I Tried

i

I ran around the diner making sure everyone was taken care of when I heard Jerry one of my regulars yells "Ronnie! You were amazing as usual, tips on the table." Before the he walked out. I walked over to bus table and saw an extra 50 bucks on the table. God bless that man.

I quickly cleaned up the table when I heard my manager Stacy yell "Ronnie you're off. Seriously girl take some time off before you have to pick the kid up." I knew she was right but I hated leaving during the rush. "You sure you can deal with this without me?"

She nodded before helping me take my apron off and practically shoving me out the door. I walked out the back door towards my car to head to pick up Jamie from day care. He was almost 3 months old and I couldn't believe it.

I had been free from that monster for a year. I couldn't find a good enough job when I didn't have any of my records and I had to have flexible hours with a new born on my hip. That's when I met Stacy. She owns the biggest diner in town.

Good money, good hours, and good environment. Whenever day care had a day off but I had to work she would let me bring him in and she would watch him in the office while she did paperwork. She truly was like my big sister and I love her so much.

Sadly I didn't feel like I could tell her about my past life without putting her in danger so I kept that to myself only telling her how I had ran away from an abusive relationship after finding out about my baby. Which technically wasn't a lie at all.

As I got to my car I couldn't help but feel someone watching me. I looked around but couldn't find anyone but this one black car with tinted windows I couldn't help but be a bit freaked out about it. I didn't remember anyone in town owning that car but I just shrugged it off.

I drove to pick Jamie up before heading back to my small apartment that I got for such a good deal. It was in the attic of this wonderful old lady Miriam. She also escaped from an abusive relationship and felt sympathetic over hearing me and Stacy in the diner.

She volunteered and I had no room to say no. I will for ever be in these people debt for the kindness that they have showed me and my baby. Miriam had bingo with her son on Thursday nights so it was us tonight.

I heated up some leftover as I got out some frozen breastmilk for Jamie heading it up for him and getting him situated in my arms after sitting at the table with my food and turning on the tv to watch something.

I had gotten Jamie ready for bed and when he finally went down I quickly took a shower. Luckily I got to wash my hair and shave my legs before he started to fuss. I was rocking him in my arms when I started to get that feeling again so I looked out the only window in the room I was in.

I looked out and saw a tall man in a nice suit sitting outside his car smoking a cigaret. Only a few seconds after I started watching him he threw it down stepped on it and hopped into his car driving off soon after.

~~~

It was Saturday morning and luckily I had Saturdays off of work. So I was laying on the couch as Jamie slept soundly in his crib. I didn't dare turn on the tv in fear it would wake him. I don't believe I had ever moved faster than when the phone began to ring.

I picked it up so fast and I whispered softly "Hello?" Nothing on the other end. I'm sure it's just a telemarketer. "Is anyone there?" I asked again but of course Jamie woke up and started crying out. The one thing I heard from the phone was a soft chuckle that left a chill run down my spine.

I quickly hung up and sat there frozen until I was knocked back into reality hearing Jamie cry again. I held him tight but not too tight in fear that it would hurt him. "Dear lord please no." I couldn't help the few tears that slid down my face.

~~~

I sat quietly at the counter of the diner counting my tips because it was basically empty after the worker lunch rush. I had done really good today but one thing caught my eye. I was used to just random pieces of paper or random workers hitting on me but this wasn't that.

"You'll be back in my arms sooner or later." The horrid calligraphy on the back of the card made my blood run cold. That bastard was coming and the worst part is there was nothing I could do about it. Where would I go?

"Everything alright doll?" Stacy asked walking in while holding Jamie in her arms. I put the card down on the table frozen in fear and she picked it back up. "My girl." She sighed with a worried look on her face before she turned the card over and was now shocked.

"Antonio Ricci! Girl are you fucking kidding me." I quickly scolded her pointing to my child. "That dude is the richest man in the well anywhere. But he's married to a girl name Ver- holy shit. But I thought he had done interviews and stuff saying how great they were?"

She was confused and she had every right to be and I couldn't help but get nervous playing with my fingers as I said "You can't really have a scandal like your wife disappearing out of nowhere while you're building a literal empire can you."

I tried to chuckle but it just came out helpless. "I don't know what I can do for you babe." She said just a helpless as me and I smiled softly at. "There's nothing we can do. I just have to pray for mercy from him and whoever else I meet along the way."

"Oh my girl." She said coming around the counter as she pulled me into a huge hug. I hugged her back as we both cried but that was short lived as we heard the bell. I turned around and smiled seeing it was Miriam here for her after lunch tea.

"Is everything alright girls?" She asked with a worried look on her face and I quickly nodded saying "Sure is. Herbal grey today?" She nodded and smiled sitting next to Jamie in his carrier. "Hello there little man."

The wonderful old woman did not need to know what was coming. She didn't deserve that but I just had to sit and wait. What else was I going to do?

~~~

I walked into my room and turned on the lights only to be met with a small gift box on my bed. I slowly walked towards it and I set Jamie down on the bed before picking it up. The small card on it was blue and I opened it just to be met with the words "It's a boy."

I couldn't help but start crying once again in fear and defeat. I opened the box and slowly as possible. Is was a pacifier and another card I shook my head telling myself to get it together as if I was hyping myself up to read it.

"He'll need this for the long flight home. I'd start packing up his stuff but leave yours you have nicer things at home in our closet." He was torturing me for what. Why not just drag me back now, why wait it out. I'll never understand that devil of a man.

I looked to Jamie who was smiling up at me with not a care in the world and I couldn't help but cheer up just a little bit. The poor innocent soul had no say in what his life was going to be like. All I can hope for is that he will never be like his father.

But knowing Antonio he will make sure Jamie is just like him just like his father did to him. I just hope I do not see the same fate of his mother. She was my only friend in that prison of a house. I should have listened to her warning.

But I was too stupid in love with that man. I just pray that I never get to that place in my life like she did. She tried to get him away but she was too late he was already loyal and she lost her will to live.

~~~

NO POV

He chuckled that awful laugh as he watched her from the window of the backseat of the car. "Oh my dear Veronica I cannot wait to have you by my side again. And I can't wait to put another one of those inside of you. You're not going anywhere this time."

His good mood was ruined when he saw the sad eyes watching him from the drivers seat. "Is there something you would like to say Charles?" He asked just hoping he would. The only reason he kept him around was because he reminded him of Veronica.

She was to good for his world and he knew Charles knew that. He was almost like a big brother to her and Antonio could always use that against her. As long as she had something she cared about he had power over her and now he had the ultimate weapon.

A child.