Chapter 7

February 3-11

I sat on the large comfortable seat in the Gulfstream jet and watched the icy gray waters of Lake Michigan recede as we gained distance and altitude. It was late in the afternoon as the plane took us south into the winter overcast which made the gathering darkness seem even more pronounced. The snow had held off at least for today. I wouldn't miss the cold and snow, but I would miss the two beautiful women I was leaving behind. Fortunately I had regained a family in the form of Roksana and Airlea.

The big seat across the aisle was reclined as was the one behind it. They each held an exhausted girl who had hardly slept the night before. They were bundled in heavy wool blankets and looked angelic. Even Airlea – who wanted me to call her "Lea" looked untroubled. It was wonderful to see her smile and to hear her laugh. I couldn't believe I was a father again. Life as Robert Burns had certainly gotten interesting in a hurry. Could it have been only three weeks since I held Cecilia as I swam away from the sinking Costa Concordia and taken the identity of Robert Burns? I smiled as a vision of Cecilia came to mind. I touched my lips thinking about our farewell. Had it been a dream?

Between the end of the hearing and getting on the chartered jet, there had been a very busy 24 hours. Leaving the courthouse, we met with the Staples at their home for a tearful farewell and to pack the girl's few belongings. The Staples' home was as modest as it appeared in the photos, but the interior was a neat and clean as it could be. I was chagrinned when I saw the bedroom that the girls shared and how little clothing occupied the single closet and the chest of drawers. When we left, each girl had only a small battered roller bag and a backpack. Carolyn had not come along, but she had arranged for Dmitri to drive for us. That was fortunate since the brewing snow storm finally let loose as we left the house in the fading light. Dmitri was an experienced winter driver, and his black A8 with all-wheel drive made for an uneventful trip to the hotel. The girls sat on either side of me in the back of the car, eyes wide with excitement. Roksana quizzed me about their soon to be new home in New York and about the schools there. I told them about my plan to hire a teacher and have school at home. After a bit of reflection, Roksana agreed it might be a good idea, especially for Airlea. Airlea simply looked at me with a great deal of relief in her eyes and said, "Thank you."

I knew that even though she was speaking again, that didn't mean she was ready to be thrust into a school environment quite yet, and I didn't want anything to set back the progress we were making. I also knew she was smart and from the books that took up most of her suitcase that she was quite a reader. Of course, now I had to figure out how to find a qualified teacher. I assured myself there must be placement agencies I could contact.

Dinner was ordered from room service when we got back to the hotel. Actually it was more than room service, because our meals came from the same "Sixteen" restaurant in the hotel where I had accompanied Carolyn right after I had arrived in Chicago. The charming young woman who served us was originally from Greece and made Airlea smile frequently as they chattered in their native language. Now that Airlea had found her voice, she seemed to want to make up for lost time. I smiled at the thought.

Fortunately, Teri and Carolyn could join us for dinner. It was a festive event, and I had ordered a cake and ice cream for dessert to celebrate. The girls had not met Teri and took to her immediately, and her youthful enthusiasm magnified their excitement. Their relationship with Carolyn was cemented with a promise to go shopping the next day on the Miracle Mile, snow or no snow. She winked at me as she said to the girls, "I think we're going to try very hard to put a dent in your father's credit card balance."

The girls giggled.

I tried to beg off thinking some "girl" time might be a good thing, but they all insisted and they even enlisted Teri to come along. I didn't mind that a bit. She had been shamelessly flirting with me since she had arrived for dinner. In fact, I had been practically knocked over when she flung herself into my arms as I met her at the door. It felt like she was going to eat me up with her kisses. Fortunately I had gone to the door alone.

Carolyn didn't quite match Teri in the flirting department, but she was very attentive. Both had come directly from work so were still in their business attire. Carolyn still wore the blue suit she had worn in court, and Teri was wearing skirt and heels and tight dark blue sweater. They both looked good enough to eat.

