Page 128 of Damaged

“A few days. For pleasure.”

She takes my passport and scans it, and then she hands it back. “Welcome to Canada.”

“Thank you,” I say, and then I’m practically jogging and following the arrows that sayTaxis.I take a breath when I’m in the back seat of one.

I pull out my phone to see if Sophia has responded. Nothing.

Her phone is probably off for the performance. That’s all. That’s when my phone starts to ring. It’s a 202 area code. I know by heart that’s Washington D.C.

I know because nothing good ever happens after I get a call from a 202 area code.

“Hello,” I answer.

“James Callaway. It’s Richard Martin.”

“Ah,” I say. It’s Daddy, Cody’s father. “How can I help you, Richard?”

He sighs like he has a lot to say, and I glance at my watch. “We Jacksonians have been looking for young blood for a long time. A new board of leadership. You show many of the qualities we appreciate in a leader. But… My son, Cody, he showed me the footage he has on you.”

I frown. This conversation is a little more awkward, knowing this man has seen my penis. “Yes, and he’s blackmailing me with it.”

“I figured as much. I wanted to call because Idon’twant you to drop out. I want you on the next board of The Society.”

It’s my turn to sigh. “Cody told me you found my behavior repulsive.”

“I do. I won’t lie, and many of our other members do, too. But you’re young. We were, too. What bothers me more about it is that you wouldn’t be more careful. There was a camera right there.”

“The cameras on The Beverly’s elevators are hidden.”

“Are they?”

“I looked. You can see me give the ceiling a sweep for cameras in the video.”

“Huh. I’ll have to give it another watch,” Richard says, and I don’t fill the silence. He realizes the implication of his words and awkwardly coughs and harrumphs. “So. Will you stand for election on the fifth of May?”

“Can you stop Cody from releasing the video?”

“I’m afraid not. He’s on a bit of a war path. I think you remind him of Cal Kincutty from his Wharton days.”

“Who?”

“He was Valedictorian over Cody by a hair’s width. Cal was always a little ahead of Cody. Selected for the rowing team before him. Even stole his girlfriend, according to Cody. When he’d come home for the holidays, all he’d talk about at the dinner table was this Cal fella. He hated him so much. I think you give him similar feelings. I know he thinksheshould be the one being considered for this addition to the board.”

“I see.” So, Cody’s always been a loser. Surprise.

“Let him release it. You run some sort of software company. I’m sure you know how to scrub it off the internet.”

Richard shows he doesn’t know a thing about the internet.There once, there foreveris still a hard and fast rule.

“And I have the votes to win even if this video comes out?” I ask.

“Easily. I’ve done a count.”

The taxi reaches the orchestra hall. The snow is falling even harder now than it was when we landed.

Or crashed.

I’ll go with that. It sounds better. It’s true that I crashed a plane for Sophia. Love, an idea I was quick to belittle a couple months ago, was now something I’d risk my life for.

---