“I miss you too,” I sniffled. “How’s Grayson?”
“Driving me insane. If you don’t get back soon I’m gonna sell him, MJ.”
I laughed. “How’s the weather been?”
“Not so good actually. Lot of storms and today we—"
The phone suddenly cut off. I frantically looked at the screen then re-dialed the number. The call failed over and over even though I had full reception.
“Damn it!”
CHAPTER 11
THE LAST MILE IS THE LONGEST
I dialed the number again and again with the same result. My mind screeched off to the worst and I envisioned our home crumbling into a chasm. I had to get back.
I dialed Bill again and then Tim, but their numbers didn’t work either. I prayed that Arlington was still standing.
“Everything okay?” Wendy asked.
“The phone, the phone just died.”
She placed her hand on my shoulder like my mother would’ve. “It’s okay…the service has been iffy. I’m sure everything is okay.”
I wanted to believe her, but I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I couldn’t stop my mind from spinning itself mad, fabricating lies in my head of a reality that didn’t exist. A sense of helplessness grew inside. Fear of not being there when my family needed me the most.
“Did you get to talk to anyone?”
“My husband.”
“See, I’m sure it’s fine. I’ve been losing connection all day.”
I took a deep breath and handed the phone back to her. “I’m sure you’re right,” I said with a smile.
But I wasn’t. Every bone in my body feared the worst. Every nerve screamed danger, but there was nothing I could do. I was nestled in for the better part of five hours.
I stared at the seat in front of me as the tires hummed down the road. The sound was hypnotizing, a long drone of monotony, pulling at my nerves, making minutes pass like days.
“We’ll be there soon enough,” Wendy said.
I smiled and leaned my head back. Huffing, I closed my eyes and thought of my family. I couldn’t imagine life without them. Toby was my rock and Grayson was my reason for living.
“I have a candy bar and some water,” Wendy whispered. “Maybe something to eat will help, it always calms me down.”
I took the candy and swallowed it in one breath. Wendy shot me a sideways glance as I uncapped the water and drained it.
“Thank you,” I gasped.
She half smiled then turned to the side. I closed my eyes again and tried to sleep. I was exhausted and out of alternatives.
It didn’t take long. The bus faded away and I was standing on a beach staring at Grayson’s face. He smiled at me and I reached out my hand. His fingers brushed against mine then he was suddenly whooshed away as a wave hit him and pulled him out to sea.
I could feel the sand in between my toes turn to mush as the water receded. I ran into the water, fighting against the slosh of waves, crashing against the shore.
“Grayson!” I shouted at the top of my voice. “Grayson!”
I dove headfirst and started swimming towards him, pulling the sea into my arms. The faster I swam, the faster he floated away, but I was determined to make it to him.
I swallowed a mouthful of salty froth and gagged. The water was slamming into my face like an angry backhand and I could barely keep my eyes open.
With a deep breath, I dived under the next wave and kicked my feet like a frog on steroids. Half a minute passed, and I popped back to the surface, but Grayson was nowhere to be seen.
I frantically spun around, splashing water in panic. “Grayson! Grayson, where are you?” I shouted.
“MJ,” Wendy called as she placed a hand on my shoulder and shook.
I opened my eyes with relief. I was still on the bus. The lights were out and most of the people were asleep. It was dark outside, and I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out, but the way Wendy was glaring at me I was certain I’d been making a scene.
“You were screaming,” she whispered. “Who’s Grayson?”
I wiped my face and yawned. “I’m okay. Thanks.”
Wendy smiled at me then leaned back into her seat. She started to hum to herself and turned to face the window.
“He’s my son,” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Grayson, that’s my son.”
“Lovely name. How old is he?”
The question brought tears to my eyes. Sniffling, I wiped them away. “He’s twelve…just turned twelve a day or two ago.”
I sat back and tried to think of how many days had passed, how long had it been since I’d seen my family. I felt like when I pictured them in my mind, the images weren’t as clear as they used to be.
“I miss when my boys were that age,” Wendy smiled. “They seem to grow up overnight.”
I nodded and looked away. She seemed to take the hint and stared out of the window as she started humming again. I turned to the window then the speakers crackled to life with a dry, scratchy voice.
“Just letting you all know we’ll be arriving at the Arlington station in roughly fifteen minutes. Thank you all for choosing Greyhound and I hope you enjoy your stay in Virginia.”
My heart started to stampede again. Fear rose in my throat and choked me like the hands of a gorilla. What would I find once I made it home? Would there even be a home left standing?
I daydreamed until the bus pulled into the station and the brakes squealed to a halt. It was nearly eleven-thirty at night and aside from a few people picking up family members and a short row of cabs, the station was a ghost town. But it was there, it was standing and that to me, was good news.
“Good luck,” Wendy said as she stood up.
“Thank you, thank you for everything.”
“It’ll turn out okay. You’ll see.”
We hugged and parted ways. It was sad watching her go. She’d been a sound voice for me, an encouraging word when I felt like spiraling into the darkness. Now I was alone again and even though I was only miles from my home, I’d never felt so distant.
I wasn’t sure where Wendy was headed, but I hoped her family was alright even though I knew they wouldn’t be for long.
