Aimee started spending less of her days at the office. She sat in on interviews for the new IT department manager. They selected a lady who had worked there for five years and knew both sides of the department managing and IT.
Aimee showed her where she had filed things in the office and went over some of the reports she made. Thursday morning, Aimee went for a walk to her private area of the beach. She had her mom’s diary, water, and snacks.
She had made her way to May 3rd, 1988. Most of the entries, up till now, were all about planning her wedding. She was so excited. She talked about her dress and how she couldn’t wait to see RGA’s face when she walked down the aisle. The thing that bothered Aimee was how her mom talked about hiding her wedding day from MAL.
Today, Aimee wanted to read the wedding day. She read the two days before, as her mom described the final hours of her single life. The day before, she described the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner and about her beating heart as she said goodbye to RGA.
May 4th, 1988
It is seven am and I am up. I watched the sunrise over the orchard today. I am having so many mix feelings right now. I am happy I am marrying RGA today and beginning our lives. I am sad that I am leaving my mom. I worry for her safety. The Radicals are getting worse. They are starting to move outside their usual areas. They are trying to take over the entire country.
I am also afraid our plans to keep MAL away from the wedding will fail. I hate that HAL is putting herself in danger for me. I have talked to RGA, we need to figure out how to get her out of that house.
The biggest emotion right now is anxiety. I am just anxious to get this day started. I can’t wait to walk down that aisle and vow my love to RGA.
My mom is calling, so I have to wrap this entry up. I hid some of my stuff in a loose board in the back of my closet. It is some of the most personal things to me. I can’t chance MAL finding them.
Aimee flipped the page just as she felt someone beside her.
“Hey, Aiden.”
Aiden looked at the diary. “Where are you?”
“Wedding day.”
“You know you shouldn’t read that alone.”
“Yeah. I am glad you are here.” She handed him the diary. “You read, ok?”
“Ok.” Aiden turned looked at the diary. He was going to read about the wedding ceremony. He took a deep breath.
May 4th, 1988
I am now officially Mrs. RGA. The wedding was so great. When the ushers opened the church doors and I saw the man of my dreams standing at the alter waiting for me. I cried. He was the most handsome guy I had ever seen. Nothing else in the world matter to me at those seconds, but him. I cried all the way down the aisle. My mom walked with me down the aisle and gave me away. When he took my hand, I noticed the tears in his eyes. The look in his eyes showed the love he has for me. The ceremony was traditional. I thought the preacher would never get to the rings or pronounce us man and wife, but when I heard him say the words, you may now kiss the bride and RGA caressed my lips with the most passionate kiss, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. In his arms is the only place I feel safe. That is how God showed me that RGA was the right man for me. I always felt safe in RGA’s arm. He is definitely my soul mate. I have no question about his love for me. I was going to be with the man of my dreams till death do us part.
I am writing this entry on the plane. We are flying to London, then we are boarding a cruise ship for the next week. I pray for God to be with my mom while we are gone. RGA’s dad is watching over her. I am not going to write another entry until we return to Neahovia.
Aiden wrapped Aimee in his arms. “Are you ok?”
“Yeah, every entry since the engagement has been about how much she loved him. The way she feels when he entered the room. The way his eyes sparkle. How good his body looked in certain outfits.”
“You seem to be taking all of that good.”
“I realized that, if it had not been for RGA, my mom’s life would be a lot different. He loved her and protected her form MAL. God put them together for a reason.”
“You are amazing, Aimee.”
“Thanks.” Her phone rang and she sent the call to voicemail.
“Who was that?”
“LJ. I don’t feel like fighting with him right now.”
“Does he know we are leaving town tonight?”
“No. I told Colin not to say anything. I don’t want him nosing around.”
“You really don’t trust him?”
“Not as far as I could throw him. When I read my mom’s journal, I realize more and more that he is not the guy God wants me to be with. Somehow I messed up God’s plan.”
“I don’t think you messed up. I think Satan tricked you.”
“Yeah, but remember when we talked about how God speaks to us and it is up to us to listen and do what is right?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I don’t think I really took the time to listen fully to what God was trying to tell me.”
“Aimee, I read Nahum today and I think verse 1:7 is a good verse for you right now.” He took the Bible Aimee had in her basket and turned to Nahum 1:7 and read it to her. “Nahum 1:7 - The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.”
“Wow. I never knew you had been reading the Bible that much, Aiden. And you are right, I need to just trust the strong hold God has on my troubles with LJ.”
Aiden laughed. “I have been meeting with Rev. Mark this week, while you were at the office. I am trying to understand my life right now.”
“I will keep praying for you.” Aimee took the diary. “I can read now.”
