Second Chance:

CHAPTER 57

“You have your cell phone on you, right?” asked Charlie after the ball game.

“I have my cell phone,” said Cindy as she looked over at Portia waiting with her parents.

“You call me if anything, and I mean anything happens. Understand?” asked Charlie.

“I will,” said Cindy. “No big deal.”

“It is a big deal, but we can talk about it tomorrow,” said Charlie. “Also, if I call you and use the phrase we came up with, you call Mister Tilson right away. Understand?”

“Call Mister Tilson if you call and give me the run phrase,” said Cindy. “Is there something going on I should know about?”

“No, we’ll talk about it tomorrow,” said Charlie as he tried to put on a brave face. He and Mitch had worked out the details with Jeff Tilson if they ever needed Cindy to run and they both were compromised. Jeff would go to wherever she was at and take her deep into the southern end of Unicoi County where it would be almost impossible to find her. And Jeff knew folks all over the county in case he needed someplace other than with his family.

“We can drop her off in the morning,” said Greg Foster.

“I’ve got to head into town first thing. I can swing by,” said Charlie.

“Okay, what time and where?” asked Greg.

“Liberty Lumber at nine sound okay?” asked Charlie.

“We’ll have her there,” said Greg as they departed. Charlie watched as they departed the area as Erica came up behind him.

“Now you get to tell me what’s on your mind,” she ordered.

“Let’s get started back towards the house,” said Charlie.

“Bad?” she asked.

“It’s a long story,” said Charlie as they departed. The drive was filled with the explanation of what Anderson had told him. After arriving at the house, Erica was suddenly frightened at the prospect of being a target for Federal law enforcement.

“Honey, isn’t this a bad thing?” asked Erica.

“I don’t know to be honest with you. I don’t want her to go back to an environment where she is going to be abused. And the Feds taking New York’s side of this isn’t helping much. But I hope I am placing the correct faith in our Governor and the State. And I hope they don’t fold into the pressure,” said Charlie.

“I just want us all to be safe,” said Erica as she opened the door.

“I trust Mitch and the rest of the county to keep us safe. The wild card is the Governor,” said Charlie.

“I wanted us to have a nice evening here together, alone for a change. But now I’m frightened,” said Erica.

“Come here,” he said and gathered her into a hug. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or her. I’ve come too far to let anything bad happen.”

Erica sighed as she tightened her grasp on Charlie. He looked down at her and smiled before giving her a quick peck on the lips. They walked inside, hand in hand and kicked off their shoes once in the door.

“When you do have to pick her up?” asked Erica.

“Nine in the morning,” said Charlie.

“Eleven hours to ourselves? Whatever are we going to do?” said Erica with an impish smile.

“I can think of a few ways to pass the time,” said Charlie as he closed the distance to her and forgot about the troubles they were facing for a little while.

********************

“Toby is the cutest,” admitted Portia as she and Cindy were busy listening to the radio and talking about everything under the sun to include boys. Cindy told the story of their first kiss.

“No boyfriend for you?” asked Cindy.

“Who has the time for a boyfriend when there are so many men?” laughed Portia. “I’ve got a question though.”

“What?” asked Cindy.

“What’s the deal with you and your uncle? I mean, you said your family was having troubles, but that’s been a while,” said Portia.

“My Mom and Dad are still working things out,” said Cindy.

“A long time, why don’t they just get divorced?” asked Portia.

“I don’t know. Probably because Mom still loves him I guess,” said Cindy.

“And your uncle? Which side of the family is he on?” asked Portia.

“Mother’s side,” said Cindy. “We kind of just found him.”

“Lot of trust don’t you think?” asked Portia.

“What do you mean?” asked Cindy as Portia finished up painting her toenails.

“Okay, you are now totally cute. I can’t believe you’ve never had your toenails painted,” said Portia. “I mean, they barely know your uncle, but sent you to live with him for a while.”

“I’ve never had my toenails painted because my family was really religious and believed it was…I don’t remember the word my father used,” said Cindy.

