Chapter 2

It didn't take long for Brooke and Tempe to be settled in the extra bedroom that was used as a guest room. Chris and Kim had moved two rollaway beds into the room and cleared away some closet space as well as moving the spare dresser in there.

Brooke made her way back to the living room where she could hear Chris on the phone. Probably letting Dad know we made it here safely, she thought. Suddenly, he looked up and his face expressed alarm.

"Just a sec, John," he said and looked up to see Brooke standing there. "Could you go get your Aunt Kim and Tempe and have them come in here, sweetie? Kim should be in the bedroom."

Confused, Brooke nodded. "Is it serious?" she asked.

"It could be."

The way he said that had Brooke on full alert. She immediately went upstairs and got Tempe first, then she went down to the master bedroom where Kim was sitting on the bed, reading a book. "Aunt Kim, Uncle Chris is on the phone with Dad, but he needs us down there."

Kim put her book down. "That's odd. Something must be up if your dad wants to talk to all of us. We'll be using that dreadful speaker phone too." She laughed and looped an arm around her surrogate niece's waist.

Once they were all assembled in the living room, Chris pressed the button for speaker phone. "John, can you hear us?" he asked.

"I hear ya fine, pal," came John's reply.

"Okay. Kim, Brooke, and Tempe are here." Chris sighed. "Tell them what you told me, buddy."

They all heard John sigh. "I got this information because of my work with Immigration to help the kids we reunited with their fathers with the transition." He paused. "I was given a report about a retired North Vietnamese officer who made an effort to emigrate here. He passed through Immigration and Customs and was given a temporary work visa. Kim, it's Thuy Tranh."

Chris let out a sigh while Kim paled. For a moment, Brooke thought her aunt was going to pass out right then and there.

"Kim, honey, do you honestly think it's possible he might try to make the effort to find you?" John asked gently. "It's been almost twenty years."

Kim finally found her voice. "It's not only possible, John, it's pretty likely," she replied in a shaky voice. "The last time I saw him was in Saigon, at Dreamland. He tried to take me away then. You know this."

"Did he use force?"

"He pulled a gun and was going to shoot me had Chris not intervened." Kim groped around for her husband's hand. Chris grabbed it and gave a gentle squeeze.

"I think he might be here in New York," Tempe cut in. Chris, Kim, and Brooke looked at her in surprise.

"What do you mean, sweetie?" John asked.

Tempe took a deep breath and told John what she'd seen earlier when she and Brooke first arrived at the brownstone. "I tried to convince myself I was just seeing things," she said. "I thought I was being paranoid, but that man was there. And he looked angry, but it was a calm rage."

"Dad, what do you think we should do?" Brooke asked.

"If you want them to stay elsewhere, I understand," Chris added. "Brooke mentioned that her friend's family has a summer home up here and that friend's here for the same cheer camp."

"No, that's not necessary," John assured him. "In fact, I'd feel better if you girls did stay there. Safety in numbers, and all that."

"Fair enough," Tempe chimed in. "Besides, once he sees how much of a badass I can be, he won't think of messing with us." She laughed.

"Hopefully, it won't come to that," John said seriously. "Keep in touch, guys and let me know if he tries to make contact with Kim."

Long after the call had been disconnected, Chris and Kim still sat on the sofa, Kim shaking uncontrollably and Chris trying to comfort her. Brooke and Tempe got up and went up to the guest room, deciding that the distraught couple needed some serious alone time.

"T Sawyer, what exactly did you see again?" Brooke demanded.

"Just what I told your dad on the speaker phone, that I saw some guy lurking around down the street and he looked angry." Tempe shrugged. "I looked again and he was gone, so I thought I was seeing things that weren't there. Is he as nasty a customer as Kim says?"

"All that garbage happened before I was born, so I wouldn't know," Brooke replied. "But I think her reaction spoke volumes. She's terrified of the guy."

Tempe shook her head. "I think it's more out of concern for us than for her. But she shouldn't be worried. Remember how I took care of that psycho Derek?"

Brooke threw her arms around her friend. "Don't remind me, Tempe. And let's hope it won't come to that again."

Chris gently carried his wife to their bedroom and kicked the door closed. Once inside, he let her vent her fear and panic.

Once her emotion was spent, Kim leaned against him. "You know, I'm not scared for myself," she said. "It's the girls I'm worried about. What if he comes here and harms them to try to get to me?"

"Kim, you know I wouldn't let that happen," he swore. "We have a good security system, and the girls will be careful."

She nodded and finally got up the courage to voice what had been bothering her from the moment John told her about Thuy. "What are we going to do about Tam? We have to tell him. I know he's at camp right now, but what if Thuy tries to find him?" She sighed. "I know I'm probably being paranoid, but…" her voice trailed off.

He held her close and kissed her brow. "It's all right, Kim. I'll try to get in touch with our boy in the morning. Besides," he added with a smile, "I have to reassure him that the girls won't try to girly up his room."

Kim laughed and tilted her face up to his. "I love you, Christopher Scott. Always and forever."

The kiss they shared was tender and loving. Even after almost twenty years of being together, their love was still strong and explosive. As they made love, Kim found herself becoming lost in it and found it symbolic. When they made love, it seemed that it kept the rest of the world at bay. There was no Thuy, no houseguests, and no danger. For a moment, she wondered if maybe the girls would be wondering what was going on under the same roof. But then Chris kissed her passionately and she didn't care.

In the peaceful aftermath, she snuggled close, letting her husband's touch and embrace lull her to sleep. It will be all right, she thought. Whatever happens, it will be all right.