I do not own Lie to Me, the characters, dialogue, or events in the episodes.
The weather in D.C. was gorgeous, sunny with just a light breeze. Everything should have been perfect, if it hadn't been for her stupid father. Emily slumped in the chair, arms crossed across her chest in anger, and glared at him from across the table.
"Enough of that." Cal Lightman pointed at his daughter's face and circled her expression with his finger. "You're gonna be civil." He gestured toward their dining companion with a flick of his head. Detective Sharon Wallowski looked even more uncomfortable, if that was possible. She had been in Cal's office earlier when Emily came to pick him up for some kind of 'special' lunch, as Emily phrased it.
There was a case that was causing her some headaches and she wanted Cal's opinion on their prime suspect. She hadn't expected him to insist she accompany them to lunch. When Emily had pitched a fit, she tried to claim an alternative commitment but Cal had refused to listen and had basically dragged her behind him. Sometimes when he got something in his head it was impossible to get it out. She figured he was simply trying to prove to Emily that if he invited someone then Emily would have to acquiesce. Plus he had been fascinated by the case and probably wanted to hear more about it. She felt bad having inadvertently interrupted their time together.
Sighing dramatically, Emily sat up but continued to eyeball her father. "Now where the bloody hell is that waiter with the menus?" He asked looking around the table to see if he had somehow missed them.
"There are no menus Dad." Emily drew out her father's moniker mockingly still throwing knives at him with her eyes.
"Alright then 'ow do they expect us to order without menus?" He asked her incredulously.
"We're not ordering Father." She continued in a sarcastic tone. He glared back at her about losing his patience. Rolling her eyes she glared back and continued. "I ordered ahead of time, because this was supposed to be a celebration."
Before Cal could respond, a waiter approached with a tray of food and set it down on a stand near the table. "So there's the traditional fish and chips for the gentleman, accompanied by a Welsh cake." He laid the large and small plates down in front of Cal. "Especially for the lady, Bourride with Lemon Aoili, and of course the flourless chocolate soufflé. That's the chef's specialty," he winked at the detective as he laid the desert down in front of her and placed the main dish to the side. "And for the lovely celebrant, shepherd's pie, and apple croustade." After laying down her dishes, he popped the cork on the champagne bottle pouring a glass for both Cal and Sharon. He then placed the bottle in a bucket of ice and set it near the center of the table closest to Cal. He turned and removed the top to an Italian soda and poured it into a glass for Emily. Setting it in front of her, he asked, "Will there be anything else?"
"Who's paying for this?" Cal asked crossing his arms and glaring at his daughter.
"Um, sir, the meal has already been taken care of…" the waiter mistook Cal's question as being directed at him. "If there's nothing else…" He backed off sensing the tension at the table.
"When did you set all this up then?" Cal continued to grill his daughter, but this time she wasn't backing down either.
"Over a month. I've been saving up for it longer. It was meant to celebrate the news I had to share. Something I thought you'd be thrilled about. But you've ruined it!" She glared back at him. "I'm not even hungry now."
Cal glanced down at the plate in front of her. Shephard's pie was Emily's absolute favorite dish. The smell from it and the fish and chips wafted up to him and he could tell it would be amazing. The Welsh cake was something he hadn't enjoyed in ages. He glanced over at Shazzer who was pushing her spoon around in the bowl looking at the food like it was toxic. He recognized the soup vaguely as some kind of French dish. That coupled with the chocolate soufflé was itching at the back of his mind.
"You set this up a month ago?" he asked softly. She humphed and nodded vigorously still glaring at him. "For the three of us?" He gestured around them. She shook her head no. "Then…" She didn't even have to respond. His brain fired. The French soup, the chocolate dessert, it could only be one person.
"I invited Gillian." The only sound in response was a loud clink as Sharon dropped her spoon loudly against the bowl. She pushed back from the table looking around. Cal held a hand up to her in a gesture of stop, which kept her in her seat, though her fingers were gripping the arms of the chair as if she were getting prepared to propel herself out of it.
"Well where is she then?" Cal asked his daughter carefully.
"I don't know DAD." Again with the mocking tone when she said his name. "Why don't you tell me? I mean, you're the expert." She drew out the syllables of 'you're' with seething sarcasm. "Gillian is never late. You know that. I know that. And yet, where is she? She certainly is not here. And she, like you, has known about this lunch for several weeks. Had it in her calendar and even confirmed with me this morning when I passed her office. So, I don't know, did something happen on her way here? Hmmmm. Let's see. Maybe she showed up and saw the table set for three people and oh, I don't know, her seat was already filled! Maybe she somehow got the idea that we weren't waiting for her or that YOU didn't WANT HER HERE! Cause you're too caught up with your bloody wench!" With that Emily stood up and threw her napkin down on the table.
"OY! You're still my daughter and you WILL NOT speak that way to me. Bloody hell. Gillian's a big girl. She probably got caught up at work…"
"Well why don't we find out?" Emily folded her arms across her chest and lifted her eyebrow up at him in a challenge.
"Fine." He responded glaring back at her.
"Is there something wrong with the…" The waiter hesitantly asked coming up behind Sharon and eyeing the untouched dishes.
"We'll need to take these to go." Emily responded never breaking her glare at her father.
"Oh, um, yes, of course, I'll get right on that." He removed the dishes as quickly as he could gesturing for help to the busboy that had accompanied him. They both looked at each other wordlessly communicating that they wanted to get this table out of there fast before they made even more of a scene.
Cal was too busy staring down his daughter to pay attention to the waiters. His head was reeling. Deep down he knew everything that Emily said was right. But he was too angry at himself to admit it. Something was still nagging at him though. "What was all of this about then?"
"It was meant to be a celebration. A celebration and a thank you." Emily held up her hand gesturing at her father to stop before he could interrupt. "For Gillian." She gave him a pointed look. "While you've been busy." She glanced over at Sharon whose eyes dropped back down to her lap, then back at her father. "She's been helping me. Things aren't exactly great, I mean financially. I've seen how you're company has been struggling Dad." She held up her hand and widened her eyes at him. "No! Don't try to deny it. It's obvious things have been hard. And I know mom's been doing well, but she is still building up her business, and… well, I just know how hard it is becoming to find a job, even with a degree. Anyway, before last semester I asked Gillian if she could help me and discuss my options. I told her that when I graduate… well I want to study psychology too." She looked down and then up at her dad, while she was mad at him, she still loved him and she was unsure what his reaction would be to her news. "She really did a lot of research and preparation before we met. She suggested that I take my AP classes first semester and see if I could graduate early. That way I might be able to enroll in the local university and take some basic credits before starting college in the fall. Her suggestion was great. I was super busy last semester but the great news is that I was able to finish all my requirements and my AP classes will likely transfer as credits. Plus, I contacted my top choices and found out what classes I could take now that would transfer too. Anyway, I applied early to my top choices and well this, today, was meant to tell you that… I got into both." Emily looked down and rubbed her arm.
