Chapter Fifteen
Chloe was on the phone in the office calling Liz to make sure the final details for her trip were ready. "So I should get there by Friday night. After checking into my hotel, I'll give you a ring Liz."
"You know Chloe you're still welcome to stay with Max and I." Liz said as she fixed her twins their lunch.
"Liz, I don't mind staying in a hotel. Besides, I know how hectic your house must be with four children running around. Not to mention all the excitement with visiting family. I totally don't mind staying in a hotel. While I do appreciate the offer but, I'm kind of wanting the solitude of a hotel room." Chloe replied the amusement evident in her voice.
"You know sometimes I forget that you've got a houseful of kids yourself." Liz said amused by her own forgetfulness. "Anyway, you can just come on by Saturday morning and we can leave for the center from here. I can do the test and have it completed in a matter of hours. No sweat."
"Good, the sooner I have the results the better. Liz, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you doing this for me. You have no idea how much I truly appreciate it."
"Chloe, I don't mind doing this for you. Especially when I know it will help you. I just want to make sure you know that you are doing this for the right reasons. Because once you find out the results there is no turning back. You will know for sure if Philip can biologically be Jarod's father. Nothing can change that.
"I know you're right Liz but I've thought this out. I need to do the test for myself for my own piece of mine. I have to."
On the other side of the line, Liz started to put her youngest children into their high chairs. "As long as you know your reasons for doing it. My babies are starting to rowdy so I'm going to feed them. But, I'll talk to you before you leave right?"
"Yes, I'll call you later. Bye."
"Okay bye." Liz said seconds late as she hung up the phone.
And Chloe did the same as she mentally checked the phone conversation off her list of things to do. She was ready to go, the only thing she really had left to do was to wait for Saturday to come when she could find out about Jarod's paternity for sure.
~*~*~*~*~*@*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile her children were making plans of their own along with the expert help of the Black children.
"So are you sure everything is set? Conrad are you sure, absolutely positive that you didn't have any problems?" Jarod asking nervously pacing in back of the him.
"Man, would you please stop pacing. I told you I'd set everything up. I already hacked into the Airplane computer system and set your flight up. You'll be sitting right next to Aunt Chloe on the 7:30 flight to Las Cruces International on Friday. And JT already got the tickets for you. I've told you this like a thousand times already. You have nothing to worry about. I completely hooked you up." He swiveled around in his chair to watch his cousin. "Besides, if you're going to worry about anything, you should probably worry about the twins handling their parts."
"Conrad, we've got our parts down, there is nothing for Jarod to worry about. If we didn't think we could handle it we never would have asked him to go. This is important so trust me we will keep up our end of the bargain." Ariana said from her position on Jarod's bed.
"Alright, I,ll try to stop worrying about this." Jarod said down next to her on his bed. "Hey did you guys tell Serena about the plan?"
"No, we didn't get a chance since Aunt Belle came and picked her up. I'll tell her tomorrow at school though. And I'll be sure that she knows what's going on–––," Racquel stopped speaking as Chloe entered the room. All of the children were silent wondering what they could say to throw her off.
Chloe opened the door and was met with an unusual silence as well as the semi-guilty faces of the children. Well, not really all that guilty but more like concealing, as if they had something to hide. Which she knew upon observation that they were most likely up to something especially considering that they were all there holed up in the room like thieves planning their next heist. Jarod sat on his bed next to Ariana; Jessica, Racquel, and Spencer were on the floor together; Dominic and Conrad were sitting by the computer. All of them were silent as if waiting for a pin to drop. "Well don't you guys look peaceful. At little too peaceful if you ask me. Which probably means you're up to something." The children's faces all went for their innocent expressions.
"Mom, we're not up to anything. Honestly, we're not." Jessica added sweetly.
Chloe smiled slightly as her eyebrow rose. "Mm hmm yeah right well I came up to tell you that Mimi's on her way over to pick you up so you need to get ready to go."
She turned and started out the door. "Oh and guys, I don't believe for a second that you aren't up to anything. And I will find out sooner or later." She said before leaving completely. As she left the room everyone released the breath they had been holding.
"Okay, that was close. We have to be more careful next time. We can't afford for any one of our parents to find out about the plan before it happens." Jarod stood.
"I agree completely, I don't want to be banded from using the computer, indefinitely … again." Conrad said doing his secret handshake with Jarod. "Alright man, we'll see you later good luck." Conrad said as he and his siblings left the bedroom.
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It was Friday night; Chloe was at the airport getting her ticket. Her mother and children were there because she hadn't wanted to say goodbye to them at home.
