Her Only Son (2 page)

Kinsey pulled into the parking lot of the convention center right behind Sheila and they parked side by side. Sheila waved as she got out of her car.

“We timed that right.”

Kinsey smiled. “Yes, we did.”

“Now we don’t have to walk in alone and feel awkward.”

“Don’t you hate that?”

“Totally!”

Kinsey laughed, wondering how someone who was so professional at work, could talk like a teenager when she was away from the office. It’s one of the things she loved about Sheila; she always kept things real. Sheila wrapped her arm around Kinsey’s.

“Let’s go party, girl!”

Kinsey shook her head and let Sheila lead her inside.

Hakon’s representative watched from across the street. He picked up his phone and made another call.

“Hey, she’s at the party.” He paused and looked in the direction they went. “Make sure you do it right the first time. No screw-ups. I want her to get the message loud and clear.” He paused again, listening to the response on the other end. “Good. Make it happen.”

He hung up and smiled.
You’ll be packing your bags tomorrow, Kinsey. Hakon always gets what he wants.

The party was just getting started when they walked in. Dinner was going to be served at 8:00, so until then everyone was enjoying cocktails. They walked to the bar and ordered a drink. Kinsey saw Ted and his wife sitting at a table and turned to Sheila.

“I’m going to say hi to Ted. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

Sheila was leaning against the bar flirting with the cute guy making her drink. “Yeah, sounds good. Tell him I said hi and I’ll be over in a jiffy.”

Kinsey walked toward Ted’s table and wondered how long a jiffy is, anyway? What does that even mean?

She reached the table and gave Ted and his wife a hug. He pointed to a chair across the table.

“That one’s for you. The one next to it is Sheila’s.”

“Thank you. So, how does it feel to know you’re officially retired?”

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m sure it will soon.”

Margaret leaned forward. “I’m sure he’ll be driving me nuts in no time.”

Kinsey laughed. “Just make him a big honey-do list when you get to New Mexico. That’ll keep him busy.”

Margaret tipped her glass toward Kinsey. “Great idea!”

As Ted slipped his arm around Margaret’s shoulder, he leaned toward Kinsey, “The house we bought in New Mexico has enough land to keep me busy with projects for a while. It also has a hidden underground cellar behind the house we plan on remodeling into my man cave.”

Kinsey snickered. “Gotta have a man cave.”

“Man cave? How awesome!” Sheila said as she dropped into the chair beside Kinsey. “I’ll be checking that out when I visit, so make sure to stock it with some wine.”

Kinsey nudged her in the ribs. “Hey, they can stick a cot down there and you can have it all to yourself.”

Sheila smiled and took a sip of her drink. “You know me too well.”

An hour later, Kinsey’s younger sister, Brianna, was getting off work and walking to her car. She had earbuds in and didn’t hear the squealing tires as they raced up behind her, or the screams of the people nearby trying to get her attention. She never saw it coming.

As the party raged on, Kinsey collapsed in a chair and tried to catch her breath. Sheila bounced up to her.

“Come on, party pooper! This is a good song!”

“Oh, seriously! Where do you get your energy?”

“It’s all in your head.” She tried to pull Kinsey out of her chair.

“No, I think it’s all in my feet. I’ll sit this one out. You go tear it up.”

“Okay. You’re missing out!” Sheila sang as she bounced her way back to the dance floor.

Kinsey pulled her cell phone out of her purse and saw she had five missed calls, four voice mails, and a couple texts from her parents. Fear ripped through her. She knew something had to be wrong for them to leave so many messages. She rushed out onto the balcony and called her mom.

“Where have you been, Kinsey? We’ve been trying to get a hold of you all night!”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m at Ted’s retirement party and my phone has been in my purse. What’s wrong?”

“Brianna’s been in an accident. We’re at the hospital. She’s out of surgery, but in ICU now.”

Kinsey felt a rush of heat and a feeling a dread. “What kind of accident?”

“Apparently, she was hit by a car. We’re still trying to get the details. The police are questioning the witnesses, so we’ll know more soon.”

“I’m on my way!” Kinsey got the name of the hospital and rushed in to talk to Sheila. She had to pull her off the dance floor.

“Listen, I have to go. Brianna was hit by a car and is in the hospital. My parents have been trying to get a hold of me all night.”

