The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced (15 page)

Seth was waiting for her in her dressing
room. He had joked about wanting to make sure that she didn’t
chicken out on him, but with the way she was feeling, if he hadn’t
been there, she might have run away.

“I’ve brought you your things so you can
shower,” Seth said, pointing to a bag.

“Shower? I thought I was going to clean up
once we were on the plane.”

“There was a delay with the jet being
finished so we’re flying commercial. Didn’t Greg tell you?”

Anna shook her head.

Seth laughed. “Well, maybe he did and you
just weren’t listening.”

She made a face at him and began to get
ready. Kaitlyn had bought her a travel skirt suit, which was a
little tight, but manageable. She had to be gaining weight; Kaitlyn
couldn’t have bought this in the wrong size too. Even her bras were
tight. She was overfilling the cups.

It was another thing that Alex would probably
be angry about when he saw her.

She walked out of the bathroom and looked
nervously at Seth, who was lounging on the couch and playing with
his phone.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded, unable to trust that her voice
wouldn’t betray her fear. Maybe if she behaved herself, Seth would
tell Alex she’d been good and it might diffuse his anger a
little.

They made their way through the back of the
theater and out to where the limo waited for them. “Two whole
weeks?” she asked as they stepped inside.

“Two whole weeks,” Seth confirmed. “I think
you’ll enjoy yourself more than you think you will.”

“Is Alex going to put me in the Manor?”

Seth laughed. “Why would he do that?”

Anna shrugged and turned back to look out the
window.

“We’ll be at the airport in about twenty
minutes,” Greg told her. He’d been waiting in the limo.

Anna’s head drooped, and by the time they
pulled up to the main terminal, she was almost asleep. The airport
was busy, even though it was after ten o‘clock. They walked up to
the first class counter and Greg handed the lady a handful of
documents.

“Lufthansa flies straight through to
Frankfurt so you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep on the
flight,” Seth said. “We’ll be there Monday night.”

“Monday?”

Seth smiled. “It’s an eleven hour flight and
there’s a nine hour time difference. But we’ll gain the day back
when we come home.”

“You’re bringing me home, too?”

Seth didn’t say anything for a minute. He
looked hesitant. “Yes,” he said after a moment.

Anna frowned in confusion as Seth turned to
Greg and spoke in German. Greg shook his head and responded in
German, then shrugged.

The lady behind the counter smiled broadly at
the two handsome men as she handed the documents back to Greg.
“Have a wonderful trip.”

“Here.” Greg handed Anna a small blue book
with an eagle on the front.

“What’s this?” Anna asked, looking at the
book.

“Your passport. You’ll need it when we go
through security.”

“Passport? I don’t have a passport.” Anna
opened the book and sure enough, there was her picture along with
the necessary personal information.

“You do now,” Seth grinned. “Alex took care
of it.”

Anna looked back at the book. She thought it
was hard to get a passport.

“Let’s go,” Seth said.

Greg spoke quietly with a man in a security
uniform and then accompanied the three travelers to the security
line. The man led them right to the front of the first class
security line that she’d gone through with Devin. The man murmured
something about diplomatic service to the TSA agent standing
there.

“Anna, take your shoes off and your jacket
and put them in the bin with your carry-on,” Seth instructed as he
did the same thing. When he took his suit jacket off, Anna saw he
had a holster with a gun.

“You carry a gun?” she whispered. She glanced
at Greg, who was showing the TSA agent some sort of badge and
removing his holster from his shoulders.

“Always, Anna,” Seth said.

Anna could hear people talking behind her
about them. Her cheeks burned as she took off her jacket and shoes
and put them in a bin as Seth had told her. “I thought you couldn’t
carry weapons on planes.”

“Most people can’t. We can.” Seth
grinned.

“Why?”

“Alex is considered a diplomat. We work for
him. We can do lots of things that other people can’t.”

“But I’m not a diplomat.”

Seth smiled at her, but didn’t say
anything.

The TSA agent finished examining Greg’s
document and Greg walked through the metal detector and it beeped.
Another agent used a wand on him. He said something to the agent
and lifted his pant leg slightly.

