EXCEPTional

Bonus Chapter (1)

Greetings!

Wow, it sure has been a long time since I've visited this story! But - a promise is a promise! I said I would update the bonus chapter once this story got 150+ votes, and it has recently achieved that!

And so, with further ado, here is the first part of the bonus chapter!

...

*Chance*

    As soon as we were allowed to exit the plane, I was out the door and rushing into the airport. The gaping, screaming crowds were usual, and I kept pushing on ahead, despite the swelling size of onlookers.

    Beyond the gates, I caught sight of my hired bodyguard, a former Navy SEAL named Brody. He gave me the slightest nod of acknowledgement, and off we went, navigating our way through the throngs of excited spectators.

    I was thankful for Brody. He had enough of a frightening appearance that he kept advancers at bay. The fans were often too stunned that they were witness to me that their reservations fled. With Brody walking beside me, their inhibitions returned and they kept their distance.

    Hiring a guard became necessary two years ago, when an enraged and overzealous fan tried to attack me. She was stronger than she looked and managed to get a good right hook in.

    Bridget wasn't too pleased to see me with a black eye, so she demanded I either start fighting back or I get someone to do that for me. That's when Brody came into the picture.

    Despite his scary deportment, Brody was a good man. And because we often traveled together, he became a friend just by proximity. He was a fun drunk, and when sober, he was an even better storyteller. But being a former Navy SEAL did make for some great stories.

    It took some self-control to refrain from running out of the airport, but I managed, doing a brisk walk instead.

    I hated leaving home, especially these days. If something happened and I was on the other side of the world, I wouldn't be able to get back home in time. And if anything happened, I'd never forgive myself.

    A long-time fan, whom I'd done interviews with before, asked for my picture, polite as always.

    Normally, I'd stop and pose for her. But home was more important. So I smiled at her and called, "Sorry, Elisa! I have somewhere to be. Maybe next time?"

    She smiled back, content with the compromise. "Okay. Next time. Bye, Mr. Olson!" She waved and disappeared into the crowd.

    I slid into the limousine, Brody following. Once we were inside, my driver stepped on it, taking off into the streets.

    Traffic in New York was notorious for being hellish. And being a limo in NYC was even worse. Despite my recognizable license plate (which read "GREENIS", meaning "Green eyes"), no one moved out of the way. And a police escort was overkill, even though I had seriously considered it.

    So I settled into my seat, knowing the commute to Rochester would be a lengthy one. To stave off the boredom, my phone rang.

    Smiling, I answered, "Marcus, hey."

    "Hey!" he greeted. "How was the flight?"

    I shrugged. "It was like any flight: long and boring."

    "Glad to be home?" he asked, a knowing trill to his voice.

     "Oh, yeah," I gushed. "I feel like I've been away too long. I know the show in L.A. was only two weeks, but that's just too long at this point in time."