Page 20 of Crashing Into Me
7
at your own risk
Maureen Capshaw was beyond fed up with her son. He was an adult, yet he still stumbled through life like a toddler learning to walk. She was tired of him drifting through life as if she’d continue to fix all his mistakes. Sitting in the plush seat of the Capshaw private jet as it touched down, she sipped her cocktail and her eyes were affixed to the snow outside, as her mind wandered. Since the loss of “her boys,” nothing was ever the same to her. She had a daughter who barely spoke to her despite all her efforts and a son who wouldn’t give her a moment to breathe. Maureen felt that if he could finally settle down, he’d have to grow up and take responsibility for his life. Then,maybe,she could retire and start living her life on her own terms.
“The snow’s really bad, huh?” Kimberly asked, leaning over and peeking over Maureen’s shoulder.
“You haven’t seen bad yet, dear.”
“I can’t wait to see Kayden. It’s been so long, I’m so excited,” she chimed like a giddy schoolgirl.
The jet was now slowing to a stop, and after having flown five hours from New York, Maureen couldn’t wait to get out of the plane and relax a bit. She dreaded having to see Captain Jacksonto find out more about the accident and the diner. She had a plan in place to end the insanity once and for all and brought Kim with her to force an ultimatum on him: Get married and prepare to run Capshaw Realty, or he would be cut out. This new company he wanted to start on his own wouldn’t last six months, in her estimation.
Capshaw had the capital and the reputation, and Kayden wouldn’t stand a chance without her help. Kim would help steer him in the direction Maureen wanted the business to go, although she herself was bored with the day-to-day of it all. The endless meetings with city officials, contractors, architects, and building plans that seemed to bleed into the next were causing gray hairs she didn’t need or want. It was time for Kayden to take over and, hopefully, catapult Capshaw to greater heights, on her terms or not at all.
Paula naturally was her first choice, but she wanted nothing to do with the family business. Maureen didn’t blame her daughter for how she felt. It seemed with their success came great tragedy, and she’d had about enough of it all. The flight attendant emerged from the cockpit and helped Maureen into her coat. Kim unbuckled her seatbelt and put on her fur hat, gloves, and coat as the attendant opened the doors.
“Welcome to Hamby, Georgia”, she said as they began their slow descent onto the tarmac.
LANA PULLEDUP to the house and was surprised to find Kayden on the porch locking the front doors. When she cut the engine, he turned toward her, his face pained and clearly annoyed. Oh no. She got out and climbed the stairs to the porch,holding onto the railing, to avoid slipping on the snowy, icy steps.
“Where were you?” he demanded, panicked.
“I went to Shelby to see Rachel,” she replied matter-of-factly.
“Are you insane?! Do you know what could have happened to you out there?”
“Calm down?—”
“You can’t run off in a snowstorm and not tell anyone where you’re going!”
“I’m sorry, did I need your permission or something?” she replied.
It was freezing, and she couldn’t believe they were arguing in the middle of a snowstorm on the porch!
She tried to walk past him, but he blocked her from reaching the door.
“Get out of the way, Kayden.”
“No, Lana. Listen, I don’t know how many snowstorms there are in Florida, but here, you die if you get stuck out there. Do you get it?”
“I get it,” Lana replied.
As she looked at his face, she could see he was genuinely scared for her, and she couldn’t really argue with him about it anymore. He was right.
“I figured I could get there and back before it got too bad and we couldn’t visit her at all. I didn’t realize how dangerous it was. I’m sorry.”
He shook his head at her, turned, and unlocked the door. They walked inside, she took off his jacket and put it on the coat rack as he closed and locked the door behind them.
“That was really stupid,” he said.
“Listen, I said I get it, okay,” she replied, raising her voice.
“You’re really lucky, you know that? All the roads are iced, you could’ve—” he stopped.
She realized why he was so upset, especially since he had lost his brother under similar conditions. Granted, his drinking and driving played a part in it, but his panic was real. He obviously cared about her well-being.
“I know. I won’t do that again, I promise.”
