“Yes, Mr. Cooper. We’ll be in touch. Ms. Porter, consider what your attorney has said, I know you want to do right by Bree, but if we give in to his demands, the consequences will not be in our favor.”
After the police and Shane leave, I’m sitting in the den trying to gather my thoughts. I have no idea what the right thing to do is. No matter what we decide, I know that Bree may not walk away from this. And I can’t seem to find a solution that saves her.
“You can’t save her on your own, Max. You have to let the cops do their job. They do this shit for a living, you have to trust their judgment.”
“I just feel like no matter what happens next, we lose Bree either way. And possibly more people too. No one is going to walk away from this unscathed, Abel. He’s only giving us until the end of the week It’s already Wednesday, how the hell are the cops going to find them in two or three days? How am I supposed to sit by and do nothing?”
“Because he’s expecting you to act on your fear for Bree’s life. You used to do everything he said out of fear and he still expects you to do be the same way. That’s the Max he knows. He doesn’t know the real you, the strong woman you’ve become. You have to show him that you’re not a victim anymore. You have to show him you’re a survivor.”
I don’t even know how to respond that, so I choose to stay silent instead. Whether I admit it out loud or not, I’m terrified. And I think Abel understands that because he doesn’t try and pry any more of a conversation out of me. He just holds me on the sectional, telling me he loves me and that we’ll find a way to get through this.
I hope he’s right because I have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that this is only the beginning.
Rob’s had four years to plan his revenge while we’re all sitting back, trying to play catch up.
***
It’s Friday now and we have until the end of the day tomorrow to find Rob before he makes his next move out of retaliation to our refusal to bend to his will. Once again, the police have zero fucking leads. How in the hell that’s even possible, I haven’t the slightest clue. But Abel and Shane keep begging me to let the cops do their job without any interference.
Agreeing to that goes against everything that my inner voice is screaming at me. But maybe Abel’s right, maybe my gut reactions right now are just reacting out of fear. Maybe I’m too close to the situation to be logical. Fear is an emotional response, not a logical one.
Right?
My thoughts are interrupted when Abel approaches, asking me to go with him to DRAB so that he can finish up some stuff that he’s unable to put off any longer. Of course, I agree to go with him. Not only do I know he doesn’t feel comfortable having me away from him right now, but if I’m being honest… I don’t want to be alone right now.
Since Bree is the receptionist and book-keeper for DRAB, I offer to fill in the best I can so that the shop can still function smoothly. It helps that I need to be able to do something to occupy my mind. Since I’m currently on leave from my job, and just finished all of my classes, I have nothing to do but sit at home, twiddling my thumbs, and let worry consume me. This way, I can keep from driving myself insane imaging all kinds of fucked-up ‘what if’ scenarios.
Being a receptionist at KNJ for so long and being a motorcycle enthusiast, has given me the skillsets to step into Bree’s well with ease. The day has gone by pretty fast and I’ve been fortunate enough to find enough work to keep my mind off the Rob/Bree situation. The guys have amassed quite the customer base in such a short amount of time, it’s actually quite impressive.
Abel comes up front from his bay in the garage, still covered in grease from head to toe. He’s in the middle of rebuilding a customer’s bike and it seems that the bike was in worse condition than he originally anticipated. For most people, this would be bad news, but not for Abel. This much is clear when he comes up to me, an excited, almost childlike smile on his face.
Most people in this type of business want to get the current job done as quickly as they can so that they can move on to the next client. More clients mean more money after all. But that’s just another thing that makes DRAB so special. Each of these guys has an intense passion for what they do. They thrive on the opportunity to get lost in a bike, tinkering around the engines, and making them come back to life under their fingertips. They put their heart and soul into every bike that they work on.
“Hey, babe. I’m gonna be a few more hours at least. I’ve run into a bit of a problem.”
“And I can tell by the huge smile on your face that you’re oh so broken up over it.” I tease, returning his smile.
He smirks, winking at me, playfully refusing to confirm or deny what we both know is true.
“It’s already pretty late so I thought I’d come to tell you that the guys replaced the couch in the back with a bed if you want to take a nap while I finish up. And since I know that your morning sickness is due to kick in soon, I can order you some miso soup as a token of my appreciation for you being here with me.”
I smile at his words, unsure if I’ll ever get used to his adoration and softness. Things I didn’t think men were capable of before I met him.
“That sounds amazing actually. And you’re right, I’m pretty beat. But I can always stay awake for some miso.”
He bends down to give me a kiss, careful not to get any grease on me.
“I wish I could order you some sushi too, but you’re gonna have to wait for that until after the babies are here.”
“Yeah, but they’re worth it. If I ever had to give up sushi, this is the best excuse for it.”
“Come on, let’s get you to the back and I’ll make the order.”
After I inhale three bowls of soup and a salad with miso dressing, I’m full and groggy. Abel ate dinner with me and ‘tucked me in’ before heading back out to the shop. He seemed so excited to tackle whatever issue came up on the bike that’s been giving him so much grief.
