I am grateful that the Uber driver is able to speak broken English, understanding my destination. I quickly look through the flights headed to America. I am grateful when I see they still have room on the flight to New York. Granted, I would have honesty taken any flight out of Russia, but it's nice this one is close to home. I quickly prepare my documentation and passports allowing me to bring the dogs home with me.
The Uber pulls up to the airport and I waste no time getting out of the car, grabbing all my luggage and running towards the airport. I'm in the boarding line when I hear the sound on my phone going off, indicating I have a text. I pull out my phone from my purse and nearly drop it when I see the screen. It's from Damien.
I finished up work. I'll be home soon baby. I'll make it up to you for leaving you alone these past few days.
My hands start to shake as realization hits me that he will keep calling me, texting me. For all I know he has people who can track my phone. I grab a pen out of my purse and write down Evan's phone number on my hand, knowing I can depend on him. I quickly glance around, making sure in a not drawing to much attention to myself, before I throw my phone on the ground and stomping on it as hard as I can. As quickly as I can I toss the remnants into the garbage, walking away. I take one last look back at the lobby of the airport as I board the flight, relieved that I don't see Damien chasing after me.
The puppies are taken to their section of the plan and I am seated next to an older couple. I am trying to keep calm but my body is fidgeting as I wait for us to take off. My feet are tapping against the floor, most likely driving the people next to me crazy. But I can't stop, not until we are off the ground. Not until I'm away from Damien.
***
We are five hours away from New York when the couple next to me lets me borrow their phone. I make out Evan's smeared phone number from my hand and dial it, begging him to answer. After several rings he finally answers. "Evan. It's me."
"Hadley. Are you okay? I haven't heard from you recently. Who's number are you calling from?" I can hear the concern in his voice as he speaks.
"Ev. I need you." My voices cracks as I speak to him. I don't give him a lot of details, promising to tell him when I see him in person. He agrees to pick me up at the airport and drive me home.
I quickly thank the couple for allowing me to use their phone and lean back in my seat, exhaling the breath I was holding in. I have no idea what I am going to do, but knowing I have a way to get home brings me some comfort. I close my eyes now that my nerves are finally starting to calm down, knowing I am putting space between Damien and I. I close my eyes and exhaustion finally hits me, the adrenaline from the night wearing off. I close my eyes, taking a small nap for the remainder of the trip.
***
Once at the airport, I gather my belongings and retrieve the puppies, relieved they made it through the long flight okay. We are making our way out of the terminal when I see Evan, standing and waiting for me. I quickly rush towards even, setting down my belongings and throwing my arms around him. Tears start streaming down my face as I hug him, the only person I can depend on. My grip on him is tight as I hug him, just needing someone right now.
He pulls away and cups my face, rubbing his thumbs across my cheeks. He wipes the tears away and stares at me.
"Hadley, what happened? Who did this to you?"
I shake my head and bend to grab my luggage, asking him to take me home. Evan grabs the carrier and leads me towards the parking lot. I look around before I follow him, paranoid. Damien said he has people, could he have people here?
I quickly follow Evan out the airport, relieved as the fresh air hits my face. I let the dogs out on a grassy area for a few minutes before loading them into Evan's car, allowing them to do their business. Once the puppies are settled in the back seat and my luggage is in the trunk, I sit in the passenger seat and lean my head back, closing my eyes. I try to control my breathing and my nerves, trying to grasp the fact that I escaped and am about to be home.
Now that I am on my way home I feel slightly more relaxed. By now Damien has realized the puppies and I are gone, but I'm in a whole other country. I don't have my phone so he can't contact me. I am now free to figure out what I'm going to do.
"Hadley. Tell me what's going on. What happened? Did he hurt you?"
When I first told Evan I was going to Russia with a man I met in Rome, I could hear the disbelief and worry in his voice, along with the jealousy. I don't want to hear "I told you so", but I need to talk to him about this. I need someone to help me figure out what I am going to do. I can't be alone right now.
"The guy I met in Rome, the one I went to Russia with. He turned out to be someone else, someone I can't be with." I don't want to tell Evan I saw Damien kill a man, just in case Damien does somehow find me. I don't want to risk putting Evan in danger. But I also don't want him to know I was sleeping with a murderer. I already have a hard time processing it as it is. What will Evan think of me if he finds this out?
"Had, did he hurt you?" I can see Evan tense at the question, nervous about the answer.
"No. He never hurt me." He just hurts other people. I silently wonder if Damien killed anyone else before last night, and if so how many. He didn't seem to hesitate to pull the trigger, making me believe he has done this before.
The rest of the ride is silent, neither of us talking. I stare out the window, contemplating about what I am going to do with my life. My hand automatically rises to touch my abdomen. If I keep this baby, I would be alone. I would be a single mom with no help. A tear escapes from my eye as I remember my mom always talking about how much she looked forward to grandchildren, how much she would spoil them. It's then I have my answer. My mom would want me to keep this baby, spoil them and love them unconditionally. The more I think about it, the more I want this baby. Even though I don't want anything to do with Damien, I can't fathom not having our child. I still love Damien, even though I find myself questioning if I ever really knew who he was. I loved the Damien I knew.
Comfort fills me as we pull onto the familiar street. Evan pulls into the driveway and helps me unload the car. I quickly let the puppies out to go to the bathroom and hurry inside. I am unloading my suitcase while Evan volunteers to go get us food, making me realize I am starving. The puppies go room to room, exploring their new home. I follow them and walk through the house, thinking about how much this house and my life are going to change soon.
