A Storm is Coming

by

Numb3rsfan

Chapter Three: Santa Alicia

The next day Jacob and Shirley had gotten up early and fixed breakfast for the family. It being Sunday there was no school, so after church, Jacob and Shirley went to the travel agency while Laurie stayed home to babysit the others. She had heard about her mother's little 'discovery' the other night and now, even as she stared at the freeze frame image of this boy, she saw a little family resemblance. The boy was cute, she had to admit that. Young looking face, cute, long brown hair and that grin...too cute, but since Laurie had only been one and a half at the time of her older brother's supposed death, she had absolutely no memory of him, so she really couldn't say for sure if this boy was in fact her long lost brother.

At the travel agency, Shirley and Jacob sat on one side of a desk while an elderly lady was getting their tickets ready.

"I really think that you should get cancellation insurance just in case Titan interrupts your trip." the elderly lady said, folding her hands over some papers.

Shirley glanced at Jacob, having absolutely no idea what the lady was talking about. Just who the hell was Titan?

"Who's he?" Shirley asked. She felt like a dumb blond, but after looking at their travel agent, she could see knowledge and understanding in those aged eyes of hers.

"Titan is a tropical storm. Hopefully it'll stay out in the Atlantic and not bother you but I would get the insurance just in case." the lady said.

Shirley once again glanced at her husband who nodded his head and replied, "yeah we'll take it."

"Good! Well I'll issue the tickets." the lady replied, getting up from her desk. Shirley and Jacob watched her go over to a rather large computer and punch at some buttons. Shirley, to be honest hated computers, believing as Laurie did that for every computer, one job meant for flesh and blood humans was lost.

Several minutes later the lady came back with several pieces of paper.

"Here are your tickets and boarding passes and you'll also find your hotel confirmation as well. Oh, and don't forget your passport." The lady said, taking her seat back.

Shirley paled at that. Her what?

"But...I don't have a passport." she said.

The elderly lady looked shocked and worried at that.

"Oh, then you may not be able to use these tickets." she said. She watched Shirley latch on to her husband's hand in a worried fashion, but her husband, the calm man that he was asked, "Is there anything else my wife can use?"

"Well...you have a driver's license right? You can get on the plane with that and if you bring along your birth certificate that may get you in to Santa Alicia." The lady said. Her voice was fully of doubt because she knew of the importance of a passport and apparently Jacob did too because he asked, "If not will they send her back?"

The lady fixed him with a stare before saying, "Hopefully."

Jacob looked confused. "Hopefully? What do you mean, hopefully?"

The lady sat back in her chair, still clutching the papers that these people requested. She wanted to make sure that they knew what they were getting in to because leaving the country without a passport was risky; very risky.

"It's possible that they may hold her for awhile in custody." The lady answered.

Shirley however was adamant, she just had to get in to Santa Alicia so she leaned forward and stuck her hand out with a "Please just give me the tickets."

The elderly lady raised her eyebrows but did hand Shirley the paperwork that she'd need. Standing up, Shirley smiled and nodded her head before heading back out to the car; Jacob following.

Once in the car, Jacob asked, "So what's your plan once you get there?" he asked.

Shirley had just buckled herself up and was waiting for Jacob to start the car. When he asked the question, she just looked at him. How could he even ask such a silly question?

"Simple, I am going to bring him back." She replied.

"But Shirley...he is eighteen." Jacob pointed out, meaning that if Tyler didn't want to return then Shirley couldn't force him to return.

"Yeah, Jacob I was there when he was born, remember?" Shirley shot back.

Jacob smiled. "I am not trying to be smart, I am just trying to help. Now...what about Louis?"

Shirley looked confused. "What about Louis?" She asked.

"You might still be married to him." Jacob pointed out. Even though he trusted Shirley, he didn't trust Louis as far as he could kick the man.

"I am married to you Jacob, I love you." Shirley said.

"Yes," Jacob began, taking her hand, "but your divorce was never finalized."

Shirley shook her head, "you think I'd want him back?" she asked, her face full of disgust for that slimy bastard who had stolen her son away from her.

Seeing the look on her face, Jacob turned and started up the car. "No, of course not." he replied, pulling out of the parking lot moments later.

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

It broke Shirley's heart to have to leave the children behind but her only consolation was that she would bring them back a souvenir...she just didn't tell them what kind of souvenir. The younger of the children, Tracy and Chris, started crying as their mother and father began to load up the car with Shirley's bags. Danny who was ten was a little bit stronger. Even though he was upset that his mother was leaving for the Caribbean and that he couldn't go with her, he wasn't going to make a big fuss about it...until she was gone. Laurie on the other hand knew exactly why Shirley was going and therefore she wasn't upset.

She hugged her mother goodbye and watched her mother and father get in the car and drive off. Jacob would be coming back Laurie knew, but her mother wouldn't be...at least not until her mission was complete.

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

Going to the airport was tough and yet saying goodbye to Jacob had been tougher. She would miss her husband greatly; miss his love, strength and support.

As she sat in her seat, feeling the plane taxi down the runway, she thought back to the conversation she had had with Jacob on the way to the airport...

/\FLASHBACK/\

Shirley was wringing her hands together nervously. She had no idea what she was going to do or say when she saw Keith; fall apart like a blond idiot more than likely.

Her husband Jacob who was driving the car, glanced over at her and noticing her nervousness, gingerly took her left hand.

"You can do this, I have faith in you honey." he said to her. Shirley looked over at him worriedly. "But...what if...what if Keith doesn't want to know me when I meet him?" she asked.