My ‘all-night-long-sickness’ as I like to call it, hasn’t made its unwanted appearance yet, so I’m hoping that I can make it through the night and actually keep my dinner down. We have another baby-doctor appointment on Wednesday and I can’t wait to get updated ultrasound photos.
When we found out we were pregnant, I downloaded an app on my phone that gives me daily updates throughout my pregnancy. I was able to program in that I’m expecting with twins, when my due date is, and when I’m further along I can even program in the genders, and their names so the daily updates will be more specifically catered to me. The app tells me how big they are, different symptoms I may be experiencing, helpful tips and tricks, etc. I check it religiously, mesmerized by what I learn every time that I log in.
Following my new nightly ritual, I roll over on my side as I touch the icon, eager to see what new information I can learn about my unborn children tonight.
‘At week 6, your babies are about 1/8-1/4 inch in length and about the size of a pomegranate seed or pea. Tiny buds are on their way to becoming arms, legs, and ears. The brain, lungs, and other organs are developing too.
Although it’s too early to tell if your babies will take on identifiable familial looks, what will become facial features are unfolding. Your babies already have a thin layer of skin and a heartbeat can be detected from a vaginal ultrasound. Take care of yourself during this time, Mom. Take lots of naps, drink lots of liquids, and pass on the caffeine. Let others take care of some of the chores, and focus your energy on growing your beautiful babies.’
It’s still so surreal to me… Abel and I are going to be parents! We’re starting a family together! Even in the midst of all the chaos going on right now, that’s one thing that can keep me grounded, make me happy. I can’t wait to meet these perfect little babies
Our babies.
I keep reading a little more on the links provided to get more information, needing to be as prepared as possible. There’s so much to learn, so much to do to prepare, and so l
ittle time to accomplish it all in.
Soon my eyelids grow heavy, growing two humans sure does take a lot out of a woman. I put the phone down and flip over on my left side and succumb to the sleep my body so desperately craves.
I don’t know how long I was asleep, but my ‘all-night-long-sickness’ wakes me up with a vengeance. I am so ready for this portion of the pregnancy to be over with. This puking my guts up every night shit, is for the birds.
I flip the covers off of my sweat covered skin and take off to the bathroom in a full sprint, praying to the universe that I make it to the toilet in time. Cleaning up your own vomit off the floor is just the cherry on the shit sundae when you’re pregnant. You already feel like a massive beluga whale, you can’t control your emotions or cravings, and you spend 1/3 of your day in the bathroom against your will. By the time you get to cleaning up your own mess, you’re a mixture of crying, starving, grossed out, and exhausted.
Pregnancy is not for the faint of hearts.
But it’s worth it, knowing what I get to look forward to at the end.
After a solid twenty minutes of praying to the porcelain gods, I think I’m finally able to leave the cold tile of the bathroom floor. I consider it a victory that I managed to keep everything inside the toilet without making a mess on the floor.
I walk back into the room, grab a bottle of water, and walk out the back door in the room where I can get some fresh air. The cool air breeze helps combat the sweat I worked up while watching my dinner come back up. One of the first updates I got on my pregnancy app was information about how the first trimester of pregnancy actually causes our body temperature to rise due to the increase of blood flow to the baby, or in my case, babies.
I close my eyes, leaning my face up to the night sky, basking in the breeze that’s enveloping me. It’s late, quiet, and peaceful. It’s exactly what I need to relax and level out before I can lay back down with any hopes of being able to go back to sleep. I sway back in forth to the melody of nature around me, a soft smile on my face, as I prepare to go back inside.
As soon as I open my eyes, my smile slips from my lips as I feel a sharp pain on the side of my neck. My heart rate increases, I’m instantly woozy, and my eyelids feel like sandpaper. I feel a hand cover my mouth as my eyes roll closed, and someone’s arm grabs me around my waist from behind. My body refuses to fight back, to find out what’s going on.
I can’t open my eyes.
I can’t move my arms to touch the stinging spot on my neck.
I’m helpless to the black fog creeping in on me.
I’m completely and utterly consumed by darkness…
I wake up but can’t seem to open my eyes. They feel so heavy.
I try to open my mouth to call for Abel but I can’t seem to get my lips to move either.
What’s going on with my body?
I feel another sharp prick on the side of my neck and darkness consumes me once again...
When my eyes finally open, my vision is cloudy. I blink several times to try and adjust them. I attempt to move my hands to brush the hair out from in front of my face but I can’t move them.
I look down to see that my hands are bound to a chair and so are my legs. I try to scream for help, only to realize that my mouth is gagged. I struggle to break free of the ropes holding me down when footsteps approach from behind me. I don’t have to look to see who it is, but he still walks into my eyesight anyways.
A man with a flair for the dramatics, needing to get the upper hand whenever, and wherever he can.
He crouches down in front of me and smiles, like the villain he is.
“It’s nice to see you again Maxine. I’ve missed you so much.”