"You were accepted already into two schools?" Cal's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Yeah." Emily shrugged still not making eye contact.
"And you're done with high school already?" Cal continued incredulously. How much attention had he not been paying?
"Well yeah but I still plan to walk in May with my class." Emily glanced up at him questioningly.
"And what schools did you get into?" Cal held his breath as he waited for her response.
"Well you know I have had my heart set on Berkeley." Cal's heart fell. "So, yeah, I got in." Emily couldn't hide her smile or the pride from her voice. "But… Well… Gillian talked to me about my long term plans. And there is an accelerated program for a bachelors and masters in psychology. It's at Sacred Heart University. I got into that program too. Gillian wrote me the most amazing recommendation letter for both schools and I think, maybe, well she called the heads of their programs."
"Sacred heart…" Cal started but Emily broke in.
"Yeah, it's a small school. It's Catholic but they didn't care that I wasn't. I mean I'll have to go to church, it's mandatory, but that's kind of interesting, in an academic way. You know see what all the fuss is about. It'll make Grandma and Grandpa happy that is for sure." Emily looked up at her father at the reference to her mother's parents and then smirked. "It's in Connecticut Dad."
Cal's heart began thumping in his chest. Connecticut was a lot closer than California. A hell of a lot closer. It was drive able anyway. He couldn't hide his excitement. "So, my daughter, is going to study psychology, and has been accepted to Berkeley and some accelerated program in Connecticut, and she's already done with high school? That sum it up luv?" Emily nodded biting her lip. Cal broke out in a huge grin and hugged his daughter picking her up and swinging her around. "Why didn't you tell me you cheeky bugger? I'm so proud of you luv. Still can't understand why you'd want to study psychology though." He smirked at her as he set her down.
"I want to work with you, at the Lightman group." Cal's heart swelled with a mixture of pride and fear.
"What'd your mum think of that?" Cal covered his emotions with a joke.
"Yeah, well, she's not exactly thrilled. I think she kind of hoped I'd follow in her footsteps. I still haven't told her that I kind of want to do more what Gillian does. Knew that wouldn't go over well." Remembering Gillian she eyed her father again. It seemed he remembered too and had replaced his smile with his usual blocked expression. She sighed and looked up to see that the waiter had returned with their food boxed up. "Speaking of… We should probably go find her."
Emily grabbed the bags from the waiter thanking him before turning and marching off toward the office. Cal watched her for a second before grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair and putting it on. Turning back he saw Shazzer eyeing him warily. "Well, come on." He gestured at her as he walked off.
She caught up to him quickly. "Maybe I should catch you later. You know after you locate Gillian." She hoped he would take the hint but to her dismay he just looked at her like she had gone daft and continued toward the office. Rolling her eyes, she grudgingly followed behind him.
Gillian Foster smiled happily as she made her way down the hall of her office. Spotting Heidi her smile broadened. "Heading out to lunch Doctor Foster?" Heidi asked as she passed her desk.
"Yes, Heidi, and I'm really looking forward to it." Gillian couldn't contain her enthusiasm. Not only had Emily texted her the night before but the girl had also poked her head into Gillian's office earlier that morning to confirm Gillian's attendance. Emily's enthusiasm was contagious. She wasn't entirely sure what the girl was up to, but Emily had emphasized that she wanted Gillian there to thank her for something. Gillian was hoping Emily had received her acceptance letters to school. Perhaps she would even consider attending one of the closer colleges. That would make Cal very happy. "I'm not sure how long I'll be. If anything comes up…"
"I can reach you on your phone." Heidi smiled at her boss knowing her standard response. "Hopefully we can hold the fort down for a few hours Dr. Foster. Unless Dr. Lightman has anything planned."
Gillian laughed at Heidi's joke. "Actually, I think he'll be at lunch with Emily and I, so if he has any plans I'll handle them directly." Waving goodbye, Dr. Foster walked to the elevators. Glancing at her watch she saw that she had a good ten minutes before she was due to at the restaurant. She prided herself on being on time. Emily was probably still trying to pull Cal from his office. Smirking she got on the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. The ride down was short. She stopped to hold the door open for someone before exiting the building.
The walk to the restaurant was glorious. The weather was perfect and she felt like she had a bounce in her step. She was excited for Emily and for the first time in a while she was even happy to spend time with Cal. Lately things had been… better. When they were together it was more like old times. Easier in some way. The tension that had been plaguing them seemed to have dissipated. It was almost as if Cal was on his best behavior; toning down his usual chaos. Plus, she hadn't seen that detective around for weeks.
She bit her lip when she thought of Sharon Wallowski. Cal had never asked her why she disclosed the information on the dirty detective. He just assumed she betrayed him. But when he called her out on her loyalty, well that had really hurt. She had revealed the cop's actions only to protect him. He never gave her a chance to explain.
The psychologist in her knew he was waiting for her to hurt him; to lie to him. He expected her to leave like his mother had. He became even more paranoid after the incidents with Jeffrey and Terry. When he found out she had lied to him about Doyle, well, she was surprised he even talked to her at all. That seemed to be the breaking point. Whatever trust he had put in her began unraveling with that revelation. But somehow they had seemed to hold it together. Until Wallowski.
She didn't want to hate her, but she couldn't help it. She had never hated any of the many, many women he had slept with, not even Zoe. Even after hurting him and continuing to manipulate him, she never hated Zoe. Deep down, she had thought her relationship with him was different, was special. Yes, he had slept with a lot of women, his ex-wife included, but he always saved the better part of himself for her. She believed she had something special with Cal. Until Wallowski.
With the detective Cal made it clear that she came before Gillian. That hadn't happened before. He made it clear he valued her loyalty over Gillian's. Time and again he forced the detective on her; even at her most vulnerable. She shuddered at the thought of seeing Sharon Wallowski at Claire's apartment and cringed at the fact that she had cried in front of the detective. It hurt too much to think about.
Shaking her head, Gillian brought herself back from her thoughts. It didn't matter. Wallowski had been gone for a while. She was heading to have lunch with Emily and Cal to celebrate Emily. She still had her place with them and that thought alone brought her back from the despair.
