Taken

Chapter Thirty Seven--GRADY

When I finally came to my senses, I realized that Denny and I had fought, Haven was missing, Jeremiah and Denny had gone to find her, and I was sitting here like a lump on a log.  Oh yeah, and I had a broken ankle. 

          It had been a couple hours or so when I left the cabin and headed towards the other house.  The sun had popped its bright head over the horizon long ago and I slowly limped, putting most of my weight on my good leg.  A soldier had set the other one for me, but it still hurt to put pressure on it.

          When I reached the tree line, I looked for soldiers and proceeded to the kitchen.  Everyone was sitting around the table, talking and having a good time, not a soldier in sight.  General Barnes was gone too, and as I came around and opened the door, I was very curious.  I felt like I was walking into a trap, it was so surreal.

          “What’s going on?”

          When Denny saw me, her expression went stony. I looked away and at all the other faces.  Sarah and Ladd, who seemed to have come back to life perhaps, Jeremiah—another dagger filled look—and a woman wearing one of Sarah’s dresses who resembled Denny, only in this moment she seemed tons happier.

          “We have defeated the General,” she said and stood.  She came to shake my hand and smile.  “I’m Lillian, Denny’s mother.”

          I politely shook her hand and faked a smile.  “I can tell.”  It was awkward, and I was glad it was short.  I hoped Denny hadn’t told her mother everything. 

          “Why don’t you pull up a chair?” Sarah asked, seeing my discomfort.

          I nodded and grabbed one from the front porch, coming to sit beside Sarah and Ladd.  “This is Grady,” Sarah added as I sat, then poked me in the ribs and smiled. “Lighten up,” she whispered quietly.

          I didn’t see how I could lighten up when the girl I loved was making googly eyes at the boy we planned on to never come back.  I was so close to having her in my grasp I even held her, but it only took him returning for her to fall through my fingers again.  Could I ever win?

          Sarah stood and crossed the room to make some tea.  “Lillian? Would you like some?”

          “Please.”

          “How do you like it?”

          “However you make it is fine.”

          Lillian turned back to the table and beamed proudly over at Jeremiah and Denny.  My stomach flopped over.  This was going to kill me I decided.  I wasn’t ever going to be able to forget about her, not as long as I stayed close to them.  I had to get out of here as soon as possible, maybe move back in with Sarah and Ladd or even go back home in Oklahoma City.

          Not that the guys would accept me back or anything.  I knew that.  I had broken a level of trust that could never be mended so if I went back I would probably go back to my actual home, not that rundown mall.  I doubted they were even still there anyways.

          “What do you think will happen now?” Jeremiah asked, looking over at Lillian.  “I mean, there were other compounds right?  And more high powered officials back at the one where you came from?”

          She thought about this for a moment, and I noticed again how much she looked like Denny.  I wondered if she really did have such a striking resemblance to her daughter or if it was just how I perceived it, seeming as I was having issues right now in the attraction department.

          “Yes,” she finally said.  “There were other facilities.  This man obviously had all the right people in all the right places for this to happen successfully.  It beats me how anything on this grand of a scale could have happened with all the anti-force of the United States military and the president and everything.

          “And his story was absolutely ridiculous! I can see a grieving parent, but going on a killing spree on innocent children because of one incident?  I’ll bet it was a horrible thing to go through, don’t get me wrong, but still.”  She took a long gulp of her tea.  “As far as what’s going to go down?  I have no clue.  I’m sure the soldiers will rebel and America will go back to normal.  Eventually.  We don’t need another Holocaust.”

          “Where’s Dad?” asked Denny quietly.

          “I don’t know sweetie.”  She then reached over and placed a hand atop her daughter’s.  “But everything will be fine.  He will come back to us.  Don’t you worry.”

          “I am worrying.”

          “Shh. Don’t.”  Jeremiah wrapped an arm around Denny, a comforting gesture, but maybe it was the way he glanced over at me when he did it that set me off.

          “I’m going for a walk,” I announced.  I pushed away from the table and stood, wincing a little when I remembered I had a broken ankle, then headed for the door.

          “I don’t think that’s a good idea, with your ankle and all,” Sarah said, rising from the table herself. 

          “I’ll be fine, Sar,” I replied.

          “Let me come with you,” she offered, picking up her tea and heading over to me.

          I needed time to think, to clear my head, but I didn’t want to make a scene.  I could feel the gaze from everyone at the table on me as I said, “Sure. That’d be fine.”

          Once we were out into the crisp cool morning, I was glad I brought Sarah along.  She was quiet in the times I needed quiet and helpful when I wanted to vent.

          “I think you have to let her go Grady.”

          “Ha.  That’s ironic.”

          “I know I’ve said otherwise in the past.  But times change.”  Sarah looked at me with a sympathetic look on her face.  “I know she is in your heart, and I know I told you to keep her there.  But there comes a time when you have to let it go.

          “You don’t understand Sarah, I can’t move on.  It’s not that easy.”

          She was silent for a long time after that.  “I can’t say I can relate to you,” she finally said, sighing.  “I’ve been with Ladd my whole life.  We were high school sweethearts.”

          “That’s not helping anything.” 

          “I’m sorry dear,” she said rubbing my back.  I had my arm slung around her shoulders to make walking a little easier, but I was still a head taller than her.  “You can come stay with me if you like.”

          “I might actually take that offer.”

          “I’d love for you too.” 

          More silence, then, “Are you ready to head back?”

          I nodded, glad for her advice.  She helped me so well sometimes I believed she knew more about me than I did.  I believed I could finally go back a little bit stronger and face the girl I loved.  I wasn’t much of a man if I couldn’t right?

          So I went back, and despite the fact that I still had strong feelings for Denny, I kept them at bay the best I could.  Besides, she was happy, and I needed to stop being selfish.  Since she was happy, a part of me could actually be happy too.  That was good enough for me.