To Save My Daughter

Part 4: How Could I be so Stupid

Grace and I spent the day shopping. Mainly window shopping because I was broke until next payday. Plus her dad was late on child support again. Man, do I know how to pick them or what. We both bought some new earrings, and Grace got a new pair of sneakers. She had been begging me for weeks to get a new pair of converse low tops. We just had finished school shopping last month, so it wasn’t like she needed them. Still, after last night’s ordeal, I gave in. Why not, right?

After circling the mall a few times, we decided to get a take and bake pizza on the way home for dinner. I kept telling myself that this wasn’t real. When we get home, nothing will happen. We’ll eat our pizza, watch some TV. Maybe I’ll take a bubble bath. I hadn’t done that in a while.

 If it was, real, I mean. Maybe he’d realize that I wasn’t his so called eternal mate, and leave us alone.

Grace and I pulled into the driveway right as the sun was setting. I pulled the car into the garage, and locked everything up tight. As we walked into the house everything was dark. Grace was behind me, carrying in our few shopping bags, as I carried in our large pepperoni and black olive pizza. As I removed the key from the lock and flipped on the light I let out a scream. There sitting on my couch, in my living, was the man from last night. How in the hell did he get into my house. Oh how I hated him more than ever right now. Just sitting there all smug. This was my house. I worked hard for it. I paid the bills, this was mine. How did he get in here?

I muttered “Shit, Shit, Shit”, as Grace wrapped her arms around my waist. I knew that I couldn’t run, otherwise we would be in more danger than if we went along with this lunatic. So I moved inside, and leaving the door open behind us. I figured better be safe than sorry.  

“Again with the nasty language, from such a beautiful mouth. I would prefer you refrain from such language, it is unbecoming of a lady.” He said.

I refused to answer him. Grace and I stood in the entry way as he sat on my couch, just looking at us.

I wanted to yell, “Well get on with it”, but I remembered his anger from last night, and I didn’t want to put Grace into harm’s way.

Again he broke the silence. “I thought I told you to be ready from me at dusk. You walk into the house, with pizza and shopping bags. Did I not make myself clear that you would be leaving this life behind, and you needed nothing?”

I shook my head, closing my eyes. I kept saying “This is just a dream, just a dream. This is not real. I will wake up, and everything will be normal.”

When I opened my eyes, he was standing right in front of me. Looking at me, with a crooked smile. How did he get to me so fast? I didn’t even hear him coming towards us.

He reached out to touch me and a flinched away. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Yes, my love, this is real.” He took me by the hand, swung me around, and led both Grace and me out the front door. He walked behind us, guiding us to an awaiting car.  I swear I didn’t see that car when I drove in. I would have notice it right? It was in fact my dream car.  A black Lexus LS460L. Sleek looking with tinted windows. Oh, how I loved that car. Why did he have to have this car? This car is what dreams are made of, not nightmares.

I shook my head and started pulling away, demanding saying “No, No!” He grabbed my arm, and pulled me close to him. Bent down, until we were face to face, eye to eye. “You remember what I said last night. Do not try to run, you will follow my will, or your daughter is dead”, he hissed in my ear. Without breaking our gaze, nodded that I understood, and followed him to the car. How was I supposed to protect my daughter, when I couldn’t even protect myself?

He opened the rear passenger door, and told Grace to get inside. She looked at me, waiting for my ok. I nodded, trying to give her a reassuring smile. I tried to get in right behind her, and he held me back. Fear ran through me. It thought that maybe this was a trick that he was going to leave me behind and take my baby. As I started to panic, he opened the front passenger door, and told me to get in. Once inside, the door automatically locked. I knew we were trapped. He walked around to the driver’s side, and got into the vehicle.

“Buckle up, we have a long drive” was all he said. After doing as instructed, I looked out the window, possibly for the last time. Seeing my little house, with the front door standing wide open, and on the front entry way, laid our pizza and shopping bags. All I could think of was where is Steve now.   Typical, whenever I don’t want him around he’s under foot, when I could actually use some help, nowhere to be found. Story of my life.

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