Rounding the corner she heard the familiar cockney accent in a louder voice. They were at it already apparently. She smiled. They couldn't last five minutes without arguing. Hopefully she could smooth…
Gillian stopped in mid step. Her foot raised partly as if she were going to move forward. Instead she froze. Every happy thought and warm feeling left her body. The sun no longer felt good on her skin. She felt chilled to the bone. She had spotted them sitting at a lone table out in the sunshine. Cal and Emily were obviously arguing and Emily looked pissed. Gillian could see her face clear as day. She could also see that they were seated at a table for three, just three, and Sharon Wallowski was in the third chair.
Her heart slammed in her chest and she clutched a hand at her stomach and doubled over. The world around her swam and she was having trouble taking a breath. Her body wouldn't react. She couldn't breathe. Looking at her other hand she saw it was shaking. Not knowing what else to do, she slapped her hand hard across her own cheek, and was rewarded with a large gasp that brought some air into her lungs. Her breathing continued labored but present.
A single tear ran down her cheek. "Replaced." The word echoed in her heart. She had been replaced. Sharon was at the table with Emily. Cal never brought his one night stands home. He never had them around his daughter. This was different. They were like a … "Family." She whispered. But that was her place. That had been her family. It was all she had left. She had no Sophie. No Alec. No Dave. No parents. No home. No boyfriend. No thing that was hers alone. She only had the Lightman group and her odd little place with Cal and Emily. Now that was gone. She was alone and she had nothing.
That's when time caught up with her and panic set in. She had to get out of there. She turned on her heel and strode off back to the office. She had no idea where she would go, but she had to leave, get as far away as possible. The panic had moved on from physical shock to a desperate need for flight. She couldn't let them see her like this. Couldn't let anyone see her like this. She felt like she was about to fall apart. Pulling a mask down over her emotions she straightened herself up and continued to march confidently forward as if she knew where the hell she was going. Deep down something told her that Emily would come looking for her when she didn't show up. She had seen the girl's face. A tiny part of her wondered if Cal would look for her too. Glancing over her shoulder she only saw blurs but inside her something broke. He wouldn't come looking for her. She had been replaced. She meant nothing to him. A sob threatened to break free and she swallowed it down, realizing she had made it back to the Lightman Group.
"A little help here Foster?" Eli Loker was addressing her. He had his hands full trying to balance a large file box with a tray of what she assumed were coffees. Standing outside of the building, he was trying to lower his hands to open the door.
"I'll get it Eli." She was amazed at how smooth her voice came out. Years of practice, she registered sadly. Opening the door, she held it for him.
"Thanks. Thought you were heading out to lunch."
"Oh, yes, I was, but something came up. Actually Eli, I have to head out and take care of a family issue. Would you mind letting Heidi know I'll be taking a few days off? Oh and would you take a few things to my office for me?"
"Er, sure. Not sure I can grab much though." Eli gestured toward his full arms with a nod of his head. "If you can fit the stuff in this box, I'd be happy to take it for you." With that Eli walked over to the chairs and tables set up on the lobby level for guests. He deposited the box and set the coffee tray down. Pulling out his coffee, he began to tell Gillian all about his latest research, the documentation for which was apparently in the box.
"Really?" She asked, only half listening. It seemed the appropriate response as he continued rambling excitedly. Lifting the lid on the file box, Foster saw that there was room in the top. Opening her bag, she pulled out the few files she had taken with her and managed to hide her laptop inside one before slipping them into the box. Eli was too busy talking to notice what she had done. Slipping her phone under the lid she interrupted him mid thought. "Thank you again Eli. I am sorry but I have to go." Patting his arm she walked toward the door to head to the parking garage.
"Oh, Right, then, well I'll just head upstairs." Eli shrugged. He would never understand how people could not be excited about the activity of monkeys. 'I mean there was so much that you could find in common between people and monkeys,' he thought. 'Like how Gillian ran out of the office as fast as… a patas monkey, the fastest primate on land. Well maybe that was an overestimate, the patas monkey can run up to 34 miles per hour and Gillian while fast, was not exactly that fast. But why had she run out of there so fast. Patas monkeys ran from predators, but there weren't any of those in the office. Well there was Lightman. Maybe he had scared her. He certainly scares me.' Eli's rambling thoughts continued as he made his way upstairs with the file box and coffees.
Emily took the elevator ahead of her dad and that stupid detective. Why'd he have to bring her anyway? God he was so, so frustrating sometimes. Here she had planned this lunch for a month and he goes and ruins it. Hopefully the chocolate soufflé had held up. Opening up the refrigerator in the kitchenette, she placed the bag inside. Turning she headed toward Gillian's office.
She bit her lip when she saw the lights were off, but popped her head inside anyway. "Gillian?" She wasn't surprised when she didn't get a response but she was a little worried. Heading toward the cube she peeked in the open door and caught Ria and Eli arguing. Still no sign of Gillian. Not wanting to disturb them yet, she turned and headed for her father's office. Opening the door, again she noticed the lights off. She flicked them on and looked around before heading to the library. Nothing.
A thought popped into her head. Heidi would know Gillian was; Gillian always checked in with her before leaving. Heading to Heidi's desk she ran into her father and that stupid detective.
"Gillian's not in her office. She's not in the cube or the kitchen or your office." She explained in a rush. "Dad… I can't find her."
Gillian Foster was deflated. She was beyond hurt, beyond feeling really. She had a death grip on the steering wheel as she drove without destination. Her mind had abandoned her. She was struggling to keep her shit together.
Her laptop and phone were now with Eli. So Cal had no way of tracking her down. She most definitely was not going to see family. On good days their relationship was strained. Now, at her frailest, she would never even think of going to them. Her mother would tell her not to ruin her makeup with tears and to smile and hold her head high. She didn't speak to her father. Plus her little lie to Eli ruled out any more distant relatives. There was no way she would leave a trace of where she had gone. She needed time to deal with… with Wallowski as an addition to Cal's family. A sob escaped from her mouth and she bit down hard, grinding her teeth. She couldn't break down. Not yet. Not until she had a place to go. Absently she swiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks; failing to convince herself that she wasn't crying.
The interstate signs called her attention to an immediate choice she needed to make. Where was she going? She really had no idea. She didn't want anyone to see her in this state, so ingrained was her upbringing that it even trumped her schooling. 'Those who can do, those who can't' and all that. So she settled for an easier question to answer: should she go north or south? Unconsciously, she must have been deciding on a destination because she merged onto the highway going south. Where she would end up she had no idea but she knew she would be driving for a long time.
