Between Here and the Horizon(85)
“You don’t even need to ask. They’ll be just fine here with me. I’m owed about three years’ worth of vacation time anyway. You take as long as you need.”
It was dawn. The sun was rising up over the lip of the ocean, and I was waiting on the dock for Jerry, the boatman, to arrive when Sully’s truck came speeding up over the hill toward the parking lot. He’d driven me back to The Big House last night and kissed me long and hard, telling me to call him in the morning when I knew what was happening. He parked the truck and locked it up, then came running down the boat launch, a bag slung over his shoulder and a grim look on his face.
“You didn’t call. You were just going to leave?”
Guilt rocked me. I couldn’t stand the hurt look on his face. “I’m sorry, Sully. But what was I supposed to do? I can’t just ask you to drop everything and get on a plane with me across the other side of the country.”
He shook his head, frowning. “You are everything, silly girl. I’m not letting you go through this alone.”
I burst into tears. It was the only response I could manage. For the past twelve hours I’d been trying to keep it together, telling myself I could be strong for Mom, that I’d be able to make my way back to California without breaking down in the airport or on the plane, but I wouldn’t have been able to. I needed him. I needed Sully so badly, but I’d been too afraid to ask. Now that he was here, scolding me for not leaning on him, the relief I felt was just too much.
He crushed me to him, running his hand over my hair, whispering softly to me, soothing me while I cried. I buried my face into his dark sweater, sobbing, taking comfort in his warmth and the rich smell of him. “Shh, Lang. Don’t worry. I’m here. I’m gonna take care of you, baby.”
Hearing him say those words was enough. I could get through the next twenty-four hours if he was by my side. And I could get through the following twenty-four hours after that. The days and the months that came next were a mystery, but I got the feeling I’d be okay if Sully was around to strengthen and support me.
Jerry arrived at just after seven. Sully booked an extra plane ticket on his phone as we crossed back to the mainland, and by the time we reached the airport everything was in order. The plane back to L.A. was practically empty, and Sully and I had three seats to ourselves. I lay out with my head in his lap, his hand softly brushing my hair over and over for most of the flight, and I tried to sleep. I couldn’t manage it, though.
LAX was just a short car ride from Manhattan Beach and the place where I’d grown up. Where my dad had taught me to drive. To fish. To cook. To become a responsible adult in the world. How could he be gone? How could he be dead? My heart was aching so fiercely as we disembarked from the plane that it felt like it would never be whole again.
Sully took my single bag from me and carried it down the concourse, holding me to him tightly. “It’s going to be okay, Lang,” he said into my hair. “I promise. It may not feel like it right now, but everything is going to be okay.”
“Captain Fletcher? Captain Sully Fletcher?”
To our right, a group of men were fast approaching, dressed in full military gear. I was so surprised they knew Sully’s name that it took me a long moment to process what happened next. Sully stiffened next to me, coming to a stop as the five men cut us off.
“Yes. I’m Sully Fletcher. Not a captain anymore, though. I’ve been out of the military for a long time now.”
The soldier at the front of the group stepped forward. There was a hard, cold look in his eye that made me instantly nervous, though I couldn’t tell why. “You’re going to have to come with us, sir,” he snapped.
“What for?” Sully’s face was devoid of all emotion. He seemed suddenly as though he was made out of stone.
“You’re under arrest,” the soldier said. “For impersonating a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.” The men gathered around Sully, pulling at him, taking both his bag as well as mine from him, turning him around so they could handcuff him.
“What? What the hell is going on, Sully? Tell them! Tell them they’ve made a mistake!”
Sully didn’t say a word, though. He looked stunned, but at the same time there was an air of resignation to him that scared me half to death. “Sully? Sully, tell me what’s going on.” The soldiers took him by the arms on both sides and began to march him off down the concourse without giving me a second thought.
“Hey! Hey, tell me what the hell is going on!” I grabbed the closest soldier, trying to get him to stop, to explain this madness to me, but he ripped his arm away. Spinning around, he drew himself up to his full height and barked at me.
“Ma’am, I strongly advise you not to touch me again, or there will be severe consequences.”
“Don’t you f*cking touch her, *,” Sully snarled. It was the first time he’d said anything since they’d told him he was under arrest; he went from stony compliance to extreme anger in a flash, struggling to free himself from the soldiers. He twisted, trying to wrestle himself loose, but the men had hold of him tight and it didn’t look like they were planning on letting him go. “Get your f*cking hands off me, motherf*cker!”
“Sully!” I tried to get past the huge, towering man in front of me, blocking my path, but he was a wall of muscle, and I had no hope.