Page 5 of Damaged King

Hastily, I buckled in, wondering what was wrong as visions of the plane in a steep dive toward a fiery crash filled my head. There would be so many things I would regret not doing if I died. The first of many would be not telling my father how I really felt.

As I worked out the words that needed to be said, the plane smoothed out. Yet, I could tell we were descending.

So many questions were swirling in my head. I was grateful when his voice came through the speaker.

“The storm shifted weather patterns. The airports in New York have temporarily closed to inbound flights due to white-out conditions and possible wind shears. We are landing in Maryland. That’s as far north as I can risk going.”

Though I understood airports didn’t make decisions like that lightly, I was frantic with the idea I might not make it to my grandmother’s in time. Tears blurred my vision.

The one person in the world I knew loved me unconditionally was her. Yes, my mom loved me, but she had expectations about my life and who I should be. My grandmother, on the other hand, loved me as I was.

The idea that I might not get to say goodbye, that she could be at this very moment gone from this world, broke me in ways I didn’t know possible.

I fought the oncoming despair. As soon as the plane set down, I would call the hospital immediately. Which was what I did. Once the wheels struck the tarmac, I turned my phone on and made the call.

When it was answered, I managed only one word, “Father,” with so much desperation, he would have had to be an idiot not to hear the unspoken question.

“Jo,” he said with a much too long pause. I covered my mouth, afraid of what he was going to say next. “She’s still with us.”

I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Is she better?” I asked with so much hope, I probably sounded as if I was pleading.

“The same.”

It wasn’t the news I wanted, but better than hearing she was worse.

“I can’t get to New York,” I said. “Not in the next hour. They’ve closed the airports.”

“I heard.”

Of course, he had. He owned a major airline. News like that disrupted business, but it wasn’t uncommon and contingency plans were always made just in case.

“Can I talk to her?”

He sighed. “She’s sleeping right now. Once she’s up, I promise to call you.”

“Okay.”

Things were awkward then. We didn’t know each other well enough to have a conversation outside of family matters, which was why I called him Father and not Dad.

“I should go,” he said. “The doctor’s coming. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Thanks,” I said, but I wasn’t sure if he’d heard before he hung up.

I shivered in my seat. Wherever we were in Maryland was certainly colder than it had been in Palm Beach. The sweater I’d hastily packed didn’t fight the chill I felt. I would have to pull out the packable light down jacket I brought and hope it would do. I didn’t have much winter gear in my bungalow in Palm Beach. Plus, my job as a flight attendant took me to mostly exotic and warmer climates.

It was only recently I considered shifting teams, thus destinations grouping to avoid Cal Cline. And even that was up in the air. Why should I change my life just because a man didn’t want me?

“We’re here.”

I glanced up, only realizing now we weren’t moving. The devastatingly handsome man stooped before me because of the low ceiling and wore a guarded expression. Not that I could blame him. I’d come at him like a bulldog. Not that he hadn’t deserved it.

“Where is here, exactly?” I asked.

“Clinestown.”

“Clyne’s town?” He couldn’t be serious.

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