“Miss?”

Anna looked back to the first agent who was
motioning for her to step forward.

“Identification?”

She nervously handed him her passport. He
looked at it and gave her a friendly smile. “Thank you,” he said,
handing it back to her. “Go on through.”

She stepped through. Nothing happened, which
she took for a good thing. She put her shoes and jacket on as Seth
went through the same motions that Greg had. Greg stood nearby and
when she glanced at him, he smiled at her. She watched Seth talk to
the agent and then he was able to get dressed.

“Ready?” Seth asked, straightening his
tie.

She nodded silently. She hadn’t known they
carried guns. It was kind of intimidating. Ian didn’t carry a gun.
Why would they need to? Especially around her. She was nobody
special. At least outside the Brotherhood.

Seth put his arm around her as they walked.
“Anna, we have guns to protect you. There’s nothing to worry
about.”

“Why would you need a gun to protect me?”

Seth shrugged. “Countless reasons. It’s
always better to be prepared.”

“You carry them when you’re with Alex
too?”

“Yup.”

“Why doesn’t Wilhelm have bodyguards?”

“He does when he needs one.”

“But Alex needs one all the time?”

Seth grimaced. “Anna, it’s better if you ask
Alex these questions.”

Anna pulled away and looked at the ground as
they walked. Sometimes she thought it would be better if she just
didn’t think up so many questions.

They went to the First Class lounge. It was
nicer than the one she had gone into with Devin. They walked to an
area with comfortable looking leather chairs and Anna curled up in
one of them.

“It’ll be about a half hour and then we’ll be
able to board,” Greg said, settling into the chair across from
her.

“Do you want something to eat, Anna?” Seth
asked, setting her bag next to her. “You can put your passport away
now.”

Anna put her passport in the outer pocket of
her carry-on bag. She shook her head. “I’m not really hungry.” Her
stomach was churning and the thought of food made her want to throw
up.

“Did you eat dinner?”

Anna shook her head. “I wasn’t hungry.”

Seth sighed and stood up. He looked at Greg.
“I’m going to go get her something to eat. You want something?”

“Coke?”

When Seth left, she looked at Greg. “I’m
sorry I’ve been so difficult, Greg.”

He looked surprised, and then his face
softened into an affectionate smile. “It’s all right, Anna. I know
things have been tough for you lately. I’m sorry I wasn’t more
sympathetic.”

Seth returned a few minutes later with a
sandwich for Anna. She eyed it warily. Not because it didn’t look
good, but because her stomach felt so queasy. She glanced at Seth
and then took a bite for his sake. The taste somehow calmed her
stomach and she finished it quickly. Seth watched her with an
amused expression on his face.

They boarded the plane a half hour later and
walked up a staircase to the first class section. The area was
configured with one seat next to each of the windows and two in the
middle. Anna sat in the first window seat, Seth sat across the
aisle and Greg sat behind her. After she was situated, she curled
her legs under her and stared out the window, blinking to try and
stay awake.

The flight attendant came by and offered her
a drink while they waited to depart. “I’ll be happy to turn down
your bed as soon as we’re in the air,” she said with a pleasantly
accented voice.

“That would be great,” Anna responded.
“Thanks.”

Anna stood and looked around as people
settled in. The flight attendants took coats and brought
drinks.

“Anna, why don’t you sit down?” Seth
suggested gently. “You can stand while the plane is in the
air.”

“If I sit I’ll fall asleep,” she answered,
then looked at him, wondering if he thought she was being stubborn.
“Is it okay if I stand?” she asked humbly.

Seth nodded, concern in his eyes.

It seemed like forever before the fasten
seatbelt light came on. Anna was feeling sick to her stomach again.
She was nervous about flying and nervous about the trip.

“Are you all right?” The flight attendant
asked. Her name tag read, “Inga.”

“My stomach’s a little upset,” she
admitted.

“Have you flown before?”

“Only once.”

Inga smiled. “Let me see if I can find
something to settle your stomach. I will be right back.”

