by Melissa Good
Jake and Jaele were the A crew and there was a B crew that took over for them sometimes. They were on call around the clock for Dar, and the attention had outlined a new sense of understanding from the board over just how important Dar was to the company.
Funny, after all the time she’d worked for them and all the things she’d done, for them to now decide that. Kerry watched Dar swinging around in her chair in an almost childlike motion. All the attention from the government and the new requests for service had caught their attention like nothing else before had.
Funny. Crazy. Strange. Kerry leaned back in her chair and crossed her ankles. So much change in their lives in such a relatively short time.
“Okay folks.” The pilot stuck his head out of the cockpit. “We’re de-iced and ready to go. Buckle up.”
“Thanks, Jake.” Dar lifted a hand and waved at him.
Kerry relaxed as she heard the engines spin up and felt the gentle jolt as the plane started to back away from the terminal. She stifled a yawn. “Hope Angie has a nice honeymoon.”
“Where’s she going?” Ceci asked.
“She’s doing a western Mexico cruise.” Kerry smiled faintly. “You know, Acapulco, and all that? She’s really excited. She’s never been on one.”
“Mm.” Dar made a skeptical sound.
“Yeap,” Andrew said. “Won’t catch me on one of them, not after that whole hoo hah you done got into.”
“She got a good deal on a suite,” Kerry said. “They got a whole honeymoon package and it sounded like fun.”
“Mm,” Dar repeated the low, growly noise.
“Well, honey, we have our own boat.” Kerry reached over and patted her knee. “She doesn’t.”
“Oh I don’t know.” Ceci leaned her elbow on the chair arm and rested her chin on her hand. “I always thought an Atlantic crossing cruise might be fun.”
“It ain’t,” Andrew said.
“Not on the ones you sailed on, no,” she conceded. “But on those nice fancy ones it might be.”
“Mm.” Andrew made the same noise his daughter had, only an octave lower.
Kerry chuckled as the plane swung out and headed for the top of the runway. She folded her hands on her stomach as Jaele took her seat, and they felt the increase in power as the jet turned onto the runway.
It paused, then with a solid surge of power headed off, and after a far shorter time than a larger jet, it bounded up into the air and arched up into the sky.
“Ah.” Ceci fished into her coat pocket. “You get to see the papers, Kerry?”
“Oh no.” Kerry winced. “Let me guess, I got a picture in one.”
Dar chuckled. “One?”
“What are you laughing at, kid?” Ceci tossed the folded newsprint over. “Just be glad USA Today wasn’t there.”
“HEY, CHEEBLES!” Kerry sat down on the love seat to properly appreciate the greeting of their pet Labrador. “You ready to go down to the cabin with us?”
“Growf!”
“Car or boat?” Dar dropped down next to her, then thumped against the back of the couch as Chino leaped up onto her lap. “Oh...hey! Chino!” She got her arms around the big dog, who proceeded to lick her face with earnest thoroughness. “Hey!”
Kerry chuckled. “I just imagined my sister getting slobbered on like that. She’s going to have a cow.”
Dar got Chino turned around and watched as the dog regarded them with a look of doggy delight. “Boat? We can break out the three mils and dive a few reefs on the way down?”
“Sure.” Kerry played with the end of Chino’s otter tail. “Let’s stop at Pennekamp on the way down. That’s a nice shallow dive.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Dar said. “We’ll leave early. Let me go check the marine forecast.” She deposited Chino on the couch and stood up, angling around the couch and heading into her office.
It felt good to be home. Kerry smiled as Chino curled up on the leather surface and rested her head on her thigh. She stroked the animal’s soft, silky ears and watched the tiny eyebrows over her gentle brown eyes twitch. “Did you miss us, Cheebles?” she asked. “Did I tell you my sister’s getting one of your baby sisters?”
Chino peered up at her. “Growf.”
“We’re going to have to have her come down here so you can visit with her. Although, y’know, it would be pretty hilarious to have you visit there, and see the two of you turn that house upside down.”