She returned to where they were all waiting, with only her purse in her hands, Nancy was sitting on a chair with Jessica in her lap. Dominic and Jarod were nowhere to be seen and Ariana was just now walking back to them with a soda in her hands.
"My flight's going to start boarding soon, I have about two minutes." She said sitting down next to Nancy and taking Jessica in her lap. She lifted the little girl's face to hers so that she could see her green eyes. "Jessica, I'm only going to be gone for a day sweetie. Before you know it I'll be right back. No more than that, and as a matter of fact I'll be back home bright and early Sunday morning." Chloe told her youngest child reassuringly as she gently pushed Jessica's black curls behind her ears.
"I know Mommy. I'll just miss you a whole lot." Jessica answered nodding.
"And I'll miss you too sweetheart." The flight attendant called out over the loud speaker that her flight was now boarding. Chloe stood up with Jessica in her arms; she kissed her cheek and handed her to Nancy who now stood beside her. "Ariana," she paused, as she looked her daughter. Ariana looked guilty about something like she was keeping a secret.
"Yes, Mommy?" Ariana responded holding her soda in her hands. Her long hair lay on shoulders over the jean jacket she had on. Even though, she resembled her mother, she never more looked like Philip than she did now, Chloe thought looking at her. She was definitely guilty for doing something. But, for what Chloe didn't know.
"Where are your brothers?" Ariana began to twirl her hair with her fingers; a sure sign that she was up to something. "Ana, your brothers, where are they? I want to say goodbye to them before I leave." She still didn't respond to Chloe, she simply flipped her head moving one of the strands hanging down her forehead by her head.
"Mom, I-I don't know. They said they were going to the bathroom." She shrugged. "I told them that your flight was going to be called while they were gone and they told me to tell you they love you and they'll miss you." Ariana answered making it up as she went along.
"Okay, well they're calling my section so I need to go. Give me a hug." Chloe said as she walked over to her daughter and kissed the top of her head. "Tell your brothers I will miss them and I love them too. I'll call when I arrive in Las Cruces. Alright now be good." She turned to Nancy as she released Ariana. "I'll be back on Sunday, Mom. Love you." She kissed Nancy's cheek and then moved towards the flight attendant and handed her the ticket. After the women took the ticket Chloe turned around once more to scan the crowds for her sons. When she didn't see them she moved on down the corridor to the plane.
Nancy held one of her granddaughters in her arms while the other one stood next to her looking somewhat relieved, "Well, now as soon as your brothers come back we can leave. I'm sure your granddad will be wondering where we got to. What on earth is taking them so long?" Nancy asked Ariana who simply shrugged in response.
"I'm right here Grandma." Dominic said giving his twin a slight reassuring nod to let her know everything went as planned. Nancy turned to him and asked, "Where's Jarod?"
"On the plane with Mommy," Jessica answered and pointed to the plane as it was on its way down the runway.
"Oh boy, is your mom in for a surprise." Nancy said softly as she watched the plane take off, dazed, a little humored and worried.
~*~*~*~*~*~@~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe settled into her seat and took out her headphones, since the flight was bound to be a long one. She tuned the radio station onto the classical station put her head against the chair and closed her eyes. The seat next to her was empty as it had been since take off. But, the flight attendant had informed her that someone was sitting next to her, She just hoped they wouldn't bother her. She was in a completely relaxed mode when the person next to her came to sit down.
Jarod breathed easy as he got into his seat. He had gotten onto the plane without any trouble at all. Ariana had kept their mother from suspecting anything. Once he had got on the plane he hid in the bathroom until after takeoff as a way of reassurance. He knew when his mother woke up she was going to be very surprised to see him. But he had to do this because he promised Philip he would take care of things and that was just what he was going to do.
~*~*~*~*~*~@~*~*~*~*~*~
Chloe opened her eyes when she felt an added weight on her shoulder. She was going to have to tell the person next to her that she was not a pillow. However, as she moved her head over to say something to them, she paused in shock. It was Jarod; he was sitting next to her and not some strange rude person she didn't know, her son. Somehow he had gotten on this plane without her knowledge. As she went over the events in her head she realized that the children had planned this from the beginning,
While, of course she was angry she was also touched by the fact that Jarod had came with her. He was her own little protector, just like his father, Philip (if what she thought was true). She pulled the cover she had on her over him and brushed a stray blond hair off his forehead and promptly fell back asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~@~*~*~*~*~*~
"Look at that June," the brunette flight attendant said as she pointed to the sleeping mother and child.
"I know isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw. I thought it was absolutely adorable. " June replied as she too looked at the sleeping pair. With the mother's head resting over her sons.