Wendy had been kind and thoughtful. She didn’t deserve what was to come. No one did, but I couldn’t save everyone.
With my head down, I walked to the last cab parked next to the curb and opened the door. I fell into the backseat and let out a deep breath.
“You’re gonna have to pay up front,” the driver said as he raised his eyebrows.
He was a chubby man with greasy black hair and an Eastern European accent. His face was covered with a scruffy beard and his arms and knuckles reminded me of a primate.
Hunching over, I dug into my pocket and pulled out twenty bucks. It was all I had left after buying a ticket for the bus and I had Roni to thank for that.
“Aurora Hills,” I looked up and told him.
“It’s going to be forty,” he replied and opened his fur-covered mitt.
“Forty! It’s four miles away…I could walk there.”
“You’re welcome to do that,” he sneered.
My feet ached and I was in no mood to walk. “I only have twenty.”
“Well, I can take you halfway there.”
“You’re Turkish?” I asked.
“So, what of it?” he growled back.
“Evde herhangi bir aile var?” I asked and held up twenty dollars.
He swallowed and turned around to face me. A lot of the Turkish drivers in Arlington brought family members with them, illegal family members. Any hint of informing the proper authorities was enough to get them to do almost anything.
He snatched the bill from my hand. “Twenty’s good enough!”
With that, he pulled away from the curb and left the station. Arlington looked fine, there was no damage, no sign that anything had happened there at all. I hoped my house would be the same way.
We turned
into my neighborhood and I directed him back toward the cul-de-sac I lived on. Fuming under his breath, he followed my commands and we arrived out front of my house.
“Thanks,” I said and winked at him.
He cursed me in Turkish then sped off. With a deep breath, I looked up at the two-story I’d called home for the last ten years. All the lights were out, and the place seemed dark and cold, but it was still standing.
I looked down at my ragged jeans and groaned. I’d been so worried about getting home after the call ended I forgot all about my appearance. How the hell was I gonna explain this?
Ten minutes passed, and I hadn’t moved. My feet had become the concrete, my shoes like roots of a tree barreling deep into the earth and wrapping webbed fingers into anchors of resolve. I was home, I’d made it back, yet something made me shiver when I thought of facing them.
For the last two days, I’d come face to face with who I was. Now I had to go in my own home and lie to the people I loved, but that was my job. Where would all this end?
Like a sloth, I moved up the steps to my front door. Every footfall that pounded the pavement, screamed for me to turn back. Even the wind blew against me like some warning from God.
I reached the door and paused. I thought about ringing the doorbell, but stopped and stared at the dark, bronze handle.
I needed to pull myself together. I knew what was to come and I needed to be strong to make sure my family survived.
Wiping my face, I took a deep breath then reached my finger toward the doorbell. Suddenly, the knob turned, and the door swung open.
“Toby!” I gasped.
CHAPTER 12
ALL THINGS COME TO THE LIGHT
I pushed my face into his chest and squeezed him as tightly as I could. I sucked in his scent like it was a drug. He smelled like home, like a familiar blanket and a sofa in front of the fireplace in the winter.
Closing my eyes, I melted into his heartbeat until mine joined his in one resounding thump. It gave me goosebumps and sent an electric jolt through my body.
We stayed intertwined until time no longer existed. Like vines, growing up the side of an old house, twisting into knots. There was no me, there was no him, only us.
My tears soaked a hole in his shirt. He wiped my face and kissed my forehead. The past couple of days had been hell on me, but I’m sure they hadn’t been a picnic for him either. I couldn’t imagine the stress of being left in the dark.
“What happened to you?” he whispered in my ear.
I slowly lifted my head and looked up at him. Rubbing my eyes, I prepared to spin another web. The carousel couldn’t stop now.
“I didn’t want to worry you, but the plane had mechanical issues,” I started. “They cancelled the flight, so I took a bus home and sent my bags on the next plane. We…we caught a flat in New Jersey, hit my face on the seat in front of me. Then believe it or not I was the only person that had a clue how to change one of those tires. Men can be so useless sometimes.”
“What are you wearing?”
“My clothes were ruined. Got these from a lady on the bus named Wendy.”
“Sounds ridiculous,” Toby replied. “But with your luck I guess anything is possible. You feeling okay? Your eye looks a little puffy.”
A lifetime of lies had conditioned Toby to believe just about anything. I died a little every time I told him one, but it was best that he never fully understood what I did.
“I’m fine. What happened to you?” I asked. “I was on the phone and then, and then it just died.”
Toby laughed. “Grayson…skateboard right into my ankle. Broke my phone. Told you we needed a house phone.”
“Yeah, you did. Is Grayson asleep?”
“Why were you standing out there in the dark?” he asked.
“What?”
“I saw you outside, just standing there. What were you doing?”
“Oh. I was just gathering myself. It’s been a long day.”
There was no way I could tell him all that had happened. Toby wasn’t built like me and although I loved him to death, my job had created a wall of secrets between us.
“I’m just happy you’re home safe…and in a new wardrobe,” Toby laughed.
“Yeah, well there weren’t too many options. I need a shower and to put something else on anyway.”
