by Emma Easter
He shook his head. “I’m not going to leave you here, Lauren. I’m taking you with me.”
She gave him a nervous chuckle. “I don’t think your girlfriend will like that very much.”
He looked her in the eye. “I need to confess that I have two . . . or three reasons why I want you to come with me. The first reason is the obvious one. I don’t want to leave you here alone. The second reason is that I need your help. Audrey, my girlfriend, somehow saw you here and now she’s not answering my calls. I need you to personally tell her nothing is going on between us.”
Lauren’s brows knitted together, and for a long moment, she didn’t say a word. And then she nodded. “You really love this girl. I’m a little jealous, but I’ll help you. How could I not after all you’ve done for me?”
“Thanks.” He heaved a sigh of relief. “There is one more thing. You know you can’t stay here forever and just as you said, my girlfriend won’t be happy about it, but I cannot leave you to your fate when your husband is still a threat to you. I think you’ll be safe in Rosefield, for now . . . until something is done about him.”
“You want me to go stay in a small town that I have never heard of?”
“Yes. I lived there for some months. It’s a very safe place, and I know a husband and wife who wouldn’t mind taking you into their home.”
Lauren pressed her lips together and then nodded. “If you say it will be the safest place for me to stay for now, then I trust you.” She smiled sadly at him. “Thanks, Ken, for everything. You are one of the kindest people I know. After how I treated you, breaking off our engagement, you’ve still been nothing but kind to me. The world needs more people like you.”
He smiled. “I don’t know about that, Lauren, but thanks.”
“So, when do we leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
*****
Audrey just wanted to forget about Ken, but he wouldn’t stop calling her. He had taken to sending her messages through the other officers at the station; messages she completely ignored. Even though she had tried her best to push him out of her mind, she still missed him terribly. His constant calls and messages made it even more difficult for her to forget him. But she had to. He had betrayed her. And to add insult to injury, he kept calling her, as if he’d not cheated on her. He didn’t know that she had found him with another woman, in the act.
She might still ache for him every day, but she had come to terms with the fact that it was over. She wasn’t like Trish who kept forgiving Stan’s inconceivable indiscretions. She glanced at the clock on her office wall, saw it was almost five p.m. and exhaled.
About time. She hadn’t been able to concentrate on work at all, so she might as well go home now. She picked up her knapsack and purse and left the station.
Driving home from work, she began to crave some ice cream. She turned to the right and drove to Xavier’s where they sold the most decadent chocolate caramel ice-cream. She bought three large tubs. Except for Trisha, who seemed annoyingly ecstatic since she’d begun her dates with Stan, the house had been miserable for weeks. She and Sienna had been moping around the house. Well, no more pining over guys! They would have an ice-cream party today.
But as she drove by the house where Ken had lived when he was in Rosefield, she suddenly burst out sobbing. She scolded herself as she cried, but she couldn’t stop. Since she’d met Ken, she’d turned into a blubbering fool.
The tears blurred her sight as she drove, and she kept wiping them with the back of her hand. She got home, at last, exited her car and brought out a tissue from her bag. She didn’t want Trish or Sienna seeing her looking like this. Wiping her tears thoroughly, she took a deep breath before she walked up the stairs. She opened the door and then froze.
What is this?
She stared in disbelief. Ken was seated on her couch, and that blonde chick she’d seen him with was beside him. He had actually brought her to her home. The nerve of him!
She slowly dropped the ice cream on the coffee table and said coldly, “What is happening here? Who let you two into my house?”
Ken stood. “Audrey, I’m sorry! I wanted to stay outside, but Sienna let me in.”
She barked, “Then find your way out with that . . . thing!”
The girl stood, and Audrey glared at her.
“I came to explain everything, Audrey,” Ken said, looking intently at her. “If you would just listen, please.”
“Umm . . . no! Ken, I don’t know what you think you are doing, bringing this woman here, but you better leave now!”
“I brought her here so she can explain what really happened . . . since I know how stubborn you can be.”
“How dare you!”
“We are not together, lady!” the blonde said sharply.
Audrey bristled and then spat out, “Are you crazy? Leave my house right now, or I’ll be forced to arrest you for trespassing.” She sneered, “Or I might just decide to shoot you.”
The woman appeared unfazed.
“Audrey, just listen!” Ken ordered. She turned to look at him, and he added, “Please!”
For a few moments, Audrey looked away, trying to contain her anger. She finally exhaled and then said, “Make it quick.”
The blonde said, “Ken is an old friend of mine. My husband has been physically abusing me, and I had to go to the police station. Some days ago, because of my husband’s abuse, I came to Ken’s house, as I was afraid to stay in my own home. Richie, my husband, attacked me again in Ken’s house, and Ken rushed me to the hospital. I’ve been staying at his place because I have nowhere else to go and I’m afraid for my life.”
Audrey felt a flush creeping up her face. Had she misjudged the situation she saw? She turned to Ken. “But, I saw you with her.” The image still stayed firmly in her mind, even though she had tried hard to expunge it. “She was on the couch . . . and . . . you . . . you lifted her blouse.”
