“Ok, I love you,” she said sweetly.
“I love you too, El. Now get your butt in that truck!!” he yelled laughing.
Elena walked outside with him. It was lunch so at least a few people would be out and about and might catch a glimpse. He locked the office door and pulled Elena by her arm and ‘threw’ her in the passenger side and slammed the door. She hung her head to keep from laughing. He was trying his best show, but he would never actually hurt her, even a little bit.
A couple men were walking across the street and a car was at the stop light. They were looking so, mission accomplished. Elena sat on her side of the truck, buckled her seatbelt and pretended to sulk all the .4 miles to the house.
That was the one nice thing about the place, you were so close to everything.
Once home he grabbed her and pulled her across the seat to him and out of the truck and held her arm until they were through the door.
Once inside he pressed her against the wall and kissed her pushing his chest against hers. She responded immediately by wrapping her arms around his neck, letting him lift her and carry her to the bedroom. He had been trying to be gentle with her because of her brush with death and hadn’t been able to really kiss her, or anything else he wanted to do, in the last couple of days and he was about to make up for it, right now.
Chapter 10
Later that night, he called Roger and told him he was going to the meeting. Roger agreed that he thought he could get his hands on something to have a little proof, that he would go too, so they would have two sets of hands to hopefully grab something of importance.
The girls would be packing and getting the clothes and things ready for them to leave the next morning, insanely early. Sounded like a good plan.
It was settled.
Elena made something quick that night for dinner, so as there wouldn’t be much cleanup. Though she didn’t know what she was cleaning up for.
They were leaving.
She was ecstatic but worried about Alex and Roger going tonight. She had a bad feeling, but they didn’t have much physical evidence and if there were going public with this, they’d need something more. This was their last chance.
Alex was heading out the door and Elena hugged him so tight and long. Alex knew what she was thinking, feeling her tense arms around him.
“El, it’s gonna be fine. We’ll be in and out as fast as we can. Don’t worry ok, that’s my job. I love you, ok? No worries.”
“I love you, too, just be careful, please. I don’t trust them.”
“One more night, then we won’t have to worry about that anymore, and it’s gonna be pretty hard to get rid of me from now on. You are as stuck with me as they come.”
“Like glue,” Elena joked as she kissed him deeply and tightly one last time before he turned to head out the door.
She turned on the porch light for him and bolted the lock. She sighed and leaned against the door trying to calm her nerves. He’ll be ok. We’ve been very careful. He knows what he’s doing.
She just hoped she was right.
She headed to the bedroom to start the packing. The two bags Alex had gotten down for her from the attic weren’t that big, but they couldn’t exactly load the truck down and drive inconspicuously out of town. She would do her best with what she had.
Looking in the closet she glanced on the wide shelf overhead. One jacket and two pairs of shoes each... trying to sort everything so they could each have the same amount of necessities in their own bags. Once done with that she headed to the bathroom to get the toiletries, ect. She laid them both out an outfit for in the morning and decided to grab that book she had started earlier when she was done.
She would work on it now and take it with her to finish another time. She grabbed a couple of Alex CD’s and books for him as well and put them in his bag. Before she sat down to read she went to the kitchen and grabbed a few green olives and a glass of sweet tea.
She sat in Alex’s favorite hideous green chair and read, hoping that Alex and Roger were safe and making some good progress in the search.
* * *
Alex didn’t sit with Roger. It would be easier for them to grab something that way he thought. Not be both grabbing at things drawing attention right next to each other. He listened as the meeting dragged on. The other men seemed excited by the new ideas of the council. Some even commented that it was about time.
Alex knew what the verdict would be tonight.
He tried to hide the look of disgust on his face as he passed the papers down the row as instructed. He looked down realizing it was a wife list. Could it have been that easy all along? They were instructed to put their names on the paper and pick which wives they wanted to swap with, the council would go from there and choose a rotation or come to some conclusion as to an agreement.
Alex rolled his eyes as the notion. He didn’t know how to get the paper in his pocket without someone noticing. He decided to go to the bathroom. On his way back to his seat Edmond stopped him.
“Alex, how are things? I heard of your little tiff with Elena outside your office after I was left. I admit, I’m still a little surprised to see you here. I thought things were going so well. Did something else happen?”
“You could say that, Ed. Elena’s just a little too nosy and boring for my taste. I want someone with a little more spunk I think. I’m glad you stopped by the office. You gave me something to think about.”
“Wonderful! In fact, I’ve heard a few have had their eye on Elena, including myself, so it shouldn’t be hard to pass her off on the next unsuspecting yet willing fool.” He chuckled patting Alex on the shoulder and starting to turn then turned back. “Where is your ballot, Alex?”
“I turned it in already. It didn’t take long for my mind to be made up. I got my eye on Roger’s Amy,” Alex said with fists shaking.
He had never wanted to punch someone so much in his life.
“Wonderful! Though you may have to fight for her.” He jokingly put up his hands in fist as to fight.