"WHERE IS SHE?" Eli was halfway surprised that Lightman's voice hadn't shattered any glass. It had certainly rattled it enough. He had been on his way to Foster's office to drop off her files when he heard his irate boss. Turning he walked toward the front of the office still carrying his file box. Turning the corner, he spotted a shaking Heidi trying to answer an impatient Cal. Emily was pacing frantically behind him and detective Wallowski looking forlorn stood off to the side.
"She said she had a family emergency and was taking a few days." Eli heard Heidi trying to explain what he presumed was Foster's whereabouts.
"How d'ya know that? Did she call and tell you that?" Lightman demanded.
"She told me." Eli said, wondering why in the world he was interjecting. "I caught up with her downstairs and she said she had a family emergency and had to take off for a few days. She asked me to bring some files up for her…" Eli's voice trailed off as he read the look of confusion on Cal.
"What are you on about?" Cal demanded.
"Foster. You asked…" Eli started to respond, noting that Wallowski was standing behind Cal holding her arm in a self-comforting gesture and looking like she wanted to be anywhere else.
Cal cut him off. "She doesn't have family, you daft… Oi! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Eli's eyes flashed back from the detective to Cal who was now hovering over him. "Where. Is. Gillian?"
Eli had only a moment to register that Cal had used her first name before responding feebly. "I have no idea where Dr. Foster is. I only know that she said she'd take a few days for a family emergency." he looked at Lightman and was surprised when he could actually read the fear in his face. "She seemed fine when she left…"
Lightman looked at him like he was an absolute idiot and wanted to smack him upside his head. Eli flinched back. Cal must have thought better of it because he let out an exasperated noise.
"Dad," Emily interrupted holding up her phone. "Why don't we call her?"
"Right. Yeah. You do it, luv." He gestured toward Emily, feeling that she may have been right earlier. If Gillian had spotted them, perhaps she had gotten upset… He didn't want to think about where this was going.
Emily dialed the number and hit send holding the phone up to her ear. A muffled ringing noise could be heard. When everyone turned and looked at Eli, he looked back at them with confusion. "What?"
Emily hung up. "No answer." She sighed.
Cal gestured at her still staring at Eli. "Ring her again Em."
Emily did as he asked, now watching her father. Again the muffled ringing could be heard. Cal stepped toward Eli who pulled back. Reaching out Cal lifted the lid of the box still in his arms. The muffled ringing became clearer. Looking inside he stuck his arm in and pulled out the phone. His heart sank. Opening it he answered. "Lightman Group."
"Dad?" Emil's voice could be heard coming through the receiver.
Cal hit the button ending the call. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. "Gillian gave you some files?" Cal glared at Eli. Gulping he set the box down and crouching next to it pulled out the files on top that had belonged to her. As he lifted them, he was surprised at their heaviness. Opening the top one he spotted a laptop.
"Uh…" Eli was loathe to reveal this but knew better than to try and hide it. Handing Cal the laptop, he continued. "And apparently a few electronics."
"Fuck." Cal's curse reverberated through the deadly silent lobby.
Gillian had been on the road for two hours and realized she needed a restroom and a coffee. Her own mug was still sitting untouched on her desk. Normally that would bother her but today it didn't even register. She was grateful for her hollowness though as it was keeping an overwhelming sadness at bay.
Just outside of Richmond she spotted an exit advertising a travel center with a sign for Starbucks. She took it. Parking the car, she checked her reflection in the mirror on her visor. She looked about as bad as she felt. Opening her console she pulled out a package of wipes that she kept there for emergencies. Wiping off the makeup that was streaking down her face, she began to look a bit more presentable. Unfortunately the wipe did little to hide her red rimmed eyes.
Fishing around the console again she pulled out an old pair of sunglasses. She didn't care that it wasn't sunny, she had no intention of letting anyone see her in such disarray. Gillian had learned long ago to hide her distress from the rest of the world. No one else should have to bear her burdens. They were hers for a reason.
Stepping out of the car, she walked across the parking lot and into the travel center. Before going to get her coffee she noticed an electronics kiosk. They had pre-paid cell phones. Purchasing one, in case of an emergency, she shoved it in her purse before heading over to the restroom. After using the facilities and washing her hands, she headed to the Starbucks counter. Surprisingly the line was not so long. To expedite things she ordered an iced coffee with room for cream. In typical fashion, they got her name wrong on the cup. It said Jovon. Shaking her head, she went to the little counter and added her cream and a little brown sugar. Returning to her car, she sat back in her seat for a moment drinking in the cold liquid.
'Where should I go,' she thought. In another hour she would be in North Carolina. She could go to one of the beaches there she thought, or continue onto South Carolina. She didn't really feel like taking too many roads; the simple act of driving the same highway seemed to be helping to distract her from Cal... He knew how much she … disliked that detective. Her chest constricted and she let out a cry. She slowly took some calming breaths. She had to push those thoughts aside. She would just drive. Just keep driving until she felt like stopping. Cranking the engine, she headed back out onto the road.
"Gillian! I know you're in there. OPEN UP!" Cal banged on Foster's door in frustration.
"Maybe she's not home, Cal." Wallowski said standing behind him looking slightly put out and wondering for the twentieth time why she was there. "Why don't you give her space and let her come to you when she's ready?"
"It's your bloody fault I'm in this mess. She's not at the office. So she has to be here." Cal shot back once again banging on the door.
"I'm not sure how it's my fault as I tried to bow out of lunch." She muttered under her breath. "There are a lot of other places she could be, you know. Maybe she had an appointment, or she decided to get coffee, or a drink…" She trailed off as he glared over his shoulder at her. Sighing she decided to put on her detective hat. "Cal her lights are off. If she was home do you really think she'd be sitting in the dark?"
Cal was ready to spit another diatribe at her, but paused at the logic she offered. Frowning he pulled out his keys. Searching for Foster's spare, he opened the door to the detective's protests. Ignoring her, he marched in still yelling for Gillian. Storming past the kitchen and living room he walked through her place checking each room only to find each one empty. His stomach felt like lead. She wasn't here. Shazzer had been right. Not that he'd admit it to her.
He found her waiting for him in the living room. "I've got to find her. Where would she go?" He said it more for himself but Sharon assumed he was asking her as a detective.
"Does she have family? Or close friends nearby?"
Cal looked at her but she was avoiding his eyes. She had learned from his earlier bristling. "No, Gillian isn't in contact with her family. She has a few friends but most of them live out of town. I suppose I could call them and try to track her down."
"I'm sure she'll love that." Sharon whispered sarcastically under her breath.
"Oi, if you're not going to be helpful you can just leave." Cal pointed at the door.
