Safe and Sound

by Fern Michaels

  “What your grandmother just said—it’s true, but what she didn’t tell you is I was going to leave anyway. Your mother . . . I dearly loved your mother. I want you to know and believe that. I loved her with all my heart and soul. But . . . your mother didn’t love me the same way. She cared for me, that much I knew. But when I wasn’t with her, she forgot about me. Even forgot who I was. No one, not your granny, not Rita, Irene, or I wanted to admit that Diana, your mother, had mental issues. When I finally realized it, and this might surprise you, but I’m a doctor and I was a doctor then, I knew I had to let her go and move on with my life. It was at that point that your grandmother approached me and told me to hit the highway. I didn’t argue or fight with her, I just left, then went to a friend’s house and had a total meltdown. To this day, I love your mother as much as I loved her the day I walked away. I had no idea she was pregnant. If I had known, I would have stayed. Nothing could have taken me from her side. I would have been there for you every step of the way.”

  “Do you understand, Ben?” Eleanor asked softly. Ben nodded. “Can you forgive me?” Ben nodded. “And your father?” Ben nodded again.

  “What’s going to happen to me now?”

  “That’s totally up to you, Ben. Jonathan and I agreed that whatever decision you come to, we will accept.”

  Ben squared his thin shoulders and looked around at the four people in the world who totally loved him. He could see it in their eyes, and he swore later that he could feel the love. He was smart enough to know he was about to make the most important decision of his eight-year-old life. “I think I would like to take some time to think about all this,” was the best that he could come up with at that moment.

  “Of course you do. I think I would be disappointed if you’d said anything else,” Jonathan assured him.

  Ben tilted his head to the side. “So what do you do with three big yellow buses?”

  The tension in the room evaporated like magic with the question. Jonathan sat down at the table as the three women started to bustle about the kitchen.

  “I’m a doctor, but not the kind of doctor who has an office in a building. My office is the buses. I travel around the country, mostly to poor rural areas, with my staff, and we work out of tents. When I said I had some money in the bank, what I meant was I have a lot of money that was left to me by my grandparents, and I use that to fund what I do and to pay my staff. That’s how your grandmother and her friends finally found me. I was in Mississippi when they did. I would have been here sooner, last week, actually, but I had a couple of sick kids I wanted to make sure were on the mend before I left. I hear you’re ready to graduate from college in December. That’s awesome!”

  “About as awesome as what you do,” Ben quipped. “You really do look like me.”

  “I’m going to take that as a compliment,” Jonathan said, a big grin on his face.

  “Can you suck spaghetti through the space between your front teeth?”

  “Are you kidding? That’s one of my major accomplishments. Can you?”

  “I’m pretty good at it,” Ben said shyly. “Going forward, what am I supposed to call you, Dad, Pop, what?”

  “Good Lord, no. A man has to earn the right to be called Dad. That’s a serious title and one to be taken seriously. Maybe someday you’ll think I earned it, then you can make the decision. For now, Jon is good. That’s what all my colleagues and friends call me. Well, some call me Doc.”

  “How’s all this going to work?” Ben asked curiously as he found himself warming up to the giant man sitting across the table from him.

  “Your grandmother pretty much explained that it’s up to you. I can tell you what we came up with, but that doesn’t have to mean you need to go along with it. We all meant it when we said it was up to you.”

  “What did you all come up with?” Ben asked. His hands folded under the table in his lap, Ben crossed his fingers.

  “My plan was to take a year off and go out to my ranch in Montana. Your grandmother, Irene, and Rita decided that they’d like to join up with my team. Rita is a nurse, so that’s a big help right there. They’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing since . . . well, for a long time. We thought that you might like to go to Montana with me. I’d like you to be a real kid, to catch up on all the years you missed, doing what kids do. I get to learn right along with you. I can teach you to ride a horse, we could go mountain climbing, snowboarding, ice-skating, swimming, shoot baskets. I even know how to use a Hula-Hoop. I know how to do all those things, and I’d love to be the one to teach you; and you can teach me how to be a dad. A year. I didn’t get past that in my thoughts, to be honest with you. How does that sound to you?”

