Need (Finding Anna)

by Hayes, Sherri

  “Mr. Coleman?”

  I thought I recognized the voice. “Tom?”

  “Yes, sir. Mr. Coleman, we have a problem.”

  Brianna

  I was quite literally dancing my day away. This morning had been everything I’d read in books and more. It felt good waking up in his arms, like the chair, only better. Neither of us was wearing clothes, so I felt a little shy at first, but he’d melted my nerves away with a soft lingering kiss. Just thinking about it sent tingles through my entire body down to my toes.

  After cleaning up breakfast, I started to clean. He’d told me this morning that I was no longer restricted and could go into his bedroom and bathroom at any time. Since the rest of the house was in good shape, I put on some music and decided to start in there.

  It was a good thing, too. Not that Stephan was messy—because he wasn’t—but I could tell no one had done more than basic cleaning in his room for a while. By the time he called me on his lunch break, I had everything almost put back in his cabinets.

  He told me about his morning. Mr. James sounded like a nice man. I was glad Karl Walker was gone, and I’d never have to deal with him again.

  Once I hung up the phone with Stephan, I cleaned myself up a little and made a sandwich. I wasn’t hungry, but I knew if I didn’t eat something Stephan would be upset. The last thing I wanted was for him to be angry with me. I was happy. He was happy. I wanted to keep it that way.

  With my sandwich eaten, I went back to work. The station I’d found on the radio in Stephan’s room had been set to one that played a variety of music ranging from light rock to punk. It was a little surprising. I’d never heard Stephan listen to the radio outside of his car, and even then, it was all instrumental.

  I swayed my hips to the music as I stepped into the shower with the cleaner and a towel to wipe everything down. I lingered a little longer than necessary, finding my thoughts drifting to the hours we’d spent together in there. It was difficult to focus on what I was doing.

  When I walked out of the shower, I was satisfied it was thoroughly clean, and I was missing Stephan terribly. I glanced at the clock on the wall, and saw that it was only two thirty. He wouldn’t be home for another three hours.

  The large soaker tub was next on my list. It had massage jets, and I wondered how they’d feel against my skin. I’d never been in a tub like it before, just the regular old-fashioned ones.

  Bent over the tub, I was trying to reach the bottom when I thought I heard the phone ring. I stopped and listened, but all I heard was the radio. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell. There were no new messages, no missed calls. I guessed I was hearing things. Maybe it was a sound effect from the song.

  Ten minutes later, I smiled as I looked over his bathroom. Everything was clean, including the floor. I hoped he would like it. He’d seemed pleased when I’d told him what I was doing over the phone. With a sense of satisfaction, I took the cleaning supplies and moved into his bedroom.

  That was when I heard a knock on the door. At first I ignored it, but whomever it was continued to knock, and it was getting louder. Maybe it was Tom. If he had called and I hadn’t answered, maybe he would come up to check on me.

  Setting everything down on Stephan’s dresser, I walked out into the main room and over to the front door. The knocks seemed to get louder and louder. I felt bad that I hadn’t answered until now and made Tom worry for no good reason. Maybe the radio hadn’t been such a good idea.

  I opened the door ready to apologize to Tom, but the words died on my lips. There, standing before me, was a man I’d hoped I'd never see again.

  “I’m so glad I found you. You have no idea what it took for me to find you, baby girl.”

  Look for the next installment in

  Stephan and Brianna’s story

  coming Summer of 2013