Save Me

by Alexander, AJ

  I jerk my arm out of his grasp and run from the room. Why does this hurt so badly?

  I thought he was different, but it turns out he’s just like every other man in my life. He thinks he knows what I need, what’s best for me. He doesn’t even know me.

  I have to repay him. I have no money, but why would such a beautiful soul like him take us in if not for compensation? I’m damaged, broken, both inside and out, but I still yearn to be loved and cherished by someone good. I thought that he would see me as someone other than a victim, but I was wrong.

  Right now, I need to focus on Sophie. I have to protect her and make sure that she’s not hurt by another man ever again. I can see how she looks at Adam, I know she could grow close to him. I can’t let her feel rejected again. I can’t let him hurt her like Jason has. I can love her enough for a father and a mother. She will have everything that I never had growing up, I just need to figure out how to make that happen. It’s time for me to stand on my own two feet. I’ll make a better life for Sophie and me, away from Jason. Adam Patterson may take whatever he wants from me, but he’ll never hurt my little girl.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ADAM

  Do I smell bacon? I quickly throw on my uniform of blue scrubs, I’ll change into my khaki’s when I get into the office. I don’t want my military uniform to be a trigger for Isabel or Sophie, and head toward the kitchen. I find Sophie sitting at the breakfast bar chatting away with Isabel as she makes breakfast. Isabel turns and catches me staring at them from the doorway,

  “Good Morning, ladies,” I say in a cheerful tone.

  “Hi!” Sophie shouts, jumping off the stool and running toward me.

  I barley have time to catch her, “Warn someone before you jump sweetie. You may hurt yourself.”

  Sophie gives me a tight squeeze before pushing herself back with her hand on my shoulders. “Hi,” she chirps again.

  “Hello, Sunshine,” looking down at my uniform, Sophie gets a sad look on her face.

  “Do you have to go to work?” she asks.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I don’t want you to go,” she declares with an adorable pout.

  Oh, she is going to be trouble if she keeps this up.

  “There are more boys and girls out there that need me to help them feel better. You don’t want them to stay sick, do you?”

  Sophie thinks for a moment, then replies, “No, I guess not. You’ll come back though?”

  “Absolutely, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She seems satisfied with my answer and wiggles in my arms, trying to get down. I bend over and place both of her little feet on the ground.

  Isabel announces breakfast is ready as Sophie grabs my hand leading the way toward the breakfast bar.

  “It’s been a long time since I had a home cooked breakfast before work,” I comment, trying to start a conversation with Isabel.

  “It’s the least I can do,” she murmurs to her plate, blushing.

  All through breakfast Sophie chats away, but I can’t concentrate on anything but Isabel. Her smell, the way she moves, the way her lips wrap around her fork as she eats. All of these things bring my mind back to last night. I can only manage a nod here and there for poor Sophie, I doubt she notices I’m not really paying attention. I’ll make it up to her after work, maybe Isabel will let me take her to the park.

  “Alright ladies, unfortunately it’s time for me to head into work.” I push back from the table and head toward the sink.

  “Awww, do you haff too?” Sophie asks again. The little girl could bring down nations with that pout of hers.

  “Baby, Dr. Patterson said he would be home later. Let him get to work in peace.”

  “That’s right Sophie, there’s a park down the street. If you are good today for Mommy maybe we can all go when I get home?” I ask hopefully as I place my dishes in the sink. Before anyone has a chance to answer, I hear glass break and Sophie scream. Dropping my plate, I spin around to find Sophie crying, broken glass on the floor, and both girls with terrified expressions.

  “Sophie, are you alright?” nothing but concern in my voice.

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please don’t hurt me!” she wails as I approach, Isabel immediately blocks my path.

  “Isabel what are you doing? I need to check Sophie didn’t get cut by the glass.” I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart.

  “It was an accident. I won’t let you hurt her!” she shouts at me.

  Suddenly, it dawns on me. This is an instinctual reaction for both of them. Captain Alexander must demand order and perfection, so any disruption causes the abuse to begin. If it’s not Sophie, then Isabel. She would never willingly let anything happen to Sophie, so she plans to take the beating for her.

  My heart aches for both of them, but I need to show them both I’m nothing like him. I’ll care and protect them until the day I die, I would never lay a hand on either of them. I promised Isabel that I would protect them at all costs, there is no time like the present.

  Taking slow steps toward Isabel, “I’m would never hurt either of you, especially Sophie. I don’t care about the glass, accidents happen. I need to make sure she’s alright.”

  “She’s fine, there’s no reason for you to get involved. Just go to work,” she demands, Sophie continues to sob behind her.

  “Sophie, sweetheart. Are you hurt?” I ask her.

  I don’t see any blood, which is a good sign, but I still want to check her. Shit, who am I kidding? I want to hug her to let her know I’m not angry and would never hurt her for any reason.

  “I-I-I d-do-don’t kn-kn-know,” Sophie gets out between sobs.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. Don’t move, I’m coming to get you,” I assure her.

  “Okay,” she sobs.

  I look Isabel in the eye to let her know I’m going to get Sophie, and carefully lift her into my arms.

