“I’ll see you and your mom when I return. Do you have an e-mail account? If you’re quarantined, I could e-mail you.”

Charlotte recited both her and Lee’s e-mail addresses. Lauren gave the young girl hers, too.

“Remember, you can call me anytime. Even if you just want to talk about nothing. Okay?”

“Thanks, I might. I’ll probably talk with you soon, so bye for now,” Charlotte said, ending the call.

Lauren could probably have sat for hours thinking about how amazing a kid Charlotte was, but she had a million and one things to do, so she’d best get packing. Literally.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Lauren was up at 5:00. She hadn’t slept well, too occupied with thoughts of the day ahead. She wasn’t a great flyer and had spent half the night psyching herself up with all the usual platitudes. Flying is safer than driving. Flying is faster. Flying is convenient. All her usual thoughts. She’d never flown in a private plane and didn’t know what to expect. She felt sure that when Angela said Mr. G’s plane was nicer than Air Force One, she’d been exaggerating. She’d watched a special once where a crew of photographers had full access to the president’s plane. It had been out of this world. She supposed a president deserved to fly in style. And then there were all the safety measures that had to be taken before the president himself was allowed to board. She felt sure her plane ride would be nothing out of the ordinary.

It was too early to call Angela, so she went downstairs and made herself a cup of coffee. Normally, she was a tea drinker, but she needed a little more caffeine if she were to get through the day. There was a three-hour time difference, and she’d factored that in. She’d probably drink a gallon of coffee. Isn’t that what people do when they visit Seattle? She rolled her eyes at her harebrained thoughts.

She sat down in the kitchen, still wearing her flannel pajamas, her mind wandering from one topic to another. Madison’s pregnancy. Charlotte and Lee. Daisy, Evie, and Yule. Lots of exciting things to come. Her new book. Her father’s seemingly miraculous recovery. And him.