Women's Studies Ch. 15

"Cut that out! No biting!" Audrey shouted, laughing. "No! Ahhh!" Audrey squealed during another scuffle.

"Sorry about her. She's been incorrigible since she got here," Lexi said, returning. "How is everything there? I've been trying to watch the news when I can, have they found your dad yet?"

"Not yet, but we're not giving up," Abigail said. "We might have caught a break this morning, but it's still too early to know if it will pan out. What about you, do you need anything? Where are you staying?"

"The lawyer Mrs. Holland hired put me up at this hotel for now," Lexi informed them. "The staff at school put a bunch of my stuff into boxes, and she had it all sent here. Some of my stuff is missing, and I've got some of your things as well. I think they just raided my entire side of the bedroom, thinking it was all mine."

"I'm not worried about the stuff; I'm worried about you," Abigail said. "I'm going to call your hotel and make sure they take care of you."

"You don't need to do that, honestly," Lexi assured her. "Everything is being taken care of."

Abigail let it go for the moment, but Kennedy had a feeling that Lexi was going to get her help whether she wanted it or not. With a little prodding, Lexi told them how she came to be outed and arrested. Kennedy was sure she was holding back some details but didn't press for the full account. Her friend deserved to keep those secrets. She couldn't see how the school could allow Decker to continue working there, much less how the confrontation ended with Lexi being arrested, especially after they had heard the blackmail tape. From what Lexi said, her lawyer was confident that she wouldn't be charged.

Knowing that she was as okay as she could be, and that she wasn't hurt, as well as in surprisingly good spirits, their conversation turned to more uplifting things in their lives. Kennedy revealed the mystery about Skylar—that she had been sent to watch over her and Abigail—which after you knew, seemed like it should have been more obvious, like knowing how a magician does his tricks. Lexi told them about Trevor showing up and sweeping her away on his motorcycle. Audrey made sure to tell them about a certain kiss in the hotel lobby that left Lexi weak in the knees. The four of them talked for over two hours before calling it quits for the night with promises to keep in better touch from now on.

After hanging up, Abigail made a few phone calls to put some things in motion before retiring to the bed to join Kennedy. The events of the day, and the emotional rollercoasters, had taken their toll. Within minutes, they had both drifted off to sleep, fully dressed and on top of the covers.

It seemed like she had just fallen asleep when Skylar was shaking her awake once again.

"Wake up!" she called, giving Kennedy and Abigail another violent shove.

"What!" she said, sitting up so quickly that she shoved Abigail off her shoulder. "Whas wrong?" She said rubbing her eyes.

"What time is it?" Abigail asked.

"It's only 9:30pm," Skylar said. "We got some good news."

With those words, both Kennedy and Abigail were wide awake.

"There was a plane that stayed out searching a little late, and he lost the sun on his way back. He's pretty sure he saw a small fire on the mountainside, near where you sent the new search party," Skylar said. "It isn't definitive, but the evidence says that someone is alive up there."

It was a stroke of luck, and Kennedy knew it. The search was suspended during the nights because there wasn't any way to see. For that plane to be in the right spot, just after dark, and for them to see the glow of a small fire...lucky indeed. Now she just had to pray that it was her father. He hadn't been the only person on that plane.

"We have to wait until morning to do anything, but the pilot logged his GPS coordinates, and the heading where he saw the fire, so we should be able to zero in on the location sometime tomorrow," she said. "I wanted to tell you right away, but you still need to manage your expectations."

Whatever Skylar meant about managing expectations, it was an impossibility. After she left, Kennedy and Abigail stayed up the entire night, in near silence, waiting for the sun to come up so the search could commence.

At 5am they both made their way downstairs to the parlor, where everyone would eventually gather to wait for news. Even the house staff were on edge. Usually still asleep at this hour, one of the kitchen staff brought in a cart filled with coffee and muffins in anticipation of their arrival.

Kennedy and Abigail were only alone for a half hour when advisors started showing up and quietly helping themselves to the coffee. No one spoke a word, not even Skylar when she arrived. She just took her place next to the door, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. Her arms and legs were crossed, and she almost looked as if she were sleeping, except for the white-knuckle grip she had on her cell phone in her right hand.