Chino wagged her tail.
Kerry chuckled, flexing her bare toes in the throw rug surface as she leaned back, very glad to have the quiet peace of their home around her. She could still smell the faint scent of new paint, the walls now a soft misty blue color, and just past the sliding glass doors she saw the colorful all weather hammock they’d added to the swing chair already installed.
“Hm.” She got up and went to the door, sliding it open and taking a breath of the cool, salt tinged air. Seagulls were coasting over the surf and she sat down on the hammock, then swung herself into it, watching Chino go over to the wall and stand up to look over it.
With a contented sigh, she extended her legs and crossed them at the ankles, then folded her hands over her stomach and studied the vivid blue, cloudless sky.
So different from the cloudy, snowy skies of Michigan. She heard the gentle rush of the waves against the rocks that lined the edge of the island and caught a blurp of music carried on the wind from nearby South Beach.
Damn it was good to be home.
The door slid open behind her and she heard the rasp of bare feet against the tile. “Weather good?”
“Be a little choppy, but yeah.” Dar went to the railing and looked over, putting her arm around Chino as the dog stood up again to see what she was looking at. “Picked up my voice mail. We’re going to have an unexpected visitor tonight.”
“Yeah?”
“Alastair.” Dar turned and leaned against the low wall. “Just said he wants to have dinner with us, but I get the feeling something’s behind it.”
“Oh boy.”
Dar half shrugged, a mildly bemused look on her face. “Guess we’ll find out,” she said. “He’ll be here around six. You want to make noodles for him or take him somewhere?”
Kerry put her hands behind her head and pondered the question. “I don’t feel like cooking but I also don’t feel like getting dressed up. Not after that wedding. Want to just go to the beach club? Or...no, we had him over to the Italian place that last time.”
“Let’s have something from the main place delivered here,” Dar said. “Good compromise?”
Kerry smiled at her.
“Thought so.” Dar yawned. “I’ll go make some coffee.”
“I’ll go check the menu online.” Kerry rolled up out of the hammock and joined her at the door. “C’mon, Chino. We’ll get you a little steak too.”
“Growf!”
Chapter Three
KERRY POURED ALASTAIR a glass of wine, handling the bottle with casual expertise as she handed the glass over to him. “So what’s the board’s problem, Alastair?”
Alastair McLean, their stocky, gray haired boss, the CEO of ILS, swirled the glass and took a sip before he answered. “Well, now we come down to it,” he said. “Glad we left it ‘til after that nice meal to talk about, ladies.” He rested his elbow on the table and regarded the two of them.
“Uh oh.” Dar leaned back and folded her hands over her stomach. “That sounds like trouble.”
“Well.” Alastair waggled his free hand. “It’s like this. Y’know we’ve been on a talent search the past few months looking for replacements.”
“For us.” Kerry seated herself and put her napkin back on her lap.
Alastair gave her a wry grin. “Let’s put the cards down. I can be replaced. You can be replaced.” He looked over at Dar. “You, on the other hand, are a big problem.”
Dar blinked mildly at him. “I’ve been a big problem since birth if you ask my mother,” she said. “C’mon, Alastair.
Don’t tell me they can’t find another CIO. Give me a break.”
“Board’s been interviewing potential candidates since fall,” Alastair said. “Not that there’s a lack of people out there, but frankly, Dar, you’re a tough act to follow.”
Dar rolled her eyes. “Oh please.”
“No, please.” Alastair drummed his fingers on the wooden table surface. “The last six all told the board the same thing. It would be career suicide to have to follow you in that position. They don’t want it, not at any price.”
Kerry chuckled softly under her breath. “I only had to fill in for her for what...one day? I totally believe that.”
“So what are they going to do?” Dar lifted a hand, a puzzled expression on her face. “Alastair, I’m not an indentured servant. I am allowed to leave, right?”
