Chapter 35
For several minutes, they flew in silence, no one saying a word. Then the flight attendant got up again. "Our pilot has asked that no one use their cell phones for the duration of the flight. Please understand, there are fighter jets from more than one country and we all saw that missile. Without knowing who and what's in the air right now, we certainly don't want to take any chances."
Twenty minutes later, the co-pilot came out to see them. He smiled, "I have good news but first I have a question. All of you boarded a flight for Athens. If things were normal today, how many of you would have Athens as your final destination?"
Artie looked around. Only her 3 friends raised their hands. "All right. We'll be landing in Athens in a few minutes, you'll feel the plane start its descent soon. Now for everyone who isn't getting off the plane there, would London Gatwick or Heathrow sound better?"
He got applause for that and he smiled, "Our status has been changed to an Evacuation flight, which means we have a little more leeway. When we land in Athens, there will be a lot of flashing lights and military there to greet us. They just want to make sure we're not a jet full of bad guys waiting to attack. That's okay, I for one will be very happy to see them. They haven't said this but we think we should all be prepared to show our passports and any other paperwork, such as visas, you have with you. We may have to wait on the tarmac for a few minutes before they allow us to pull up to the gate. We'll also be allowed to refuel. And…the baby's mother, where are you?"
Everyone pointed and Artie, in the process of burping little Hope, gave a little wave. "We'll be taking on supplies for the baby, bottles, formula, diapers. Anything else you need?"
Artie smiled, "Clothes for her, everything was lost on our hike to the airport. Leggings, a long sleeve top, socks, booties. She's 4 months old. And please, may we have some food? I don't know about anyone else but I'm starving and there's a great food court in the airport."
He smiled, "All right, what would you like?"
She told him and several other people raised their hands for that as well, a minced meat souvlaki. Artie ordered 3 for herself, along with coffee and a bottle of water.
After the flight attendants had all their orders, the co-pilot continued, "Now, back to destinations. Are there any North Americans aboard?"
Several people raised their hands and he nodded, seeming to make a decision. "We'll be flying into Heathrow." He continued, "Once we've been inspected by our friends the Greeks, you'll be able to use your cell phones, it'll be easier on the ground anyway. Back in the air, we're still at risk; we're told there's a great deal of confusion about what's going on in Turkey, although as far as we know, the violence is still limited to Amzida. We'll let you know when you can use your phones, make your calls, eat your food, and then relax, put your phones away while we continue to London Heathrow. We anticipate we'll be on the ground for two hours and unfortunately, we're not allowed off the aircraft. Also, because of our evacuation status, we aren't taking on any other passengers."
He looked at the 3 men. "You three will disembark as soon as we land. They'll question you and then get you to the terminal."
All three nodded and Artie smiled at them. She'd figured out during their hike to the airport, hours ago now, who they must be or at least how they came to know about her. But then Geordie had given that clue to Tim in the first place. Maybe she should have named the baby Georgina. Well, she still could. It wasn't as if there was a birth certificate with her!
The landing was smooth, much to everyone's relief. They sat, quietly chatting. From what Artie overheard, several of them had been on a tour together, traveling through the Mediterranean. Eventually, the pilot announced the deployment of the gangway and the senior flight attendant came forward, tapping Artie's 3 friends on their shoulders. "You're clear to disembark. The military folks are waiting for you at the bottom of the gangway. Be safe."
Artie blinked back tears as they filed past her, smiling to herself when Smiley flashed her the same gesture she'd seen so many hours ago. Their window shades were pulled down so they couldn't see outside but when the hatch opened, Artie caught a glimpse of what looked like a fleet of military vehicles. She cuddled Hope, murmuring to her and the baby made a little noise, settling against her.
When the military boarded, they were professional. They split into four teams, front and back, each side of the aisle. As Artie and Hope had their aisle to themselves and were up front, she was the first in her section to be questioned. A man in a Greek Army uniform identified himself as Captain Lekkas. She nodded and held out her passport, her visa for the UK and the now useless one for Turkey. He questioned her about her reasons for being in Amzida and she told him about her project, with his permission showing him photos of the new bridge taken yesterday. She also had papers from work and gave him those. He nodded, "Thank you, that's very comprehensive. Do you have family in Greece?"
"Yes, my grandmother."
"Where does she live?"