  “Sophie, you’re alright,” I soothe her.

  I carry her into the living room, waiting patiently for Sophie to calm down. After a few minutes she seems calm enough so I can check her over for any cuts and glass shards. Once I’m satisfied that she’s fine, I pull her back into my lap and wrap my arms around her.

  She snuggles into my chest and whispers, “Are you mad?”

  “No, I’m glad you’re not hurt. Anything can be replaced, but there is only one Sophie.”

  Isabel emerges from the kitchen and freezes when she notices us cuddling together on the couch.

  “Come on, Sophie, Adam needs to get to work,” Isabel states as she picks Sophie up off my lap.

  “Thank you, love, for a delicious breakfast. I’ll see you both this evening,” I say with one last look before heading out the door.

  * * *

  I check the clock for what seems to be the millionth time today. “Bless it, how is it only one o’clock in the afternoon.” I say to no one in particular. Slamming the file shut in front of me I push back from my desk. The silence of my office used to comfort me, but now it’s become an annoyance.

  I miss the sounds of Sophie giggling as she runs through the house or of Isabel cooking in the kitchen. The small mundane things that most people take for granted, are sounds that I have come to cherish over the last few days. The shrill ringing of the phone interrupts my thoughts, “Dr. Patterson.”

  “Adam, I need you to cover a shift in the ER this evening. Sanders called out sick again.” The chief resident grumbles into the phone.

  At any other time I would have jumped at the chance, but this is my only weekend off. I wanted to take Sophie and Isabel somewhere, hell I just wanted to spend time with them and not have to run off to work. “Sorry man, no can do. This is my only weekend off this month. I already have plans.”

  The silence that follows my statement is deafening, “Are you still there?” Not sure if that was a request or an order, if it was an order, I doubt I have a choice. But I’ve given everything to this hospital since I started, I’m sure there is som
eone else that can come in and take the shift.

  “Yea, I’m here Patterson. I was just a little surprised that you declined taking the extra shift. You’ve always been my go to guy for extra shifts,” he chuckles, obviously uncomfortable having this conversation.

  “I never had a reason to want to be home before, if you honestly can’t find anyone give me a call but I have plans I don’t want to cancel.”

  “I understand, Adam. We’ll figure it out. Enjoy your weekend.” He doesn’t wait for my response before hanging up. I smile as I hang up the phone, it wasn’t until this moment that I understood how much Isabel and Sophie have changed my life. Maybe I’m not the only one doing the saving.

  There is a loud knock on my office door, “Come in.”

  “Sir, there is a Captain Alexander here to see you,” all my senses are suddenly on alert.

  “Does he have an appointment?”

  “No, but I didn’t think you would want me to turn him away.” Reese responds nervously.

  I don’t want to alarm Reese, but he needs to know that Captain Alexander is not someone I want to be admitted to the office, “Of course not, but in the future Captain Alexander needs to have an appointment or he will not be seen. Understood?”

  “Yes, Sir,” there is no doubt in my mind that Reese understood my warning, Captain Alexander is not someone I want to see. “You only have a few more patients this afternoon, nothing that can’t be reschedule if necessary.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Reese. Thank you. Please show Captain Alexander to my office.” I take a seat at my desk, preparing for battle.

  “Yes, Sir.” Reese responds as he exits my office. I only have to wait a few minutes before I hear a menacing voice say my name.

  “Lieutenant Patterson.”

  “Captain Alexander, what brings you here today?” I stand from my seat, offering him a seat near the window. It’s hard to keep my cool, looking this monster in the eye while I know all the horrible things he has done to his wife and child.

  “I was hoping you could help me locate my wife and daughter. We met in Target a few days ago, that night my daughter fell and hurt herself. You are listed as their primary care physician, I figured you may have seen them for care.”

  I plaster a fake smile on my face as I ball my hand into a fist against my khakis, “I’m so sorry your daughter has been hurt, but I’ve not seen either of them since that day in Target. I can call down to the Emergency Room and find out if she was treated and what the prognosis was for you. Anything I can do to help.”

  He glares at me for a few moments before standing, I follow suit unsure of what his plans are from here. “If you hear anything from my wife, please let me know.” He hands me a business card, it has nothing but his name and number on it.

  “Of course, Captain. Anything I can do to help.” I give him another fake smile before opening my office door for him and ushering him out. Once the door is shut, I let out a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding.

  “That went better than I expected,” I whisper into the empty office space. I need to figure out what happened to Sophie’s abuse report and fast. There is no way I’m letting Jason Alexander figure out where Isabel and Sophie are so he can convince them to come back with him. They are finally free, they aren’t going back there — ever.

  Opening my office door, I head down the hall in search of Reese. As I turn the corner, I locate Reese, “When is my next patient?”

  “I was just coming to get you, Sir. You’re next patient has arrived.” Reese beings rambling off information about the next patient, time to get my head back into the game. The quicker I can get through these patients, the sooner I can get home to my girls.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ISABEL

  I watch Adam’s truck leave the drive way before I release the breath I’ve been holding and snuggle Sophie closer to my chest.

  “Baby, you need to be more careful, okay?” I mumble into her hair.

