Into the Future: A Callahan Novel by Celya Bowers

marriages, their feelings for each other, Lizzy figured the hard part was over.  The hard part was just beginning. 
    Although she’d had no contact from her ex in the last forty-eight hours, she couldn’t help thinking the worst was yet to come.  Besides, Izzy had a doctor’s appointment that morning, Lizzy couldn’t shake that feeling of doom either.  To make matters worse, she couldn’t attend her sister’s doctor’s appointment due to the mayor calling an impromptu meeting.  She had to be at work, no excuses.
    Her assistant announced she had an incoming call.  Lizzy hurriedly picked up the line and blurted into the phone, “Izzy?”
    “No, honey,” her mother said.  “I was just wondering if you had heard from them.  We were getting worried.  Her appointment was over two hours ago. Normally, they don’t take this long.”
    Her mother was seldom anxious.  Maybe years ago when Izzy rebelled and ended up in destructive affair with a drug dealer.  But fate had intervened and Izzy was set on the right path.  Nowadays, her mother was a picture of calm.  “I was thinking the same thing, Mom.  We just have to keep positive thoughts.  Cam is with her, so she’s in good hands.”
    “I know, but she’s still my baby.”  She took a deep breath.  “I hope everything is all right.”
    “I’m sure it is.  She’s twenty-one weeks, so maybe there’s more tests or something.”  She didn’t want to think about the fact that her sister was also in the high risk category since she was thirty-five.
    Both she and her mother needed something to keep their minds off of the inevitable. Although Izzy was a doctor herself, even that couldn’t interfere with destiny.  Izzy had been on medical leave from the hospital since her marriage to Cam, because her blood pressure had skyrocketed, and she was having other issues as well.  Both families tried to help out as much as possible, but Izzy had fought long and hard for her independence.  It was always a battle of wills.
    “Lizzy, I have a great idea.” Her mother interrupted her thoughts.  “Why don’t we plan a celebration for Izzy?  You know, her getting married and pregnant.  Providing it’s okay with Cam and she’s feeling okay.”
    “That sounds like a great idea, Mom.  I can get started on it.  Why don’t we plan it for two months from now?  That way it will be about two months before the baby comes.”
    “Sounds wonderful. And it will be close to her birthday, too.” 
    “Well this is going to be one big celebration,” Lizzy said.  Tristan walked passed her office door with the mayor.  Drat. The meeting.  “Mom, I have to go to a meeting.  I’ll see you this evening.”
    “Okay, baby.”
    Lizzy placed the phone back in its holder, grabbed her notepad and headed down the hall to the conference room.  She took her seat across from Tristan.  They shared a smile as the mayor began the meeting. 
    “Thank you for coming.  I know Campbell is out for the rest of the week. I’ve already touch on the highlights of this meeting with him on yesterday.  I wanted to talk about the Freedom Concert in DC.”  The concert had been just an ugly rumor for months. 
    “I thought that was just a rumor?”  One of the attorneys asked.
    The mayor nodded.  “The rumor has just been confirmed.  With Spring Break just over, the concert is scheduled for early June, just in time for tourist season. Since we’re only about an hour away, I’ve been asked to keep things on high alert.  We’ve only got about six weeks to coordinate security with other neighboring cities. ”
    Lizzy knew instantly what the mayor wasn’t saying.  Homeland Security.  She had also heard the rumor of the Freedom Concert.  The top mainstream, rap, and hip hop artists were slated to appear.  The concert was in support of the slain victims at the hands of the police.  The latest case of a young African-American male dying at the hands of an over-zealous police