Chapter 187 – Heading Home to Saratoga
The group arrived at the airport to increase security. Once they were in the private plane section of the airport, Jack relaxed a little. They went into the building and showed their passports to customs and had their bags scanned. Airport workers then loaded their things on the jet while the group waited for a bit. Their takeoff had been pushed back thirty minutes. After about ten minutes, Jack went up to one of the workers.
"Can we board the jet and wait there?" Jack asked.
"If you want." The worker said. "We will get you in the air as soon as possible. There are thunderstorms to the east and we are having to reroute flights around the storm."
"I would prefer to be on the jet." Jack said. "That way we are ready to take off once it is clear."
"Then I will notify your pilots." The worker said.
Within ten minutes, the group was on the jet and relaxing. They were waiting on the taxiway for their turn. The co-pilot came out while they were waiting.
"Mr Thornton." He said.
Jack looked up and sighed.
"What is it Dakota?" Jack asked.
"There is a lot of bad weather over New York." Dakota said. "We have a couple of options."
"I am listening." Jack said.
"We are limited where we can touchdown." Dakota said.
Jack nodded knowing what Dakota was saying.
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because technically, we are an international flight." Dakota said.
"So we need to touchdown in Rochester or Syracuse." Jack said. "Or something like that. We would then talk to customs there. We wouldn't have to deplane, but we would have to spend at least, what, twenty minutes on the tarmac. Then we would be able to fly anywhere we want, weather permitting."
"Correct." Dakota said. "Because then we file a second flight plan and it won't be international. So what do you want to do?"
"What do you suggest?" Jack asked.
"The easiest thing would be to take the short hop to Buffalo." Dakota said. "Then we can figure it out from there. We might be able to get you to Albany, but with the weather, the helicopter wouldn't be able to get you back. Our best bet would be to fly into one of the Saratoga airports and arrange for transportation from there."
"I am sure that the press will be all over both Albany and Saratoga." Jack said. "Give me a minute. Let's do the short hop to Buffalo. I think by the time that we takeoff, I will have a plan."
"Very well." Dakota said.
Dakota headed back to the cockpit and Jack pulled out his phone. He saw that Nathan was already on his as well. Jack wasn't able to reach his Grandpa John, so he called his other grandfather and talked for a moment. Jack then called Devin and talked to him.
"Nathan." Jack said. "I talked to Devin."
"I talked to Chris." Nathan said.
"Devin suggested …" Jack said.
"Schenectady." Nathan finished. "It is just over a half hour from Saratoga and the press won't expect you to fly there."
"That is what Devin said." Jack said.
"Chris said he and Rob will be there to meet us with two vehicles." Nathan said. "He was also going to call Marcus and see if we could get an escort."
"Then I will tell David and Dakota after Buffalo that we are going to Schenectady." Jack said.
Jack got up and went to talk to the two pilots. When he came back, he sat down next to Elizabeth again.
"I am sorry." Jack said. "It is going to take us longer to get home."
"It is okay." Elizabeth said. "At least we will be safer. We have snacks here as well as a variety of beverages. I think you should call Gran and let her know that we won't be back as we thought."
"Chris was going to talk to her." Nathan said.
"Thank you." Jack said. "I had told her that they should eat and we would grab something when we got back."
"Good." Elizabeth said. "Don't worry about the extra time, we don't have anything that we have to be back for, so we are fine. I know that you want to ride, but you can do that anytime. Look at it this way, we get to spend more time together."
Jack smiled.
"Well if the weather is nasty." Doug said. "If we want to ride, we will have to do it in the arena."
"Let's just see what things are like when we get home." Jack said. "I have seen the weather do weird things."
"Good point." Doug said.
The overhead speakers crackled on.
"Please make sure that you are seated and buckled up." David said. "We are fifth in line to take off. We should be in the air in the next twenty minutes."
"How long is this flight?" Elizabeth asked. "You called it a hop."
"We shouldn't be in the air for more than thirty minutes." Jack said. "I doubt that they will even go all the way up to cruising altitude."
"Oh." Elizabeth said.
"Buffalo is the closest." Frank said. "With the bad weather. I am sure that they just wanted to get us across the border and then figure it out from there."