“What? Hold on, I’m going with you!” Sheila hurried to the table and got her purse.

They rushed to the parking lot and Sheila yelled as she got in her car. “I’ll follow you!”

From a distance, Hakon’s representative watched them race out of the parking lot. He put his car in drive and followed with a satisfied grin.

Kinsey’s mom, Donna, was waiting for them outside by the emergency room entrance. Kinsey rushed up and gave her a hug.

“How is she?”

Donna filled her in as they walked. “She’ll be in ICU for a while. She has four broken ribs and a collapsed right lung, so she’s on a respirator. There was some internal bleeding, but they got that under control. Her right leg was broke in two places and she has a concussion. She looks like a giant bruise.”

Kinsey felt herself tearing up. “I’m so sorry I didn’t keep a better eye on my phone.”

“We thought it was odd. You always have your phone.”

“Do they think she’ll be all right?”

“Yes, they think she’ll be fine, but she has some recovery time, obviously.”

As they entered the ICU room, Kinsey saw her dad, Curtis, sitting next to Brianna. He was holding her hand and looked up as they came in. Kinsey walked over and gave him a hug.

“I’m so sorry you couldn’t reach me,” she whispered through her tears.

“It’s all right, honey. The important thing is you’re here now.”

Kinsey looked at her sister. She winced at the tube she knew was breathing for her, and the slow, steady fill and collapse of the balloon was almost too much. She felt her knees go weak and she sat in a chair by the window. Sheila came and stood beside her.

“She’ll be okay, Kinsey.”

“I know, but I should have been here a long time ago.” She looked up at Sheila. “Why the hell didn’t I keep a better eye on my phone?”

“Don’t beat yourself up over this.”

Donna echoed Sheila’s comment. “She’s right, honey. She wouldn’t have known if you were here or not. You’re here now, and after some recovery time, she’s going to be all right. That’s all that matters.”

Kinsey and her parents spent the next two hours talking with the doctors about Brianna’s prognosis. The outlook was good, but it would take some time for her to fully recover. According to the doctor, with the extent of her injuries, she got lucky.

It was 2am by the time Kinsey and Sheila left the hospital. Starting tomorrow morning, Curtis and Donna were going to take shifts so someone was always there with Brianna. When they were walking to their cars, Kinsey noticed Hakon’s representative sitting in his car parked right beside her. She stiffened and a knot developed in her stomach.
You’ve got to be kidding!

Exhausted, but with a sense of determination, she turned to Sheila. “I’m going home to get some sleep. I’ll touch base tomorrow.”

“Okay. Make sure you keep me posted.” She gave Kinsey a hug. “Let me know if you need anything. Even if it’s just to talk.”

“I will. I promise.”

As she walked around to the driver’s side of her car, he rolled his window down. “How’s your sister?”

The knot in her stomach tightened. “What business is it of yours?”

He laughed. “It was so sad to hear of her…accident.”

She stood next to her car, but before she got in, she shot him a look and thought,
are these bastards responsible?
“Why do I get the feeling it wasn’t an accident?”

“Well, things happen I guess. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider your offer to participate in Operation Vala?”

She stared into his eyes and it all became clear. “According to the brochure, it’s a voluntary program. Just because you’re selected doesn’t mean you’re obligated to participate, but that’s not the case, is it?”

The reality hit her like a ton of bricks. The parking lot started to spin and she felt her stomach roll.

He shrugged. “Well, once Hakon decides on a particular female he usually gets them. He likes to get what he wants.”

“Well, I choose not to participate. How can I make myself any more clear to you?”

He leaned back against his seat. “Your parents seem nice. You appear to be a close family.”

She shot him a daring look, but didn’t respond.

He smiled. “I’d hate to see something happen to one of them.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“You’ve been chosen.”

“I don’t want to be chosen. Don’t you get it?”

“At this point, it doesn’t matter what you want, Kinsey. I will
give you one choice though. What time would you like to leave Monday?”

She turned and stared into the parking lot as tears welled up in her eyes. “Does it matter?”

He sighed. “No, I guess not. I’ll be at your house at 10am to pick you up and take you to the airport. From there a private plane will take you to the facility in Nevada. Any questions?”

“No.”

“Enjoy the rest of the weekend with your family. They won’t be allowed to visit the compound where you’ll be living while in the program. I’m sure they’ll understand and be proud of your decision.”