She told him and he smiled, saying, "My wife and I recently took our children to visit their grandparents in Thessaloniki, for Easter. While we were gone, we gave a friend of ours the key to our house. She had family coming to visit and since it was still too chilly to swim in the ocean, we thought the children would enjoy our heated pool. Then too, one of the family is recovering from an injury and she says the hot tub was wonderful for him."
Artie's mouth dropped open and tears came to her eyes. She said her grandmother's full name and the captain nodded. "Yes. I will tell her I saw you, although I think the baby will be a surprise."
Not knowing what to say about Hope, Artie tilted her head in a noncommittal gesture. While he might be a friend of her grandmother's, he was also a soldier and she didn't want to risk the baby being taken away from her or any further delay while they decided what to do. Evidently, the head tilt was enough as the captain nodded to her and moved on. The others, seeing that nothing bad or unpleasant was happening, were beginning to relax a little.
Once they'd checked everyone's legal documents, all but 3 of the military left the plane. The 3 stood at the front and spoke, in English, so all could hear. "Thank you for your patience, it was imperative that we discover who was really on this plane and we are happy and relieved you are not the insurgents. We understand you've been through some difficult times getting this far. We congratulate you on your perseverance and welcome you to the Hellenic Republic. We hope you return for a longer and more pleasant visit with us. Part of your flight crew has been sent for your food and I believe the food courts had the list already. Now, we have one more thing; Ms. Galanis, you have a visitor."
Artie looked up, her eyes asking and saw a smile on the Colonel's face. "I see it will be less effort to bring her on board. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Galanis' grandmother lives here in Greece and has been at the airport for hours, begging to see her granddaughter when your flight arrived. If there were more, we'd have a problem but she is one, so we will allow it. I believe she has been cleared to fly with you to London."
Artie stood as she heard her grandmother's voice and saw her walking up the gangway. Still holding the baby, she turned when a fellow passenger standing behind her tapped her on the shoulder, "I'll take the baby for a few minutes if you'd like."
"Thank you, yes."
The 3 military men nodded as they separated, allowing Mimi to get through. Artie nearly fell into her arms, "Yaya. Oh Yaya. I'm so happy to see you." She whispered in her ear, "Don't ask about the baby, I'll tell you later."
Mimi nodded, crying too hard to say anything, neither woman noticing the applause from the other passengers. Artie did notice when her baby minder shushed the others, pointing to the sleeping baby. The two women stood in the aisle, holding on while the military men departed. When the flight attendant and the co-pilot returned with boxes and bags of food, the two finally sat down and Artie reclaimed the baby, with another thank you.
Before they ate, the pilot announced they could now use their cell phones and Artie grabbed hers before they changed their mind. Yaya had the baby, cuddling her as she slept.
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The walk had helped calm their nerves. They'd gone as far as Butterfly Hill, now sprouting wildflowers and the trees had leaves budding. Back in the house, Tim had just removed his jacket when his cell phone chimed. His family fell quiet as he grabbed it from his pocket.
"It's Artie!" He answered as everyone else held their breaths, the adults hoping it was really Artie, and not someone using her phone.
"Hello?"
"My darling Tim, I'm in Athens, safe. I'm on an evacuation flight, we're continuing on to Heathrow. How are all of you, my loves?"
She smiled through her tears as she heard her children and family cheering. "I'm sorry it's taken so long. The scooter had to be abandoned and we hiked, I met other people along the way to the airport. We're told now we were the last flight out, there were three others before our flight. When we landed here, there were military to question us. They were kind and best of all, they allowed Yaya on the plane and she's coming home with me!"
"It's so good to hear you, sweetheart, to know you're safe and Yaya's with you. We love you so much. We'll let Susannah and everyone know."
"Thank you, send my love please. Jethro, are you there?"
"I am, daughter." Jethro leaned over to speak to Artemis, using his hands to wipe the tears of joy and relief off his face. Next to him, Tim was still crying and Sarah reached up to mop his face.
"The Christmas my loves were in Cambridge, you made something special for Jimmy and Breena."
Jethro nodded, almost saying the word aloud before realizing she hadn't said it for a reason. "Yes, I remember."
"We will need something similar, although bigger, when I get home."
"Immediately?"
"Yes."
"Consider it done."
Tim thought back to that Christmas. Breena was heavily pregnant with Victoria and Dad made them a cradle. A cradle…a baby? But bigger, maybe she meant a crib. A baby. She had a baby with her. His eyes widened but he didn't say anything, didn't even look at his father. Rob watched both of them, he also remembered but followed their example.
