Winds of Change Book Two

by Melissa Good

  So odd to find a synergy in this, the most weird of places and strangest of people. “Well, that’s how I feel about my dad also,” Dar said. “I think we’re lucky that way. Not a lot of people are.”

  He smiled briefly and looked away, then stood up. “C’mon in, Josh.” He put his hand on the chair back. “Mike tells me you’ve got a lady friend, is that right?”

  Dar stood as the photographer came back in. “Yes, if by that you mean I’m gay,” she said mildly. “And I have a life partner.”

  He nodded. “Good. This’ll do good for my demographics.” He waved the photographer over. “And they won’t think you’re sleeping with half the lot of us.” He grinned rakishly. “Don’t tell anyone I said that. Everybody assumes I’m clueless.” He pointed at the desk. “Should we take a shot there, Josh? What would look best? You’re the expert.”

  Bridges came back as they started to get arranged and Dar had a moment to pause, shake her head, and think about the long, long message she was going to type to Kerry.

  Who would not, absolutely not, believe it.

  Chapter Four

  DAR LAY FLAT on her back on her acceptably comfortable hotel bed, her eyes closed as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “That’s what I said, hon,” she said as Kerry finally wound down. “I just walked in the hotel twenty minutes ago. Finally got done arguing with Gerry’s boys.”

  “Holy crap, Dar!”

  “Mm...didn’t figure of the two appointments, his would be the gnarlier,” Dar said. “But I finally got through it, so we can move forward with the high level design.”

  “Did you get dinner?”

  “I got a meatball sub for late lunch,” Dar said. “That’s what they have at the Pentagon, apparently.”

  “Better than Burger King I guess.” Kerry sighed. “I sent chocolate.”

  “So I smell and see.” Dar tipped her head to one side and regarded the festive looking basket. “Thanks. Definitely better than Burger King. I think I see Kit Kat bars.”

  “They had that and peanut butter cups,” Kerry said. “Mocha and Chino have been running me crazy all night. They finally just settled down and I’m going to have a bowl of soup or something.”

  “Want some of my Kit Kats?”

  “I want you.” Kerry’s smile was audible. “Do you have to go back over there tomorrow?”

  “In the morning, yes. Need to set up the delivery timeline,” Dar said. “And, I guess, the ILS team there wants to get a handshake in.”

  “Aww.”

  Dar chuckled softly. “Wish you were here,” she said unexpectedly. “I’m so used to having you around, it’s weird when you’re not.”

  “Funny. I was just thinking that.” Kerry’s tone warmed. “It’s crazy isn’t it? I lived by myself for a long time here before we met. Now I can’t even remember what that felt like.”

  Dar thought about that for a minute as she listened to Kerry breathe gently in her ear. She did remember what that was like, those long years of living alone, and how quiet it was. Quiet like it was in the hotel room, just the creak of the building around her and the far off sound of street traffic.

  “Dar?”

  “Hm?” She dismissed the memory. “Just thinking. Been a weird day.”

  “Having to meet the president?” Kerry laughed softly. “You handled it really well, hon. I don’t think I would have, and I’m sure you were a lot more comfortable talking about your dad than I would have been about mine.”

  “I did okay. Hey, you think room service would have hot dogs? I feel like a hot dog.” Dar rolled up onto her feet and went over to the small desk in the room, flipping through the menu. “Why in the hell would someone want to eat the heart out of a palm, Ker? That sounds brutal.”

  “It’s just a vegetable,” Kerry said in an indulgent tone. “You’d probably like it if they dumped peanut sauce on it.”‘

  “I like everything with peanut sauce. Especially you.” Dar chuckled.”Oh, here we go. Two hot dogs, a bowl of chili, and a plate of nachos. I can make my own chili cheese dogs.”

  “Oh, Dar.”

  Dar imagined her beloved’s pained expression without effort. “Nah, actually they’ve got snapper fillet. I’ll get that.” She pushed the menu aside and dropped into the chair. “So we got a security guard, I sold two designs, you wrote three contracts and I met the president. All in all, a good day.”

