by R.A Cullison
Things were going good for a few months. Matt and I were getting along great. April had her 1st birthday party. It was just the family. I had my second ultra sound and the doctor said he thought it looked like a boy but it was too early to really tell.
One thing was missing though, my parents never called to wish April a happy birthday, which was unusual. I knew how much she meant to them and them not calling. I began to worry about them not knowing if they were ok. I felt like I did when I was 17 when I was forced to live with my Grandparents. The uncertainty of how they were and what they were doing.
Saturday Night after getting April to sleep. Matt and I were on the couch cuddling. We were watching some Antiques Appraisal show. The phone rang, It took me forever to get up so Matt ended up getting it.
“Hello?” he answered. “Just a second. Honey its for you.” he handed me the phone.
“Hello? I answered.
“Listen to me.” the voice spoke. “If you want to see your parents alive you do what I say.” the voice demanded. I looked at Matt.
“What?” he mouthed. I motioned for a piece of paper and pen. He handed me one I wrote down for him to get the other phone.
The man continued. “Your Dad was working on some kind of top secret work. I need you to go to his house in Tampa and get all his research out of his secret lab there….” I interrupted him.
“Secret Lab? I have no idea what your talking about.” I said.
“DON’T INTERRUPT ME AGAIN!” he ordered. “Here tell her!” he yelled at someone.
“Nora, listen to me. Remember the stairs that led to your room?” he asked.
“Yes Dad.” I answered.
“Behind the picture of the horses is a lever, pull it and a door will open, behind that door is a room. There is a file cabinet in there with some papers. What you need is in the top drawer.” I heard a thump.
“You heard him, go do it or your father will be dead in 4 days.” he began to sound familiar.
“I’m pregnant I cant fly, my husband will have to do it or someone else.”
He growled in frustration. “As long as it gets done! I will call you back in 3 day.” he hung up. I turned to look at Matt, he could see that this was hurting me and that was pissing him off.
“I am going to Portland and deal with this whole lab thing. Don’t you worry about any of this stuff. I will handle it.” He walked over to me and put his arms around me. “I love you and I love this family. I will do anything to make it stay intact.” He bent down and gave me a long kiss almost like a good-bye kiss. He turned around and headed up to Aprils room. I followed a second later. He was bent over the side of the crib and giving her a kiss on the forehead.
I was standing in the back door. I watched him morphed into his wolf form and disappear into the woods behind the house. A cold breeze blow past me sending a weird chill over my body. A wave of sorrow wash over me. I felt like this wasn’t going to end well that someone will die. As I watched Matt turn into a tiny speck I knew it would be him. I prayed that my feelings would be wrong I didn’t want to be a widow with two kids.
Early the next morning I tried to stick to Aprils usual routine, but she noticed Matt wasn’t there. I sat her on the living room floor amongst her toys. I sat on the couch watching her looking around. She stood up and walked over to the me, “Daddy?”
“Daddy will be back soon.” I told her. “I hope.” I said under my breath. I watched her play with her animal sounds and her peg box. Watching her play like she didn’t have a care in the world, which is how I wanted. I worried about Matt and about my Dad. Things always seems to be going wrong for me like it was my destiny to have a miserable life.
Dinner was eaten and April was bathed. I let her lay in bed with me. I didn’t feel right with her alone in her room. She was asleep on Matt’s side of the bed. I had the tv on but wasn’t paying a lot of attention to it. I found myself pacing the floor more then sitting. I didn’t know what I was going to do if they called me back and I didn’t have what they wanted from me.
Just after 1am when the phone rang. I reached over and pick it up my cell. “Hello?” I answered.
A familiar voice spoke, “Hey babe.”
“Oh Thank God!” I sighed, “Where are you?” I asked.
“Right now, I am in your fathers secret lab. I wanted to call and tell you something. I was going to wait until I saw you but I couldn’t.” he sounded weird.
“What couldn’t wait?” I asked curiously.
“I am looking at one of your fathers secret experiments. Did you know he was trying to cure cancer?” he asked amazed.
“No, that’s a big thing to try.” I stood up and began pacing again. “When are you coming home?” I asked.
“As soon as I get these papers. Don’t worry I will be there by morning if not earlier. I love you.” I could hear him opening drawers.
“I love you too and Hurry home.” I ordered and we hung up. I felt so relieved to know that he was ok and he was on task. I slid back under the covers and fell asleep.
April was sitting up on the bed crying like her heart was broken. Before I could fully get up someone was talking to her, soothing her. I opened my eyes to Matt standing next to the bed. I felt her weight being lifted off.
“Matt?” I groggily asked.
“Shhh, yeah its me.” I rose up and wrapped my arms around him. He was holding April and I was hugging him. “Whoa I have a feeling I was missed.” he chuckled.
“More than you know.” I looked at April. “April daddy.” I patted Matt’s chest. She smiled and bounced a little. “she went around looking for you.” Matt smiled and kissed her cheek. All three of us went down stairs to the kitchen. I saw a big stack of papers on the counter. “are these it?” I asked.
