Swapped

Chapter 4

Airlie's first official day as 'Macey' didn't go quite as easily as she'd hoped. Josh clearly still didn't believe Airlie's declaration that she was in fact "still Macey", and their parents – Charlie and Jackie Arnold, as Airlie learned – acted as though Airlie was going to revert back to thinking she was Airlie and not Macey, at any minute.

It was confusing stuff, and all the facts were completely backwards. But only Airlie could know the truth.

Anyway, Charlie would be leaving for Afghanistan in the late hours of the night, and so that would leave only two hazards for Airlie to gain the trusts of, or, as a desperate last resort, to at least avoid.

After declaring that she "at least wanted to get to know the Matthew's," Charlie and Jackie had determined "absolutely not". Why? Because it would make Macey look guilty.

So that left Airlie with another problem to secretly surpass.

It seemed her plate was building up higher and higher by the minute. But Airlie had a great method for dealing with such stress: avoid the situation until it simply can't be avoided any longer; or, if she could be bothered, deal with the problems one at a time – that was the more responsible course of action – but Macey wasn't responsible, from what Airlie could gather, and Airlie had to act like typical 'Macey'. So, avoiding uncalled for situations seemed like the most appropriate go-to response.

"Josh! Macey!" Jackie called from somewhere down in the house, interrupting Airlie's scheming, for lack of better word. "Be downstairs in five to see your father off!" As it went, Jackie had once been in the military also. That's how she and Charlie and met, and where they'd fallen in love.

"Alright, mum!" For such wealth and elegance, the residents of the house were just like any other family: comfortable around each other to such an extent that they could seem like they didn't care; but they did care, in their own unique way.

Airlie was still fumbling with learning the layout of the house and had several times during the past day and a half, walked in on Josh in the bathroom – much to both their embarrassments – or opened his bedroom door instead of her own.

It did nothing to ease his suspicions, and Airlie realised she needed to be more careful. But adjusting to a completely new life proved to be harder than Airlie thought it to be.

As the five-minute timeframe drew to a close, Airlie headed downstairs to the front door, where she found Charlie and Jackie kissing their goodbyes. Charlie's hair had been trimmed to the scalp.

"Good luck." Airlie's smile was sincere as she took in Charlie's camouflage uniform and slouch hat. She'd always considered those who served their time to be above even the wealthiest of people. Charlie was lucky enough to be both those things, making him more dignified than most other men and women.

As Josh made his way downstairs and stopped at the front door, he stood suddenly to attention and saluted his father, who mirrored his son's action. The room took on a serious mood for a moment, before Charlie's lips broke out into a grin, and the two men leaned in to hug each other. Airlie smiled at the affection they held for each other. For a second, they almost seemed like her actual brother and father...But then she reminded herself that they weren't.

"Come on girls!" Charlie motioned for Jackie and Airlie to join the family hug, and they did, standing in an awkward huddle for several minutes until a knock sounded at the door. "And I'm off!" Breaking from the group hug, Charlie turned and swung the door open, greeting the similarly khaki-clad man with a salute. The man returned the gesture, a ghost of what had happened between Charlie and Josh only minutes before. "How's it going, Skippy?" Charlie asked, and the man shrugged.

"Alright, I guess. You?"

"Not bad." The small-talk was genuine, like old mates warming up for a gossip session in the confines of their truck. "Thanks for taking me with you to the airport." Skippy grinned.

"Not a problem! But on that note, we should probably head off. You ready?" Charlie nodded, turning to give Jackie one last peck on the lips, and Josh and Airlie each a hug and kiss on the top of their heads.

"Now I am." He smiled, and stepped out the door, turning to wave goodbye to his family. "See you in four months." He promised, but no one could respond with more than a forced smile shaking on their lips.

Promises like that were hard to keep.