  “Except how it began and the fact you’re not here,” Kerry said. “Aside from that, we’re good. Okay, let me let you go get dinner. I’m going to get my soup and go for a walk with the kids.”

  “Okay. Talk to you tomorrow,” Dar said. “Kiss the kids for me.”

  Kerry chuckled. “I will. Night, hon.”

  “Night.” Dar hit the key to hang up and juggled the Handspring in her fingers, then let it drop to the desk. She glanced at the phone, then got up and went back to the bed, sat down and pulled her boots back on. “Let me go find a real hot dog,” she said. “Better than hanging out in this boring room.”

  She shrugged into her jacket, slipped her key card in her back pocket, then ran her fingers through her hair before she went out the door. The hotel lobby was sparsely populated and she only glanced into the restaurant before she went outside and braced herself against the chilly wind.

  She turned up her collar, stuck her hands in her pockets and strolled down the road, glancing at the store fronts as she passed. There was a scattering of other walkers on the street, and she crossed with some of them, seeing a few couples walking together hand-in-hand and talking.

  Now she really did wish Kerry was there with her. She flexed her hand, almost able to feel the warmth of Kerry’s as she imagined folding her fingers around hers. They had started doing that in public lately, or sometimes Kerry would ease over and slide her hand into Dar’s front pocket, bumping lightly along with her in somewhat clumsy comfort.

  The sudden scent of garlic distracted her and she noticed two of the couples heading toward a restaurant on the next corner. She trailed after them and found herself at the door, pulling it open and entering.

  It had a typical brick and wood interior and smelled great. Dar patiently waited her turn, then followed the very busy hostess to a table near the window, passing between much bigger ones surrounded by large groups.

  Busy restaurant on a weekday, good sign. Dar relaxed in her chair and opened the menu the woman left. There would be no hot dogs, but she not only recognized most of the dishes, she’d eaten a number of them before.

  “Getcha something to drink?” A waitress was standing at her table, with an inquiring look.

  Ah. Dar regarded her choices. She wasn’t much of a drinker. Kerry could easily put her under the table. She usually indulged when they were out mostly to keep Kerry company. However. “Beer?” she ventured. “Draft?”

  “Foreign or domestic?” The woman asked.

  “Foreign,” Dar said. “Nothing dark.”

  “Sure.” The woman whisked off. Dar figured out what she wanted and put the menu down, then half turned in her chair to study her fellow diners.

  Well, it would be better than having a hot dog. Dar leaned back and exhaled. And better than consuming the contents of her gift basket. She smiled briefly as her beer was delivered. Maybe she’d even end the night by taking a walk.

  KERRY TOWELED HER hair dry. She heard a growl fest going on in the living room and stuck her head out of the bathroom. “Hey, what are you guys doing?”

  Chino came trotting into the room, her tongue lolling out. “Growf!”

  Mocha galloped in after her, spotting the towel Kerry had wrapped around her and seized the corner of it gleefully. He backed up and tugged the fabric with him.

  Kerry made a grab for her modesty. “Hey! Cut that out! C’mon now. I ran with you guys for an hour. Aren’t you tired out?”

  “Yap!” Mocha stood up on all fours and peered at her, his tail wagging furiously.

  “Oh my gosh.” Kerry traded her towe
l for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and ducked back into the bathroom to run a brush through her hair. “Give me a second, okay?”

  Nearly midnight and she had to admit she was tired out. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, then blew her damp bangs back out of her eyes. “Ugh.”

  She entered the bedroom and leaned against the wall, regarding the water bed pensively.

  Choices. She could sleep downstairs, in what was once Dar’s bedroom and was now both of theirs. The water bed was comfortable and it was where she usually slept.

  However, she was never as aware of Dar’s absence as when she was in that bed alone. A little silly, she knew, or probably a little crazy, but she couldn’t help feeling the way she did and so, with a sigh, she abandoned the room and trotted up the steps with the dogs right behind her, moving down the upstairs hall and into the condo’s master suite.