“Yeah… Um Nora there is something you should see.” he sat April in her high chair. While he dug out a file I put some dry cereal and sliced bananas on her tray. I sat there watching take her chubby little finger pinch a piece of cereal and put it in her mouth. “Here.” He handed me a folder with my name written across the top of it. I opened it up and began to read it.
Subject: Nora Treeman
Age: 1 month.
There was some words I didn’t understand then when I got to the bottom of the page. ’If Carla and Dad knew the truth about Nora they would understand why I don’t care if she calls me Dad. Because I am here father. I didn’t expect it to take the first try. They said that I couldn’t have children, that I had 1,000,000 to 1 chance for it to happen. Then one chance with A.I and I have a daughter. I am going to let them think that she belongs to my father. That way they wont know that I have been experimenting on myself. I must hide the blood test and replace it with one that says she is my fathers daughter, that she is my sister instead of my child. I knew that she was mine she looked too much like me not to be. I just hope that I can hide this from everyone until the time is right.’
I looked up at Matt who was helping April eat. “I really AM his daughter. I knew it.” I sat the file to the side. “I knew it.” Matt stood up and opened the folder again and flipped to a different piece of paper.
“Read that one hun.” he pointed to it.
‘Subject: Nora Treeman
Test subject: 01223
Age: 3 yrs old.
Subject shows sign of hidden aggression, no doubt from the disease. She seems to have the signs of the progression of it. I don’t know what to do I tried everything to cure her. But We have to face the facts that Nora may die from this. I wont give up hope. Carla don’t know yet and I am reluctant to tell her. She has been waiting to have a child and now to know that she may die. I don’t know how she contracted it maybe something got accidentally switched. I am still unsure.’
There was some scientific words then a date and more writing.
‘I stayed up all night working on this serum, I think
I have it right. I am scared to try it on her. What if it killed her. I would be heartbroken and so when Carla. But if I don’t she WILL die. So Tonight I will try it, I am praying it will work.’
“I nearly died.” I looked at Matt. “from what?” I searched the papers. A headline caught my eye.
‘Serum success: I tested Nora four times and she shows no sign of the disease. The serum was a success, I am so thankful. I just cant let this fall into the wrong hands. I cant let either the disease or the cure out. If some person got a hold of this. I shudder at the thought.’
I looked at Matt. “It seems that your Dad was doing some shady shit.” Matt said.
“Yeah and it seems like I was apart of it. My Dad has to survive so I can kill him myself.” I slammed my fist down on the counter. April looked at me startled and began to cry. “Aw I’m sorry baby.” Matt picked her up and was soothing her. She reached for me. I held her, “mommy’s sorry sweety. I’m mad a Grandpa.” she pulled a back. She had little tears running down her cheeks. I wiped them with my finger. I felt bad for scaring her. I took her into the living room and sat her on the floor with her toys, she was fine in no time.
I kept wondering what I had. Was is cancer or leukemia or what? I was puzzled. I knew I didn’t have anything now or the doctor would of found something in either me or April. Matt sat beside me on the couch. We sat there and watched April play in silence.
“Babe.” Matt said breaking the silence.
“Yeah. What?” I looked at him.
“Your file is the one that the caller wanted.” he was staring at me.
“I figured.” the baby was kicking. Suddenly the callers voice hit me. I sat straight up.
“You ok?” Matt asked with concern.
“I know who that caller was.” I slowly turned to look at him.
“Who?” he asked.
“Victor! I knew I recognized that voice.” Matt’s face turned red.
“That Son of Bitch!” he snarled.
“Easy babe. Let him call back.” I rubbed his back. His whole body was shaking. He wanted to kill victor since she stabbed me. April was staring at us with curious eyes. I smiled at her and crawled down on the floor to play with her. Matt got up and left the room. I could see him changing and he didn’t want April to see.
2 days later. It was around noon, April was down for her nap. She usually got sleepy after lunch. The phone rang immediately I knew who it was. Matt was beside me in a second. I picked up the phone on the second ring.
“Hello?” I answered.
“You have the papers?” he asked.
“Yes, I have them.” I answered. “how to you want them?” I asked,
“No so fast. First I want you to prove you have the file I want. What is the Test Subject number on the file?” he asked. Matt ran and got the folder.
“Its 01223.” I answered him.
“Good, now I want you to take it to the store just down from your house. Around back and I mean you not your mongrel husband. I will know if he shows up besides he has to stay with your daughter.” he chuckled.
“Fine, as long as I don’t get hurt.” I said.
“You wont get hurt and neither will your parents. It will be a switch the files for your father and mother.” he sounded sincere.
“Fine. But they cant be hurt either.” I ordered.
“Tough girl, fine they wont be hurt either. Be there in 3 hours.” he ordered.
“I will be there.” I just got out before he hung the phone up. Matt just stood there shaking his head.
“I don’t like this. I don’t trust him. Remember he tried to kill you.” she had worry all over his face.
“If its Victor, I will be ok.” I tried to ease his worry. But I too was worried.
