All We See or Seem by Leah Sanders Page A

table and began selecting a few of the more appetizing offerings. If Aaron was going into hiding, he would need provisions. He caught his mother’s glance while he piled his plate with crab-stuffed mushrooms and mini-quiches, so he offered her what he believed to be an irreproachably innocent smile and pretended to inspect the fruit tarts.
    When he was satisfied she had stopped watching him, he made a quick scan of the area for surveillance and then made a covert escape into his father’s office. Phew! It was unlocked.
    Ah! Sweet freedom , he thought as he made his way through the unlit room to the outside door. Aaron could see through the glass it was only beginning to get dusky outside. He opened a door and stepped out onto the deck.
    The evening breeze was a welcome relief in the July humidity. Of course, the climate in D.C. was nothing like his desert post, so he sure wasn’t complaining.
    It was a little stuffy in the house — or was that just the guest list? Aaron leaned his forearms on the deck rail and looked over his parents’ grounds.
    His mother had always enjoyed doing her own yard work, but the acreage here at the new place was too much for one person, so Aaron’s dad had finally been able to talk her into hiring a gardener. The argument that “All the other wives have one” had never gone over well, but after a month of trying to handle it herself early last spring, she was able to swallow her gardening pride and concede the need for the extra help. Of course, she still had a section that was off limits to the hired professionals — uniquely hers, just enough to indulge her pleasure in gardening without sucking every spare minute from her day.
    Aaron might be slightly prejudiced, but in his opinion, his mother’s section was the best part of the whole estate.
    Mechanic laughter resonated from the veranda around the side of the house. The sound made Aaron cringe. The worst party ever. And he’d been to some doozies in his lifetime. Actually, he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what was so horrible about this party. He had a sneaking suspicion it was the anxiety of knowing it was a going away party. Although he was excited about his new stateside assignment, there was always a twinge of fear of the unknown destiny. Destiny? Really? You really are getting sentimental, Aaron, he scolded himself. It was weird. Leaving had never bothered him this much before, and he’d left a lot .
    A click of the office door startled Aaron from his thoughts. He stepped away from the rail and ducked back by the wall. Whoever it was, Aaron wasn’t ready to be taken captive back into the party. Just a few more minutes, then he’d surrender of his own volition.
    â€œJoe?”
    It was his father’s voice. Relief flooded Aaron. Good. They weren’t looking for him yet.
    â€œYes, I got your message.”
    Dad must be on the phone. It’d probably just be a short call. Aaron had never known him to make a business call during a party. Mom would skin him if she knew.
    â€œA status update? Yes… I have been observing closely… No. Cary hasn’t noticed.”
    Cary? Why would she be involved in this conversation? She never had anything to do with Dad’s work.
    â€œListen, Joe, I gave you the current update… Yes, I realize you like to keep close tabs on your replacements… No… No… You know what? You’ll have all the tabs you want next week when he gets out there… Yes, but do you understand we are just trying to deal with the adjustment?”
    Robert’s voice grew tenser. Aaron could tell he was fighting back the urge to rip into the idiot on the other end of the line. Must be somebody important if he was going to all the trouble of restraining himself so carefully.
    â€œOkay, Joe… Hey, I’ve got to get back to Cary’s party… Yes, of course, I’ll call you if I notice any problems… You just