  Big and with high, arched ceilings, tall glass doors that opened onto a broad, shaded patio, soft sea foam green walls, and light wood furniture she almost never used.

  For a little while, when she’d first moved in with Dar, she’d put her things up here, in the plethora of drawers and cupboards, and in the walk-in closet that was half the size of her original apartment. She still had clothes hanging in that, her business suits and formal wear, but the rest of her stuff was, and had been, mingled with Dar’s for a long time now downstairs.

  She would occasionally spend a sunny winter afternoon on the big porch, reading for a while but more often she’d go down into the garden, or out onto the two person swing chair on the main patio where likely as not Dar would join her.

  There was another guest room upstairs and the room she used as her office. Sometimes she would work up there, but never for long. It was just as easy to take her laptop and sit on the big leather couch in the living room, or in Dar’s office downstairs where they would work together in companionable silence.

  But tonight, here in the big room she pulled back the soft, fluffy comforter and got under it, as Chino leaped up onto one side of the big king size bed and turned in a few circles before settling down.

  She reached down and picked up Mocha before he could start yelping, putting him down and giving him a kiss on the top of his head. “Chill out and go lay down by Chino, okay?”

  He nibbled her chin and lay down on his back, waving his paws at her as she indulgently rubbed his belly.

  “I’m glad you guys are here with me,” she said. “Even if you’re running me ragged.” She leaned over and rubbed her nose against Mocha’s and he licked her face. “It’s nice to have something to distract me from missing your other mommy.”

  Kerry leaned over and shut off the bedside light, sliding down and pulling the covers up over her. Dar would only be gone a little over twenty-four hours and the fact that she was so occupied with thoughts of her probably was not quite sane.

  A pleasant insanity, to be sure. She settled down on her pillow and then reached over to pick up her Handspring as she spotted the flashing red light that meant a message.

  It was a message from Dar. Contentedly, Kerry opened it, delighted to find a picture attached. She reviewed it, turning her head slightly to one side. “What the hell is that, Dar?”

  I decided to go out to eat and found this Italian place. It had these. Inside out pizzas. It’s full of stuff inside.

  “Ah, that’s what that is.” Kerry went on to the next picture. “Tiramisu, nice.”

  Now I’m out riding on the subway trains.

  Kerry sat right up. “What?”

  I’m so stuffed if I go right back to the hotel and go to sleep I’m going to be sick to my stomach.

  “Y’know, Dar, much as you’re the most macha woman I know, riding on the train after midnight in a strange city isn’t the smartest thing I ever heard.” Kerry rapidly typed out the same message.

  Can’t you just go walk around your room

  She hit send, and waited, but not for long as thirty seconds later the phone rang. She answered it. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” Dar’s voice came through clearly, but there were street sounds behind her. “Worried about me?” She chuckled. “I’m around the corner from the hotel, so relax.”

  “Nutball.” Kerry snuggled back down into bed, and exhaled, as Mocha curled up against her. “You said you were riding trains. I thought you got drunk at dinner.”

  “Can you get drunk on beer?”

  “Oh yes,” Kerry said. “And I have, and you’ve seen me.”

  “But you’re so cute when you’re drunk,” Dar said. “I’m going to walk around the block twice, then go inside. It’s cold here. G’wan to bed.”

  “I am in bed, upstairs,” Kerry said. “With the kids.” She put her head on the pillow. “Please be careful, okay? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  Dar was quiet for a few moments. “You doing all right?” she asked in a more serious tone. “You sound bummed.”

  Did she? Kerry frowned briefly. “I’m fine, just been a long day.”

  “Sure.” Dar’s tone didn’t alter. “Did those guys, any of them, come back near the office?”

  “No.” Kerry’s body relaxed a little. “Mark was keeping an eye out for them and he put a webcam on the back loading dock.”

  Dar chuckled softly.

  “He was freaked out about this morning. He said he had no real idea of what he was supposed to do once he got here except start yelling and calling the cops.”