  “I sorry Mommy,” she replies. “Misser Adam wasn’t mad.”

  I look down at her smiling face. “I know sweetie but we still need to be careful, okay?”

  “Misser Adam loves me.”

  “How do you know?” she’s such a sweet child,

  “Well, he’s nice. He doesn’t yell, and he doesn’t make you cry.” Her face turns serious, I hate that she sees so much. “But, he gives me hugs too, like you give me hugs.”

  Sophie begins to wiggle in my arms, and I can tell she’s done with the conversation. I kiss her on her forehead and set her down.

  When Sophie runs off to play with toys Adam picked up from the store last night, I stay out on the porch. This is a beautiful house with a covered front porch, in the country, surrounded by trees and grass. It’s peaceful and quiet, a good place to sit and think. Leaning my arms against the railing, my mind wonders. I hate Jason. I hate everything about him. I’m petrified that he will find us and force us back with him. I can only imagine the beatings that would follow.

  I’m scared of Adam. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop and for him to get angry, lash out, kick us to the curb. Can I really trust him? Or is that just what he wants me to believe so I’ll let my guard down?

  He was really amazing with Sophie this morning, but what about next time? What will happen when he comes home to a living room covered with toys, dinner not done, and laundry sitting in a basket? What will he do when Sophie is sick and throws up on the floor or has an accident in her bed?

  What will be the final straw?

  What will I do when it happens?

  Chapter Seventeen

  ADAM

  I’m not sure what to expect when I arrive home, but I’m hoping things will be back to normal between Isabel and me. It’s been a few weeks since that first encounter in the kitchen, and we’ve settled into a nice routine. Breakfast in the morning and dinner when I come home from work, both are ready when I arrive. No more singing or laughter heard when I’m in the room, although Sophie will speak to me when I ask a direct question.

  As I head up the stairs to change out of my uniform, I can’t help but think of the awkwardness between Isabel and me, hopefully it will pass quickly. I miss the laughter and life that she has brought into my life.

  I change quickly and rush down the stairs into the kitchen, I’m greeted by Sophie coloring at the breakfast bar, while Isabel is putting dishes in the dishwasher.

  When I step into the kitchen, I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist while she stands at the sink.

  “How are my two favorite girls this evening?” I say as I place a chaste kiss on the side of her cheek. Isabel jumps in my arms before whirling around with panic in her eyes.

  “I didn’t think you would be home this soon. Dinner isn’t ready yet! If you just give me a little more time, I will have it ready for you to eat.”

  Another rule in the Alexander house I see.

  Both she and Sophie are clearly afraid that I’m going to lose my temper. I’m not sure how to make either of them comfortable, but I go with an honest answer. Hopefully, it puts both of them at ease.

  “Actually, I had a late lunch at work because of all the patients, so I’m not really hungry at the moment. I’ll have a small plate whenever it’s ready though. What I really want is to hear how my two favorite girls spent their day.”

  I sit next to Sophie, causing her face to light up immediately.

  “Mommy took me to the park! It has swings, a slide, and even a merry-go-round,” Sophie rambles off excitedly, “We came home and played Paw Patrol, colored, and watched Moana.” She’s ticking things off on her fingers as she goes. “Mommy made our bed and read me a book. Then I got to watch two shows!”

  “Two shows?! You’re so lucky!” I respond happily. I reminisce about spending fun filled days with my mom when I was her age. We never had much, but my mom always made sure when we had our time together, I felt loved and safe.

  “You wanna watch them? I’ll show you!”
she jumps off her, grabs my hand and pulls me into the living room.

  “Sophie, you don’t have time to watch a full show. You need to wash your hands and set the table.” Isabel’s sweet voice drifts from the kitchen

  “Otay Mommy, I just turn it on for Misser Adam.”

  “Baby, I am sure he doesn’t want to watch your shows,” Isabel scolds while looking down at the floor.

  “Of course I do! All I get to do is look at plain walls all day. I would love to learn more about what put such a happy smile on Sophie’s face.” I bend down and tickle Sophie. “Isabel, what have you done all day?” I ask, as Sophie and I take a seat on the couch.

  “Nothing interesting. Boring really. I cleaned up a little. I hope you don’t mind. I did some of mine and Sophie’s laundry since we don’t have too many things. I also washed the bedding in all the rooms. Is that okay?” she whispers, I could barley hear her over the television. Placing a gentle kiss on Sophie’s head, I make my way back into the kitchen.

  “Oh Isabel, you don’t have to clean up after me. You are a guest here, not the maid. It’s more than enough that you’re cooking for me. I can’t thank you enough for all the meals you’ve been making, simply amazing. For the record, you’re anything but boring to me.”

  “It’s the least I can do, Dr. Patterson. You’re letting us stay in your home, free of charge. I need to do something to repay you,” she responds.

  I can see the blush creeping up her checks at my response. She has to be one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. “You two being safe and unharmed is payment enough for me,” I murmur when I’m close enough to Isabel.

  Isabel looks at me skeptically. I place a gentle kiss on her hand before she removes her palm from my grip, and turns back to the stove to finish dinner.