Sharon raised her eyebrows thinking to herself that leaving was perfectly fine with her. Before she could get up though Cal caught her intention and rethought his own position. "Gillian has a lot of friends. I can't be tracking them all down." He also didn't want to piss her off further by harassing her loved ones. He was in a right state and knew that he would not be able to control his drive to find her and that would mean interrogating and possibly alienating people she cared about. Perhaps that was not the best strategy. Though he wouldn't rule it out entirely. He'd reserve it as a backup plan in case he couldn't find her the old fashioned way.
Wallowski had earlier deduced that by giving Eli her laptop and phone, Gillian had effectively cut Cal off. He couldn't use her phone to track her by GPS either. He'd have to follow her another way, like by tracking her credit card purchases. 'Oh crap' she thought as she realized by the look on his face that he had drawn the same conclusion.
Gillian had been driving for more than five hours now. Coming out of her haze, she had noticed more of those giant billboards advertising for South of the Border. She had always wondered what it was all about so she decided to stop there for gas. It was not quite what she expected. It was gaudy. The bright colors and cheesy décor were a bit overwhelming. She did like the giant Pedro as its ridiculousness took her mind off of her mood for a moment. But only a moment.
Not ready to stop, and definitely not wanting to stay in south of the border, she grabbed a few bottles of water and some snacks from the gas station store before getting back in her car and continuing south. Having no plan, she figured she'd just drive until she was too tired to continue and then find a hotel to spend the night.
"No Cal. I can't do it." Wallowski huffed crossing her arms in front of her. They'd been having this fight all the way back to the Lightman group.
"Can't or won't?" He replied snarkily.
"It's illegal." She reminded him yet again.
"I seem to remember you not being so squeaky clean before, right? Look, it's Gillian. I've got to find her." Cal got up in her space as he pleaded with her to run the credit card check for him.
"Maybe she doesn't want to be found? Have you thought about that? She may just need some time…" She realized her pleas were falling on deaf ears.
"What if she's hurt, luv? What if she's been kidnapped or somefing? At least this way I'll know it's her own decision yeah?" Cal knew he was going to win this argument. That was part of the allure of having Wallowski in his back pocket. She knew it too.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. I'll see what I can do." Turning she left his office and headed for her car. That man really pissed her off sometimes but she knew she owed him. She also knew how much Gillian Foster meant to him. "She better be using her cards." If she was going to go to all of this trouble, she did not want to tell Cal she had found nothing.
Gillian made it all the way to Savannah before realizing that eight hours of driving was enough. Spotting a sign for a Marriott right off the highway she took the off ramp and headed toward the hotel. After parking, she entered and approached the front desk. The clerk gave her a funny look; probably because she had put her sunglasses back on when she got out of the car. She figured they would generate less questions than her red eyes.
"Bit bright for you ma'am?" Dale asked smiling at her. His name proudly displayed on his badge.
"Mmmm." She murmured shutting down the conversation. "I'd like a room for the night please." She fished around her purse for her ID and a credit card. Handing them over, she appreciated his prompt response. She could tell by his face that Dale had received her message loud and clear.
"Absolutely Miss… Dr. Foster." He said reading her card, then began typing up things in the computer. "We have a room with a double bed or one with a King, the rate is $125 for the night plus taxes."
"That's fine." She confirmed.
"One key or two?" he asked and she raised one finger letting him know she only needed the one. He continued to type into his computer, before scanning the key card and writing her room number down on the card holder. "You're all set." Handing her the card, he pointed at the number he had written. "That's your room. If you turn around you'll see the elevators right there. You can take them to your floor." He gestured at the first number on the holder. She nodded confirming her understanding. "If you need anything my name's Dale." He pointed at his name tag and smiled.
"Oh. Actually, do you have a… um… one of those toothbrushes and toothpaste?" She realized that she had no toiletries. He looked her over while nodding realizing that she had no bags with her.
"Yes, ma'am, we have a whole bunch of toiletries. Here, let's see…" He reached under the counter and pulled out a container filled with an assortment. He identified them as he laid them on the counter. "We've got a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, Q-tips, razor, shaving gel, comb… I think that's about it. Your room will have soap, shampoo, conditioner, and a hair dryer. Is there anything else that you might need? We might have it in the back?" Dale gestured over his shoulder behind him.
"No, No that is perfect. "Thank you, Dale." She managed to smile at him and he lit up in return. Grabbing the items from the counter, she turned around and approached the elevator. She was so grateful when it opened immediately. Riding to her floor she felt completely spent. Her room was just two doors down from the elevator, but by the time she got there exhaustion took over; so she stripped off her clothes and dove into the pillows face first. She dropped quickly into a fitful sleep, full of nightmares she couldn't quite remember in the morning.
"Did you find her?" Emily rushed him at the door causing him to jump and drop his phone. He had been trying to check for texts as he entered his house and hadn't expected his daughter to accost him immediately. Though he realized he should have.
"Oy" Cal shouted even though he had already composed himself. "Give us a minute?"
"Us?" She said looking behind him to see if Gillian was there.
"Figure of speech luv." He turned and shut the door behind him.
"Oh." Her deflated response really bothered him.
"I'm sorry luv, but there was no sign of Gillian at her house or back at the office." His own pain reflected on his face. He didn't feel the need to hide it from her. It was sort of part of his penance he figured. "Look, I'll find her, and I'll make this right." He squeezed her arm in a comforting gesture before taking off his coat and walking into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of scotch. He may not deserve it but he definitely needed it.
"I'm sorry dad." Emily said quietly coming into the kitchen behind him. He looked up at her. "I know I shouldn't have gotten so upset… it's just I put so much time into this and I was really excited about it and Gillian… she means a lot to me." Emily looked at him with her big eyes full of sadness.
"Nah luv. It's all on me this time. I appreciate you trying to make it better, Em, but this is on me."
"Why'd you bring her dad? Is she really that important to you?" Emily clenched her jaw and gripped at her hands waiting for her dad's response.
"What? Shazzer? No luv, I just, I… I don't know. She had a case and it piqued my interest you know? And I thought it would just make sense to keep talking and so I told her to come. Then you got chee… upset and I don't know, I guess I wanted to make a point. I'm really sorry Em. I should have listened better." Cal grabbed his daughter in a hug.
"Well listening isn't your strong suit." Emily's voice was muffled against his chest. He rumbled a small laugh. She looked up at him. "You need to fix this dad. Wallowski may not that important to you but Gillian is and she needs to know that."