Minutes ticked by, and those minutes turned into an hour as the sun rose. One hour turned into two, and the only people that moved were the advisors, constantly refreshing their coffee. Kennedy still sat next to Abigail by the empty hearth. The coffee cup in her hands had gone cold, untouched, long ago. The only sound in the room was the steady click of the grandfather clock against the far wall.

Every moment that passed without word seemed to increase the tension. No one had heard a thing, but all of a sudden, Skylar's eyes shot open, and she sat bolt upright to answer her phone.

"Rhoades," she answered quickly. "Did you get eyes on? If he can't land, make sure they give a few low passes, so they know we found them. And call Los Alamos and tell Colonel Davis that I'm calling in a favor. I'm going to need a chopper with some lift, a wench, and a medic."

As soon as she hung up, she jumped to her feet. Dillan and the other advisors tried to bombard her with questions, but she ignored them, speaking directly to Kennedy and Abigail.

"He's there. They couldn't get close enough to get a good look, but they saw someone moving around and waving at them. There are some tall trees, and nowhere to land where we could get to them, so we're gonna have to do a winchline rescue. None of the helicopters we have can hover in place at that altitude, but we're gonna get one that can."

"Is there anything we can do?" Abigail asked anxiously.

"I need your helicopter to give me a lift to the airfield, and the jet to get me to Los Alamos."

"You're going?" Kennedy asked.

"Yeah," she said with a smile of determined excitement. "I'm gonna go get him."

She didn't say anything else to them as she turned to leave. Halfway out the door, she was back on her phone shouting. "Owen, grab my gear and meet me at the helipad!"

It took barely an hour for Skylar to make it to the Air Force base in New Mexico. As soon as she got into the chopper to go and get Mr. Lockwood, they were patched in so they could listen to the radios in real time.

It was nerve wracking listening to. Everyone was so calm as they called out positioning and wind speed, and negotiated the trees while they maneuvered around for the best spot to send someone down. It turned out that Skylar was that person. When she said she was going to get him, she wasn't joking.

It seemed as if Skylar was in her element. Kennedy was squeezing Abigail's hand as they listened to her call out direction, so she didn't crash into any of the trees on her way down. Apparently, the wind was fighting them at that altitude. Kennedy could almost see it in her mind and didn't think she could ever be that calm under the circumstances.

"Touchdown!" she called through the radio. "George! Is there anyone else with you?"

"Lenny, he's messed up bad. He can't walk. He's hunkered down in what's left of the fuselage." Their father's voice came faintly over the radio. "Can you help me get him? I..." static cut through his voice.

"Not a chance George," Skylar said. "Get in the harness, you're going up first. I'll come back down and get him."

There was more technical chatter as he and Skylar were lifted back up to the chopper. As soon as he was secured inside, a cheer filled the room coming from everyone, even Kennedy. True to her word, Skylar went back down for the pilot, but it was hard to pay attention after finally knowing that their father was safe, and coming home.

When the pilot was secured, and the medic was tending to them, Skylar announced that they were heading back to the base, and the radio feed ended. Kennedy hugged Abigail, and a wave of relief filled her. By the tears in Abigail's eyes, she had been putting on a brave face for a long time.

Kennedy felt silly, but a short while later she was back in her room, changing her clothes and fixing her hair. She wanted to look just right when she met her dad for the first time. She was having an impossible time deciding on what to wear though. Should she wear a dress, and try to be the sweet daughter that Abigail was, or should she wear her jeans and boots? Which one would he like more? Taking a chance, she finally forced herself into one of the snug fitting pairs of jeans that Skylar bought her, and a tight-fitting long sleeve top with her jacket. She already knew that he loved her, and he obviously knew she wasn't exactly a dress kind of girl. If she was going to meet her dad, she would do it as herself.

"Cutting it close, aren't you?" Abigail asked as Kennedy rushed to meet her outside on the wide front steps. It felt crowded with the advisors, and most of the staff gathered to welcome back Mr. Lockwood. Abigail was wearing a white and blue summer dress with cute flats and a butterfly clip in her hair. She looked every inch the dutiful daughter, making Kennedy begin to second guess her own attire. She looked like a renegade, or a stray next to all of these finely dressed people. It was too late to do anything about it though. The sounds of cars approaching through the trees announced their arrival.