“He’s a real winner isn’t he?” asked Portia.

“He isn’t too bad I guess,” said Cindy.

“Painting your nails? I mean, that’s a little extreme,” said Portia.

“It is I guess,” said Cindy. “But that’s just him being him.”

“And your uncle? Is he strict?” asked Portia.

“Uncle Charlie? No, he pretty much lets me do my thing,” said Cindy.

“That’s cool,” said Portia.

“What brought you here, like to Erwin anyway?” asked Cindy.

“My Dad got a job at Nuclear Fuels,” said Portia.

“Where were you at before?” asked Cindy.

“Dothan Alabama,” said Portia.

“Why there?” asked Cindy.

“My Dad worked for the nuclear power plant there,” said Portia. “We had to move because he lost his job.”

“Sorry about that,” said Cindy.

“No, we actually like it here except for the lack of a Starbucks in this town,” said Portia.

“At least there’s a Wal-Mart,” laughed Cindy.

“Hope for civilization,” laughed Portia. “So nothing more with Toby than a kiss?”

“No, I think he’s afraid Uncle Charlie will cut off body parts or something,” laughed Cindy.

“So sneak out,” suggested Portia.

“I couldn’t do that. Charlie would kill us both,” said Cindy.

“You have to be a bit daring in this life,” said Portia. “I mean, take chances, hop in a car with someone you don’t know and go on a road trip. Something out of the ordinary or you’d go insane!”

Cindy kept from laughing out loud at the example Portia gave, but managed a giggle anyway. “Yeah, crazy stuff.”

“Or something!” said Portia. “Just live in the moment!”

“Maybe someday,” said Cindy. “But for now, I take it one day at a time.”

“And tomorrow?” asked Portia.

“Who knows what tomorrow brings?” asked Cindy as she wondered what would happen tomorrow with her conversation with Charlie.

********************

“Good morning lady,” said Charlie as the sunbeam came through the window waking him out of a deep slumber.

“Mmmmm,” grunted Erica. “It’s early.”

“Six-thirty,” said Charlie who was already up and at it.

“Early,” grunted Erica. “Go back to sleep.”

“Sorry baby, when I’m up, I’m up,” he said and rolled over to trace a circle on her exposed shoulder and added in a kiss for good measure. “And are you up?”

“If you keep talking I suppose I am,” she groaned and rolled over to face him. “Morning love.”

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“Like a baby,” she smiled at him. “And discovered a few things about you last night as well.”

“Such as?” he asked and kissed her on the lips.

“You snore,” she giggled.

“I do not!” he protested and gave her another kiss.

“You most certainly do!” she laughed and kissed back at him.

“And how would you know that?” he asked.

“Because I stayed up looking at you and wondering how in this life I was ever so lucky to find a man like you,” she smiled at him. “And I found out something else.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“You’re special,” she smiled.

“Special how?” he asked.

“I’m a doctor, I can tell,” she giggled. “I did a quick check on you in your sleep.”

“And I snored the whole time?” he smirked.

“Until I rolled you over. That seemed to do the trick,” said Erica with another giggle. “Was I able to divert your attention off your problems for a while last night?”

“And I thought I was diverting your mind,” said Charlie with a smile.

“Maybe we diverted each other?” asked Erica.

“I think that was the case. And it was a nice diversion. Last thing I knew you were sleeping like the dead,” said Charlie.

“I did sleep good, especially after the performance,” she smiled and gave him another kiss.

“Takes two to tango,” said Charlie as he rubbed at her arm again.

“Want to try a different dance this morning?” she asked with a grin.

“I’ve got two left feet,” he said with a grin.

“Don’t worry, I’ll lead,” she grinned and pushed him over on the bed.

********************

“Sorry for calling you this early on the weekend, but you need to come in and make contact with Tennessee,” said the U.S. Attorney General.

“Has a decision been made?” asked the Director of the Civil Rights Division.