It was quite a scene as we sat in the dining room of the suite, eating by the light of a dozen candles - the falling snow and the lights of the city making a magnificent backdrop through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I looked around the table at the shining laughing faces of four beautiful young women. It was then that I realized that I was happy too. For the first time in a long time I was happy. I also realized that my concerns about being Robert Burns had evaporated. But even with the charming company I couldn't help but think how much Cecilia would have enjoyed the evening.

Thoughts of Cecilia dampened the regret I felt that there wasn't the opportunity for Teri to repeat her passionate performance of the night before. After dinner and farewells, the girls were pretty demanding of my attention, and it was late by the time I got them settled. I read them a story from one of the books in Airlea's collection. Of course, it was one about a beautiful but independent dark-haired princess joining her brave and handsome prince on a series of adventures!

It was after midnight by the time I got around to finally sending an email to Cecilia at her address at the castle. There was a seven-hour time difference so she might get it right away if she checked her email first thing in the morning. It took a long time to get the wording right. I didn't want to presume too much, but I still wanted to let her know that I was thinking about her – that was an understatement. That kiss as we parted, the warmth of her body, and the scent of her as I carried her out of the ship demanded more and more of my thoughts. Perhaps it's the natural order of things that as I became more secure in my new life, there was more room for pleasurable thoughts. The photo on the web site of Cecilia on the castle wall, hair slightly mussed by the breeze, eyes sparkling with joy became my screen saver. "Dearest Cecilia" became, "Dear Cecilia" which became, simply "Cecilia." Finally I settled on "Dear Cecilia" and went on to apologize for having taken so long to contact her, but also assuring her that she was "frequently in my thoughts" which I didn't like either, so I settled on telling her that I often thought about her and our meeting on the Concordia and that I was saddened that our time together was all too brief. I went on to say that I hoped that her ankle was healed. At the end I mentioned I would like to visit her so we could spend more time together. Her response to that statement would tell me a lot. I hoped that she felt at least some of the attraction that I felt for her and that she was not just some older man's dream.

As the plane leveled off our flight attendant, an attractive dark-haired young woman in blue jacket, matching skirt and heels brought coffee.

"Anything else, Mr. Burns?" she asked as she set a porcelain coffee mug on the table in front of me. Her name was "Diane" and she smelled delicious.

"Thanks, Diane, that's all I need for now."

"If you need anything else, please let me know. I'll be in the back. I'll keep an eye on the girls and if they wake I'll get them some dinner and some cocoa. Is that okay?"

"Great idea, thanks."

"They sure are sweet." she said in a soft southern accent as she nodded toward the sleeping girls. Diane had befriended the girls even before we took off, meeting us in the terminal lounge and immediately making them feel welcome and telling them about the flight and the airplane. Diane had also got them tucked in as soon as we boarded, after a quick assessment that they needed sleep now and food later. No telling what she thought as she watched Teri and Carolyn seemed to try to outdo each other in affectionate farewells to me.

"I'm a very lucky man..."

"I would say so." she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

I turned and watched her return to her seat in the back of the plane. The view from my vantage point was a delight.

Dragging my eyes and my mind back to truly more important things, I pulled my tablet from my leather carry-on bag and read Cecilia's reply to my message of last night. It was there when I awoke, but with the hectic schedule of the day I had made only the briefest happy reply explaining I was on a crazy schedule and looked forward to answering more fully when I was on the plane in the afternoon. I wanted to at least reply in the thoughtful way that was required. I had taken time to read her message several times during the day though, and each time it made me smile. Did I feel guilty about Teri and flying to meet Grace for a week that would include nights in her bed? No, I was still in a sort of twilight world where I would take the opportunity to make love to a beautiful willing woman when I got the chance. Plus, I still wasn't convinced that there was a future with Cecilia, despite what she said in her email. My feelings for her had been all jumbled since our parting on the beach. One moment I'd remember the kiss, and the next I'd convinced myself I was reading too much into a simple act of gratitude. I didn't want to get my hopes up, and of course I was still suffering the emotional effects of Kate's betrayal.