“A shower is good.”
“Oh, shut up. I wanna see Grayson first.”
Laughing, we walked to Grayson’s bedroom. He was fast asleep with his blanket stretched over his head. I pulled it down and kissed him on the forehead and ran my fingers across his head.
“I love you,” I whispered. “I love you so much.”
I cracked the door to Grayson’s room and headed to take a shower. Afterwards, I crawled into bed, wrapped myself in Toby’s arms and fell into a coma.
The morning came too soon and brought with it an unnatural hunger. I rolled over to the sun’s piercing rays and my stomach wailing like an elephant seal. Toby was nowhere to be seen, but I could smell the trace of something edible.
I sat up and looked at the clock. It was almost noon, but I wanted to sleep even longer. Fighting against my body, I finally got out of bed and washed my face then headed to the kitchen.
The TV in the living room was playing the news. Not a mention of a plane crash or earthquakes or storms. The protocols I’d created were working, at least Bill had done something right.
“Morning beautiful,” Toby said as I walked in.
I gave him a kiss on the cheek and snagged a piece of toast he’d just made. Grayson was sitting at the counter and nodded his head as he grumbled something through a mouthful of food.
“Don’t choke on my account.”
He laughed. “Welcome back, Mom.”
“Didn’t think you noticed. Happy belated birthday by the way.”
“Yeah, you owe me now and I don’t think I forgot about my Sour Skittles.”
“I didn’t forget either. Don’t worry, as soon as the breaks over I’ll be at your school with cupcakes.”
“Mom,” Grayson groaned.
“Just kidding.”
Toby let out a chuckle from the kitchen. I shot him a gloomy look then slumped my shoulders.
It was odd, pretending so much. To them it was life as usual. They didn’t know what I’d been through and they had no clue what was heading our way. It felt like a dream, like a play and I was the only one that knew it wasn’t real.
“Well, I’m gonna go change,” I said with a smile.
I headed back into my bedroom and pushed the door shut. I waited there for a few minutes with my head pressed against the wood. Once I was satisfied no one was coming, I walked into the closet and parted my clothes down the middle of the rack to expose the wall behind it.
I looked back at the door one more time then pushed my hand against a spot in the center. A piece of the wall slid forward exposing a small black safe. Using my thumb print, I opened it and pulled out a satellite phone.
I glanced at the door then powered on the phone. As soon as it got a signal the phone started to ring.
“MJ,” a cold, monotone voice droned in my ear. “I feared the worst.”
“So, did I, Secretary Garner,” I replied.
“When Bill told me you called, we mobilized all units, but no one could locate you.”
“I could choke the life out of Bill,” I snapped. “He deployed the National Guard in the middle of the city. They were arresting people…killing them.”
“I’m sure Bill had his reasons. But you, you were there?”
“I was right in the middle of it all. It’s advancing faster than any projections we have.” I paused and glanced back toward the door. “It looks like the system worked though,” I continued.
“Oh yes, your diversion protocol was immediately enacted. No one knows a thing. Media can’t access the impacted areas and anyone outside of that is completely in the dark. What about neighboring communities near ground zero?”
> “Neilman was right,” I replied. “Doesn’t make sense to me, but his dynamic tectonic theory was sound. Whatever he said about the diverging plates is keeping the ground activity localized. Outside of the effected zones I doubt they felt as much as a tremor. I was in Yonkers when the first quake hit. Jersey didn’t have a clue what was happening.”
“Truly amazing. Thanks to your heads up we were able to flood the news networks with white noise and misinformation.”
“I’m just glad I could help maintain some type of calm during all of this.”
“You’ve done more than that, MJ. And a plane crash…”
“Yes sir, into the Hudson. Have teams reported back?”
The secretary made a groaning noise. “Unfortunately, no one from your team survived. It’s a miracle that you’re talking to me right now.”
I sighed and leaned my head against the wall.
“There will be time for that, MJ,” he said in a consoling voice. “But there’s still a fight in front of us. You’ve done well and handled yourself better than anyone could’ve hoped. We’ve adjusted the timeline based off the latest information. We’ll lose the eastern seaboard in less than 48 hours.”
“Forty-eight hours!” I echoed. “That…that can’t be right sir.”
“It’s time to get you out of there.”
“Have they started boarding the Mayflower?” I asked.
“Yes, but don’t worry. Your seats are safe. Have you told your family?”
“No sir.”
“You know spousal disclosure was approved at the last sector meeting.”
“Um, it’s best if I keep him in the dark for now,” I said and pushed the hair out of my face.
“Your call. We’ll have a helo pick you up at 1500. Be ready to move, you’re on the clock.”
“Yes sir,” I replied and ended the call.
With a deep breath, I placed the phone back in the safe and pushed it into the wall. This was it, this was the moment of all moments and no matter how I felt, there was no going back. With a million thoughts screeching through my brain, I closed the closet door and walked back into the bedroom.
Sulking, I made my way toward the bed then looked up and froze. Toby was leaning on the door frame with a strange look on his face. I smiled and blew him a kiss, but he didn’t return the gesture.
Deconstruction- The Complete series Box Set Page 41