The Bartender's Daughter

Chapter 28

I slipped on the clothes my dad handed me, a large t-shirt that I tied and a pair of running shorts. As I stood in my shorts and bra in front of the mirror I looked at the bandages on my back were the marks from the tazer were. I frowned and touched them lightly; they stung a little but I would be okay. At least physically I would heal faster than I would mentally. I found my leather boots and tied those on, and made my way out of my room and down the hallway to what I assumed was the dining room where we were supposed to have lunch and form a new plan.

I was the first one in the room, a decently sized space with room for moving about. The table could seat 14, but five chairs at the end of the table near the windows were the only ones that had plates in front of them. I ran my hand over the hand carved wooden chairs as I made my way down the table and looked out the window to a pretty shocking scene. Anderson lived in what looked like a suburban neighborhood for rich people. They had large lots, some of them with little runways or helipads, or six car garages and massive houses. But I could look out the window over to his neighbor's kitchen (the curtain was closed) or out to the street were I saw three kids kicking a soccer ball around. It all looked so normal.

  "I see you found your way to the food."
I turned around and Anderson was standing in the doorway with his computer tucked under his arm and I wondered how that thing never lost power since I never saw it plugged in. Anderson was dressed in a light blue, slightly rumpled polo, untucked in his khaki's. There were dark bags under his eyes and his hair was a mess, but other than that he still had a small smile on his face.
  "You actually live in a neighborhood? With children?" I blurted.
Anderson chuckled as he set his computer down at the head of the table, but he didn't sit. "Where did you think I lived?"
  I shrugged. "I don't know. Either in some high scale apartment in a city, in the middle of nowhere in some large house, or no where at all. I didn't really imagine an in between."
  "I bought the house a few years ago in an auction. It was pretty cheap for what the property is actually worth. I fixed it up a little." He gestured around him at the table and hand carved chairs, the matching cabinets and huge paintings on the walls of nature and city scenes. This room alone must have cost a fortune.
  "Why'd you buy a house? Did you get married or something?" I asked, my curiosity spiking.
Anderson looked at me with a small smile. "Of the sorts." 

  "Anderson dear, are they hear yet? I'm starving- Well hello there!" A woman walked in wearing a deep plum color sweater and white pants and shoes that matched her shirt. Her gray-white hair was piled up into a bun, and she had glasses perched at the end of her nose. She looked like the epitome of grace for a woman about or over 50 years of age. "You must be Alli!"
   "Uhh, hi. You are...?" I took a step closer to Anderson as the woman walked in towards me.
  "I'm Meryl dear. Anderson's wife. I look a lot older then I actually am. Can't control the genes that affect the hair," she patted the side of her head and I smiled.
  "You, married her?" I asked him, pointing.
He shrugged. "I don't really know what I was thinking. Still don't."
    Meryl rolled her eyes and smiled at me. "If you fool them just right for long enough, soon they'll fall in love with you and it'll be too late. You've already got the ring," She showed me her engagement ring and I gaped at the gold band and princess cut diamond surrounded by sapphires. Her wedding band complimented it beautifully; it was a simple gold band with three small diamonds set in the middle.
  I gave her a weak smile as my thoughts lingered to Jack. Emmit and my dad walked in right after she said that, and we took our seats at the table and soon I had a large sandwich and chips sitting in front of me.

  "So... How are we getting Jack back?" I asked quietly to Anderson as I ate a chip.
   He looked up at me and so did everyone else except Meryl who gave me a small smile. "We're working on it. Emmit and I were up all night making a game plan. Your father took care of you." Anderson gave me a sad look. "Unfortunately I think those marks might leave some scars."
  I gave him an even look and shrugged. "Scars make peoples bodies more interesting. Now, what did you two evil geniuses come up with?"

Anderson and Emmit looked at each other and began explaining to me what they had come up with.

   "Well, basically I made some phone calls to the guys we deployed with when all this shit happened. They were more than happy to oblige to come and help out Jack. The five of them should be here soon, they were closer than I thought. Now, once they arrive seven of us-"
  "Seven?" I asked.
  "Them, me, and Anderson. Now as I was saying-"
  "Again? Really? You're leaving me out again?"
   Emmit gave me a sheepish look and his cheeks turned slightly pink. "In my defense, you could have gotten yourself killed at the ball; we told you not to go to."
  "And that might not have happened if you had actually brought me. If you," I pointed my finger at his chest and he backed up a little in his chair, "hadn't made me run out of the hotel and right into Nate. If I hadn't met Nate, and you hadn't been an asshole, then maybe these bandages on my back and the fact that Jack isn't sitting at this table right now, might not have happened," I shouted, gesturing around the room. I tried to hold back the angry tears in my eyes but my vision was getting blurry and I blinked hard.
  Emmit's eyes widened and he leaned forward onto the table. "Oh, so you're blaming this all on me? If you hadn't stuck around and decided to become his friend back in California, none of this would have happened!" He slammed his hand on the table and everyone flinched, including me. "I wouldn't have lost my best friend. You," he pointed at my chest this time, "don't understand a thing about meeting a bunch of strangers, becoming brothers, and then risking your life to give them their own. You, can't tell me shit Alli. If something happens to you again, I will never forgive myself because it would crush Jack. You. Are not. Going." He snapped, and then sat back in his chair rubbing a hand over his face.
  I looked at him and looked at my dad who shrugged. I was still confused how he got here, why he was here, and what I was supposed to do with the fact he was sitting across from me in an unplanned trip to London. After glancing at Anderson and Meryl who both gave me the same look my dad did (adults, I swear), I signed and reached for Emmit's hand. I placed mine on top of his and gave a slight smile.
  "Fine. I will try my hardest to keep myself from running after you. I will let the military trained men handle it."
 Emmit laughed I pulled my hand away. "Great idea."
  I gave another small smile and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go lock myself in my room before I get any more bad ideas. Please send me some food occasionally."