Cal looked down at her feeling his gut tighten. He knew Emily was right. Especially now. Man he was a right tosser. He just didn't know what Gillian would say when he told her he loved her.
"Really dad?" Emily eyed him incredulously. "She saw you at the table with your daughter and Shazzer and then disappears without a trace. You really think she doesn't feel the same way about you?"
Cal's eyebrows rose at his daughter's spot on reading of his emotions and also at the hope that flickered in his chest at her words. "Pull the other one dad." Emily smirked at him breaking the tension.
He grabbed her around the neck and kissed the top of her head. "Cheeky."
Gillian stared at the numbers on the hotel's alarm clock watching them tick away slowly. It seemed as if she woke every hour just to check the time. Looking back at the numbers again she groaned and grabbed the pillow holding it over her face for a moment in frustration. She had slept poorly, waking from horrible nightmares that left her feeling even more drained. Sighing she set the pillow to the side of her and sat up. Might as well grab some coffee and get on the road. She wasn't going to get any more sleep.
Slowly getting out of the bed, she stretched before entering the bathroom. Turning on the water to let it heat up, she brushed her teeth and used the facilities. Stepping into the shower she used the supplied soap, shampoo and conditioner. The hot water felt so good on her muscles which were super tight. She stayed in far longer than she normally would, feeling the water cascade over her skin. An interesting side effect, to this break down she appeared to be having, was this feeling of being totally present in the moment. She was not thinking about anything but exactly where she was and what she was doing. Any other thought that threatened to enter her head, especially about the prior day, was quickly shut down. She simply felt the hot water and ignored everything else.
By the time she stepped out of the shower, the large mirror was fogged up with water droplets running down its flat surface. She wrapped the towel around herself after a quick rub of her wet hair. Plugging in the hair dryer, she flipped her head over and ran her fingers through her hair as she dried it. When it was partly dry, she stood back up and ran the comb through it. She used the deodorant they had provided before slipping back into the clothes she had worn yesterday. At some point, she would need to get new clothes, but for now she just wanted a strong cup of coffee and to hit the road.
Grabbing her things, she dried off the toiletries Dale had given her the night before then slipped them into her purse. Glancing around the room she confirmed she had everything she needed. Leaving a few dollars along with the key card on the dresser, she went in search of coffee. It was too early for breakfast, but there was a fresh pot of coffee, creamers, sugar, and a few pastries. Gillian grabbed a cherry tart in a napkin and poured herself two cups of coffee into the small travel cups. Somehow she knew one would never be enough. She added several creamers and two packets of sugar to each and stirred before attaching the lids. Pulling out her car keys, she balanced them along with the pastry and two cups of coffee. She was eager to get back on the road.
Pulling out of the hotel, she spotted a gas station and stopped to fill her tank before making her way back to the highway and continuing south on I-95. She still had no plan other than to keep driving; so she clung to that. Sipping her coffee, she settled into the mindless comfort of a long commute to nowhere.
Sharon Wallowski was irate. Two damn homicides first thing that morning; one a fourteen year old boy killed during a gang initiation gone wrong and the other a grandmother robbed at gunpoint in her home by a crack head looking to score his next fix. That day she'd been from one crime scene to the other and still no leads. They'd canvassed and grilled potential witnesses and nothing on either crime.
If that wasn't bad enough, she'd had to deal with constant harassing phone calls from Cal Lightman. No matter how many times she explained to him that he would have to be patient and wait until she was back in the office, he didn't seem to get it. She half contemplated blocking his number but knew the wrath that would follow would not be worth the temporary reprieve.
Her phone rang again and before she even read the screen she knew who was calling her. Opening it she didn't even acknowledge him. "I'm on my way back to the office as we speak. I will run it then and will call you once I have something." She felt like a broken record.
"About bloody time. You call me when you've run it." The cockney voice growled at her before hanging up.
Rolling her eyes, she answered for her own enjoyment. "Anything to shut you up."
Gillian Foster had a destination.
She had been on the road less than two hours when she crossed the Florida state border. The billboards advertising Florida's main attractions caught her eye. One in particular stood out. It was a place she had always wanted to go. Those who knew her well would be shocked she had never been before; but every time she had tried to visit in the past something had stopped her.
As a child she had begged and begged to visit. Her mind replayed the memory of the one time they attempted to go. It had been meant as her birthday present. She and her parents would drive down and stay a long weekend, visiting the parks and celebrating.
The week leading up to their departure had been torture. A young Gillian, happily packed repacked her suitcase every night; sometimes twice a night, after discussing what essentials she would need with her friends from school.
"You'll definitely need a swimsuit and a towel." Emma had informed her. Her cousin had visited the year before and Emma had seen her the night before. "My cousin said their hotel had a pool with a slide!"
A collective "whoooaaaa," had emanated from the kids gathered around Gillian's lunch table. News of a trip like this was too exciting not to share.
"You'll need flip flops then to wear to the pool." A girl named Angeline chimed in.
"And a ball." A boy called out, but Gillian didn't catch who before another shouted, "Goggles."
"Isn't it like super-hot in Florida?" Davey Miller asked. Gillian felt her cheeks flush. He was super cute.
"I think so…" she managed to respond. "I'll definitely pack shorts." He beamed at her and she smiled shyly back.
Each day she would get more insights from the kids and they would discuss all the things she would get to see.
"I hear Space Mountain is like the biggest roller coaster." Davey again. The way he was smiling as he came up beside her. Gillian began to wonder if maybe he liked her too.
"And there's a pirate ride," Tomas pushed between them. Gillian frowned but he didn't notice, addressing the audience of kids. "With a boat and you like plunge down." He gestured with his books as if they were a boat crashing down on the table top; mimicking the sound he imagined the ride would make, "Whoooosshhhh."
"And you'll get to meet the princesses, like Cinderella and Snow White." The girls all sighed while the boys carried on about pirates and Captain Hook.
Their excitement was infectious. By the time she got off the bus that Thursday she could barely contain herself. But as she stepped off the bus, she stopped short. An ambulance was parked in her driveway.
Gillian's stomach churned angrily as she watched the EMTs load someone strapped to a stretcher into the back of the ambulance. From out of nowhere her mother grabbed her arm. "Gillian get in the car. We have to follow them. It's your father. He fell off the roof."
They drove behind the emergency vehicle all the way to the hospital. The sirens screamed in her ears. Everything outside the window was a blur. When the ambulance pulled up in front of the doors, her mother drove past and parked in one of the designated spots. Getting out of the car she followed her mom through the double glass doors. Looking around she didn't see her father anywhere.
