Note: Again don't even try with the time zones, for your own sanity. Thanks to all who have written reviews, much appreciated!
"I can call over to State and have Annie recalled," Joan said quietly as Auggie sat in front of her desk looking shell shocked.
"No, I'm fine. I'll fly out and attend the funeral and be back in a couple days, let her finish her mission. I'll tell her everything when she is back, I don't want her to worry," Auggie babbled.
"Her mission is a bullshit wrist slap from State, she can come home, they have dozens of people in Tokyo who could do what she is doing."
"I know, but I'm fine, really," Auggie assured playing his role as soldier down to the set of his shoulders.
"OK, Barber booked your flight, you leave in 4 hours. Auggie, I know how things have been with your dad since you came back from Iraq, I also know what it is like to lose someone you have conflicted emotions over. I am really sorry for your loss and I hope you can find peace with it," Joan spoke from her heart and it was the closest Auggie came to a reaction since he got the news.
"Thank you Joan, you have always been there for me and I hope you know how much it means to me," he smiled his eyes slightly shiny and turned to leave.
After the door was firmly closed behind him Joan picked up her phone.
"Get me Steve Barr," she asked her assistant.
***555***
Annie was staring at the little plastic stick in a combination of joy and nausea. It had taken a few months, but she was pregnant and completely floored by the morning sickness. Luckily her 14 year old charge was sequestered in another hotel room taking his exams for the next few hours.
She brushed her teeth, grabbed a bottle of water and the sleek hotel trash can and crawled back into her bed fully clothed except for her shoes which she kicked off in the bathroom. The ringing of her cell phone pierced through as she was just drifting off to sleep, the name on the display gave her no choice but to answer.
"Hi Joan," she tried to sound more awake than she was.
"Hi Annie. How soon can you be at the airport?"
"What? Why?" she was confused.
"Annie, I am calling you back, State is sending another agent."
"OK," Annie wondered if she was being surveilled and Joan knew she was pregnant.
"I have a commercial flight for you at 4:00 via LAX you will get to Chicago at 7:00 pm," Joan reported.
"Why am I going to Chicago?" Annie asked confused but she had gotten up and begun packing.
"He really didn't call you," Joan muttered.
"Who?"
"Auggie. Annie, his dad died. I thought he might call you when he got to Glencoe last night. I had to fight with Steve Barr or I might have been able to get you out yesterday too."
"Was he just not going to tell me?" Annie said hurt and confused.
"I don't know, but I know this, Auggie needs you there. So as your boss and his, I am making it happen, whether he likes it or not," Joan declared.
***555***
Auggie had a stable but distant relationship with his brothers. It was the kind of thing where they hardly ever spoke or saw one another, but if any of them needed the other they knew it only took a phone call. The five Anderson boys were scattered round the US, but they all made it home around the same time.
Usually when everyone was home the house was so noisy Joyce Anderson begged for quiet, but now walking through the rooms and seeing her sons morose and tense she prayed an impromptu wrestling match would break out.
"Auggie, honey, is Annie coming out? I really would love to meet her," his mother said quietly.
"She is in Japan for work Mom, she's in the middle of something serious," Auggie told a half truth.
"Oh," Joyce said sadly.
"I'll make sure we come out soon so you can meet under happier circumstances," Auggie promised.
***555***
Annie had picked up enough Japanese during the week to charm the airline staff and request a seat near the back of the plane, with a little extra space if possible. The staffer assured her the flight was not full and he put her in a row sure to stay empty near the back of the plane.
"Arigato," Annie smiled and took her boarding pass and carry on through security.
She assessed her body and determined food was a good idea before the long flight. She settled on simple rice noodles with veggies and a decent amount of water. She purchased some rice crackers, gum and more water from the newsstand and waited for the flight to be called. The task of managing her sudden morning sickness had kept her occupied, now as she sat waiting, her mind shifted to Auggie.
She tried not to be hurt that he hadn't told her, but it was hard to reconcile your husband not calling you when his father dies. If she had been on a serious mission she would understand, he wouldn't want to distract her from anything that might prove dangerous. She was not on a real mission though, this was a case of Captain Anderson putting up his soldier shield and not needing comfort from anyone.
Since she was in the back of the plane she loaded first which gave her a chance to slip back to the galley.
"Hello," she said hopefully in English.
"Hello," the flight attendant replied.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I am flying home for a family emergency. I am pregnant and I haven't been feeling very well," Annie stated calmly and clearly.
The flight attendant looked at her flat stomach a little concerned.
"Nothing bad, just morning sickness. I was hoping to get a few airsickness bags and maybe some ginger ale before we take off, just in case. Also, if I do seem ill during the flight I did not want you to worry that I was contagious or anything," Annie smiled.
The flight attendant looked less concerned.
"My sister was so sick when she had my niece. If you need anything else just ring the call button," she handed over the items Annie requested.
"Thank you Miko," Annie read her name from her tag, took the loot and settled into her seat for the long flight to Los Angeles.
***555***
Auggie's first full day in Glencoe was a whirlwind of well-wishers and food. He made small talk with old friends and neighbors, but mostly just felt out of place and awkward. He was in desperate need of a heavy bag or some really tough code to break or Annie.
Around 9:00 pm all that was left in the Anderson living room were the Andersons themselves, eating the never ending supply of baked goods that seem to surround death, and drinking. The doorbell startled no one as it seemed to ring all day long.
"I'll get it," Auggie's soon-to-be-sister-in-law Carol said as she stood.
Annie fidgeted at the door, this was really the worst possible way to meet your husband's family, but no time like the present. A woman older than she but not old enough to be Auggie's mother answered the door.
"Hi," Annie smiled.
"Hi," the woman smiled back.
"I'm here to see, I'm um, I'm Auggie's wife," Annie finally held out her hand.
"Oh my gosh, come in," the woman took Annie's hand but not to shake, she used it to pull the woman into a hug.
"Thanks," Annie breathed a sigh of relief.
The two woman headed to the living room together, everyone in the room except Auggie turning to look at the guest.
"Hi," Annie breathed the one word quietly at the crowd, "I'm…."
She didn't need to finish as Auggie cocked his head towards her voice and said, "Annie…."
TBC…