Alex laughed as Edmond walked away, burying his fury, wondering if it was safe to leave now. He glanced at Roger. He was sitting quietly and still had his paper in his hand. He looked a little freaked. Alex walked over to Roger’s seat and took the one in front of him, turning in his seat to talk.
“Hey, buddy, who you got your eye on?” he said loudly enough for the surrounding men to hear.
“Elena, actually,” Roger said flatly, trying to determine what Alex’s theatricals we’re trying to let him do.
“Really, well I picked Amy. Now how do you like that?”
“How ironic. Well, do you think we’re done here? I’m famished.”
“Oh, were done here,” Alex winked. “Just waiting on the big guy to dismiss us.”
Roger took that to mean Alex had the paper and he could relax. They sat there for another ten minutes then, they finally instructed the ones who had made their decisions and turned in their papers in to head home.
On the way out Roger mouthed to Alex “5:00?” Alex nodded his head once and they got into their separate trucks and drove to their homes. Roger was confirming the time to drive by Alex’s for their convoy out of town.
Tonight had seemed just a little too easy, but Alex would take what he could get.
* * *
He got a full tank of gas earlier before the meeting and once home, he looked around the garage for anything they might need to take. He made sure the jack had been put back in the truck and jumper cables as well. He did not want another incident like before, just in case, with Elena.
He looked on the porch to make sure there was nothing he needed before heading inside to find Elena asleep in his chair, reading her book. He saw the bags by the back door with their next days clothes folded neatly on top.
He smiled looking at her bunched up in the chair. Her chin on her fist and her knees drawn up to her chest, the book she had been trying to finish for weeks now was open against her chest. He mar
ked her place and put it in the bag for her. Everything was clean and spotless, even though they were leaving and never coming back. That was his Elena, nothing if not thorough.
He locked the door and carried her to bed. He was beat too and they would be getting up very early.
In the morning they barely spoke, just rushed to make sure everything was done. Elena grabbed her bag on the way out to the truck. Alex grabbed his bag, his ball cap and the keys. Taking one last look closed the door behind them and threw his bag in the back seat of his crew cab.
Elena pulled herself in to sit next to him, pulled out a granola bar for him, as they waited in the driveway for Roger’s truck to slowly drive by, that was the signal to follow. It didn’t take long and they were off.
Alex had been taking out medium chunks of cash slowly over the past two months. He’d purchased a few prepaid credit cards in case they had to have them for a hotel or something. Roger had done the same. No one could track them. Alex working in the office closely with the county had gotten replacement tags for their trucks, for his ‘clients’, so they couldn’t be traced that way either. They didn’t know if the guard on the county line would be there or not. They hoped not since the last escapee had been a little while and also it was seriously early, but there he was.
Standing in the middle of the road, shotgun in the crook of his arm and his wide brim hat tilted to the side. Roger was ahead of Alex and already applying the breaks.
“Howdy, Rog! Where in the world are you going this time of morning?”
Alex could hear everything the guard said through his open window, but couldn’t hear Roger’s responses.
“Really...Why’d you bring your wife with ya?...Oh I see...and Alex...Uhuh ...well I can see that but I’m supposed to report anyone leaving town from now on, especially if the wives are with them... I know...I know but... now don’t be like that, Roger!”
That was the last thing Alex heard before seeing Rogers fist come out his window into the guards face forcing him backwards into the ditch, holding his nose and cursing.
Alex sprang from the truck yelling for Elena to stay there. Roger, already out, was holding the guards arm behind his back, The gun had flung somewhere in the ditch away from them, the guard looking confused and angry.
They took him to his car, Roger ran back to get something out of the back of his tool box and then returned to Alex. They tied him to the steering wheel, put on his seat belt and threw the keys and radio in the woods. At least if someone drove by they would just see him sitting there in the car and not think anything of it for a while.
They raced back to their trucks and punched the gas before anyone could come by. That was that. No way around it and it was done. The community would know who was responsible in a matter of hours.
Then, they would start looking.
One by one they passed the city limit signs as they got further and further away. Once they were an hour and a half hour into their drive, they pulled into a diner and all got out, stretching and yawning.
Starving they went inside, Elena was a little worried wondering if they should be stopping but the guys seemed confident and said not to worry. They all ordered breakfast omelet’s and toast, fast and easy and filling, still an hour away from their first destination.
Since they were stopped at the diner already Elena decided to change into her clothes for the day; for the wedding. She wore a blue dress Alex had bought for her, his mother’s earrings and her lovely new ring in front of her wedding band that she could wear from now on in public with no worry as to who may be looking.
She curled her wet hair around her fingers that morning so it would be wavy hanging past her shoulders. She wanted to look good for him today. She knew they couldn’t have a real wedding, and she really wasn’t interested in one.
This was her perfect and ideal wedding day; spending time with friends, a small ceremony, just the two of them and no fancy-smancy distractions and cost.
They bought a couple coffees for the road and surprisingly found a jar of green olives in the general store, which Alex bought for Elena without her knowing.