She slid into the drivers seat, pulled the door closed, and allowed the tears to fall. He tipped his hat at her as he drove away. She hated him for figuring out her one weakness…her family. A family she would do anything for, even surrender to an apparent madman, to keep safe. How in the hell was she going to explain this to them?

Kinsey woke the next morning hoping it was all just a dream, but as reality set in, she knew it was quite real. Her sister was in the hospital with a long battle ahead of her. To make matters worse, she now had to tell her parents she would be going away for approximately ten months. She was debating on how much information to give them.

It sounded unreal and it would take good acting skills on her part to convince them she truly wanted to do it. This type of sudden action was unlike Kinsey and she knew her parents weren’t going to buy her story of the sudden decision to leave. She’d have to be convincing.

She also thought about her job.
How do I simply leave with no notice? What about Sheila?
She’d have to talk with her, too.

As if on cue, her cell phone rang. Based on the number, she knew the caller.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Kinsey. How are you feeling today?”

“How do you think I’m feeling?”

He chuckled. “Oh, you’re going to be fine, I promise. Hundreds of women have done what you’re about to do. In less than a year, you’ll be back home, living your life as you always have.”

She had a feeling that wasn’t going to be the case. She decided this would be a good time to ask about her leave of absence from her job. “What am I suppose to tell my work? I can’t leave without giving notice. I’m the branch manager for crying out loud.”

“That will be taken care of, it’s not something you need to concern yourself with.” He paused. “All you need to do is pack. There’s a list of stuff you should take in the brochure I left you. Talk to your parents and explain where you’ll be. You can call them, but they can’t visit the compound, it’s very restricted.”

“How long will I be gone?”

“I would plan on approximately ten to eleven months.”

“I figured.” She let the long pause linger.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“No.”

“Please, don’t try to run. I’ll be keeping an eye on you. I’ll be there to pick you up Monday morning.”

“Can’t wait.”

“I really wish you’d change your attitude about this. Being chosen for Operation Vala is an honor, Kinsey.”

“It doesn’t feel like an honor when your freedom of choice is taken away.”

“You’ll be well compensated for your service.”

“I don’t care about the money. I care about having my freedom taken away and my family being threatened. You don’t see that as wrong?”

“You were chosen, Kinsey. That’s all I can tell you. You were chosen and you will report for duty, whatever it takes.”

Once again, she let the silence ring between them.

“Go spend time with your family. I will handle the details for your leave of absence. You will have a job when you return, if you still want it. Financially, you probably won’t need it, but it will be up to you. I’ll see you Monday morning.”

“Yeah, Monday morning.” She hung up.

She went downstairs, sat at the table, and flipped to the end of the brochure to the page that listed the recommended packing. She noted that, for being gone close to a year, they didn’t require she bring a lot. Apparently, they took care of everything.

She returned upstairs and took a shower. While the hot water ran over her, she tried to think of what she was going to tell her parents. She had to convince them it was her choice and that she did want to do this. The money, even though she didn’t know the exact amount, would help.

What she couldn’t tell them was she was doing this to keep them safe. That she’d been stalked for the past two days by a crazy representative of Operation Vala and that he, or someone close to him, was the cause of Brianna’s accident. No, she would definitely be keeping that to herself. Her family meant everything to her and she would rather endure whatever the next ten months or so would bring, then take a chance on another member of her family coming under harms way.

She would go to the hospital, talk to her parents, and then call Sheila. She couldn’t just leave without giving her some kind of explanation. Today was going to put her to the test. She had to be at the top of her game. She grabbed her purse and headed out the door, to endure one of the hardest days of her life. Little did she know, it was only the beginning.

She was relieved when she arrived at the hospital and both her parents were still there. She decided on the way in that she would make it short and sweet. There really wasn’t any other way to do it. She’d have to stretch the truth a bit. There’s no way her parents would go for the, “Hey, I’m going to get myself knocked up and then leave your grandchild for the military to raise,” explanation. She’d definitely have to leave that part out.

She gave her mom and dad a hug and looked down at Brianna.

“How’s she doing?”

“She actually had a comfortable night. It’ll take some time, but she’s holding her own.”

She took a deep breath and sat in the chair beside her mom. “There’s something I need to talk to you guys about. It’s actually about a decision I’ve made and I know it may seem sudden, but I need you to hear me out.”