May 12th, 1988
We arrived home late last night. MAL was waiting for us when we arrived at the airport. RGA had to call the law. Mom called HAL today and she is not answering her phone. We are getting worried. RGA is at work, he said if she does not return our call by lunch, he will come home and we can call the law.
I fear something went wrong. They only kept MAL in jail for a few hours before someone posted his bail. I have noticed three cars that I know belong to Radical members going by our house today. On top of all this, word of AES’s engagement was leaked to the tabloids.
That is causing a mess of its own and causing more of a stir in the Radicals. MAL and his friends are furious. I am going to go and pray for the ladies of Neahovia.
Aimee turned to Aiden. “I… think...”
Aiden took the diary and wrapped Aimee in his arms, while he read the next entry marked that night.
I don’t know where to start writing tonight. My heart is so broken. MAL really beat HAL up this time. The cops went to her house and found her. She is in the hospital with a police guard at the door. Mom said they are questioning HAL about MAL’s involvement with the Radicals. She won’t talk. RGA is trying to find twenty four hour protection for me and mom. His dad is contacting some of his business associates, to see what we can legally do to protect our family.
I pray that this ends soon. I know God is in control and not the doer of evil. I fear, however, that Satan has entered the hearts and minds of many of the Neahovian men. I fear it may be awhile before things are right here again.
Aimee looked in Aiden’s eyes. He looked as hurt as she felt. “I can’t not imagine living in those days.”
“Remember when Alice said that the things she told us was not going to be in the history books? How they could not put what the women went through in words?” Aiden held her closer
“Yeah.”
“Your mom is doing a good job. I never imagined the times like that. My mom doesn’t mention it much. She lost a lot of her good friends during the days of the Radicals.”
Aimee looked at her watch. “We have about thirty minutes before we have to go get ready to hit the road.”
“I will read another entry.”
May 18th, 1988
I have not been able to write the last few days. Life went crazy here. I was d
oing some grocery shopping two days ago and MAL approached me. He grabbed my arms and threaten to kill me if I did not divorce RGA. When I told him never, he shoved my head against a wall. I could feel the blood running down my face. He had a hand around my throat. He said that my mom and HAL were going to pay for going behind his back and allowing this marriage.
He tightened his grip. He told me I had ruined everything for my family and so many more women. He told me that I would be responsible for the fate of many lives, if I did not do as he said. I was confused, but now, I remember him saying I need to stop somebody’s marriage and something about taking my place as the wife of who he says.
I started to black totally out, when I heard the voice of a male, who shoved MAL away from me. I caught a glimpse of three men taking MAL down before everything went black.
Aiden laid the diary down and wrapped his arms around Aimee. She was pale. “Aimee, I wish I could change things.”
“You can’t. I can’t believe my mom went through so much before going to America. Where was RGA? He was supposed to be protecting my mom.”
“I know. I know, sweetie.” He took the hair out of her eyes.
“We have time for you to finish this entry. I can’t leave until I know what else happened.” Aimee handed the diary to him
I woke up in the emergency room. RGA and mom were at my side. RGA was kicking himself for going to work today and saying how he was already failing me as my husband and protector. I took his hand and explained he had to work. Mom stood with her arms folded. RGA and mom started discussing him working on the plantation, that way he could be home more. He also told mom she was moving in with us at Orchid Bay Orchard.
That was when I remembered MAL’s threats. I told them to mom and RGA and he flipped out. He called his dad and immediately my mom and I had bodyguards. Then, mom started crying, HAL checked out today. She went home.
Mom called her that night and she was fine. MAL did not come home. She refused the guards. She said she could handle him herself. RGA stayed with me until I was released from the hospital that night. He took me home and held me in his arms all night.
On the 17th, we woke early in the morning. Mom had coffee and homemade biscuits with orange marmalade. We ate breakfast and started making plans on how to protect ourselves from MAL. That was when the phone rang. Mom started screaming. RGA took the phone and then led me and my mom out of the house. Mom was crazy, screaming HAL’s name over and over again.
RGA turned to me with tears in his eyes. He could barely speak as he helped us in the car. HAL was shot.
“Oh. Aiden, no.”
“I am sorry. Maybe she is ok.” Aimee shook her head and pointed at the diary for him to read.
The house was surrounded by cops. Police tape was everywhere. I just looked around and wondered how things got this out of control. All because I wouldn’t marry who he chose for me. I looked at RGA and took his hand, as we followed the officer into the house. When we walked in the door, the view took our breath away.. The house had been ransacked. You could totally see that a fight happened her. I looked to my right and noticed gun shots in the wall. I covered my mouth, when I looked in the living area.
