Page 69 of Degrees of Acceptance
We join the restof the relatives and finish dinner, and it is late by the time the men finish talking and the family, one by one, stop to chat and welcome me. “Are you sure you won’t stay the night?” Carlos asks.
“No, thanks for the offer, Carlos, but I’m afraid we need to get back to Chicago. I’ll contact you as soon as I’ve had a chance to confer with Jay tonight,” Chase says.
“I’ll be waiting for your call. In the meantime, I’ve arranged for my helicopter to pick you up and take you back to the airport.”
“Thank you, Carlos. Jay mentioned that you had arranged transport and he’s got the security crew on standby at the airport,” Chase says.
As soon as we board the jet and can freely move around the plane, I go into the bedroom, change into a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt, and curl up on the bed. The evening has been an emotional introduction to my father’s world. I’m still thinking about that when Chase comes in.
“How are you feeling, Katarina?” he asks.
“I’ve been better. Nothing like getting an up close and personal introduction to your father’s world. I’m just trying to process it all,” I say.
He kisses me gently. “Get some sleep, Katarina. I have some work to do in preparation for a meeting tomorrow, and I need to talk to Jay. I’ll wake you before we land,” he says.
“I’m not really tired. I think I’ll work for a while and get my mind on something else,” I say, leaning over to grab my Mac from the nightstand.
“Okay, Baby. This will be over soon,” he says before closing the door.
I find myself reading the same email over and over and after a while close the computer cover. Chase and Jay are in the living area of the plane reviewing something on the laptop at the table by the window.
“Anything interesting?” I say, settling onto the couch and curling my legs underneath me.
“Just finalizing plans for the communications team. Are you cold, Baby?” Chase asks as I cover myself with the afghan that rests on the back of the sofa.
“Maybe just a little,” I say.
“Let’s get the fire going,” Chase says, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling fireplace and starting it with the remote. The artificial fire ignites and almost immediately begins radiating warmth throughout the cabin. He walks over to the granite bar on the other side of the room and brings me a warm cup of coffee.
“Drink this,” he says.
“It smells heavenly,” I say, inhaling the sweet aroma. “What is it?”
“A little Baileys in a decaffeinated Brazilian coffee. It will relax you,” he says.
“Thank you. It’s wonderful,” I say, taking a sip.
“You’re welcome,” he says, pouring two cups of coffee for himself and Jay before returning to his spot at the table.
“Thanks, Chase,” Jay says, absently looking up. “I think we’ve got just about everything covered. The crews have all been notified. Some are already in flight and will arrive tonight and others first thing in the morning. All the communications have been routed, and we should be set.”
“Great. I already let Gaby know we’ll have a house full after tonight and will give Carlos a call once we land with an update,” he says.
The next day is a blur. Chase and Jay have moved six people and a lot of equipment into a large common area in the back of the house. The room is full of computer monitors, headphones, overhead TV monitors, and speakers. More security teams arrive throughout the morning and are escorted to the lower level of the home. Gaby has a kitchen full of help who are busy cooking and making sure all the men have fresh coffee and enough to eat while we wait.
I head to the library, turn on the fireplace and snuggle into the oversized reading chair before I call Jenny. “Hi there,” she says, answering on the first ring.
“Hi there, yourself. You sound a little better,” I say.
“Yeah, a few gallons of water, ibuprofen, and sleep worked wonders,” she says.
“I’m glad you feel better,” I say.
“I was just reviewing the information you sent to the designers with the sunlight, distance to the parking lot, and other factors. I would love to be a fly on the wall when they start reading through it,” she says laughing.
It is nice to hear her laugh. “I have to admit I was thinking the same thing myself. I might stay out of their way for a couple days,” I say.
“I’ll be interested in how they decide to lay the building as a result. Hey, I need to go, for now. I have to take another call,” Jenny says.