Alastair sighed. “The problem is, the logical person to move into that position is someone in your direct chain.”
Kerry cleared her throat.
“Exactly.” He tilted his head in her direction. “So my moment of turning a blind eye to your relationship is now biting us very hard in the ass.”
“The board knew,” Dar said. “We’ve made no attempt to hide our lives the last few years. Anyone with a brain would have figured if I left, Kerry would too.” She frowned. “What the hell would you have done if something had happened to us? We’ve had a few close shaves.”
Alastair agreed. “That’s why they dedicated a jet to you, Dar.” His voice went serious. “You are, like it or not, an extremely valuable corporate asset.” He took another sip of wine. “Of course you’re not an indentured servant. None of us are, but we’ve put ourselves into a sticky situation that I’m not sure I know how to get us out of.”
Kerry watched Dar’s face, as the words sunk in. She had, privately, been wondering if they could find someone, or someones, to replace them, since she was more aware than most of just how integral they were in the operations of the company.
So to hear Alastair say what he was saying didn’t surprise her nearly as much as it seemed to surprise her other half. Dar had a weird, somewhat self blinded view of herself sometimes, and this was one of the times it showed. “So, the problem isn’t that you can’t get a replacement, the problem is, any replacement you want doesn’t want the job, and people who want the job, you don’t want.”
Alastair nodded.
“Well, crap.” Dar lifted her hands and let them fall, an exasperated expression on her face.
Kerry got up and went over to her, putting her hands on her shoulders and squeezing. “Honey, I’ve always told you that you’re one of a kind.” She gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “Let me get the ice cream.” She went into the kitchen and got a small tray out, removing the ice cream sundaes the restaurant had sent over that she’d stored in the freezer.
Chino followed her in, and sat down next to her, tail sweeping the floor with anticipation.
“Oh, you think you get ice cream too, madame?”
“Growf.”
“SO, WHAT ARE we going to do?” Dar asked. “Alastair, not being able to hire a replacement...what the hell?”
Alastair smiled. “You surprised?”
“I am,” Dar said. “It’s just a CIO position. There are at least 499 other companies in the Fortune 500 and I’m willing to bet most of them have someone like me.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes,” Dar answered honestly. “I’m not unique. What I do isn’t unique. It’s just infrastructure operations. Are you telling me the donks they interviewed were so scared of stuff I’ve done they don’t have the balls to come in and better me?”
“Yes,” he said. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Alastair.”
“Dar, it’s just bad timing,” he said. “If we hadn’t been so visible during the attacks, hadn’t been on TV every other day, and then the follow ups, and those interviews you did for CNN. The spotlight’s pretty bright on us, and now, the government’s calling, asking for more.”
“I don’t want to do anything for that government,” Dar answered, flatly. “And you shouldn’t either.”
Alastair lifted his hand and let it fall. “I’ve got a pretty thick skin. I know where they were coming from trying to nail me, and while I don’t like it, Dar, I do understand it.”
“I don’t like it, and I don’t want to understand it,” she responded. “I’ve had enough. I want to spend some time just living my life. The board’s going to have to get over itself and just hire someone who can keep the pie plates spinning.”
“And they will, Dar.” Alastair held up a pacifying hand. “No one’s saying you can’t leave if you want to. What I’m saying is, it might take a little longer than we planned.”
Dar made a low growling sound deep in her throat.
“C’mon. You gave the company a good part of your life. What’s a month or so more?” Alastair said. “Besides, if you cooperate with the board, they’ll hand you everything you want. You can even get out of the exclusion clause if you want to. If you put them in a corner.”
“If we put them in a corner, what?” Kerry came out with the tray and deposited the sundaes in front of them. “What would they do, Alastair? Take away Dar’s stock and pension or something?”
“They might,” Alastair answered, with quiet honesty. “But the thing I don’t want is for them take advantage of the two of you and decide to get ratty. You’ve served the company with a lot of honor, Dar. I want you to go out that way.”