“This was why,” the blonde said. She lifted her blouse and Audrey gasped. A long scar ran across her waist. “My husband did this. The day he came, he opened up the wound that had already been stitched. It had to be stitched back up at the hospital. I was probably showing it to Ken the day you saw us.”
Audrey held back a sob. She looked at Ken, feeling so embarrassed. “Was that why you couldn’t come pick me up?”
He nodded. “I left my phone at home, but I tried to reach you with the hospital telephone.”
“My phone was lost while on the trip to Miami,” she said slowly.” She covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry, Ken! I should have trusted you instead of jumping to conclusions.”
Ken held out his hands to her, and she went to him. He folded her in his arms, and she hid her face in his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized again.
“It’s okay. I probably would have acted the same way if I were in your shoes.” He rubbed her back soothingly. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She smiled sadly. “I’ve missed you terribly.” If only she’d come into his house that day, she would have found out the truth, and it would have saved them all the heartache of these last few weeks. The shame tore at her, and she did the only thing she knew would bring her comfort. She lifted her face up for his kiss.
He kissed her forehead, her chin, and her nose. Finally, he kissed her lips slowly. He started to draw away after a few seconds, but she held on to him. She kissed him again, a kiss that expressed, she hoped, how sorry she was and a hope for a future between them. “I love how you are so good to me in spite of everything,” she said to him.
He grinned. “And I love the taste of your lips.” He kissed her again.
Someone cleared their throat behind her, and then she remembered the blonde woman was still in the room. She had totally forgotten about her.
Ken brushed his nose against hers and then turned to the woman. “I’m sorry, Lauren.”
“It’s okay.”
Ken said, “I told Lauren she could stay in Rosefield for now. Ma
ybe with the Gibsons.”
“They will be happy to have her. The last girl they had in their home was also a domestic abuse survivor. She’s finally moved to her own house.”
“I thought they would,” Ken said. “You hear that, Lauren? There is a nice couple not far from here who would be happy to have you. I’ll drive you there later this evening.” He looked at Audrey. “You can come with us, Audrey, if you want to.”
Audrey smiled at him. “No need. You drive her. I’ll be waiting here when you get back.”
He kissed her cheek, and she held on to him. And for the first time in weeks, she felt whole again.
Chapter Eighteen
Sienna sat up on her bed, clicked the answer button on her phone and smiled when Bryan’s face appeared on the screen. Her stomach filled with butterflies as it always did whenever she saw him. “Hi, handsome,” she said. “I’m so glad you called now.”
Bryan grinned. “Hey, gorgeous! How are you today?”
“Better, now that I see your handsome face.”
He beamed at her, but then lost the smile after a few seconds. “So, Sienna, I have something really important I want to tell you.”
Her heart raced as she gazed at him. He had a solemn look on his face. “What is it?”
“About the rules in school and how we can be together without breaking them. I have an idea.”
She blinked rapidly. “What?”
The serious look on his face faded, replaced by a nervous one, and she wondered what that was about. He always seemed so sure of himself.
“What is wrong, Bryan?” she asked worriedly.
“Umm, I’ve been thinking of this for a while. My idea was to ask you after I graduated from the Bible College next year.”
“What do you want to ask me, Bryan? You are making me nervous.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you,” he said. He turned away for a second and then turned back to face her again. “I know this is not as romantic as you would want it to be and certainly not how I pictured asking you, but right now, I have no choice.” His laptop moved, and she lost sight of him for a few seconds. When he reappeared on the screen, she gasped. He was on his knees.
He moved closer until only his face was on the screen once again. “Sienna Gardner, you don’t even know how much I love you . . . and words are not enough to tell you . . . but I hope this does.” He brought out a small box from behind him and then took a ring from the box. He lifted the ring to the screen. It was a rose gold ring encrusted with small oval diamonds.
She immediately began to weep, overcome with emotions.
“I love you, Sienna, with everything in me. Next to the Lord, you are my life and all that I dream and hope for. Will you marry me and stay with me forever?”
She wanted to answer his question immediately, but she couldn’t stop sobbing.
“Sienna?”
She finally managed a nod.
“Are you saying yes, sweetheart?”
She croaked out a “yes” as her heart soared.
He whooped. “I wish we could seal it with a kiss!”
She wiped her eyes, puckered, and pressed her lips to the screen.
He did the same.
“Now we’ve had a virtual kiss,” she said, smiling. The moment felt surreal like she was in a sweet dream she didn’t want to wake up from. She giggled and said, “Am I in a dream, Bryan? ‘Cause if I am, I never, ever want to wake up!”
He laughed. “I feel the same, so I guess we are both in the same dream.”
She giggled again and said, “I love you, Bryan. Thank you for asking me to be your wife.”
“And thank you for saying yes,” he said softly. “Now, that brings me to the next phase of my plan.”
“Oh, there’s more?” she asked.
“Of course there is more. This might be the tricky, and quite frankly, crazy part, but it’s the only thing I could think of to solve our problem.”
She instantly guessed where he was going and a feeling of exhilaration surged through her. She held her breath, waiting for him to continue.