  Ben closed his eyes for a moment until they started to burn. He hoped he wouldn’t cry. This was the stuff he had always dreamed about but never talked about. When he opened his eyes, he saw everyone staring at him. He thought they were all holding their breaths, waiting for what he was going to say.

  “It sounds pretty darn good to me, but I still want to sleep on it. What’s my name going to be? I’ve already had two,” he said with a grimace.

  “I already started the paperwork. Like it or not, kid, your last name is Philbran, and guess what! My middle name is Benjamin.”

  Ben’s face lit up like a moonbeam.

  “Dinner’s ready!” Eleanor called out, happiness ringing in her voice.

  Ben turned to his father. “You are absolutely going to love this dinner. It is my favorite, and Granny made it just for me, and I suspect you, too. Plus, we’re eating in the dining room, and that’s just for special occasions; plus, on top of that, we’re eating off the good dishes. The downside is that you and I have to clean up.” Ben giggled.

  Jonathan laughed out loud as he wrapped his arm around his son’s shoulders and led him into the dining room.

  “Ben?” Eleanor said.

  “It’s my turn to say grace,” Ben said, bowing his head. “Thank you, Lord, for what we are about to receive, and thank you for bringing Jonathan to our table today.”

  “Dig in,” Eleanor said, tears glistening in her eyes.

  And dig in they did.

  * * *

  It was the day after Thanksgiving at Pinewood. Much to the sisters’ chagrin, their men were off again on another project, and the women had all had Thanksgiving dinner at Pinewood. Now the sisters were all clustered in the kitchen, admiring each other’s attire. Today was Benjamin Andrew Lymen Ryan Philbran’s graduation day.

  “I think we’ll make young Ben proud,” Myra said, “and we all smell good in the bargain. This is exciting. I’ve never been to a graduation where only one student graduated, much less an eight-year-old. Remember now, no crying. Everyone swear not to cry.”

  Everyone swore they wouldn’t cry, and not a single one of them believed she would be able to keep that promise. This was Ben they were talking about, the little boy who had stolen his way into their hearts and refused to leave.

  “I’m driving,” Maggie said. “I brought the Post van. Let’s go, or we’re going to be late, and it looks like it’s going to snow any minute. Chop, chop, people!”

  An hour later, Maggie parked the van just as snowflakes started to fall from the sky. “I wonder if that’s some kind of omen or something,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Ellie said to just go in, turn to the right, go to the auditorium, and sit on the right side. The left side is for the professors and any students who care to attend,” Isabelle said.

  Jonathan Philbran was waiting for them in the small lobby. He was dressed in a dark suit, pristine white shirt, and red power tie. He had a fresh haircut and smelled like a woodsy glen. He smiled, but it was a nervous smile. “Hurry, ladies, it’s about to start. I feel like my heart is going to bust right out of my chest.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Eleanor Lymen said, coming up to them and ushering them into the auditorium. The minute they were all seated the music to “Pomp and Circumstance” filled the room
as Ben, dressed in his cap and gown, strolled down the center aisle. He was grinning from ear to ear as he made his way up to the stage, then climbed up three steps so he could reach the lectern. He had no notes.

  He waved his hand and said, “Welcome to my graduation, ladies and gentlemen. Since I am a class of one, I am the valedictorian. That means I should give a speech, but I’m not going to do that because whatever the future holds in store for me is too far down the road for me to speculate. I want to thank all of you for coming. I want to thank all my professors for all the help they’ve so generously given me and how they were always there for me when I needed them.

  “I want to thank my grandmother, Rita, and Irene for enrolling me here at the Institute. There is one other person I want to thank. I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you today if it wasn’t for her. You people on my right don’t know her, all those on the left know her as Isabelle. Because she’s my friend, she allows me to call her Izzy. Thank you for finding me, thank you for being my friend, and thank you to all your friends who took care of me when I needed help the most. I hope I made you proud today.