"Sweetheart, are you hurt at all? Rob is here but we can take you to the hospital."
"No, no, I have a few blisters and scratches from the hike and I will welcome Rob's care for those, but otherwise I am not hurt." She paused and thanked someone. "Our flight attendant just told us our estimated arrival time at Heathrow. Due to our status as an evacuation flight, we'll have first priority and the closest gate. Yaya and I will be driven to Customs and will meet you there. I have all my paperwork, no worries, my love." She gave them the flight number and their ETA.
"Honey, do you and Mimi have jackets?"
"Oh, I had not even thought of that." They heard her turning to Mimi, "Do you have a bag with you?"
"Yes, my darling girl, the flight attendant took it from me before I reached you. But I did not think to bring a jacket."
Sarah leaned toward the phone, "We'll bring jackets for both of you. Mimi, I think one of mine will fit you fine."
"Yes, Sarah, thank you."
They heard someone say something and then Artie said, "Oh, we're leaving, our flight crew thought we'd be here longer. We have to say goodbye now, loves, we can't use our cells on the flight. And my minced meat souvlaki is getting cold!"
They laughed at that as they said goodbye and disconnected. Tim stood for a few seconds before his knees buckled and he silently collapsed, folding up and nearly going to the floor. His father and brothers, James was there, caught him. The four of them sat on the floor, Sarah and the kids with them as Tim cried out his relief.
Then he called Susannah. When she answered, he said, "I have good news and I've been crying, so don't be alarmed. She's safe, unhurt except for blisters and scratches from a long walk to the airport. She called from Athens, got the last plane out, an evacuation flight. And, Susannah, Yaya's with her! They allowed her to board the plane in Athens and she's flying home with them. They're landing at Heathrow in 3 ½ hours. And there's more, a little mystery but it doesn't seem bad. Come down when you can, there will always be room for you."
He looked up as his dad waved Big Blue's keys at him, Rob and James went with him. Tim figured they were going to buy a crib or maybe a cradle or bassinet. He thought of looking through the attic but decided if there was one, it would be too old; crib design had changed to keep babies safer.
Still sitting on the floor, although they'd moved to the carpeted living room which was warmer, his children near and on him, Tim borrowed Sarah's phone and sent out a group text. "Artie is safe, on a flight home from Athens. Thank you for your prayers, they worked! Love you all. Will be in touch soon, love Tim & our babies."
Across the Atlantic, there in the UK and in Greece, there were sighs of relief, cheers and a few tears, happy ones, as their family and friends saw the good news. In Athens, Sophia sat in her hotel room, crying with joy. Her daughter was alive! Even if things remained strained with her daughters, they were alive, that was the important thing. She could live her life in peace, knowing that. Realizing she needed to let her friend know, she sent a text to Eleni Caras. She hadn't heard from Kosmos, nor did she expect to. If he heard the happy news from Eleni, so be it.
Lu was still sniffling happy tears when Jethro called to see how she was doing. "Me? I'm all right, I can't imagine how you must be feeling."
"Long, unhappy, and tense day but the best resolution. And Artie asked me to buy a crib."
"She's pregnant?"
"Don't know about that, she said it was for immediate use. But she didn't come right out and ask for the crib, she reminded me of what I'd made the Palmers before Victoria was born. And that was a cradle. Only she said bigger, so I'm guessing a crib, unless you know of something else?"
"No, the only other thing would be a bassinet but that would have the same function as a cradle. So she's somehow gained a baby, but not a newborn. How on earth, oh J, do you suppose she rescued it?"
"Only thing I can think of. Have Rob and James with me, we'll buy a crib and a few other things. Don't know if the baby is a temporary guest or permanent member of the family." He chuckled as James said something in the background. "Did you hear James? He said there is no such thing as temporary in our family."
She smiled, "He's right about that."
They chatted for a couple of minutes before disconnecting, both glad they'd talked. Jethro felt better, as if he'd reconnected with the world again while Lu felt secure and happy that he'd needed her. Their connection was growing deeper, stronger while they worked toward whatever would come next.
