Summer now knew exactly what it felt like to be a victim of violence, and couldn’t imagine hurting anyone ever again, that is, other than herself.
Maybe Todd’s desecration of her face was simply Karma, if so, she would mark it paid in full.
***
After reaching the railroad tracks, Summer walked along them until she came to a curve that limited visibility. She limped around the bend and took a seat between the rails to wait for her life to end.
A bolt of lightning struck nearby amid a vociferous din of thunder, and Summer idly wondered if she would be electrocuted before a train could crush her.
She began to cry. Just a few days earlier she had been so happy and on the verge of gaining so much. Michael was back in her life, the book was destined to lead to better things, and she thought that Todd would be behind her.
Now, Michael was lost to her forever and the book deal had been cancelled. Robert Weaver explained in an email that the publisher had decided to shelve it “temporarily”, but Summer knew what that meant.
And as for Todd, he ensured by his actions that he would be a defining factor in the rest of her life.
But that life would be ending soon, as Summer sensed the ground trembling, and when she placed a hand on the rail to her left, she felt the vibration there as well.
Within seconds, light bloomed behind her, as around the curve the train moved closer. Summer could hear the train’s approach even over the sounds of the storm and she closed her eyes and hoped that whatever lay beyond was a kinder world.
“Goodbye Michael,” Summer whispered, as the train grew ever nearer, and the sound of its approach competed with the crash of thunder in the sky.
***
Summer’s scream was loud enough to eclipse the roar of both thunder and train as she flung herself to the right of the tracks.
The light from the train was blinding, but lasted less than a second as the iron behemoth rumbled past her.
Summer lay in the mud at the side of the tracks, weeping, as wind from the train’s passing pelted her with rainwater.
When the long string of train cars had finally gone on their way, Summer felt deafened by the silence. But then, the thunder sounded off and the steady patter of rain fell upon her hood, and there was mixed with them the sound of her sobs.
Summer wanted to die and Summer wanted to live.
She pulled herself up from the mud minutes later and limped along the tracks, as she headed for a place of refuge.
CHAPTER 28
THE MARY LANGDON HOME FOR BATTERED WOMEN
Dr. Elena Colt came downstairs the following morning and reset the clock on the coffeemaker before using it to brew a fresh batch of Columbian coffee.
The storm of the previous night had knocked out the power and, for some unknown reason, the generator hadn’t kicked on automatically. Still, the power must have returned at some point, because Elena woke to find her alarm clock blinking a time of midnight.
She made a mental note to look into the problem with the generator and then headed for the front door to retrieve the newspaper.
That was when she found Summer asleep on the porch swing and looking soaked to the skin, while covered with mud.
Elena surmised that Summer must have arrived sometime during the night, but with the power out, the doorbell hadn’t worked, and if Summer had knocked, the sound of it was likely drowned out by the wind and thunder.
After taking in the damage done to Summer’s face, Elena winced in sympathy and released a sad sigh. She then nudged Summer’s shoulder and woke her.
Summer awakened with a start and then groaned from the stiffness in her healing leg. When she saw Elena, she recognized her, but wondered why she was there. Then, as had happened since the night she was injured, Summer’s sleep fogged mind recalled her damaged face, and she pulled the hood tight around it.
“What are you doing here, Dr. Colt?”
“I live here, Summer.”
“You live in a home for battered women?”
“I’m in charge of it, but nevermind that, why aren’t you in the hospital?”
Summer mumbled something with her head turned away that Elena couldn’t hear.
“Repeat that, dear.”
“I said I left the hospital on foot to go kill myself... but then I couldn’t go through with it and walked here in the storm.”
Elena studied Summer for a moment longer and then gathered up the newspaper from the top step.
When she turned back around, Summer was standing with her head bowed.
“Can I stay here, please?”
“You can for now.”
Cassandra appeared in the doorway.
“What’s going on?”
Elena placed an arm around Summer’s shoulders and guided her towards the door.
“This is Summer Gray. She’ll be a guest here for a time.”
“Oh,” Cassandra said, as she tried not to stare at Summer’s face. That was when she noticed that Summer’s clothes were wet and dirty. “Hey Summer, come upstairs with me and we’ll get you some dry clothes and a hot shower.”
Summer gave Cassandra a timid glance and then she looked back at Elena.
“It’s all right, dear, Cassandra will take care of you, but then come back down and we’ll talk.”
“Thank you for helping me, both of you.”
After Cassandra had led Summer upstairs, Elena took a phone from her pocket and made a call. When it was answered, she spoke.
“Hello Jessica, there’s something I need to tell you.”
CHAPTER 29
Jessica arrived at the house with Michael late that afternoon.
Elena made certain that Summer wouldn’t know of their arrival, because she wanted to talk to Jessica alone first.
Michael had been living with Jessica and her husband for nearly a week. He had set-up his workshop in the exterior building that his brother had used as his own workshop, while he was producing his 3-D project the year before.
The children had taken to Michael right away, and he and Maggie had become fast friends. The dog, Stitches, who usually followed Jessica around the house, could be found near Michael’s side more often than not.
Jessica introduced Michael to Elena, and when Jessica told Michael that he would have to wait a little longer to see Summer, he asked why.
“Elena just wants to talk to me first, and afterwards she and I will alert Summer that you’re here.”
“Alert?”
“You need to understand, Michael, what Todd did to her, it... well, it changed her image of who she is, and she’ll need to come to terms with herself. I know how much you care for her, and she cares for you as well, but she might just need a little time. So let me speak with her first, okay?”
Michael looked confused, but agreed to wait, and then he took a seat outside Elena’s office while she and Jessica spoke behind closed doors.