Chapter Two
ABEL
I’ve finally finished the bullshit engine on Cal’s bike. It took significantly longer than I wanted, but I’m just glad it’s done. The body is in pretty good condition, but I’m still going to rebuild it as he asked. I know he just wants a different shape and paint job, but I have some pretty cool ideas in mind to really customize it to his tastes. This is what building custom bikes is all about. The thrill I get when I either build one from the ground up, or I take one that’s already there and turn it into something completely different. It brings me so much pride to be able to watch the reaction on my client's faces when they see the finished product.
As much as I would love to get lost in the next steps of the rebuild on Cal’s bike, I would much rather go home with my girl. Max stayed here and fell asleep in the back room of the shop tonight so I could finish Cal’s engine. I can’t help it, I’m a stubborn bastard so I didn’t want to go home until I finished it. I’m grateful I have a woman by my side who not only understands, but supports, my love and passion for the career that I’ve chosen for myself.
It definitely helps that she has a passion for riding. Once you fall in love with a motorcycle, it’s like getting an exclusive membership to another world that not everyone else is privy to. Something as simple as driving from point A to point B, becomes an entirely different experience. The air feels different against your skin and you enter a vortex of serenity as the rest of the world passes you by. Working on bikes gives me the ability to provide that experience to other people. It allows me to ensure that those who have already ventured into that world, get to continue to do so. It’s a fulfillment that I could spend the rest of my life trying to verbalize, but no one would truly understand unless they experienced it for themselves.
I make my way to the small bathroom in my bay of the garage to take a quick shower. I’m covered in grease from head to toe, courtesy of a busted engine that had no business being in that bike.
Max has a pet peeve about me cleaning up before I get in one of our vehicles. I got grease all over the passenger seat in her SUV one time and it took her four hours to clean it off. I offered to clean it of course, but she’s just as stubborn as I am and wouldn’t let me help.
Damn, I love that woman.
Once I’m grease-free, changed out of my shop jumpsuit, and back in normal clothes, I head to the back room to get my girl and take her home. Even though I’m tired enough to just say screw it and sleep here, the bed back there isn’t big enough for the both of us. Plus, I want Max to get as much quality sleep as she can, while she can. Being pregnant with twins is a physical journey that I can’t share with her, but I can damn sure share it with her emotionally so I do my best to make sure she’s always as comfortable as possible.
If it was up to me, I’d keep her wrapped in bubble wrap for her entire pregnancy, but I know my stubborn woman well enough to know that’s not gonna happen. Trust me, I’ve already asked and she said no.
Once I get to the room I notice the back door is propped open and I sigh, once again hating that I can’t help take on some of the physical burdens placed upon her while she’s protecting our unborn children before they’re able to make their appearance in the world.
I make a mental note to buy a fan first thing tomorrow and bring it back here for the nights that she’ll choose to sleep here while I work. I know she gets sweaty easily, especially when she’s sick.
I’m reading the ‘What To Expect’ book, I know morning sickness is normal. But Max gets what she calls ‘all-night-long-sickness’ and it always seems to start after she’s eaten dinner. It actually makes me worry that maybe she and the babies aren’t getting enough nutrition. I mean, how can they when their Mom is throwing up the biggest meal of the day?
Hmm, I should probably talk to Dr. Jenkins about that at our next appointment on Wednesday.
I make my way over to the lamp on the end table beside the small twin-sized bed and pull the string to illuminate the area my girl is silently sleeping, but all I find is a pillow and a crumpled up blanket, but no Max.
I stand and quickly make my way to the bathroom assuming I will find her asleep on the cold tile floor. It wouldn’t be the first time, and I assume it won’t be the last.
I quietly push open the door, confused when I see that she’s not inside.
Where else could she be?
“Max, where are you, baby?” I holler out.
No response.
I grab my phone out of my pocket and call her. Maybe she went out to the shop and I didn’t hear her.
As soon as the phone starts ringing in my ear I hear ‘Til Kingdom Come’ by Coldplay start playing over by the bed.
My ringtone…
Where the hell could she be if her phone is in here?
I suddenly remember the back door being propped open.
Panic starts to grip at my chest, the necessity to find her clawing at the inside of my throat like raging fire of a dragon.
Natural, yet unfathomable.
I walk out the back door, hopeful that maybe she’s out here just getting so from fresh air. I begin to walk around the corner of the building, quickly running out of places to search for her. It’s not like her to wander, especially not without her phone.
Surely if she was out here she would have heard me calling for her, right?
I pick up my pace, unease settling in the pit of my stomach. Before I can make it there, I step on something and hear a loud crunch under my boot. I look down and all the air gets knocked out of my lungs when I see an empty syringe shattered beneath me.
The same kind of syringe the cops found outside my sister Bree’s car in the café parking lot where she was abducted a couple of days ago.
No… No, no, no. This fucker already has Bree, there’s no way he can have Max too.
I can’t accept that.
I won’t accept that.
I call Dex and he answers on the third ring.
Revival Page 3