  “That was enough.”

  “It was, but you know when I finally felt safe? When you got there,” Kerry said. “Even more than the cops.”

  Dar chuckled again. “Here you are telling me to get off the streets of Washington at the same time as you tell me I showed up like Thor, God of the Internets, this morning.”

  Now Kerry had to laugh a little. “Yeah, schizo. I know. I should just shut up and go to sleep. I’m overtired.”

  “Sounds good,” Dar said. “See you after lunch?”

  “You got it. I’ll be there waiting.” Kerry felt an odd reluctance to hang up, but she pushed that to one side. “Talk to you later, hon.”

  “Bye,” Dar said, then disconnected.

  Kerry put the phone down on her stomach and studied the ceiling, surprised by the sudden sting of tears in her eyes. Tension gripped her chest and she sucked in a deep breath, and then released it. She glanced to the side as Mocha squiggled up between her arm and her ribs, snuffling at her. “Hey, baby boy.” She allowed his cute eyes and button nose to charm her up out of her unexpected doldrums. “You going to keep me company, huh?”

  The puppy had light green eyes, almost the same shade as her own. He put his small muzzle down on her arm and peered up at her. After a moment his mouth opened and his pink tongue appeared.

  Chino, apparently jealous of the attention, got up and came over to sprawl over Kerry’s legs, resting her chin on Kerry’s knee.

  Kerry sniffled a little and rubbed her eyes, clearing the moisture from them. It was hard to pin down what she felt bad about. Now that the moment was over she was a little embarrassed about it. “I think I’m overtired,” she informed her attentive pets. “So let’s go to bed. Right?”

  Kerry pulled the covers up a little and closed her eyes.

  DAR PONDERED THE phone, leaning back against the wall of the hotel as she thought about Kerry. It had been a long day, no doubt. The morning’s stresses had bothered both of them. That alone was reason enough for Kerry’s melancholy. Dar wished the night would go faster. And the morning would go faster. With an aggrieved sigh, she finished her stroll around the building and into the lobby. Late as it was on a weekday the space was mostly deserted, the bar with only a few single patrons sitting and watching a game she heard the echo of as she passed.

  The desk clerk, busy with some papers, gave her only the briefest of glances as she crossed in front of him and angled toward the elevators. Then he straightened up. “Oh, Ms. Roberts?”

  Dar stopped and turned. “Yes?”
<
br />   “Sorry, ma’am, there’s an envelope for you.” He went to a cabinet and opened it. “It came in about thirty minutes ago.” He turned and came over and handed it to her. “Here you go.”

  Dar regarded it. “FedEx.”

  “Yes, ma’am, late delivery. You can get FedEx here pretty much anytime you want.”

  “Thanks.” Dar noted the address and tucked it under her arm before she continued on to the elevator bank and took one up to her room.

  She put the packet down and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, going to the mini bar and retrieving some milk chugs she’d ordered after she checked in. Then she sat down in the leather easy chair and opened first the milk, then the package.

  It was from the Herndon office. Dar opened the folder inside and paused, looking at the large, in fact oversized greeting card tucked into the covering and acknowledging the lump it brought to her throat.

  Made it hard to swallow the milk. She did, then she opened the card and paused, then started reading the many handwritten messages inside.

  She remembered going to that office, enjoying a rare bit of laughter in that time when Kerry had to convince the building to let her in. Her face tensed into a smile as she remembered, too, going into the control center, and having all those people there look up at her like she was some kind of celebrity.

  There were messages there from the Pentagon staff, too. Dar’s fingertip traced the one from Danny, who’d gotten his arm bone cracked in the attack. She remembered the handful of people they’d lost, people she hadn’t known, but whose names had traced up to hers in the organizational chart.

  There was a note from Nan.

  Dar slowly sipped her milk and continued reading, a wistful smile appearing on her face. When she’d run through the notes twice, she got up and went to the small desk, sitting down at it and reaching for her laptop, then she paused, and took a piece of the hotel stationary out instead.