"Correct." Jack said. "Coming from Canada, there are only certain airports that we can land at. Taking off from Buffalo, we can fly to any airport in the States and it wouldn't be a problem."
"Got it." Elizabeth said.
The group landed in Buffalo and taxied over to where they were met by customs officers. The two officers boarded the jet to speak to the group. Once they showed their passports and they checked the papers for Nathan's guns, they left the group. It took over thirty minutes to file a flight plan to Schenectady and another forty minutes to get in the air. They were held due to lightning strikes in the area. There was a clearing of the weather the further east that they went, which surprised them. From what Jack and Nathan had learned, the worst of the weather had been further east.
They landed in Schenectady shortly after two in the afternoon. Jack had thought that they would be home by that point and they still had a thirty minute drive to deal with. Jack just wanted to get back to the ranch where he knew that everyone was safe. He also knew that he needed to check his horses as well as get ready for the busy weekend ahead. When they deplaned in Schenectady, they were met by Chris, Rob, David and Aiden.
"Chris," Jack said. "Everything okay?"
"Sort of." Chris said. "There is a lot more press at the farm. We need to be careful. I am sorry. I have spoken to your grandfathers and they both think that you need to make a statement to the press. You don't have to, but it might help. Either way, you need to call your Grandpa John on the way home. We will have four towncars with darkened windows. We will also have a police escort when we get closer to Saratoga."
"Don't even think about splitting Elizabeth and I up." Jack said.
"Fine." Chris said. "I won't, no matter how tempting it is. How do you want to do this? We can use two cars as decoys and split you between the other two."
"Doug, Nathan, Frank." Jack said. "Do you three mind going together? I was hoping since we have to be in a car, I would be able to have some alone time with Elizabeth."
Doug, Frank and Nathan all looked at each other and nodded.
"Fine." Nathan said. "Just keep your phones on, in case we get separated."
"I can do that." Jack said. "You guys take the luggage, except my messenger bag."
"We can do that." Doug said.
The group got situated in the cars and took off back toward Saratoga. Jack didn't like the thought of having to speak to the press.
"Jack." Elizabeth said, once they left the airport.
"What?" Jack said.
"I know that you don't want to speak to the press." Elizabeth said. "But maybe it will help. I will support you no matter what you want. Just know that you are going to have to make a statement at some point."
"I know." Jack said. "I just don't know if it will be worth it right now. I think it might just make things worse. I will have to think about things. I want to protect you and we still don't have enough answers as to Charlie, his family and his frat brothers."
"I understand that." Elizabeth said. "But even a simple statement could help."
"I know." Jack said. "Let's talk about something else. We have this time alone, let's enjoy it."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Have you thought more about what you want for the grounds." Jack said. "I know that we talked some about the house."
"I want a large garden." Elizabeth said. "Maybe a greenhouse. I like the thought of having fresh vegetables. If it was feasible, I wouldn't mind having a small patch of strawberries and blueberries closer to the house for us."
"I think we can do those things." Jack said. "Let's see what the professionals say."
They continued to talk about the house and grounds. Jack had pulled out a notebook and made a few notes. What he wanted to do was draw something out, but he needed to think some more. They talked about a few other things, but mostly had a nice time just the two of them. It wasn't that Elizabeth didn't like spending time with Doug, Nathan and Frank, but she knew that with Rosie coming as well as the guys getting ready for the next two shows, that their time alone together was going to be limited. She also knew that with Doug's sisters staying and the holiday that there were going to be more people in the house which would again make alone time harder to get. Elizabeth said a quick prayer that Rosie listened to her and hadn't made things worse.
As much as she loved her best friend, Elizabeth knew that Rosie didn't always think before she spoke and that was why Elizabeth had always been careful what she shared with her. Elizabeth shared more with Rosie than any other person, before she met Jack; still there were things that Rosie didn't know, because Elizabeth knew that Rosie would or could accidently say something when she wasn't thinking. Elizabeth wondered if she should tell Jack about her concerns regarding Rosie.
"Hey beautiful." Jack said. "Everything okay? You look lost in thought."
"Sorry." Elizabeth said. "I was just thinking of everything that is going on in the next week or so. I am concerned about Rosie coming. Don't get me wrong, I love her and she is my best friend, but she doesn't always think before she speaks. There are things I have never told her because I don't want her to accidentally say something."