They found a crib with all the latest safety designs, Rob carefully examining the details. While he did that, Jethro and James found other baby stuff. Crib mattress, sleep sacks, Jethro had no idea babies didn't sleep with blankets anymore and Rob explained that to him, a sling for baby to be carried in, a rear facing infant car seat, good for babies from 8-40 pounds, blankets, things they could buy without knowing the baby's age or could exchange or return if they weren't right for baby. Lu said not a newborn and Jethro thought about that. He'd told Jimmy about babies sleeping in their parents' room until their nighttime feedings diminished. Asking the store clerk, she confirmed that was usually between 3 and 4 months. So the baby was at least that old. Any other information would have to wait.
Returning home, the men took the crib and other items upstairs to the master suite while Tim and Sarah distracted the kids with a call to Uncle Geordie. The three men put it together pretty quickly. Later, the kids played outside while Tim washed the baby bottles and poked through everything else, wondering how long the mystery baby would be with them. There wasn't a baby monitor, they could buy one tomorrow. He smiled at a note from his Department Master, telling him to take Thursday and Friday off, they'd cover for him. He replied with thanks, sending what he'd had planned as far as discussions and assignments.
When the kids came in from the backyard, they asked what time they were leaving for the airport. Tim told them, looking at his watch. Another 90 minutes and even then they'd likely be waiting. He figured by that time, they'd rather wait at the airport than home. Sitting Sarah and the kids down, he told them a few things.
"Your mama has had a really hard time so let's be gentle with her and don't get upset if she cries or hugs you too hard. She might need to sleep a lot and that's fine, we won't worry about that. The other thing is, we think she has a baby with her."
At the astonished looks, he smiled, "Remember she asked Grandpa about what he made for Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Breena?"
They nodded and he continued, "That was right before baby Victoria was born." He saw Greg's eyes widen and he smiled, "Are you remembering, Scooter bug? Your grandpa built a bed for a tiny baby, called a cradle, for them."
Greg nodded, saying, "Were there baby ducks on the sides?"
"Yes, good memory, kiddo! Your mama said we'd need one of those but bigger and right away. We think she's bringing a baby home with her and asked your grandpa that so we'd know to have a crib for the baby."
Andy blinked, "How did you know all that?"
"Because your mother is a very smart person and she remembered me saying that my dad made a cradle for Jimmy and Breena's baby and knew if she reminded him of the cradle but said it would need to be bigger, we'd think she might have a baby with her."
"Wow! Did you know all that from your work?"
Sarah chuckled, "They do, Andy. They know how to look into the words that people say, to see if there are other meanings."
"That's awesome."
Tim ruffled his hair, "We don't do it all the time, sweetie, most of the time people really do mean what they're saying. But in a situation where you might not want people around you to know what you're saying, it comes in handy."
Kyle was quiet, thinking. "Is it a girl baby or a boy baby?"
"We don't know yet."
"Did Mimi bring her or is it Mama's?"
"Ah, that's a good question. I think it's probably your mother's."
"How come the baby isn't with its mama and papa?"
"We don't know that yet, either. But when we see her, we'll let her rest and eat before we ask too many questions."
Andy smiled, "She'll probably tell us anyway, Kyle."
"Okay."
Rissa grinned, "I hope it's a girl, then I won't be the only one!"
"That's the other thing, kids. We don't know how long the baby will stay with us. Maybe it got separated from its parents and they'll come get her or him. Or maybe there's a Yaya or a Mimi."
When Greg whispered, "Or an uncle", Tim wrapped his arms around him. "Or an uncle or aunt who will love that baby as if it's their very own." Greg leaned into him for a hug and Kyle joined them, vaguely remembering when his first mommy died and Papa, who was Tim their uncle then, had taken them home with him, kept them safe.
"Bunk beds, Daddy?"
"No, Kyle, the baby's probably too young for that. It'll sleep in our room tonight. Want to see the crib that your grandpa and uncles put together?"
As they trooped up the stairs, Kyle pulled on his sleeve, "Daddy, is put together different from building?"
"Yes." Tim explained the difference, adding that even their master builder couldn't build a crib in less than a day. They giggled at that and he relaxed a little bit more.
Finally, it was time to go to the airport. They brought the baby sling, car seat, jackets, a pair of sneakers and socks for Artie and two of Rissa's old baby blankets. And their very relieved and happy selves.
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Once in safe air space, Artie was allowed to text Tim with their flight number and a message to call the airline and give her name to get their final arrival time. The evacuees' names had not been released to the media, so no one but those who had been contacted by the evacuees would know.
