ODDS OF LOVE - SEASON THIRTEEN

Episode 147

" GrandMother," Spencer said as he sat in his chair with a tightness  and  trembling to his lips. He had just received a text from Richard that had alarmed him to his very soul. They now knew exactly why their father was not returning calls. He couldn't. He was missing. " GrandMother , the police there found Dad's.... Dad's car , phone and wallet. They.... He last saw you. At least he was going to see you. Have you seen him? Have you seen..... Daddy ? He's missing...." His voice cut off with a shaking edge to his voice. Miracle pulled herself up to her shaky eleven month old legs by gripping his uselessly unfeeling ones and eased into his lap. He wrapped his other arm around his daughter for comfort.

Edie Norland replied crisply," Missing? Nonsense. You always were one for drama and whatnot. It was all those books you read as a child. Andrew is not missing. I am certain there is a very reasonable explanation for where he is. "

" They found his car and his belongings ! , " he almost screamed into the phone he held in his hand. Miracle looked at her Papa with alarm on her young round face. Her hands reached out to pat at his nose tenderly. " Papa ," she chortled softly. " Was he there ? Did he visit you? At your house? "

" Calm yourself, Spencer. You've always been so emotional. So childlike. And they call you smart. I don't know where you got the idea that your father was here at my house. He was not. I haven't seen him in ages. Now please go and attend to your life, young man. I need to prepare myself for bingo. Good bye. "

With an annoyed huff the elderly woman hung up on him and Spencer sat in his chair holding his phone and his daughter while he cried softly. Where was his father this time?

               ----------

Andrew woke up with a slight ache to his head only to find that he couldn't move much. He couldn't stand. In his sudden panic he realized that he was in a small darkened room with only one tiny window at the very top of a wall. And he was tied with thick ropes to a chair, his arms and his legs. And there was a rag stuck in his mouth.

His mind was groggy as he tried to figure out what had happened to him. The last thing he remembered was sitting with his mother in her living room as she served him tea. His mother...... No...... Not his mother..... Not his real mother..... She had told him the truth at last.

His real parents were Alice Rose Parks and Bernard Arnett. He wasn't a Norland. His whole life was essentially a lie. He remembered the feeling of extreme betrayal as he stood up and headed for the front door. Then he felt a sharp hard pain in the back of his head.

Mother......

Suddenly the door to his prison opened swiftly and in came his captor.

His mother Edie Norland walked swiftly over to him , holding a tray with a bowl of soup on it next to a cup of tea. She put it on a nearby wobbly tray table and said ," So you're awake now. Good. You need to eat. And eat fast. I must take a nap soon. It was quite difficult getting you back here. "

She removed the rag from his mouth and he took that moment to scream ," Help me ! Dear God, someone help me ! "

Edie clicked her teeth at him with much disapproval. " Such noise. You know I hate noise, Andrew. Nobody will hear you. I paid a good deal of money for this house away from anyone else. I detest nosy neighbors. Always looking in windows and such. "

" Why ? Mother ? Why ?"

Edie ladled rather thin soup on a sterling silver spoon and tried to force it into his mouth. He quickly turned his head from it and closed his mouth.

" Always so stubborn. You must get that from him. That Arnett boy. Alice Rose wasn't very stubborn. Just stupid. And , why? Because I can't have you going back and telling anyone else the truth. Nobody takes away my property. "

Andrew snapped," Alice Rose Norris knows. And I'm not your property. Let me go. People know where I went. "

Edie smiled coldly. " Oh , nobody will believe her. They will just think she is senile. Although her mind was always a little feeble even as a young girl. Stupid little tramp. And they know nothing. You better eat up, son , because you are staying here with me for a very long time. Actually you will be here forever. "