A four-car convoy of SUV's rolled through the gates and down the gravel path before circling around the fountain in front of the steps. Doors opened and people began getting out, but it was the third car that held Kennedy's attention. Skylar rushed out of the front seat to open the rear passenger door.

"I can get it myself, Sky," Mr. Lockwood protested. "I don't see why we needed four cars anyway."

"You let me worry about protocol until you can take care of yourself properly," Skylar admonished. "You do see the irony, don't you? A man who made a fortune in the aerospace industry by making better and safer airplanes goes down in a crash...in one of his own planes. Stock prices are gonna tank," she joked.

Mr. Lockwood's arm was in a sling, and he had a bit of a limp to his walk, but other than that and a few scrapes, he looked unharmed. As soon as Skylar got him out and onto his own two feet, advisors began clamoring to get to him. All he did was hold up a hand and they stopped in their tracks, falling silent.

Seeing his gaze scanning past the men who worked for him, Skylar released the protective hold she had on his good arm, letting him make his way slowly towards Kennedy and Abigail. He stood halfway between the two of them, his fatherly smile taking them both in. There were tears in his eyes threatening to fall as he looked at them both, his daughters. No words were spoken, there were no right words for a moment like this. He just pulled them both into a hug, ignoring the pain from his injured arm.

Together, they held onto each other, and Kennedy listened as her father and Abigail wept. Her chest felt tight, like something had been stuffed inside. It was a new sensation, and it was quite overwhelming. It was only when the embrace finally came to an end that she realized she was crying too.

"It's so great to meet you, Kennedy," Mr. Lockwood smiled.

"It's nice to meet you too...Dad," Kennedy said, the word still feeling awkward in her mouth.

"I think I might start crying again," Abigail laughed.

Somehow, everyone else that had been waiting for Mr. Lockwood's return had vanished leaving only the three of them, and Skylar standing outside.

After spending years searching for him, Kennedy didn't want to let go of him any time soon. Together, she and Abigail helped him up the steps and inside the manor. It only took a few quick, sharp words from Skylar to disperse the advisors from the Grand Parlor. Every one of them seemed to think that now that he was back, everything needed to be done this instant. Apparently, the company had been in shambles with stock prices dropping more with every day he had been missing. None of that mattered to Skylar though. She seemed to hold his health at a high premium.

Moments after the last advisor reluctantly left, a doctor swept in carrying his black bag, and wasted no time before examining Mr. Lockwood. Besides a little malnutrition and his broken arm, he was in rather good health. Kennedy and Abigail had to leave the room when it came time to break and reset his arm, and put it into a cast, but returned just as soon as it was over.

The tale of the plane crash was a harrowing one, like something out of a story or movie. Hydraulics had started failing as they were coming over the mountains. They had tried to divert just in case they needed to make an emergency landing. In the end, Lenny, the pilot, eased the plane down one of the flatter parts of the mountain, but the snow had prevented them from slowing, allowing them to skid over a steep slope and through a large stand of trees. They eventually stopped, but only part of the cockpit and cabin were still intact. Lenny couldn't walk, and George wouldn't leave him. The radio had been trashed, but the transponder was still working.

When no one had come for them in the first couple of days, they had begun to worry that the signal might not be reaching anyone. Mr. Lockwood removed the transponder and wired it to a portable battery and began making treks up the mountain in different directions, in an attempt to get better range for the signal.

As far as there not being visible debris or other indications of a crash site, the trees took care of most of it, and the heavy snowstorm obscured the rest.

After his accounting, they talked of other things. They even got a little insight into his and Skylar's relationship. It didn't seem as if they were sleeping together. Despite the large age gap, Skylar seemed to treat him like an older brother who still needed someone to look after him. They joked and laughed, and together they seemed to brighten the room with their banter.

For Kennedy, it felt like torture, sitting there four feet from her father and not being able to ask the questions she'd been dying to her entire life. Her heart thumped in her chest, and inside it felt like she was racing a mile a minute while the seconds dragged out.