  “That’s the end of my speech. Oooh, wait a minute, there is one other person out there I need to thank. See that big guy in the back row who towers over everyone else. That’s my dad!”

  With that, Ben hopped down, ran off the stage, and threw his cap in the air. Everyone clapped. Everyone wiped at their eyes, even some of the attendees on the left.

  There was a ton of laughter, hugs, more tears, and more hugs.

  “Refreshments are being served in the cafeteria, and a table has been set up with gifts for the graduate,” the dean said over the loudspeaker, as the crowd made their way to the cafeteria.

  “We’re sorry, but we have to cut this short,” Jonathan said thirty minutes later. “Our flight leaves in an hour, thanks to Countess de Silva, who graciously provided us transportation to Montana. We need to say goodbye now. But first, I want to give Ben his graduation present.” He looked at Isabelle, who was carrying one end of a large basket. Maggie had hold of the other.

  They set it down in front of Ben, who let out a whoop so loud it could be heard in the next county. Two golden retriever puppies stared up at Ben with soft, adoring brown eyes. Each wore a bright red collar. One said JAM. The other said JELLY.

  Now everyone was crying, as Ben laughed and cried himself as he struggled to hold both puppies, who were licking him to death.

  “Okay, we’re outta here, everyone,” Jonathan said as he reached for one of the puppies.

  Ben stared around at his new family. He allowed himself to be kissed and hugged. When it was Isabelle’s turn, she bent low and whispered in his ear, “If I had only one wish, Ben, it would be to have a son like you. You have a good life now, you hear. And please, please, don’t forget me.” In spite of all the promises she’d made to herself, she was crying like a baby.

  Ben leaned forward. He whispered in return, “Izzy, if I only had one wish, it would be that you could be my mom. You take care of yourself, and don’t you forget me, either.”

  “We’re never going to get this show on the road,” Jonathan shouted as he scooped Ben up under his arm and literally ran from the room, the two puppies yipping and yapping.

  “Okay, people, enough with the tears. All is well that ends well. Let’s all retire to the Dog and Duck, where we can drown our sorrows. Myra rented the whole place just for us,” Nikki said.

  The room was suddenly blasted with sound as someone from the Institute turned the recording of “Pomp and Circumstance” to the highest decibel level possible.

  Fists pumping in the air, tears rolling down their cheeks, the sisters, along with Ellie, Rita, and Irene marched out of the building.

  The tears were replaced with smiles and high-fives as they walked out to the van through the falling snow.

  “Now this is what I call a truly happy ending,” Annie whispered to Myra.

  “As always, my friend, you are spot on,” Myra said with a laugh.

  Be sure not to miss Fern Michaels’s stunning, suspenseful new novel

  DEEP HARBOR

  A Kensington hardcover and eBook on sale in April 2019.

  Keep reading for a special sneak peek!

  Thirty-four-year-old Carol Anne Jansen—also known as CJ to her friends and colleagues—checked her running belt to make sure she had everything she needed for her jog along the Tidal Basin. One couldn’t leave anything to chance with all the tourists, crazies, and government employees out for their daily run. Any and all manner of things could go wrong. Even in broad daylight. This was, after all, the nation’s capital. And it was also an early spring break for most schools, which meant that there were twice as many tourists and crazies about.

  She double-checked that she had her driver’s license, which featured a picture of her round face, light brown hair that hung down to her shoulders, blue eyes—that sparkled in the sunlight, if not in the photograph—up-tilted eyebrows, narrow mouth, and tiny nose. She also had her government ID that said she worked for Congressman Otto “Snapper” Lewis, the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, her lone credit card, and fifty dollars. She never carried more than fifty dollars for fear of having to hand it over to some thug. She was good to go. She zipped up the running belt, wrapped it around her waist, and slapped on her Fitbit.

  CJ glanced over her shoulder to make sure her computer was in sleep mode. Check. Desk lamp off. Check. Desk drawers locked. Check.

  The little digital clock on her desk said it was 5:10. It had been a light workday, which had allowed for the late-afternoon run. Congressman Lewis had told her she could leave even earlier, but she had declined to do so because she was conscientious to a fault. She thought about how insistent he’d been lately and wondered why, but in the end she shrugged it off as just another one of Snapper’s quirks.