"Stay in the waiting area Gillian, I need to speak with the doctors." Gillian did as she was told. She quietly walked to a chair and sat down. There was a large clock hanging on the wall in front of her and she watched as its hands ticked away the minutes, then the hours. Her mother had disappeared almost immediately with a nurse and didn't return until the clock read almost midnight.
Gillian looked up at her expectantly. "Your father had to have surgery." Her mother stated simply. "As I told you before, he fell off of the roof. He is in recovery. The doctors say it went well and he will be moved to his own room soon. Once he has been moved we will go home. Tomorrow you can come back and visit him…after school." She added it as an afterthought.
Gillian's heart fell. She read between the lines. She knew her father had been drinking.
She also knew that if she was going to school then their trip was off. Deep down she knew she should be worried about her father and not about the trip, but lately her dad seemed to be in the hospital every few weeks or so. This was her fourth visit here in a month. He was prone to injuring himself when he drank. And he seemed to be drunk all the time now.
Gillian knew the drill; knew her mother expected her to behave and sit there until she herself was ready to leave. Tomorrow she'd go to school and have to act as if nothing had happened. Her mind began formulating a story to tell her classmates. Undoubtedly they would have seen the ambulance and would wonder why she was in school after going on and on about their trip to Disney World. It wouldn't be the first or the last time she covered for her father.
Getting on the school bus the next day she had a pit in her stomach. Everyone whispered around her as she took the first empty seat she spotted. She could hear snatches of their conversations. "I saw an ambulance take her daddy out yesterday…" "Guess she's not going to Disney…" "Wonder what she did wrong…" "My dad said her father's a drunk…" Gillian felt tears welling in her eyes but with every ounce of will she could muster she kept them from falling.
The classroom was no better. She waited until the very last minute before entering and taking her seat. She felt the eyes on her. She made it until the lunch break before they descended on her in the cafeteria.
"Thought you were going to Disney World?" Tomas, the pirate lover, was the first to question her. The harsh smugness of his words hurt her little heart.
"My father was fixing our shingles and he fell off the roof. He had to have surgery and he is still in the hospital. So we will have to go another time." Gillian repeated the words she had rehearsed in her head over and over the night before.
"I heard your dad's a drunk." Someone called out from the back.
Gillian's mouth shut tightly and she raised her chin defiantly. "You want to say that to my face?" She called back fisting her hands. No one responded or moved.
"Surgery is scary." Angeline filled the silence, changing the direction of the conversation smoothly. She smiled understandingly at Gillian. "My sister had to have her appendix out last year and she stayed in the hospital for a week. It was scary."
Gillian smiled back gratefully. The conversation quickly shifted to hospital and surgery stories. By the time lunch had ended Gillian's trip was no longer on anyone's mind. As she gathered her things though, she spotted Davey who gave her a sad smile before walking away holding hands with Emma. A weight settled on her small shoulders as she walked back to class.
Her dad was in the hospital almost a week. Each day she visited him after school. She was only allowed in for a short time to visit before being told to leave his room. She would find a place to pass the time while waiting for her mother, who was adamant on staying until visiting hours had ended.
Neither she nor her parents mentioned Disney World or Gillian's birthday. Since no one made cupcakes for her to take to school, she didn't mention it to her teacher or her classmates. They had moved onto Jerry O'Donnell's newly acquired braces.
Gillian's birthday passed with her sitting by herself in the hospital cafeteria. She held out hope that maybe her mother would remember and they would celebrate that night at dinner. But when they arrived home there was no cake, no presents, no birthday outfit; no reminder that Gillian had arrived into the world. Normally so stoic, she tried to hold it together, but burst out crying at the dinner table. Her mother had been disgusted by her display, though she didn't register the reason, nor did she ask.
"Your father is in the hospital. God knows how much pain that man has endured after falling off the roof. He is holding his head up high and you are crying? How can you be so selfish? What do you have to cry about? Whatever it is, well, no one needs to carry your burdens Gillian. They are yours to handle. Now you march yourself on upstairs and don't come back until you are over this." Her mother gestured to Gillian's face. "I want to see you smiling. A real smile, not one of those fake ones you were wearing earlier. Your father needs to know that you support him. He doesn't need your worries on top of his healing. Don't be so selfish. Now upstairs." Her mother had pointed her way to her tearful daughter.
Gillian entered her room, grabbed her pillow from the bed and crumpled herself on the floor of her closet, closing the door behind her. She hid her sobs in the pillow. "It's not fair" her muffled voice was barely audible. If her mother heard her, she would only be reprimanded worse.
After crying it out as quietly as she could, she shakily got up and went to her bathroom to wash her face off. Returning to her bed, she looked around the room and sighed. She'd have to convince her mother that she was happy. Gathering her courage, she decided to play her game. The game usually helped her get through these situations. It wasn't the first or the last time this would happen. Especially with her father's drinking.
Her mother was all about propriety and saving face. So Gillian had to remain stoic. She had years of learning how to hide her emotions. She analyzed how much the people around her hid. They didn't show what they were feeling. It was some kind of unwritten rule. Everyone had to look pristine and put together and they always held their heads high and smiled as if nothing bothered them. Gillian learned to never trust faces. Instead she learned to read their voices. For some reason, they didn't hide those so well. She thought back to her mother's harsh words. Her voice had been strained revealing that her mother was nervous and on edge. The accident must have been worse than she wanted Gillian to know.
Gillian took a deep breath and started thinking about the big things in her life. She had both of her parents alive, that was good. She had a house she lived in and her own room. She was not hungry, well not really hungry as she had been sent to her room before getting to finish her supper. She was healthy and she wasn't in the hospital. She was strong and could run fast.
Usually the big things helped her feel grateful and that made her feel happy. But it didn't seem to be working tonight. The reflection in her mirror still didn't look happy. She'd have to try harder.
Looking around the room she spotted the sweater that her aunt had sent her earlier in the week. It wasn't really a present, her aunt's housekeeper had dried the angora and it had shrunk to a size too small for her aunt to wear, but still it was new and it was hers. She slipped the sweater on and admired the softness on her skin. So she had a birthday outfit. She managed a half smile.
But no birthday cake. Biting her lower lip, she remembered her stash of hidden chocolate. Peeking out her door she could tell her mother was still in the kitchen, so she proceeded, despite hearing her mother's voice inside her head, 'Gillian sweets are not meant for young ladies. You'll ruin your skin and your teeth. Not to mention your thighs when you are older.' That's why Gillian had a secret stash. One her mother could never know about.
