Newport - Summer of '22 Book III - 5. Departure & Reunion

“I know what you did last night.” CJ did not give Carson time to settle into his seat before accosting him.

On their way to the airport, CJ and Owen had the limousine driver collect Carson and Jake at their hotel; the four were on the same flight to Washington.

“What?” Carson sounded confused.

“Forget it, CJ. Considering I had to pour him into bed last night”—Jake and Carson had shared a room over the weekend—“I very much doubt his brain’s working yet.”

“Fuck off, Spike. My brain’s working fine.” He turned his attention to CJ. “What exactly are you accusing me of doing last night?”

“You sneaked away with one of the bridesmaids and screwed her brains off, I’m sure. Where’d you take her? A bathroom?”

Carson smirked. “A catering company van. And all I got was a BJ. Hey, at least I didn’t spend half the night dancing with the bride’s brother while everyone stared.”

Sitting in the middle of the back seat, CJ playfully pushed Carson against the car’s side.

“Don’t knock it, mate. We did get twenty-five grand for that dance.”

CJ took pity on his confused friends. “Logan apologized for his father’s antics and explained Mr. Fanning had gone off the deep end after the 2020 election. He bought into the fraud lies and was in D.C. for the insurrection.”

While Jake listened quietly—CJ thought it in character for a CIA agent—Carson reacted to the explanation. “And he gave you money to compensate for his dad being a dick?”

“Nah… I mentioned how Ozzie and I wanted to start a not-for-profit to promote knowledge of the Constitution, and he pledged twenty-five grand for the project.”

“Which means we have to incorporate Constitutional Challenge and start planning.” Owen patted CJ’s knee and grinned. “Just one more thing to keep CJ out of trouble.”

“We should have stolen that one instead.” A grinning Carson pointed at the wide staircase connecting the departure gates with baggage claim on the floor below.

Cj smacked his forehead with an open hand. “Damn! I knew we should have brought the trailer with us.”

The subject of their joking was a boat displayed on the airport’s lower level with its mast and sail rising in front of a bank of windows. It was an appropriate homage to the region’s sailing culture.

“You know? I saw it when we arrived, thought about taking a pic in front, but got distracted wanting to get outside since Paul and Molly were waiting. Let’s get one now.” CJ took his phone out, turned on the camera, and extended it. Wanting to get a shot of the four of them with the sailboat in the background, he realized his arm was not long enough to take a good picture.

He scanned their surroundings, looking for anyone to take it, and settled on a woman in a hoodie and oversized sunglasses. Walking their way from the security checkpoint, she had most likely just arrived. “Excuse me, could I bother you to take a picture of the four of us in front of the boat?”

The woman raised an eyebrow above the rim of her sunglasses in apparent surprise, then fixed her deep-red lips in an enigmatic smile. “Sure thing. Go stand next to your friends.” With the four men standing with arms over each other’s shoulders, her smile grew as she snapped several shots. “One more with me in it even if the sailboat won’t be. Don’t forget to say sexy.”

She turned around, lifted her sunglasses, and took the picture. “Here you go, CJ. If you post it, tag me. Have a safe trip, boys.” She returned the phone, waved, and headed down the stairs. Trailed by two large men who had stood by watching.

CJ shook his head. “How the hell am I supposed to tag her if I don’t know her name? And how did she know who I was?”

“How do you do it, CJ?” Jake looked at his friend with a shocked expression. “You really don’t know who that was?”

Carson jumped. “I do. I do. I was just too surprised to say anything.”

CJ glanced at the woman’s back, and his jaw dropped when recognition struck. “Fuck me! That was Taylor Swift.”

The flight itself was uneventful. CJ promised Carson he would endorse and record an ad for Mayor Muriel Bowser’s campaign. He and Owen mentioned they had another wedding to attend the following month, and Owen’s parents would be visiting for a week—they might not have much free time over the remainder of the summer. CJ planned to work on the manuscript for his book. Owen would research whatever Cuba wanted the Nature Conservancy involved in and spend time familiarizing himself with their rugby club’s operations.

“We’re gonna be busy as shit, but I hope we get to see you guys regularly now that we’re back in the States. And I expect both of you at my parents’ place in Georgetown for their annual Independence Day party.”

“You like it, Munchkin?”

Liebe met Owen’s eyes, grinned, and nodded. Simultaneously, she squeezed the inflatable lighthouse her parents had brought a little tighter.

“Not too hard, Liebe.” With the girl sitting on his lap, CJ loosened her arms a tad. “You don’t want it to break before we get a chance to play with it in the pool.”

“Here you go.” César placed tall, iced coffees in front of his son and son-in-law. “Are you guys staying for dinner?”

The couple had taken a car to Georgetown after their plane landed and sat at the kitchen breakfast bar across from the grandparents.

CJ shook his head. “I don’t think so, Dad. We had a great weekend, but we both want to get home, relax, and spend time with the kid. We’ll order in.”

“Nice picture of you, the SecDef, and the groom’s father.” Brett was scrolling through images from the wedding in CJ’s phone. “Weren’t you embarrassed wearing those pants in front of them?”

“Nah… the groom and the best man had already given me crap. Austin’s a nice guy. And although he and Sam interrogated me on the links, we had an interesting conversation. He’s a smart dude.”

“What are you going to do about the job offer? Parker Electronics sounds like an interesting place to work.” César and Brett had already heard about Sam Parker offering their eldest son a position with his company.

“Yeah, it does. And it would be good experience. But Sam said he’s willing to wait until I get done with whatever additional schooling I decide on. I have a meeting with an admissions counselor at GU this coming week, and I’ll figure that part out. But for now, I’m gonna enjoy our summer.

“Ozzie’s parents are visiting next month, and we have at least three more trips planned before classes start. Michigan for a wedding, New York for meetings and the beach, and then Cuba. I’m looking forward to that one a lot.” CJ and Owen had not mentioned their conversation with Jake Cruz about potential developments in the island nation.

Brett closed the phone and slid it across the counter. “You know something? I’m starting to hate you both.” He grinned at them. “Are you sure I can’t tag along? I promise to behave and not get too drunk.”

“Give it up, Grandpa Cap. I already have one cling-on.” Owen tilted his head in CJ’s direction. “Don’t complain too much; you’ll get to babysit Liebe again. Another opportunity to spoil your granddaughter rotten.”

The End