If that were so that would break her heart. Her own son who was dead now turns up alive and then doesn't want to meet his own mother...she would just die if that happened.

"Shirley, you are his mother, you...you are a great mother. Don't second guess yourself honey. The kids love you, I love you and I know deep down that Keith loves you." Jacob said. He reached over and quickly kissed Shirley's forehead before returning his attention to the road.

/\END FLASHBACK/\

Opening her eyes, Shirley smiled and gave a huge sigh as the plane took off. Now she had no choice but to go through with the plan. She would deal with any and all obstacles they came her way. She was most worried about the whole 'no passport' deal. What if they didn't let her in to Santa Alicia? She would never get to see Keith then; she would have gone all that way for nothing!

No, no...that wouldn't...it couldn't happen!

Shirley rode the plane to Canada where she then caught a connecting flight to Santa Alicia. All in all it was a long flight, taking her two full days to get there, but on the morning of Tuesday the plane landed on the small airstrip in Santa Alicia. Rising from her seat Shirley grabbed her bags and headed off the plane.

Entering the air terminal she, along with the others went to check in so they could get entry in to Santa Alicia. When it was her turn, Shirley stepped up to the desk and handed the man the papers she had.

After checking her driver's license, he asked, "Do you have a passport?"

The man's accent sounded French, but Shirley couldn't be sure because his eyes, his strong, brown eyes were staring at her carefully as if sizing her up. "No, I...I lost it." Shirley said.

Wait...what? Lost it? She never even had a passport why the hell did she say she lost it? Shirley didn't know why she said what she did. Perhaps it was the man's scary eyes, perhaps it was just nerves but what was done was done. Shirley saw the man gesture to a nearby guard who approached and stood directly behind her while the man got on a phone to someone that Shirley didn't know.

"We need some assistance at Desk 2. Possible illegal entry." the man said in to the phone.

Shirley was scared that she was going to be deported. All she wanted was to see her son and take him back with her; no more and no less but if she wasn't allowed in to Santa Alicia...

Shirley was pulled back from her self absorbed musings when an elderly man with dark skin approached her. The man nodded to the security guard standing behind her, who gently yet firmly took hold of her arms and guided her along the hallway in to a small room that held a table and two chairs; one on either side of the table. To Shirley it looked like an interrogation room; perhaps it was.

She was placed in a chair and everything she had on her was removed; bags, her purse...everything. After the police looked through everything they handed her back her purse while her paperwork was being run through.

Several hours later the elderly man with the scary eyes came back in to the room, a file in his hand.

Shutting the door, the man said, "We called your husband and he did vouch for you." He then sat down in one of the chairs and looked at Shirley. She, for her part sighed in relief before asking, "Can I go now?"

The man shook his head. "Not that quickly. We don't have anyone to vouch for him. He's just a number you gave us."

Shirley looked confused. Jacob's word wasn't good enough for these people?

"He's my husband." she reiterated.

The man didn't look convinced. "So you say," he replied. "I also called the airline and they don't have any record of any passports being left on the plane."

Shirley had to think fast. She couldn't go back on the whole 'lost passport' story, not now, so she said the only thing she could think of. "Maybe they haven't found it yet."

"Maybe. Listen...Mrs...Partridge? We do have rules and regulations that have to be followed too, just like in America." the man began, opening up the folder in front of him. "Do you know what would happen if I tried to enter your country with this?"

Shirley shook her head. She didn't have any idea and frankly she didn't care. All she cared about was getting Keith back from that monster who took him.

"I do. It's my job to know, Mrs. Partridge. I would be refused admission and be deported at my own expense." the man said.

Shirley shrugged her shoulders in response to that threat. "Well, it was an accident that I lost my passport and you have my driver's license." she replied.

The man had to chuckle at that. "Ma'am," he began, "Do I look like a Budget- Rent-A-Car to you? I need a passport! Your license and this can be bought on any street corner these days, and this birth certificate isn't even a certified copy!"

Shirley could tell she was losing this. She would be deported; that's all there was to it. She had come this far and was going to be refused admission. She had failed.

"Please," she begged, tears forming in her eyes, "You have to let me in, I think my son is here and...and I haven't seen him in so long."

She looked in the man's eyes; he didn't look convinced, so she asked, "Don't you have children?"

At that question the man nodded his head and replied, "Yes I do, and my oldest is away working. I haven't seen him in two years."

Two years was a long time, but try fourteen years! That's how long Shirley had gone on without Keith; she didn't think she could live another year without him!

"Well...sir...I haven't seen my son in fourteen." Shirley said. She lowered her head, feeling the tears falling down her face.

The man sighed and leaned back, watching her cry. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her if her story was true, but he knew the rules as well. Without a passport Shirley had to go...however...

"Okay...we are a small island, and we can bend the rules from time to time so...this is what I am prepared to do. You fill out the Lost Passport form and I'll submit it to your local consulate. Once filed, I'll admit you in to Santa Alicia for forty eight hours, during which time you must report to the local police officer and have him extend your visa. Miss that deadline and I will come and get you myself." the man said.

Shirley smiled and nodded her head, grateful beyond words for the man's generosity. It took her thirty minutes to fill out the form and another two hours before the form was filed but once it was and she was allowed to go, Shirley left the air terminal as quickly as she could.

She got a taxi and had the driver take her to a small shop named Caribbean Diving Adventures, which was the name of the shop owned by 'Captain Nathan' her husband, but the shop was closed up; the sign on the door saying that they were out and wouldn't be back till Friday so Shirley had the taxi driver take her to her hotel and once there, she quickly checked in, went to her room and fell down on her bed; totally exhausted.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep dreaming of her son.