She returned a few minutes later with a glass
of water and a package of Alka-Seltzer. She also had some
peppermints. “This should help. Peppermint is also good for
nausea.”

Anna smiled gratefully at her. “Thank you,”
she said.

“We will be leaving shortly.” She pointed to
a white bag in the pocket next to her. “If you need to vomit, use
that.”

Anna hoped she wouldn’t need it. She had only
thrown up a few times in her life and it had never been pleasant.
As the plane backed away from the terminal she dumped the tablets
into the water and watched them dissolve. She was so tired, the
bubbles floating to the surface mesmerized her.

Through the overhead speakers came the
muffled voice of the pilot, speaking first in German, then in
English. They would be arriving in Frankfurt at eight twenty-seven
Monday night. Anna’s stomach lurched as the plane moved. She took a
drink of the fizzy water and grimaced.

“It will help your stomach, Anna,” Seth said,
giving her a sympathetic look. “Just drink it fast.”

Anna nodded, took a deep breath and downed
the drink in several big gulps. Seth was right. By the time the
plane rose into the air, she wasn’t feeling nauseous anymore. She
still felt nervous, but didn’t think she’d need that little white
bag any time soon.

Once they were airborne, the flight
attendants set to work adjusting people’s seats so they could
sleep. Inga came over to Anna’s seat and Anna stood while her seat
was changed into a bed.

“Are you feeling better?” Inga asked as she
placed the pillow and duvet on Anna’s seat-turned-bed.

“Yes, thank you. The drink helped
immensely.”

Inga smiled. “Good. If you need another one,
just ask.”

Anna snuggled into her “bed” and closed her
eyes. She was asleep within seconds.

Alex tapped his foot impatiently as the limo
sped along the highway towards Frankfurt.

“Alex, tapping your foot will not make the
car go any faster,” his father said, looking amused.

“I can’t help it, Vati. I’m nervous.”

Vati chuckled. “I’ve not seen you nervous
like this in a very long time.”

“What if she’s still angry with me? What if
she takes one look at me and gets back on the plane?”

Vati outright laughed this time. “I don't
think that’s legal, son
.
”

Alex gave him an exasperated look. “You know
what I mean, Vati
.
”

“Didn’t Seth say that she wasn’t angry
anymore? His presence seemed to soften her up a little. I’m sure
it’s still working. And if she is still angry, then you’ll just
have to work harder to win her over.”

“You’ve never had a problem winning a woman
over, Alex,” his mother said with a smile.

“Anna’s never been angry before,” Alex said,
leaning his head back and looking at the roof. “You said yourself
that she was different, Vati. But how different? What if she never
forgives me for leaving her?”

“I think you’re being a bit melodramatic,
Alex,” Mutti said. “If she didn’t care about you, she wouldn’t be
angry. People don’t get angry at people they don't care about.”

Alex sighed and ran his hands through his
hair. Greg had commented on the change in Anna from Seth being
there. Alex knew that Anna adored Seth, and Alex was glad that he
had sent him to attend to her. Especially now that she had stopped
resisting the travel.

And the three of them were safely on the
plane and would be arriving within the hour. Alex’s heart pounded
in his chest as he anticipated seeing Anna again for the first time
since August. This time he would be able to tell her
everything.

*****

Anna’s eyes shot open and she grabbed her
stomach. She reached around for the bag that Inga had pointed to
the night before and barely got it open before the contents of her
stomach lurched up into her mouth. Seth jumped out of his seat and
was next to her in an instant. He pushed the call button and helped
Anna hold the bag as she coughed and threw up again.

Inga saw what was going on and brought Anna
some cool towels to wipe her face after she was finished. The bag
was taken away and Seth held her while he wiped her face and neck
and hands.

“You okay?” Seth asked gently.

Anna nodded. “I feel much better,” she said
with a weak smile. She glanced up at Seth. “I’m sorry. Did I wake
you?”

Seth shook his head. “I’ve been up for a
while. We’ll be landing soon and I was contemplating waking you
anyways. I guess your stomach did it for me.”

“Is she okay?” Greg asked from behind.