"Robert, is it really you?" was the first thing Cecilia said in her message.

"I have thought about you every day since we parted, and you have been in my dreams. I wake, and it's as if I can still feel your strong arms as you carried me – carried me away from that terrible place. I was so frightened, and then I saw your light in the passageway, and I knew God had heard my prayers and like an angel you appeared. I will never forget that you saved me and my family. They – especially my brother Pietro, ask if I have heard from you. They have been praying for you and will be so happy to hear you are safe and back in America. I too am sad that we had so little time, but I feel I know you, the kind of man you are – a strong and honest and courageous man. Please, please Robert, do come and visit. It is quiet here this time of year, but the sun is shining and the first signs of spring are already here. I would love to experience it with you and finally get to know the man I owe my life."

I smiled as I read it. I was a little uncomfortable with "the man I owe my life," but her message seemed much more than gratitude. Suddenly I was back there, feeling Cecilia pressed against me on the beach and then the kiss in the ambulance. That was not my imagination, nor did I think it was mere gratitude. So, when could I go to Italy? No, when could "we" go to Italy? Could I even take Airlea out of the country considering I wouldn't get final custody until August? I couldn't leave her behind even for a short visit, and I didn't want a short visit. I realized that I wanted to spend some time getting to know Cecilia, my damsel in distress. Visions of us holding hands and walking through fields of ripening grapes while the warm Tuscan sun illuminated the countryside filled my head. I closed my eyes and held that thought for a couple of minutes. It made me smile.

Diane brought another cup of coffee while I stared out the window at the night sky, considering my reply. When in doubt, tell the truth. I almost laughed out loud. My whole life as Robert Burns was based on a lie. Very amusing!

My tablet was fine for reading messages and short responses, but I needed my laptop to compose a longer message, so I pulled it out. The girls were awake and eating dinner and drinking the promised cocoa by the time I finished. Thankfully Diane kept them amused and busy while I typed, giving Cecilia an abbreviated version of recent events and explaining why I would be unable to travel out of the country until August. I did assure her that there was nothing I would rather do than experience spring in Italy with her. I hit "send" noting it was after midnight in Italy and shut the computer down, turning my seat to face the girls, and we were soon laughing together, their eyes bright with excitement. Diane brought me a perfectly cooked steak and a glass of California Zin.

When we arrived at Dallas Executive Airport on the southwest side of Dallas, the evening weather was far from balmy. It was warmer than Chicago, but the night sky was overcast and there was a chill wind from the north. As we taxied to a large hanger I spotted two new-looking silver Suburbans parked under the lights at the back of the hanger. Grace said she'd meet us, but I hardly expected a man and a tall woman dressed in dark suits standing outside the SUV's. They were security or cops - that was obvious. For a moment, my heart skipped as the thought of imminent arrest crossed my mind. Had I been unmasked? At that point the man turned and opened the back door of the Suburban and out stepped Grace. Well actually, I didn't know if she hopped skipped or jumped out of the back since I was treated to a long expanse of dark-nylon covered legs as she slid from the seat, taking his hand. Her exit was pretty distracting. Damn, she was beautiful! My heart started to return to normal rhythm – well at least as normal as it could get around Grace. Soon the aircraft tug had us inside the brightly lighted hanger, and the engines spooled down.

Two more "security" types got out of the other Suburban. I wondered what was up. Did Grace always travel with such an entourage? Where had they been when we were in New York?

The stairs were quickly lowered, and I noticed that while I was distracted by Grace, Diane had gotten girls ready to go. Each girl carried an expensive leather messenger bag which contained a new iPad and iPhone, thanks to Teri and Carolyn "making a dent in my credit card." I was assured by all concerned that both of those electronic items were essential for pre-teens! Fortunately I could afford it all, plus the two large suitcases each girl had filled with new clothes. Grace had also assured me that we would have to go shopping for the girls.