house desperately searching only to come up empty handed; this over powering sensation was beginning to smother him. His first instinct was to wrap his arms around her skinny waist, forcing her back to the bed to be seated. As much as he wanted to do this, he didn’t. William let her go because after what she’d put them all through he knew she wouldn’t get far. Not one person standing outdoors on the porch would willingly allow her to leave without following her.

  William heard the sound of the front door when it swung open, not stopping until it slammed into the wall; sending the noise echoing throughout the cabin. He climbed down the ladder, much slower than Morgan had just done. Once he stood in the open space, he walked calmly over to the iron stove. There were a few logs near the burner, so he busied himself starting a fire. He felt the familiar touch of a hand when it lay on his shoulder, caressing in slow soothing strokes. She lowered her face to the side of his cheek, then Pamela planted a soft loving kiss there. The smell of her made his body jolt with wonderful memories.