Softly she pulled out her treasure box, opened it and moved the contents aside to get to the secret compartment. She reached in and pulled out a foil wrapped confection. Taking a deep breath she lightly hummed the birthday song and pretended to blow out candles. Unwrapping the chocolate, she popped the whole thing in her mouth, letting the flavors melt on her tongue. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling and the taste. Once it was all gone she folded up the foil and put it back in its hiding spot. She'd have to get rid of that when her mother was not home.
So she'd had a birthday after all, her own version of cake and a special outfit. Checking herself again in the mirror she looked better, but still not convincingly happy. Her smile looked off. Glancing toward her packed suitcase, she realized that she hadn't received a single present. What she wanted most of all was to go to Disney World. But there was no way it would happen now. Well… not with her parents anyway.
Looking out her window she searched the sky, spotting a single star. Taking a deep breath she whispered: "I promise, that one day, I will go to Disney World, as my birthday present to myself." She exhaled her wish and her promise in one long breath.
Gillian closed her eyes and imagined an older version of herself walking into Disney World. She imagined Mickey Mouse himself greeting her and handing her a Mickey shaped balloon. Then hand in hand they walked into the park. She saw herself on the rides, then eating cotton candy and popcorn and one of those Mickey shaped ice pops. She imagined how happy she would feel. Then she smiled. Really smiled. Looking at the mirror she saw it reached her eyes. She flashed pride at having accomplished the impossible and managed to feel even happier. Holding onto that feeling, she bounded down the stairs feeling lighter than air.
Spotting her mother, she beamed at her. Her mother nodded at Gillian and gestured toward the kitchen. The young girl sat at the table, chatting away with her mother as she finished her cold meal, never commenting on the temperature.
Every day that week, she visited her father with a great big smile on her face. The nurses all commented on what a ray of sunshine she was and how much that must mean to her father that she could stay so strong and happy for his sake. Her mother had nodded with pride.
Gillian's mind shifted from the memory to what her younger self had taken from that experience. She realized that as a child she was aware that her own needs came last. From that point on, she made damn sure that no one ever saw her sad. Her pain became her own burden to hide. She didn't cry in front of people; not for years anyway. Instead, she found a way to smile.
Gillian knew that the night of her birthday, the last vestiges of her childhood died. Disney World was never mentioned again. It was the moment when she lost hope in her parents. It was also the first time she promised herself that as an adult she would enjoy the things she missed out on as a kid. Some promises she tried to fulfill every day, like enjoying her slushies or anything chocolate. Disney was the biggest promise and the one that was still unfulfilled.
That had only been the first time she had missed out on going. In college, her friends had discovered she had never been and planned a vacation including a stop there, but spring break partying had called too loudly and they never made it out of Daytona.
Alec had wanted to take her for years, but they kept putting it off until Sophie. They had wanted to celebrate her first birthday in Disney World. After she had been taken, they never mentioned the trip again.
So many disappointments had eventually led Gillian to forget that promise to herself. Looking up at the large advertisements, Gillian made her decision. At this point she really had nothing left to lose. Pulling over for gas and some drinks, she sat in her car and called in a reservation to the most magical place on earth.
"I'm sorry," Cal's fingers pressed down on either side of the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward of the raging headache he had from too much scotch the night before. "She's … where?" The incredulity in his tone was not lost on Sharon Wallowski. She had been a bit surprised herself when the credit card information came back.
"She used the card at a few gas stations, a Starbucks, and a store along I-95 before staying the night at a Marriott outside of Savannah. Then early today she reserved a room for the week at Animal Kingdom. It's a Disney World resort apparently." Wallowski read off the information on the paper in her hands before handing it over to him. As if the document itself could absolve her of his disdain.
"You're bloody telling me, that my partner leaves, disappears without a word, and she goes off to bloody Disney World?" He raged out at Sharon, even though he knew it wasn't her fault, but the sheer ridiculousness of Gillian going to Disney had about blown his mind. What the fuck was she thinking? Before either he or Shazzer could say anything else Emily blew into his office.
"Gillian's in Disney?" She asked the detective who simply nodded. Cal stared at his daughter wondering what she was doing in his office at this time of morning. "Well that makes sense…" His daughter said sitting down on his couch now lost in thought.
"It makes sense?" he blanched at her. She nodded not looking up. "How in bloody hell does it make sense?" He threw his arms up in disgust.
Emily stared at him like he had three heads. "Disney World is somewhere Gillian has always wanted to go Dad." Her tone indicated her disappointment in him not knowing Gillian's secret love of Disney. "Her parents never took her and she never got to visit with Sophie."
Cal's heart dropped. When had Gillian revealed this information to his daughter? She never spoke about Sophie. Emily rolled her eyes, once again reading her father. She was becoming scarily good at it. "Don't you remember the party they had for Sophie? Right after the adoption. The theme dad…" She gestured at him.
"What are you on about? I remember pink and blue balloons…" He racked his mind trying to remember the decorations. All he saw was how beautiful and how happy Gillian looked with the baby in her arms. Like every piece of the puzzle of her life had fallen into place. His heart beat hard inside his chest. "I don't remember much else." He scoffed trying to hide the tug he felt in his gut as his mind brought up the image of Gillian with Sophie. It was soon followed by the image of Gillian the night they took her baby. Cal shuddered and wiped his hand over his face as if that could remove the memory. He couldn't remember an experience when he wanted to hurt someone more. He had felt as powerless as he had with his mother.
Emily brought him out of the downward spiral of his thoughts. "It was all baby Disney characters. Don't you remember the big baby pink Minnie Mouse doll. You commented on its size like ten times." A vague itch of a memory scratched at his mind. "I asked Gillian where she got it and she told me she had ordered it from the Disney store. You said you were surprised she hadn't driven to the bloody theme park to get it there herself. She laughed at you and said, and I quote, 'I wish I had Cal. I've always wanted to go there, since I was a little girl. My parents never got around to taking me. Now I've got a little girl I can take there as soon as she is big enough.' And you said something like, 'Well luv why not plan a company outing there on Sophie's first birthday? That way you can write it off.' Somehow she laughed and told you she loved the idea, at least for the birthday party. Said she'd look into it while she was up changing diapers and feeding the baby. You don't remember any of that?"
Cal was impressed by his daughter's recall and also by her obvious love for Gillian. To remember all of that from so long ago. "Yeah, maybe I do." He softly responded. So it was starting to make sense. Whether it had been her intent all along or not, Gillian was in Disney World. Cal sat down next to his daughter. "So what do I do?"
"Well isn't it obvious?" Emily asked smirking at her father and bumping her shoulder into his. "We're going to Disney World."