Abigail sat right next to her father, looking so happy and relieved to have him back. She was the reason Kennedy was able to keep quiet. Even before they were sisters, they were best friends, and she wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and any question Kennedy asked would inevitably lead to the fact that her father had cheated on her mother. If Abigail hadn't already realized that little detail, she eventually would, but Kennedy didn't want to rub her nose in it. So, instead of bursting, rambling out her questions, and risking another emotional breakdown, she waited for a better time.

Eventually, they had to let the advisors have some time with him now that he was back. There were a great many things that had happened since he'd gone missing and needed his attention. Most of their troubles would be fixed with the announcement of his safety, but Skylar insisted that he have at least a day to rest before thrusting him back into the spotlight.

After an early evening meal, Kennedy and Abigail retired to different rooms that night. Neither of them felt right sharing the same bed with their father home. It wasn't a change in feelings for each other, they just didn't want to risk him finding them in an uncomfortable position. That was how Kennedy found herself unable to fall asleep. She felt exhausted, having been awake since the day before, but her mind wouldn't quiet. Added to that, ever since her, Abigail, and Lexi begun sleeping together, it had become increasingly harder to fall asleep without one of them there.

It was nearly midnight when Kennedy slipped from her bedroom to wander the house. She headed straight for the second-floor kitchen, telling herself that she was looking for Skylar. It was a lie though. She was hoping to find someone else, but the kitchens were empty. Restless, she continued walking the halls, even visiting Abigail's tower. It wasn't until she was walking down a first-floor corridor that she realized what she was actually looking for. A rustling sound accompanied by the clacking of keys caught her ear from a cracked door ahead.

It was her father's study; the room Skylar had shown her. Her heart beat a little faster as she stepped softly toward the door to peer through the crack. Behind the desk sat her father. He was glancing at papers through a pair of glasses perched on the end of his nose while he typed away on a laptop with one hand.

"Come in," he called, not even looking up from his work, startling Kennedy.

She slowly opened the door and stepped inside, feeling embarrassed for spying.

"Kennedy!" he sounded surprised, setting aside his papers and closing his laptop. "I thought you were someone else."

"Sorry," Kennedy apologized automatically, whether it was for spying, or not being the person he was expecting. She wasn't sure.

"Don't be," he smiled awkwardly. "Come in, have a seat."

Kennedy did as he asked, sitting in the chair opposite of him. Every question she had thought of asking him abandoned her the moment she sat down, leaving them both in an uncomfortable silence. Her hand drifted to her pocket, and she could feel the folded-up picture through the fabric. Not thinking, she pulled it out and set it on the desk between them.

Her father picked it up and slowly unfolded it. His eyes lit up with recognition and darted to the bookshelf concealing the hidden room.

"Skylar," he grimaced, shaking his head. "That woman will be the death of me, I swear."

"It wasn't Skylar," Kennedy lied, feeling guilty for breaking Skylar's confidence.

"Please," he said wryly. "She's been trying to get me to tell you for two years."

"Why didn't you?" Kennedy asked. "Why didn't you want me to know who you were?"

"I wanted to tell you every day," he sighed. "When I met your mother, I was still married. We were on the rocks. We'd been trying to get pregnant for years, and the failure had brought up some bad feelings between us. I was out of town on business for a few weeks and I met your mother. She made me feel alive again. With her, my problems seemed distant, and we fell in love. She knew I was still married, but it wasn't one of those loves for the ages, it burned hot and quick, and when it was over, the passion was gone. We still liked each other, but we knew it was done. When I returned home, Mary told me she was pregnant, and a few months later, your mother called and told me she was pregnant as well."

"Were you ashamed of me?" Kennedy asked.

"God, no!" he said. "I was ashamed of myself. Your mother thought it would be a good idea if we just kept it quiet for the time being, for her sake as well as mine. I agreed, and promised to help her out since I couldn't be there for you. Later, after Mary passed, we thought about telling you."

"Why didn't you."

"A short while after her mother's death, someone tried to abduct Abigail," he confided. "We never learned the reason behind it, only that it had happened."