Beauty

Chapter 22

Everything had happened so fast that Callie was sitting in the back seat watching  the country side fly by, and the miles filling the space between her and Neverland, before she had even started to process where everything had went wrong. She had calmed enough so that the large hands, that belonged to the man her parents had wanted her to marry (Callie could not believe that they had brought him), had released her and she sat weakly collapsed against the window contemplating an escape but knowing they were traveling way too fast for her to think about jumping out of a moving vehicle. She sat, praying to be pulled over because surely they were driving at least 20 miles over the speed limit and thinking about Michael. How could she ever go back to him now?

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   After breakfast, Bill had gone to unpack his things and Michael and Callie went for a walk. They walked around the amusement park and through the zoo. Each avoided the subject of her parents arriving until they were headed back towards the lake and Callie couldn't avoid it any longer.

   "What are we going to do?"

   "We'll figure it out, don't worry. There are just some things that can't be planned." Michael tried to assure her.

   "But shouldn't we have at least a general idea?"

   "What are they going to do? Kidnap you? Throw you in the back of a van and drive off?" Michael giggled but Callie didn't find it to be humorous.

   "Well, what if they did? Then what would we do?" 

   Michael paused, taking the time to really think about it. "If that happens, then we'll give them some time to cool off, and then we'll talk to them together, they can't keep you forever. But if they try," Michael gave her a questioning look, "I can get a lawyer if you want me to. You're a grown woman, they can't keep us away from each other."

   Callie gave a weak, uncertain smile as he pulled her in and kissed her forehead. She took in his scent and tried to freeze time right at that moment. She did her best to hold on to the happy moment before she had to face the hell that she knew was coming for her.

   They had made it back to the front entrance of the house when a sensible looking Honda something came speeding up the driveway. Callie gripped Michael's hand tighter and braced herself for the storm. Michael squeezed back as if to comfort her and they stood together, ready for Callie's parents to emerge as the car came to a stop. 

   The passenger door opened as soon as the car jerked into park and an older version of Callie popped her head up over the hood. In a very sweet, very fake, high pitched voice, Callie's mother demanded, "Callie, sweety, let's go."

   Callie's face fell. She could already tell that things were not going to end well and she scooted closer to Michael. 

   "Mrs.Moore," Michael started, extending a hand to shake as Callie's mother walked towards them, "It's nice to meet you, I'm Michael Jackson." 

   She didn't take his hand and only replied, in a condescending tone, "Yes, I'm aware of who you are. Thank you for your help, Mr.Jackson." She turned to Callie, "Let's go dear." She made a gesture for Callie's arm which Callie side stepped by sliding even closer into Michael. Callie's mother held a look of annoyance on her face as two men stepped out of the car. 

   The rest had really been a blur, it had happened so quickly and she had been crying as she was dragged off. She remembered telling her mother that she wanted to stay and her laughing in her face. Then two large, strong hands pulling her from Michael as she started to cry... she started screaming, "wait... wait..." but no one was listening. There were a few half-hearted "thank you"'s, her father's voice, an offer of payment, some scripture recitation and the urgency for Michael to turn from his sin, and Callie had seen a bible shoved at him. Her mother had done that, with the suggestion that he needed it more than they did. 

   Callie could barely think straight. Her life had turned into something from a movie. She was literally being dragged, against her will, away from the man she loved and forced into a car to be taken away while Michael was being subjected to a lesson on scripture by two who could not follow it themselves. Callie could feel her world crashing down and realized that if she didn't act she would lose everything. "My clothes!" She shouted. "My clothes, my things... they're inside!" It would be her last chance to loosen the grip on her arms and maybe, upon finding Bill, turn the situation around. 

   Instead she was shoved into the car and told that she could get more. It was over, she had lost. Callie cried and fought, with every bit of strength she had, to get out and to return to Michael but the hands holding her back were too strong. The car had pulled away too fast. Callie had watched as Michael chased the car down the drive until they flew through the gate and sped off down the empty country road. 

   She had picked up mumblings here and there of all the trouble she had caused and how she would thank them for this someday, but she hadn't really been listening. When she had stopped struggling, and they were far enough away, she was released and lay against the window with silent tears streaming down her face. She had already begun plotting her escape.