When Tim called, he was given the time and told he and his family could join his wife, daughter, and grandmother in a special Customs area set up for them. That told him the baby was a girl and that Artie had passed her off as her own baby. He shared that piece of information with Dad, his sister and brothers.
They'd be in the same room and could see them, but wouldn't be able to physically greet them until through Customs. And everyone allowed through would have to go through Security first. Tim had no problems with that and explained to his family. It was a way to keep their homecoming private.
He asked his dad to drive, saying he was too distracted and his father pulled him in for a hug and kiss. Tim wrapped his arms tight around his dad, realizing how painful this must have been for him, to go through it again. Although with Shannon and Kelly, there'd been no suspense – and no save.
They were directed to park in a different lot, another way to avoid the media tonight, and were happy to have a much shorter walk. Having no suitcases with them also helped. Sarah had the jackets, Rob had his medical kit, Andy the shoes and socks, Greg the baby sling, Dad and James the baby blankets. Kyle and Rissa held Papa's hands as they walked in.
They went through a different Security area than they were used to and were directed to a large room with what looked like temporary walls. Among the first to arrive, Sarah, Dad, Tim and the children stood in front while Rob and James stood to the side, not wanting to block anyone else's view. They'd talked with Geo before they left, he'd tried to get leave for tonight but was turned down. Tim promised to bring Artie and Mimi to see him in the next couple of days. He was having another treatment on Friday and the doctors wanted him to stay at the hospital through that treatment.
When the Customs staff arrived, they knew it was time. Other people had joined them and one of the women tapped Sarah on the shoulder, "Are you the family with the mother and baby coming home? My sister told me she saved them all."
Sarah nodded, looking at Tim, whose eyebrows were at his hairline. He turned, "My wife will probably be modest about it. Do you know any more?"
"Yes, she was sitting behind your wife and the baby. Before they could leave Amzida, several rough men came aboard. They'd been warned not to panic or speak unless spoken to. Your wife had been feeding the baby with an eye dropper and stopped when the men came aboard. The baby started crying and one of the men asked what was wrong with her. Your wife said she'd been feeding her and would it be all right if she continued. He said yes and she resumed. He asked what the baby's name was and she said Hope. Then he asked if she was Turkish and she said no, Greek and gave him her passport without him having to ask. He asked more questions and she answered them very calmly and honestly, about her work and then he said he liked the bridge she'd built, that it honored their past and would remain. Then he turned to the rest of the passengers and said none of them were Turkish, they would be allowed to leave and that they should thank your wife for her honesty. And to go home to their families. My sister said just about everyone cried when the men left."
Tim tried to breathe evenly. Finally he nodded, one arm around Andy, who was shaking. "That's our Artemis. Calm and collected." He pulled Andy and Rissa toward him before thanking the woman. She nodded with a smile.
In the enclosed room, they hadn't realized how close they were to the gate but then they heard a plane pulling up, the engines shutting down and realized they were just steps from the outer door. In minutes, there was a blast of cold air as a cart full of baggage appeared and the Customs staff began sorting it. The first people to appear in the Customs room were their loved ones, Artie, carrying a tiny bundle, and Mimi. The family cheered even while they had tears running down their cheeks. With only Artie's backpack and Mimi's carry-on, they went through passport control/Customs fairly quickly. Mimi took the baby while her granddaughter was swamped by her husband and children, followed by Jethro, Rob, Sarah and James. Then they transferred to Mimi, while Tim took the baby.
"Hello, baby Hope, welcome home, sweetie!"
The drowsy baby looked at him and gurgled. He smiled, "Oh, you're beautiful!"
Eventually, they left, getting into Big Blue before anyone noticed them. Once they reached home, Artie told all of them, with Susannah, Ian, Lu, Bill, Jose, Freddie, Barry, Tony, Ducky, Jimmy and Abby on Skype, about the long, difficult hike to the airport. She said she'd joined with three brothers, riding on the back of a scooter until they'd had to abandon the scooters in favor of walking.
She told them there was too much debris in the streets to be able to get through on the scooters. In some ways, it was easier walking as the scooters were noisy and attracted attention. By walking, they could more easily hide or move in a different direction if they saw or heard anything they wanted to avoid. The adults listening thought they'd hear the real details at some point.