“Either they give her up or several plans are to be put in motion,” said the Attorney General.

“Specifically?” asked the Director.

The Attorney General spent several moments explaining what the ramifications were going to be for not agreeing with the instructions of the Federal Government. And furthermore, just how far they planned to take those ramifications.

“And this is coming from?” asked the Director.

“The highest authority,” said the Attorney General.

“I’ll pass on the message,” said the Director as he rolled out of bed.

“Make sure the message is clear. We don’t want any more trouble,” said the Attorney General.

“There might be, no matter what we say and do,” said the Director.

“We’re prepared for that as well,” said the Attorney General.

********************

“You look different today,” said Cindy as she put the landscaping timbers into the bed and bounced into the cab of his truck.

“Different how?” asked Charlie.

“Like relaxed,” said Cindy. “Just different.”

“Didn’t realize it. Only had two cups of coffee this morning,” said Charlie.

“So what was the important conversation you said could wait until today?” she asked.

“We had a visit from Agent Anderson last night,” said Charlie.

“And?” she asked.

“Are your toenails painted?” he asked.

“Yeah, the cutest huh?” she grinned. “And don’t change the subject.”

“Sure,” he said and continued with the story after seeing her attention wouldn’t be diverted that easily. He spent several minutes describing what happened with the meeting in Washington and what Anderson had relayed. Again, they didn’t know what the outcome was going to be, but knew it would be tough.

“I’m sorry,” said Cindy as they got to Unicoi. She didn’t seem worried about the conversation she just had with Charlie. Or she didn’t mention it.

“For what?” asked Charlie.

“For putting you in danger,” she said.

“You never did anything like that,” he said.

“But I did!” she exclaimed.

“Cindy, if I couldn’t handle the problems, I would have dropped you off on the side of the road the night I found you,” said Charlie.

“For the record, I’m glad you didn’t,” she grinned.

“I still might,” he said with a chuckle. “Anyway, chores need to be done early.”

“What’s on the agenda?” she asked.

“Football this afternoon,” he said. “And the Macks are coming over.”

“Okay, what do I need to do?” she asked, not mentioning it would be nice to see Toby again. Again, it was like nothing had happened the previous evening and she trusted Charlie to make sure she was okay. He wasn’t sure why she seemed nonchalant about it, but realized things were out of both their controls and there was nothing that could be done. He outlined her chores for the morning and once they arrived, she attacked them with the same vigor she typically did, getting done early and finding more to do along the way. The Macks came over in the early afternoon and Charlie fired up the grill as they got ready for football time in Tennessee. It was just another lazy fall afternoon in East Tennessee and the families mingled and ate lunch in the back yard. After they were finished and still talking of the little things, Toby motioned Cindy away from the group.

“What’s that all about?” asked Charlie.

“I think he brought her a gift,” said Erica.

“A gift?” asked Charlie. “What kind?”

“I don’t know,” said Erica. “Why worry about it?”

“Because I know what kind of gift I wanted to give a teenage girl back when I was his age,” said Charlie, watching the two disappear around the house.

“Charlie,” said Erica with a tone.

“What?” he exclaimed. “I’m just saying!”

“Leave them alone,” warned Erica.

“I didn’t say or do anything!” he protested.

“I can see it in your eyes,” said Erica.

“I…yes ma’am,” he said and dropped his head.

“What?” asked Cindy as they got to the Mack’s truck.

“Here,” said Toby as he handed over a gift bag.

“What?” asked Cindy as she looked inside. “How cute! I didn’t know you wore pink Toby.”

“Uhh, it’s not for me, it’s for you,” he said with a shy grin.

“How did you know I loved pink?” she exclaimed. “Let me go put it on!”

She bounded away into the house and came back outside wearing the pink Tennessee t-shirt he had bought her.

“I knew you didn’t have a UT shirt,” he said.

“It’s the cutest!” she said and gave him a hug. “Thank you!”

“I figured you needed something for the game today,” he said with the same shy grin.

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