Her parents gave each other an unsure look. Her mom turned back to Kinsey. “What is it, honey? It sounds serious.”

“It is.” She decided to stretch the truth. “A couple months ago, I was approached by a representative from a government program called Operation Vala.”

Her dad leaned back in the chair. “I’ve never heard of it.”

She continued to play it up. “Well, I doubt you have. It’s an exclusive program and only a select group of individuals are chosen to participate. I’ve been debating for a while whether or not to do it.”

Her mom perked up a bit. “So what is the program?”

She had her mom on the line and hoped to keep it that way. “It has to do with the study of artificial insemination and stem cell research.”

Her dad leaned forward and spoke up. “You don’t have any training in either area. Not to sound harsh, but why would they choose you for this?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure, but I would work closely with the doctors, some type of lab environment, and I’d be generously compensated for my time.” She hoped he’d buy it.

Her dad leaned back in his chair again. “Hmmm…something doesn’t feel right. Are you sure about this?”

She looked at her sister and watched the balloon fill and collapse. “Yes, I’m sure I want to do this. It’s a great opportunity, Dad. Who knows where something like this could lead career wise when I get back.”

Her mom chimed in. “How long will you be gone?”

“About ten months.”

“Ten months? When would you have to leave?”

“Well, that’s the thing. I leave on Monday.”

Her mom about jumped out of her chair. “Monday! That’s so soon!”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I know it’s short notice…”

Her dad cut her off. “Short notice? Kinsey, this is no notice at all. With everything going on with your sister right now, you’re just willing to take off for ten months to participate in some program we know nothing about? This isn’t like you.”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it, but didn’t know how. If I don’t leave Monday, I’ll miss my opportunity and they’ll find someone else.”

Her dad was getting angry. “So, let them find someone else!”

Kinsey looked at her sister again, then to both of her parents. She imagined all three laying in a hospital bed, or worse, and it pulled her back into focus. She stood firm.

“I’m sorry. I have to do this.”
You have no idea how important it is I do this.

Her mom shook her head, defeated. “I don’t understand it, but I know you, and if this opportunity is that important, I’m going to trust your judgment, Kinsey. I don’t fully support it, but I trust you.”

“Thank you, Mom. Believe me, it’s important.”

Her dad let out a rough breath. “Okay, your mom made a good point. We have to trust you on this, but I agree that the timing is bad. Plus, that means you’ll be away for the holidays.”

“It’s just one year, Dad. There will other holidays.”

“Can we visit you?” her mom asked, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

“I can’t have visitors, but I can call and keep in touch.”

Her dad asked, “Where’s it located?”

“It’s in Nevada.”

There was a pause from both parents as they gave each other a look.

“I know this is a shock and I’m sorry for springing it on you like this. It truly is important that I go. I
have
to go.”

Her dad sat forward again. “What about your job here?”

“They’ll arrange a leave of absence for me. My job will still be here when I get back.”

Her mom sounded doubtful. “Can they do that?”

“It’s the government. They can do whatever they want.”
You have no idea.
“They said they’ll handle everything for me.”

Her dad folded his arms across his chest. “I still don’t like it and I don’t appreciate the way you decided to tell us. I’ll be checking into this Operation Vala.”

Good luck with that, Dad.
“Believe me, this is well worth it. I know you’re both upset with me, but please understand I really can’t pass up this opportunity.”

Her mom sat for a moment, staring at Brianna. “It sounds like you’ve made up your mind. You’re a big girl, Kinsey. You have the right to make your own decisions.”

Her dad stood and walked over to stare out the window. He spoke with his back to her. “I agree with your mom, but I’m not happy with your decision.”

“I knew you’d be upset and I’m sorry.” When the tears began welling in her eyes, she decided it was time to go. “I have to go talk to Sheila and prepare to leave on Monday. I’ll make sure and come back before I leave to say goodbye.”

Her dad remained with his back to the room. Her mom simply gave her a blank stare. Kinsey leaned down and kissed her mom on the cheek.

“Trust me, Mom. This is for the best.”

Her mom gave a weak smile.

Kinsey looked toward her dad, who refused to turn around. “I’ll talk to you soon, Dad.”

He simply waved his hand at her. She grabbed her purse off the chair and barely made it to the hallway before the tears came.

I wish I could make you both understand
I’m doing this for you.