She told of her grief as they neared the airport and saw a jet leaving. "I thought that was it, but one of the brothers told me there would be others, that we'd gotten that far. It took us till nearly evening to reach the airport. When we first saw the terminal," she told them about thinking the terminals were empty and then seeing that everyone was sitting on the floor.
"Why, Mama?"
"They were all Turkish citizens, Greg. I guess the government didn't want them to leave the country." She took a breath, "That's where I found the baby. She was by herself, about 20 feet from anyone else, lying on a blanket wearing a diaper and a little shirt. I heard a baby cry and no one responded. No one shushed her or murmured. That's not normal for the Turkish people I met. I've seen people voluntarily help total strangers, especially children. I don't know what caused them to leave the baby alone. I do know they were all scared for their lives and they were all sitting still in one place, as if someone ordered them to sit and be still or something horrible would happen to them. I don't know...
"I asked the people closest and they said a woman brought her in, put her down and said she'd be back, but she was badly injured. She collapsed and died before anyone could help her. She didn't have any ID on her, she must have been like the rest of us, ran out with her baby and not much else. I didn't see her, she must have been moved. So I took the baby. We went to the ticket counter to find out the next flight and the lady there told me right away that babies under a year travel under their parents' passport.
"I knew she'd seen me pick up the baby, I knew she knew it wasn't mine. But I also knew then that if I didn't take the baby, she might die. The ticket counter lady asked me what the baby's name was and I said, 'Hope Luella McGee'. I didn't know that she was a girl, I hadn't had time to check. I decided if Hope was a boy, I'd name him Nikolas Jethro McGee.
"Before we left the ticket counter, the nice lady gave me a box of milk and a package of diapers and whispered that was all she could find for her and to take her and be safe. Someone, I don't remember who, handed me an eye dropper, saying I could feed the baby with it. I rinsed it out and fed her milk with it. When we landed in Athens, the co-pilot brought supplies for us, a baby bottle, more diapers, blanket and clothes. I think he knew, too. I thought I'd get her home with us and then contact the International Red Cross. Her father may have been at work or away from home when her mother took her. She could have aunties and uncles, a yaya and pappous, too."
"Mama, Papa told us how you told him and Grandpa that you had a baby with you. But you were safe, you were on the plane in Athens. How come you didn't tell him?"
She smiled at Tim and Jethro and then turned back to her children. "I haven't told you that part yet, sweetie! Before we left Amzida, we were told not to use our cell phones, even before we took off; there were fighter jets from different countries in the air and our pilots didn't want any of the military jets to think we had bad guys with us because of a cell phone signal. Then, before we landed in Athens, the co-pilot told us that because of everything going on, we would land in Athens but wouldn't be allowed to taxi to a gate. Instead, we would taxi to a special area where military people would come aboard and check to make sure we were who we said we were. Sort of like going through Customs without leaving our seats. Captain Lekkas was my customs' officer and he checked my papers and then smiled. He told me he and his family had gone to Thessaloniki for two weeks over Easter and they'd given the key to the house to a friend who would have visitors, well, you know who he turned out to be?"
Tim and Jethro were smiling, they both had an inkling. Mimi grinned as Artie continued, "He's the owner of our pool and hot tub, that's who he is! He said he'd call Mimi right away, tell her he saw me and that the baby and I were safe."
"Now, I hadn't told anyone that the baby wasn't mine, that I'd just picked her up off the airport floor and kept her. I was pretty sure the ticket counter people told the flight crew but they didn't say anything. I didn't tell the passengers because it wasn't any of their business and I didn't tell Captain Lekkas because I didn't want to delay the flight. I was sure there would be a fuss and they might even take the baby from me. So I didn't say anything to him, although I'm sure he knew the baby wasn't mine."
She stopped for breath and Mimi jumped in, "I was already at the airport, we'd heard rumors that evacuation flights were coming through Athens. Father Dimakos and the others left after our prayers and I decided to go to the airport and wait, even if I had to stay overnight somewhere. So I took an overnight bag with me and threw my passport in my handbag. Then my neighbor Andrina Sotiropoulos drove me in. She waited with me for a few hours but had to leave for a medical appointment.
