The Pole Dancer

Chapter 42

She doesn't even try to find a way to escape from this "cage." Sarah can't figure out how to get out of here alone.

She tried to climb on the small window. She placed some boxes on top of that, but the boxes broke and she almost fell.

She's lying in bed now, staring at the white ceiling. Expect a miracle. For someone to save her.

She shuts her eyes for a while and imagines the door being slammed wide and her mother and father entering. Who will take her in their arms and get home.

She doesn't know how long she's been here. There is no clock on the wall. The window is painted with dark paint, so she can't tell when it's day and night.

There is just a single light bulb in the whole room. What if so much time has passed that her mother has already given birth?

The corners of her mouth are getting tight. That would mean she missed out on seeing her siblings for the first time. That's what she wants most.

Shortly before Paul snatched her, at night, when her mother brought her to sleep in the same room, Sarah fell asleep with her head on her mother's stomach. She giggled when the twins squirmed. It seemed so funny to her. She was asking her mother if she also moved with such energy when she was in her belly. Jenice would have replied in the affirmative, smiling.

Sarah flinches at the door opening. The shred of hope that the one in the door is Nikki, dissipates. Paul looks at her stumped. He has something in his hand.

The little girl turns her back, not wanting to see him.

"Still grumpy?" Paul scoffs.

He doesn't get an answer and sits down on the chair next to the bed.

"I brought you the ointment. You know... For your burn."

"Go away!" Sarah grumbles. "I don't want to see you."

"But you need it. It's for your burn. To heal it. Faster."

"It will heal faster when you return me to mommy and daddy!" The little girl raises, upright now in bed, and with a sharp look at him.

"You don't need them. You will be very good with me. I am your real father. I held you for the first time when you were born. Not Nikki. Keeps this in your mind!" He reprimands her, pointing his finger at her.

Sarah speaks very serenely, and with a very mature voice, for her age:

"I know that Nikki came later in my life. I know who you are. My mother told me. But that doesn't mean you're my real father. Nikki took care of me when you weren't with me and mom. You are not my father! You will never be!"

"You! Little brat!" Paul gets mad and stands up, heading to the exit, slamming the door behind him.

These are the words that Paul said to Nikki. Words that hurt him now.

Sarah frowns, sticking her tongue out at him without him being aware of it.

***

Jenice and Nikki are sitting down, waiting for Lisa to start saying something. The redhead is motionless, looking down, nervously rubbing her thumbs.

What Lisa has to confess to them is not easy. Nevertheless, she comes to terms with the idea that this is the best. That should clear up the swirling mess she and Jenice were in.

"I want to start the first time," Lisa clears her throat, subtly looking up at Jenice, "by apologizing for what I did to you. For all the insults I have directed at you. That I put your life in danger. I'm so sorry. And it's understandable if you'll hate me forever for that. Nobody can blame you. As long as I served my sentence, I did therapy and... I had problems... That's why I resorted to such an exaggerated gesture. I have past traumas. But I got help, and I'm still on medication and getting better. I am sane now. I'm trying to rehabilitate myself. To become a better person. That's why I'm here. I want to help you, Jenice. To make up for all I have done to you."

Lisa pauses, following a quick breathing exercise. Jenice examines her, curious. Lisa looks pale since she came in here.

"What are you going to tell us?" Jenice asks with an impartial look and voice.

"It happened as soon as I got out of prison. I finished my sentence... Soon, I met someone. A man. He seemed downhearted, but somehow he was willing to spend time with me. What I found unusual was that he seemed to be afraid of something, of someone. It was as if he was hiding. We happened to meet at a gas station. I think he liked me because he wanted us to spend time together. I asked him about his family, and he told me that he has a child that he hasn't seen in a while. He looked sad. I felt empathy for him too. I really felt sorry for his situation."

He said that he and his child will meet soon. As the mother of his child forbids him to see them. Which I found out to be a lie, in fact. But at that time, I felt sorry for him. I pitied him. And that's how we started to be close.

I don't know if this can be called a relationship. We met for three months. When your daughter was kidnapped, I found out the truth. That I was with your ex, with Paul. And he... He was talking about your daughter. I swear I didn't know he was your ex. It was all just a coincidence... I felt... I felt I had to come here. And to say everything I know. For your daughter to be found. I know Paul's hideout. I know where he is. And that's probably where he keeps Sarah too."

" And it would help us a lot if you told us the address," says a police officer.

Lisa nods and says it. Moment Nikki and Jenice stare at her speechless.

Lisa and Paul together? This is beyond Jenice's limits! How was it possible? What were the odds? It feels like a badly performed theatre act.

" Do you hate me more now?" Lisa asks, uncertain, rubbing her elbow.

"No... It's just... What you told me is unbelievable. I didn't see that coming," says Jenice still in pure shock. "I was curious at first how you could get information about Paul. But this is crazy!"

"That's what I said when I found out too. And there's something else..." Lisa turns even paler, looking almost sickly. "You see... After a month with Paul... I found out I was pregnant."

"What the?!" Jenice is taken by surprise.

"I know... It's all madness... But it happened. It's Paul's baby."

Besides the couple in the room, the Cops also seem stunned by Lisa's statement.

"I know it's strange," says Lisa looking at her tummy. "Our children have the same father."

"Do you... Do you want to keep the baby?" Jenice stammers.

"Yes. Although at first I didn't want to. But I changed my mind... I know... Maybe it seems crazy what I want to do. To keep a child given this crazy situation with his father. I feel like this baby has a purpose. I want to give birth to him or her."

"How far along are you?" Jenice asks, trying to keep her composure.

"Two months."

"Does Paul know?"

"No... I wanted to tell him a few days ago... Before Sarah's kidnapping. I was afraid that Paul wanted to make me have an abortion. He didn't seem too keen on such a thing. That's how I felt."

"I think you did well not to tell him," Jenice tell Lisa honestly.

Lisa smiles softly, placing a hand on her tummy.

Jenice's head is spinning. She looks in shock at her husband, sharing the same shocked expression.

Sarah has another sibling! Not just the twins that Jenice is carrying. Lisa will also give birth to a sibling. There will be three babies!

Not that it could be more crazy!

"Anyway..." Lisa adopts a more serious look, her eyes are getting dark. "We have to move fast. Before Paul took Sarah, he was telling me something about a trip. I think he wants to take Sarah somewhere. He didn't tell me the place. But I suspect that he wants to run away with her out of United States's territory."