She couldn’t stop thinking about today’s events as she stood, waiting for him at the window in the shop. Once he paid for their items he finally tore her out of thought advising it was time to take off again.
It was unusually warm, much warmer now than this morning. The weather was so back and forth this time of year. Elena removed her sweater, showing her bare arms in her sleeveless dress as they walked to the truck. She caught Alex watching her with a dreamy look. She smiled and bit her lip. He saw and chuckled.
He helped her into the drivers’ side and she slid over just a bit sitting next to him. They both put their sunglasses on as he put the truck in drive, his other arm on Elena’s knee, which was propped up on the seat. She rested her head on his shoulder, her arm wrapped around his.
The air conditioner was blowing on her face, giving her goose bumps. He noticed and chuckled as he turned the blower to the other side of the truck.
Something new was playing on the radio, a new song she’d never heard. It was distracting her thoughts which she inevitably agreed to herself was best. She was getting herself all worked up over this wedding. It wasn’t a big deal. She was happy. Alex was happy. Roger and Amy were happy. It was a miracle if she’d ever seen one.
Alex ran his hand up and down her leg to soothe her, inevitably giving her goose bumps again but of a different kind. He again fidgeted with the blower but it wasn’t blowing on her. He looked at her questioningly.
“It’s not the A/C, it’s you,” she laughed.
“Oh, well then, I’ll take that as a compliment.” He laughed looking cute and smug.
“I’m ok. I’m just so excited about today, Alex. And the next day...and the next day. I can’t believe we’re actually on the road, heading away from that place.”
“Me too. I can’t believe we did it. We left, gone. You don’t know how long I’ve thought about this, El.”
“I can guess. Are you happy?”
“Of course I am.” He looked between her and the road several times. “What kind of question is that?”
“I just wanted to hear you say it.”
“I’m happy. And you look beautiful. I was so busy earlier I forgot to tell you that.”
“Thanks, babe. You look pretty good yourself. You know how those white t-shirts get me.”
“Oh really? Well, I’ll have to remember that for the honeymoon.” He smiled in his profile.
“I’m already on my honeymoon.”
She removed her sunglasses and looked at him. Her sweet smile was happy and her eyes intense. He almost ran off the road looking at her. She laughed at him throwing her head back and shaking with the force of it causing him to laugh too. He hadn’t seen her laugh like that before. She was finally set free.
Alex couldn’t wait to get to the city and marry her, on his and her terms. He couldn’t imagine being more in love than he was right then.
Then he was absolutely certain of one thing.
There was a God.
There without a doubt had to be a God. And for whatever reason, he had found favor in Alex and had given him an angel.
* * *
The streets were packed with cars and people. Cops were directing hoard after massive hoard of people where to go to park and for people passing through. Wow. Elena had no idea what this festival was about, but whatever it was, it was big.
They finally found their way through the middle of town to the church. As described the double doors were wide open, white bloom azalea bushes lining the brick walkways. It was gorgeous.
Alex turned to her.
“Look, if you wanna wait to have a real wedding, I’m fine with that. I know how it is for-” Elena stopped him, her finger on his lips.
“It’s perfect. There is nothing else I want more than to do this with you, right now.” She kissed him good and he, giving one last glance over her, got out of the truck
smiling.
He and Roger went in to talk to the preacher. Amy went to stand by the truck with Elena. After a few minutes, Roger came and got them.
The church was small but lovely with ferns and potted flowers everywhere. The pulpit was old cracked wood and stood up on the flat platform. The pews were white as well the walls and railings. The floors were crimson red. Perfect. Alex and the preacher were waiting for them in the center row.
“I understand you want to renew your vows.” The very short and stout preacher asked the girls as they walked up. They smiled and nodded. “How long have you all been married?”
“Four months,” Alex said, knowing it would sound odd to the preacher.
It wasn’t exactly a milestone.
“Four months for us, too,” Roger said, no doubt thinking the same thing.
“Four months? And both couples want to renew?” the preacher said, a questioning eyebrow raised.
“Yes. That’s the plan. We know it sounds strange, but it’s just something we need to do,” Alex answered for everyone.
“Ok, well, who’s first?”
“We’ll go first,” Roger said, “if that’s ok.”
“Sure, sure. Well, how do you wanna do this? Just say the vows or... Do you wanna give her away?” the preacher said pointing at Alex, referring to Amy.
“I can, if you like,” Alex told her, looking thoughtfully at Amy to see if that was acceptable to her.
“Well. I mean we don’t have to make a big production of it, if you don’t want to.” Amy didn’t like being put on the spot and was trying to push the blame on someone else.
“Nonsense!!” The church secretary rounded the piano headed their way, her extremely over enunciated Irish accent was sweet and hilarious. “It’s so much more romantic that way, don’t you think? You didn’t have a real fancy wedding the first time now did ya now, darling?”
“No, not really,” Amy answered shooting glances at Elena and Roger.
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