"When we got to the airport, I went to the ticket counters of every airline to ask about a flight coming in from Amzida. They all said no, but one of the ticket people wouldn't look me in the eye when he said no and I decided that was the airline. I waited hours after Andrina left, watching the planes coming in and leaving. Finally, from the terminal I could see the military vehicles arriving and I hoped that meant a flight was coming in from Amzida. I couldn't get through Security of course, so I just kept waiting. Then I saw a plane taxi in but it never went to a gate and was not announced. Forty minutes later, I had a text from Peter, that's Captain Lekkas, that he'd seen Artie and that she and the baby were safe. I replied that I was at the airport and asked if I could see her. That's how I met baby Hope and got to fly home with your mama!"
The group, on Skype and at the house, applauded and the two women laughed, hugging everyone again. The baby slept through everything, finally waking as the kids were going to bed that night. Kyle looked at her, "Hi, baby Hope. I'm your brother Kyle. Now we have 2 sisters!" Greg grinned at his little brother, then leaned over and kissed the baby, "Hi, little sister. I'm your brother Greg, happy to meet you. You're going to love our family."
Tim opened his mouth, looked at his wife and shrugged, they had no idea what would happen with Hope. He fed her, Artie showing him how to hold a bottle and then she burped her. Tim laughed at the enormous belch coming out of such a tiny being. "No wonder babies cry when they have gas! With that much in them, it must take up their whole body!"
He kissed the baby and then his wife. "You're exhausted, in case you didn't know. You're on house rest for the rest of the week. I'll contact the Red Cross in the morning and see what we need to do."
"You're a foster parent."
"In the States, yes. Not here."
She yawned and he took the baby, changed her, put pajamas on her and then slipped her into one of the sleep sacks Dad brought home. "There you go, little one. Sleep well and hopefully all night."
Then he undressed his wife, helping her to the shower, helped her in the shower, restraining himself because she was exhausted, put a nightgown on her as he was sure the kids would invade in the morning, and tucked her in. She smiled, "My gallant husband. Love you so much! Think we should name Hope after Geordie? Because of the Gesture?"
"I think he would not like that because that is something that cannot be told to anyone, ever."
"Not even Jethro?"
"Only with the captain's permission."
She started to say something but fell asleep before she completed her thought.
While Wednesday had been excruciatingly long, tense and terrifying, Thursday was chaotic and confusing, at least outside the house. By morning, the media had the story of the woman who saved the plane full of evacuees, whose grandmother had somehow gotten on the plane in Athens and flown to London with them. The grungy guy's comments about the bridge she built were quoted as well as his comment that she'd saved their lives by being honest with him.
Before the media figured out where she lived, the McGees' protectors got busy. With the permission of the landlord, quick to approve once he discovered he could keep everything, by days' end there was an 8 foot privacy fence around the entire property, with the special approval of Brambury's town government. They normally didn't like fences and certainly not fences more than 6 feet tall but decided the fence would add to the allure of the property and thus the town. The back and side gate locks were improved and additional security cameras were added, overlooking every point of entry to the property and the house. The backyard was secured so the family would still have privacy, even from the sky.
The firm that had Artie under contract issued a statement saying the firm was proud to have Artemis Galanis as one of their leading engineers. That was news to Artie as her contract had less than 6 weeks to go and no one had approached her about another project, much less commenting on her current one. She didn't want one anyway, unless she could work from home or a local office, but that was beside the point. A practical woman, she printed the statement, adding it to her CV.
Talk shows in the UK and several European countries bombarded the firm, wanting Artie to tell her story to them. The U.S. talk and morning news shows weren't far behind and the family had fun guessing who would make the next or the largest offer. When it became evident that the media wasn't going away, that is, no bigger or more sensational news story broke to take her off their minds, she pondered what to do. When Sarah offered to ask her publicist, she agreed.
What transpired was a simple statement from Artemis Galanis. Mentioning her childhood in a diplomatic environment, she said she'd found honesty was usually best and that the man on the plane hadn't asked her anything she felt was out of line. She said she hadn't thought about saving lives, she'd wanted to get the baby fed. She pointed out that none of them knew if he was one of the protestors or part of the existing government. Then she spoke of Amzida, the beautiful ancient city, of the architects and designers who made an effort to honor the city and country's past. She talked about the friendly, warm people of Amzida who'd made her feel welcome and safe. Her penultimate sentence reached out to them as well as the rest of the citizens of Turkey, with a simple hope that their lives would soon be made whole again. In closing, she asked those reading or watching to direct their energies to resolving conflict rather than chasing after gossip or the 'next big story'.