You could see the spot were HAL had been laying. Blood was everywhere. The floor was covered in glass. Every picture in the house was broken. I looked around the room and seen my graduation picture, it had blood smeared on it. Every picture of me had blood on them. It was his sick way of telling me HAL’s blood was on my hands.
RGA took my hand. He noticed them too. He kissed me. “He will not get to you, I promise.” Mom turned and hugged me. “We are going to be ok.” One of the detectives came and told us that HAL was flown to Ancaster General Hospital. She was in very critical condition. He told mom she had been shot twice in the chest and once in the head.
He added that not all the blood was hers. He directed us to a trail of blood leading to the garage. The car was gone. Then, he questioned us on why MAL would do this. We told him everything that had happened over the past year.
When I told him about the attack I had yesterday, he realized why my pictures were covered in blood. He tried to tell me this was not my fault. But, I knew better. This was all my fault.
We went straight to Ancaster when the cops were done questioning us. HAL had been placed on life support. The next twenty four hours would be crucial. Mom stayed by her bedside all night.
This morning, when RGA and I went to the hospital, the doctors came in and told mom they needed to do surgery to attempt to remove the bullets and the pressure on her brain. The two shots in the chest missed her organs. It was the shot in the head that was critical.
Surgery will be in one hour.
The doctors came to the waiting area and said that they were able to remove the bullet and relieve some of the pressure from her brain. She was nowhere near being out of the woods. The detective came to the hospital and said they found MAL’s car abandoned beside the road. There was no blood trails. It appeared as if he met someone there.
I feel I may never sleep again.
Aiden took Aimee by the hand and helped her up. He then hugged her for a long time. “I am sorry. I can only imagine how you feel. I wish I could take the pain away.”
Aimee looked up. “You are so sweet. I just keep telling myself that mom and Gran survived or I wouldn’t be here.”
“I am telling myself the same thing.”
Aiden helped Aimee up the rocks. When they came in the kitchen, everyone seen the tears in her eyes. Aiden told Aimee he would fill them in for her, while she went and took a shower.
When she got out of the shower and walked into her room, she found Piper and Lexi sitting on the bed. “We have decided we don’t want you reading anymore of those diaries alone.” Piper stood.
“What if Aiden had not been there?” Lexi stood.
“I know, guys. I just hate to keep bothering you guys with this stuff.”
Piper and Lexi hugged Aimee. “You are not bothering us. In away, your mom’s history affects us all. She is showing us what the ladies of Neahovia went through.”
“Thanks. Let’s get ready to go to Mystic Paradise Beach.”
Chapter Thirteen
They had to take two cars for the trip. In James car was Piper, him, Lexi, and Jaxson. In Aimee’s car was Colin, Kelli, Aiden, and Aimee. Aiden and Colin decided they could divide the driving. Aiden took the first turn, so he and Aimee sat up front. About thirty minutes on the road, her phone rang it was LJ.
“Hello.”
“Where are you?”
“I am fine, by the way. I am in my car.”
“You know what I mean. I have called you all day and your phone goes to voicemail. I went to your flat and everyone is gone. Where are you?”
“We are taking a road trip for the weekend.”
“Aimee, I am getting tired of this. This is the third weekend you have blown me off.”
“I did not blow you off last week. I invited you and you said no.”
“What about the trip you are taking now?”
“You said you did not want to do any Christian things with me. So, I assumed you’d say no.”
“When are you coming back?”
“Don’t know yet. Before classes begin.”
“Call me when you get back.” He hung up.
Colin leaned his head forward. “I would like to know what is going on.”
“Your friend is a jerk.” Aiden called back.
Aimee hit his shoulder, then told Colin about her dates with LJ. To which, Colin replied. “Dump the dude.”
Aimee grinned. “Easy to say.”
Colin grinned. “We need to have a talk later.”
“If you are giving me break up tips, I agree.”
They stopped at the same little diner in Wattsburg as they did on their last trip to Mystic Paradise. They sat at the booth and laughed about things they did over summer break. Aimee had her eye on the guy in the corner, he was about forty. He looked very r
ough. He kept looking toward the group. He was very spooky.
Aiden noticed Aimee looking toward the guy. He was definitely staring, but not at the entire group, just Aimee. His eyes looked evil. When they left, Aiden held Aimee close to him. He made sure the guy was not following them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The group of college kids are back at Katie’s. The one girl looks really familiar. He could almost be certain she belonged to… it was impossible, the boss said he took care of all of them years ago. He needed to talk to Harry. He said he noticed her too. One way or another, they needed to find out who she is and why she is in Neahovia.
BREAKTHROUGH (Love's Not Easy Series Book 2) Page 11