“The new rules in school state that members of the opposite sex are not allowed to date, kiss or be together alone; but it also clearly states—'unless they are married’. If we get married before we return, we will be able to be alone together without fear of being expelled.” He gazed anxiously at her. “What do you think about that, sweetie?”
Her pulse raced, and she felt like she was about to burst with joy. There was nothing she wanted more than to marry him now so he could be hers completely and she, his. Feeling giddy with anticipation, she nodded. “I would absolutely love that!”
He heaved a huge sigh of relief. He had half expected her to tell him his plan was crazy and unrealistic.
She squealed, “Imagine, Bryan! I’ll be your wife in no time, and we can finally live together!”
He laughed. “Where are we going to live?”
“Can we live on campus?”
“Umm,” he looked thoughtful. “I don’t think so. I don’t think any married couples live on campus right now.” He shook his head. “That won’t even be possible as there are no mixed gender accommodations there.”
“Then we can live off campus,” she said.
“Yes, we’ll have to find accommodation as soon as we get married. This brings me to the third phase of my plan.”
She chuckled. “Your plan has a third phase? Well, if it is as exciting as the first two, I can’t wait to hear it.”
“So, I’ve also been thinking about how we will get married. Because we have to get married quickly, we might not be able to invite anyone right now. I’m thinking of a small church at . . .”
She interrupted him. “No, Bryan, what about school?”
“Ugh?”
“What if the senior chaplain can wed us in the school chapel? That would be perfect since everyone, including the authorities, will know we are now married. That’s what we want, isn’t it?”
His whole face lit up. “Sienna, that is perfect! I’ll call Dr. Lincoln and tell him. I’ll have to do it now so that he’ll make space for us in his schedule. I hope he’ll be available to wed us as soon as we return.” He winked at her. “You’ll make such a beautiful bride.”
She giggled, imagining herself in white while pledging her life to him. “And you will make a beautiful groom.”
“Beautiful? Isn’t it supposed to be ‘a handsome groom?’”
“Yes, but also beautiful.”
They continued to talk about plans for the wedding. They had to first get a marriage license, but the chaplain would handle the other documents for them. They both agreed that for now, they would not invite anyone. When they were married and settled in an off-campus apartment, they would have a bigger wedding and invite their families.
“I wish I had money to get you a beautiful dress,” Bryan said. He looked a little sad. “All my savings from my chaplain’s allowance will be going towards getting us an apartment. And even that won’t be what you are used to.”
She frowned, worried that his lack of finances was bothering him. “Don’t worry about any of it. I have lots of beautiful dresses and quite a large amount of money saved from my modeling jobs.”
He started to shake his head, trying to protest, but she cut him off and said, “Bryan, it’s okay. We won’t lack anything, and as I said, I have lots of dresses to wear for the wedding.”
“But you don’t have ‘a wedding dress.’”
“I’ll wear something white. It doesn’t matter what I’m in, as long as I get to marry you.”
“Sienna?”
“Yes, Bryan?”
“Is it possible to be so in love you feel like shouting it out to the whole wide world?”
She giggled again. “I feel like I’m about to explode. I love you so much.”
After the call ended, she lay on her back and stared dreamily at the ceiling. She felt like she was floating on clouds and sighed in contentment. In a few
days, she would be married to the love of her life. No feeling in the world could compare.
*****
Stan came home late from work, went up to his bedroom, and removed his tie. He tossed it carelessly aside and then hurried downstairs to get some dinner for himself in the kitchen. As he passed by the living room, the doorbell rang.
He frowned. Who can it be? Maybe it’s Trisha.
She’d come to the house yesterday for the intimate dinner he had planned for both of them. The date had gone really well, and he was expecting her to terminate the divorce and move back in any minute now.
He walked to the front door and opened it. And then his eyes widened in surprise.
“Hi, Stan! Have you missed me?”
“Carla!” He gaped at the tall, willowy brunette who he’d had an affair with for a few months. She was in a red dress that clung to her every curve. He drew in a sharp breath. Usually, he was more discreet with his extra-marital affairs, but he’d been so taken with her that he had been completely reckless. He had left his phone carelessly on the bed. It was how Trisha had found out. He’d broken up with her in order to focus on Trisha and make sure she canceled the divorce. Now, here she was, on his doorstep, looking more beautiful than he’d ever seen her.
What if Trisha comes here now?
Panic gripped him. “You can’t be here, Carla!”
“Won’t you ask why I came all the way from New York?”
“I know why you came, but it’s not gonna happen.”
She slithered into his house, her red lips in a pout. He swallowed as she closed the door behind her. “Are you saying you don’t want me?”
He nodded slowly. “I don’t!”
“It’s not true, and you know it.” She started to unbutton his shirt. “I can see it in your eyes; you still want me, Stan.”
“No, Carla, I don’t. I’m trying to patch things up with my wife.”
“Exactly, you are only going to patch things up. Admit it, Stan, you can’t stay away from me for too long. We are bound together.”
He shook his head slowly.
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him firmly. “You can’t resist.”