  Satisfied that everything was in order, she opened the door to Snapper’s office, and called out, “I’m leaving, boss. Unless you need me to do something.” Not bothering to wait for a response, CJ rattled on. “Remember, you need to be on time this evening for that black-tie dinner at the Armory. And I’m going to be late in the morning because I have an early appointment.” CJ had an appointment with her therapist, whom she had been seeing ever since her brother, Kick, had died four years ago.

  “Got it. Have a nice night, CJ.”

  He really doesn’t sound right, CJ thought to herself. “Is something wrong, boss? You sound, I don’t know, distracted? I know how you hate these dinners, but you can split after an hour. In fact, you should be leaving for the dinner now.”

  “I will, but I’m waiting for a phone call. Run along, CJ.”

  CJ chewed on her lower lip. He was waiting for a phone call? Snapper Lewis never waited for a phone call. He was the one who made the calls, and if you didn’t pick up, you didn’t get a second call. Weird.

  “Okay, but be sure to log it in when it comes through. I don’t need a ton of paperwork to chase down some dry cleaner calling to remind you to pick up your tux.” It was all said in a joking manner in the hopes her boss would tell her who was calling. Nothing. It didn’t work.

  “Go already!” Congressman Lewis barked.

  “Okay, okay, I’m gone. Be sure to turn out all the lights and lock your desk and the door.”

  “Yes, Mother,” he drawled, but CJ picked up the hint of anger in his voice. It was definitely time to leave.

  Outside the office, CJ debated taking the elevator or the stairs. She was a health nut, so she opted for the stairs. She pulled at the heavy door and whizzed through it just as the elevator door opened. An unfamiliar scent wafted her way. Wow, she thought, someone took a bath in some crappy cologne that must have come in gallon jugs. She sniffed several times, hoping to get the abominable scent out of her nostrils.

  Once she was in the parking garage, she headed to where she’d parked her ten-year-old Nissan Sentra and climbed in. The ride to the Tidal Basin wouldn’t tak
e that long; she’d run for forty minutes, then head home. The engine coughed and sputtered to life. She really needed to get a new car. Maybe a new used one. She put it on her to-do list and was about to shift from park to reverse when she remembered something that hit her like a whack to the side of her head. “Oh crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!” She had forgotten to leave the report the congressman was going to need for his 7:00 A.M. meeting. And he didn’t have the keys to her desk. Banging her hands on the steering wheel, she knew she had to go back. “Hell! Well, maybe you’ll start up when I get back!” she yelled at her lump of a junkmobile.

  CJ hauled herself out of the car and ran back into the Rayburn House Office Building, in which she had toiled since the day she’d gotten out of college, twelve years ago. Twelve years. And all of them for Otto “Snapper” Lewis. There were people who said she was almost as powerful as Snapper, but she always pooh-poohed the idea. People were always trying to curry favor with the congressman and tried to get to him through her. It was a fruitless endeavor since she protected him against any and all such attempts. She was the proverbial brick wall against those he did not want to deal with. It was her job to both protect her boss and oversee the workings of his office. She wasn’t sure, but she did think that she’d probably stop short of taking a bullet for him.

  Because she was in good physical shape, she was able to take the stairs two at a time. When she arrived at the door that led to the hallway, her heart was pumping at the pace of a good workout. She frowned when she got a whiff of the same foul odor she’d encountered earlier. Once she opened the door, the scent was so overwhelming that she gagged. The hallway smelled like a funeral home filled with too many flowers that had begun to rot.

  CJ had her key in hand when she realized that the light was on in the congressman’s office, which brought a frown to her face. Surely, his call must have come through by now. Rather than risk his wrath, pretended or otherwise, she walked around the corner to the second entrance to the suite and let herself in to her own office, which was adjacent to his. If she was very quiet and didn’t make any noise, she could be in and out, do what she had to do, and good old Snapper would never know she’d almost screwed up.