Blood and Sweaters

Chapter 20

Hagridden
Worried or tormented

Marta Cabrera paced along the hallways of the cheap, rundown motel she had been living in for the past few days. Sharp pains stabbed her lower abdomen. The one thing she hadn't expected was for this baby to come early. It was going against everything that she had planned. This would mean that she would have to leave the safe haven of the motel.

'There had to be another way.' Marta thought as she double over in pain. She didn't know how to deliver a baby on her own. She needed a plan and fast. For the first time since arriving in Spain, she regretted her decision.

Marta looked around in desperation. Call it fate, divine intervention or just sheer luck. At that very moment, she heard the tintinnabulation of the nearby church bells.

~~~

"Can I take the blindfold off now Ran?" Aria laughed as Ransom led her down a rocky pathway.

"It's a surprise Dew," he smiled at her even though she couldn't see it through the black silk material.

Ransom had planned an outing for the two of them, to take the raven haired girl's mind off recent events. The past few days haven't been easy on her and even though she did her best not to show it in front of Ransom, he knew just how much Marta had been affecting her.

"Don't worry I didn't bring you out here to kill you," Ransom jokes.

"You couldn't even if you tried your best."

Ransom came to a stop and gently pulled off the blindfold. Aria blinked a couple of times reminding Ransom of a little confused cub. A smile makes its way onto Aria's face as she takes in her surroundings. They stood in the middle of a forest clearing, a sparkling stream stretched along the center of the clearing.

"It's beautiful," Aria whispers, as if speaking too loud would break the calm of their surroundings.

"It truly is beautiful," Ransom replies.

Aria looks up to see that Ransom wasn't looking at the trees or the stream but rather his ocean blue eyes were trained on her. His words were directed at her. Encircling her in his arms, Ransom slowly leaned down connecting their lips. The kiss is warm and gentle. It made Aria's heart feel full and for the first time in days the thought of Marta leaves her mind.

"I love you." Aria smiles at a rather mischievous-looking Ransom.

Before she can question his intentions, Ransom grabs Aria by the waist and lifts her into the air, making a run towards the stream.

"HUGH RANSOM DRYSDALE! PUT ME DOWN!"

Ransom laughs as he tosses the girl into the water. Aria resurfaces after a few seconds, her raven hair clinging to her face.

"You're going to pay for that," Aria warned but the corners of her mouth tugged up.

A breathtaking smile spread on Ransom's handsome face as he looked at Aria splashing around in the water. Nothing. There was nothing he wouldn't do for the girl in front of him.

"Aren't you coming in bubba?"

Ransom kicked off his sneakers and then pulled his white t-shirt over his head, dropping it next to his shoes. His pants are next to go, landing next to his t-shirt on the grass. Aria admired the black ink that decorated his upper body, something that Aria had always wonder was why he had never tattooed his back. Her eyes drifted to her two favorite designs, a large eagle on his right pectoral and a quote that read; "When you lose touch with your inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world" just under his collarbone on the left side.

"Like what you see?" Ransom smirked.

"I love what I see," Aria teased as she splashed some water on an approaching Ransom.

Letting out a deep chuckle he jumped into the warm water.

"Did you splash me dew?" Ransom laughed as he snaked his well-built arms around Aria's waist, spinning her around causing her to let out a childlike laugh.

"Your laugh is the most beautiful sound in the world," Ransom confessed.

Aria beemed at the man in her arms, his wet dark brown hair now black and sparkling in the warm sunlight. Ransom slowly leaned down capturing her soft pink lips with his. The rest of the afternoon was spent in sunshine and laughter and cool stream waters, the thought of Marta was not even remotely close to Aria's mind.

~~~

The churchyard was lined with Great Elm trees which stretched their majestic arms over the large porch. The entrance was adorned by a Norman doorway and an enormous Gabon Ebony door studded with iron. Marta made her way inside. Looking around she took in the arches that rose into darkness, in the chancel, the windows were made of colored frosted glass. The black oak of the choir pews hardly more solid then the shadows cast by the design on the windows. At the altar stood a rather tall man dressed in black robes, in his hand was a Bible.

"Father," cried out Marta between panted breaths.

The man turned in surprise, rushing to help the pregnant girl who was doubled over in pain.

"Are you okay, my child?"

"I need help, Father. There are people after me and I can't go to the hospital. Please is there anyone here that can help me?"

"Whose after you my child?" asked Father Fernandez, concern laced in his voice.

"The Torretos," Marta whispered as if she was to say the name out loud all hell would break loose.

"Well don't you worry my child. They will not shed blood in the house of God. As long as you are in this building, no harm will come to you."

"Thank you, Father."

"There is a small nunnery at the back of the church. Sister Margot will show you the way," the Father gestured towards a young woman dressed in black robes.

Margot helped a rather breathless Marta towards the large wooden doors at the back of the room.

"What did you say your name was child?" the priest called out.

"Marta. Marta Cabrera."

~~~