Dar eyed him over the sundae. “Well.” She picked up her spoon and glanced at Kerry. “We’ll work something out. I don’t want to get them all in an uproar, now anyway.”
Kerry looked back at her. “Now?”
“The other voice mail was that adviser of the President,” Dar said, selecting her cherry and biting into it. “He wants to talk.”
“Oh.” Alastair frowned.
“Yeah.”
KERRY TOOK OFF her sunglasses and tucked them into her jacket pocket as she passed through the front doors to ILS’s commercial headquarters. It was still very early, and the office was very quiet, only the security guards and a few junior secretaries around to see her enter.
“Good morning, Ms. Stuart,” the guard greeted her quietly. “Did you have a good holiday?”
“I did.” Kerry dutifully swiped her badge into the reader. “Did you, John?”
“We went to Disney World,” he said. “Me and Sarah and the kids. It was nice.”
Disney World. Dar had promised her a holiday visit there. Kerry tucked that thought away for later and made her way across the lobby to the elevators, hopping inside one to find Mariana, their VP of Human Resources, already inside. “Hey, Mari.”
“Good morning,” Mariana cordially replied. “You look suntanned. Down by the cabin?”
“All week,” Kerry said. “Dar’s about ten minutes behind me. She’s dropping her truck off for service.” She watched the floors pass. “How’d your holiday go?”
“Nice,” Mari said. “I was glad we decided not to do a company party this year. We ended up on a catamaran in the Bahamas.”
“Nice,” Kerry said. “Yeah, I was glad too, except that while I was at my sister’s wedding, I was kinda wishing I wasn’t.” She smiled briefly. “Would have rather been here having those paella canapés.”
Mari chuckled, as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. “Yeah, I forgot you were going to be up there with your family.” She walked alongside Kerry as they entered the big, gray carpeted and maroon walled hallway. “Family’s tough. I know mine’s always leery of Louis. They think atheists are equal to Satanists.”
“How do you think my family felt about me and Dar showing up with Dar’s Southern Baptist dad and pagan mom?” Kerry asked. “At least now, it gives them a bigger heartburn than they give me.”
Mari chuckled again.
“Not to mention my sister decided to have her whole wedding party wear strapless gown
s,” Kerry continued. “Well, the women anyway. So I’m pretty sure my chest was front page in the local paper the whole next week.”
Mari laughed louder.
Kerry sighed. “Jesus. It actually feels good to get back here and just have some usual IT stuff to deal with.” She paused to turn into her office. “Later, Mari.”
“Later.”
The other woman walked on, and Kerry continued into her outer antechamber, where she was surprised to find her assistant already there working away. “Hey, Mayte.”
Mayte had looked up when the door opened and smiled. “Good morning, Kerry,” she said. “And a happy holidays to you. Did you have a good time off?”
“I did. How about you? Nice to have the extra time, huh?” Kerry said. “I think it was a good idea to give everyone last week off.”
“Oh yes.” Mayte stood up. “May I get you some cafecita? Mama and Papa had a big party at the house, and all of our family came over for it. It was very nice, and I got to see some of my cousins for the first time in a while.”
“I’d love some.” Kerry continued on to her office. “And I’m glad to see someone enjoys their family.” She winked at Mayte, then opened her door and went inside.
It was quiet, as her office usually was. She crossed over and put her laptop case down, circling her desk and going to the big floor to ceiling windows at the rear. They looked out over the ocean and she put her hands against the glass, watching a speedboat turn out of the cut and roar into life.
With a smile, she turned and sat down in her chair, reaching down to start up her desktop and then leaning back to enjoy the peace and quiet that would last just long enough for the machine to boot up and present her email to her.
The week at the cabin was fun. They’d gone to a little island party their neighbors had thrown, and spent a lot of time in the sea, even though the waters were colder than she really liked. Dar had set herself the challenge of finding a meal for them a day, and she’d gotten to taste all sorts of things Dar dredged back out of the ocean for her.