"Okay." Jack said. "I will keep an eye on things. Please try to give her the benefit of doubt, I don't want people to think that I am keeping you from your friends. I mean I know that they are saying that, but I hope that you know that is not the case."
"I know." Elizabeth said. "I am the one that hasn't contacted them."
"I wish that things were different." Jack said. "Do you have any idea why Charlie is so obsessed with you? From what Devin has been able to learn, there wasn't much financial gain for the Kensingtons by Charlie being with you. It would appear that your father would make out better in the deal. However, it was Charlie's father who proposed the deal in exchange for you. Devin said it doesn't make sense to him as far as business, so he is thinking something personal as to why Charlie is so obsessed with you."
"I have no idea." Elizabeth said. "I have never encouraged his attention. I have no idea why he did this."
Elizabeth started to shake and there were tears in her eyes. Jack wrapped his arms around her tighter.
"Shhh." Jack said. "I am sorry I upset you, but I have been thinking about it since Devin told me. I thought if maybe you knew of a reason, then it would be easier to fight them."
"I don't know." Elizabeth cried.
"Then don't worry about it." Jack said. "Devin and his guys are working on it. IF there is something there, he will find it."
"Thank you for taking such good care of me." Elizabeth said.
"Always." Jack said.
Jack gave Elizabeth a kiss on the temple and then leaned them back in the seat, so they could relax for the last bit of the drive home.
Doug, Nathan and Frank settled into the back of the car.
"Are they going to be okay?" Frank asked.
"Yeah." Doug said. "Jack just feels bad, because he had planned on being back at a certain time. Gran and them will know what happened, but I am sure that Jack is sure they are worried."
"I think it is more than that." Frank said. "Jack understands weather, it is not that. There is something else going on. I saw the way that he reacted to the press in Toronto. I have never seen him like that? Granted, I haven't known him that long, but what I saw was something akin to fear."
"You are probably right." Doug said. "Jack is terrified that something will happen to Elizabeth and he won't be able to protect her. He knows that there are people that are actively trying to take her from him. I honestly don't think Jack would survive if something happened to Elizabeth. I was there for the aftermath of what happened to Laura and he barely survived that and he hadn't pledged his life to her. Don't get me wrong, Jack loved Laura, but in a different way. I can't imagine what would happen, if something happened to Elizabeth. I am convinced it will crush him."
"I agree." Nathan said. "I have known Jack for even a shorter amount of time, but I can see how connected they are. Jack is determined to protect Elizabeth and he thinks that he can do that better once they are married. Don't get me wrong, I think that they belong together, but I am surprised that Elizabeth has agreed to the marriage. She has struggled with feelings and how fast things are moving. I know that she loves Jack, but honestly, I think that they need to slow down. Them rushing ahead, might not be the best thing."
"I hear you." Frank said. "However, I don't think any of us will be able to talk either of them out of getting married and pushing forward. I get that Jack wants to protect Elizabeth, but I think that can be done without getting married."
"I agree there." Doug said. "But you are right, there is no talking Jack out of this decision. As long as Elizabeth is willing, they will be getting married sooner rather than later."
"Alright." Frank said. "So what can we do to support them?"
"That is the million dollar question." Doug said. "I think that the only thing that we can do is to remind them that we love and support them and will be there for them no matter what, especially after the way that Jack's parents have been. I also think that we need to do whatever we can to protect them when we are out."
"I think you are right." Frank said.
"So does this mean that you are sticking around?" Nathan asked.
"I need to head back to the city for a bit." Frank said. "But I will be back for the show. I was going to talk to Jack more about things when we got back to the farm. I was hoping to spend the weekend here and then head back on the helicopter Sunday. I can pack what I need and arrange for it to be shipped up to the farm. Then I was thinking I would come back."
"You won't need your vehicle?" Doug asked.
"Not in the city." Frank said. "I can always rent a car."
"I am sure that Jack wouldn't mind you using his Jeep." Doug said. "If he has a problem, I can call my Dad and you can use my car. It is not as big as yours, but it will get you around."
"We will see." Frank said. "We have time to figure things out. Either way, I figured that I would spend the weekend as long as Margaret and James are okay with it."
"I am sure that they will be." Doug said.