“I am. I’ll just have to take some throw-up bags with me.”
“I’ll make sure you have them,” Jude said. “I’ll see you back here in forty-five minutes, okay?”
Nodding, they hurried up the stairs to their rooms. Kiara grabbed a small, quilted bag she’d bought online on a whim when she’d seen it on her social media and began to pack.
Her clothes didn’t fit very well anymore, but she still hadn’t purchased any maternity items. That should probably be something she did soon.
She already wore a pair of thick leggings, but she swapped out her sweatshirt for an oversized sweater. She put a pair of pants that had a bit more stretch to them into her bag, along with a blouse that was loose fitting.
Next came her toiletries, though she took a few minutes to apply a bit of makeup before adding them to her bag. She put her pills and her ginger candies in her purse so she’d have easy access to them.
After she’d put everything in the bag, she took a moment just to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. At the last minute, she went to her desk and picked up a couple of pieces of the stationery and slid them into a folder to keep them from getting crumpled.
If she had the time, she might write Jude a letter while on the plane, just in case she didn’t get to see him or he didn’t want to see her.
With everything packed, Kiara still had a few minutes before she had to meet Angie and Jude. She sank down onto the edge of her bed and took a deep breath.
Her thoughts went to Julian again, and she wondered how he was doing. Duncan had seemed upset—even angry—over what Julian had told him, which Kiara could understand. But if he’d reacted in anger to what Julian had revealed, it was possible that Julian was struggling.
Would Julian want to see her? Would he accept her support?
Only time would tell, but Kiara felt strongly that she should be there. And if he rejected her presence, she wouldn’t take it personally. Or at least she’d try not to. After all, the situation didn’t really involve her. She was going because Angie wanted her there.
Her phone chimed with a text message from Angie.Ready when you are.
Kiara slowly pushed herself up from the bed, her hand instinctively moving to steady herself, but thankfully, there was no dizziness this time.
She grabbed her bag and purse, then made her way downstairs to where Angie and Jude waited near the back entrance. Angie's face was pale, but her expression wasdetermined, while Jude stood close beside her, his protective stance more pronounced than usual.
"You sure you're up for this?" Angie asked, studying Kiara's face with concern.
"I'm fine," Kiara assured her, though her stomach was starting to churn with a combination of nausea and nerves. "How are you holding up?"
Angie's smile was shaky. "I’m doing okay, actually. Though I’m not thrilled at the idea of riding in the helicopter or the plane again.”
That was the least of Kiara’s concerns. She actually really enjoyed flying, though it might be an interesting mix now considering her pregnancy.
When Duncan and Elizabeth showed up with their bags, they all left the house to climb into the waiting SUV. The three of them climbed into the rear row, while Duncan and Elizabeth were in the middle. Two members of the security team were in the front.
It was a short drive to the helipad, where a couple more security team members waited.
“We’re going to be a full flight today,” Jude commented as they walked to the waiting helicopter.
It took a few minutes to get all the bags loaded and for them to board. Kiara ended up in the row with three seats alongside Angie and Jude. Duncan and Elizabeth were seated facing them in the two-seat section. The security personnel were in the section closest to the pilot.
They all put their headsets on as the doors were closed, and the blades began to spin. Kiara opened her purse and took outa ginger candy and popped it into her mouth, then turned her attention to the window.
She loved to fly, and as the helicopter lifted off the helipad, she watched the trees and the big house gradually grow smaller.
“Does Julian know we’re coming?”
Kiara was startled at the sound of Angie’s voice in her ears. She always forgot that they could hold conversations when they had the headsets on.
“I called the center and let them know we were coming,” Duncan said.
That meant that Julian might not know that they were on their way. Kiara wasn’t sure that was a good thing. Hopefully, someone—preferably his therapist—would let him know and help him prepare. Especially if things had already gone badly with Duncan.
Within twenty minutes, they were landing at the airport in Coeur d’Alene. It didn’t take too long to transfer to the airplane waiting for them. Kiara chose to sit in one of the single seats.