Rather than ending her '15 minutes of fame', it whetted the appetite of the news agencies and their customers. However, she was done and went about her life ignoring those who stuck cameras and microphones in her face. In due time, a less fortunate soul nudged her out of the limelight.
Tim contacted the International Red Cross on Thursday, explaining the baby Hope situation. Friday, the couple drove into London with the baby, where a DNA sample was taken and she was evaluated by the organization's physicians.
The International Red Cross helped secure temporary custody for them while the couple worked to qualify as foster parents in the UK. When they achieved that, Hope legally became their foster child. In the meantime, they'd received a letter from the Red Cross that no relatives had been found for the baby.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Aside from their trip into London for the meeting with the Red Cross, the family stayed close to home those first few days after Artie, Mimi, and Hope's arrival. The baby settled in without any problems, sleeping through the night most of the time, to everyone's relief.
Grandpa, Mimi, Sarah, and Rob, when he was home, put themselves on diaper duty with Tim and Artie and that helped. The baby spent her waking hours either being cuddled or on a blanket, eventually replaced with a belly mat with all sorts of fun things for her to play with and learn from.
The children were fascinated by little Hope. Andy and Greg laughed at Kyle and Rissa's reactions to the first smelly diaper, both remembering when their younger siblings had been the ones with the diaper bombs.
Andy knew how to hold the baby and showed Greg, who then remembered holding baby Victoria and baby Kyle before her. Kyle and Rissa were allowed to hold her, as long as an adult was also sitting with them.
Within days of Hope's arrival, presents began to arrive in the mail. Clothes, stuffed animals, a mobile for her crib, learning toys for her, more sleep sacks, leggings, tops, booties and hats, larger clothes for warmer weather, all kinds of thoughtful items, from their family in Europe and the US. Holding multiple Skype sessions, the Greek and American family met the baby that first Saturday.
A surprise gift came from Yaya Sophia, who'd heard about the baby from her mother. She sent long letters to her daughters and included the family christening outfit with her gift. She wanted to offer it for Hope if she hadn't yet been christened.
The letters and gift were topics of much discussion between Artemis, Susannah and Mimi. The letters were apologetic, full of remorse for her lifetime of inaction and joy that Artemis had survived the horrors. She told her daughters that even if they never forgave her for allowing their father to treat them as he had, as long as they were alive and happy, she could find some peace.
Mimi insisted on making the first contact, talking with her daughter via Skype so that she could gauge her sincerity. Her worry was that one word from Kosmos would send her daughter scurrying back to him. When she heard there had been no word from him, nothing, that made her worry even more. She didn't trust him, had never trusted him. When her daughter said she planned to divorce Kosmos, she urged her daughter to get legal help immediately. She would need to make sure she was not left penniless after 4 decades of marriage. When Sophia told her the name of the lawyer she was already working with, Mimi finally relaxed a little. He was known as a pit bull, her daughter would be taken care of. They came up with a plan to use if Kosmos did surface.
In the meantime, Mimi told Sophia she had a lot of work to do to establish new, healthy relationships with her daughters, that neither of them trusted her. She was encouraged to hear Sophia's acceptance of that and her willingness to work for their trust and affection.
The Monday after Artie's return, she had a letter from the engineering firm, citing her contract and the clause allowing her to leave without penalty if there were problems. There wasn't a problem, the Legal Department of the firm wanted to confirm that she would be paid as agreed and there would be no penalty, also as agreed.
There was also a handwritten note from the head of the firm, thanking her for her wonderful work and expressing hope that the government of Amzida would someday want to finish the bridge. He also said if she was interested in more work, to let him know, they'd love to continue working with her. Artie showed Tim who agreed when she said she'd be happy to take on something local or something she could supervise from home but that she wouldn't leave them again. It was too hard, especially now with baby Hope.
Mimi stayed with them for a week before flying home, saying she needed more clothes, she'd been alternating wearing Sarah's clothes with the few things she'd thrown in her overnight bag on the way to the airport. And she wanted to see Sophia in person with the hope they'd be able to start mending fences between them.
While the family said goodbye to Mimi and adjusted to their newest and youngest member, Abby contacted Gibbs, not sure if she should postpone her trip. Told to pack her bags and get on the plane, she did so, arriving on a Sunday, 11 days after Artie's return.
A/N: By now I hope it's obvious that I'm creating my own rules of fostering, adoption and several other things. Fiction, have no idea if there's a glint of reality to them. They fit the story.