***
“Summer can’t stay here, Jessica. If she stayed, eventually she would become aware of what we really do here, and that could cause problems for my girls.”
“You’re afraid that she may talk to the police?”
“Yes, and it’s a damn shame, because I would love for her to stay. I think that I could help her come to terms with what she’s going through, and then there’s the fact that the woman can cook better than any of us.”
“She’s cooking? That’s a good sign, and might even be a source of therapy for her.”
“She says that she was going to commit suicide last night but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her face may need mending, but so does her mind and soul.”
“Would you really let her stay here?”
“Yes, but why do you ask, do you know a way to make that happen?”
“I do.”
***
Michael had begun pacing as he waited for Jessica to leave the office, and as he wandered near the entrance to a short hallway, he caught the scent of fresh-baked cookies.
&n
bsp; “Summer?”
Michael drifted down the hall and went right through a doorway at the end, where he found Summer removing a sheet of cookies from the oven.
When she turned around and spotted him, Summer let out a cry of distress, dropped the cookie sheet onto the floor, and yanked up her hood as she turned away from him.
Michael went to her and spun her around, but Summer kept her head bowed so that he couldn’t see her face.
“I never wanted you to see me like this,” Summer said, and the words were nearly a moan.
Michael took her in his arms and hugged her.
“I don’t care what you look like Summer. I’m just so happy to see that you’re all right.”
“All right?” Summer said, and her voice was filled with disbelief. She raised her head, dropped the hood, and let Michael see what Todd had done to her. “Does this look all right to you?”
Michael winced as tears formed in his eyes. He then reached out, took Summer’s hand, and brought it to his lips.
“You’re alive and we’re together. That’s good enough for me, and Jessica says that there are doctors that can make you look more like you used to.”
Summer stared into Michael’s eyes as she searched for a sign of revulsion or pity, but there was nothing to see there but love.
She leaned into him and he hugged her again.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Michael, Oh God, how I need you.”
“You have me,” Michael said, and then he kissed the top of her head.
***
Elena and Jessica emerged from the office to find Michael gone. Then, they spotted him walking down the hall with Summer, while holding her hand.
“I see that things worked out between you two,” Jessica said.
Summer peeked out at her from the folds of her hood and nodded.
“Michael, I need to see Summer alone for a few moments,” Jessica said.
Summer kept her head down as she asked a question.
“What’s this about, Jessica?”
“It will only take a few minutes,” Jessica said, while ignoring the question.
“I’ll go clean up those cookies while you two talk,” Michael said.
Summer protested, saying that she could do it, but Michael waved that away and headed for the kitchen, with Elena following beside him.
Once they were in the office, Jessica asked Summer to join her on a leather sofa that was on the left side of the room. Through the window behind the desk, the sun shined brilliantly as last night’s storm was forgotten.
When Jessica said nothing, Summer raised her head tentatively, and saw Jessica moan, as a look of sympathy crossed her face.
“God damn Todd for what he did to you, Summer.”
“Todd damned himself when he blew his brains out, but why did you want to talk to me, Jessica?”
“Elena and the other women here are friends of mine.”
“I see.”
“Yes, and if you haven’t noticed already, this is not actually a home for battered women, in truth, it’s more like the reverse.”
Summer raised her head until she was looking at Jessica fully.
“What are you trying to tell me? Is Elena kicking me out?”
“No, she’s willing to let you stay, but in the days to come, you may see things that are unusual, and if you do, you’re not to talk about them to anyone—or else.”
“Is that a threat?”
Jessica put a hand in her purse and came out with two pieces of paper, which she handed to Summer.
“It’s not a threat, Summer; it’s a promise.”
Summer took the sheets from her and unfolded them. It was a copy of the Table of Contents from Todd’s manuscript. Summer cried as she read them.
“You have Todd’s book?”
“He sent it to me. I found it amongst a pile of mail when we returned from Michael’s farm.”
“Please tell me that Michael hasn’t read it.”
“He hasn’t, and he won’t, but I will be giving a copy to Elena.”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone, Jessica; I just want to stay in this house where I can at least make myself useful by cooking for the women here. I don’t know what else this place might be, but everyone here has welcomed me, and I’d like to stay.”
“You will. I just wanted you to know where you stand.”
Jessica rose, to indicate to Summer that they were done, but Summer had another question.
“What about Michael? Can I still be friends with him, or are you going to do to us what your father did to us when we were kids?”
Jessica’s gaze softened as she sat beside Summer again.
“Michael can make his own decisions, but if you ever do anything to harm him you will regret it.”
“I’d never hurt Michael, never.”
Jessica smiled.
“For once, I believe you.”
CHAPTER 30
THREE WEEKS LATER
Jessica’s brother Jimmy married his girlfriend Reina in a church, however, Jessica and her husband catered the wedding reception at their home.
The bride looked lovely, while the groom looked scared, but the words were uttered that made them man and wife.
The groom’s father, Dr. James White, would be taking the trip down the aisle himself before long, as Amanda had agreed to marry him.
***
Jessica was holding her son, Liam, as her husband held their daughter, Emma. The children had begun to tire, and Emma’s head rested on her daddy’s shoulder as Liam’s sleepy eyes drooped.
They sat atop the deck at the rear of their home and looked out over the gathering on the lawn.
“Everyone looks so happy,” Jessica said. “But why isn’t Samantha here?”
“She called me last night, it seems that her grandmother is back in the hospital, and her grandfather wanted her to stay home with him.”
“Why? I would have been happy to go and pick her up.”
“I offered when I spoke to him, and he said that he may have to ask us to watch her again soon, and that he didn’t want to impose too often.”
“I see, and when will she be coming?”
“It’s nothing definite, but from what I read on the business blogs, Brendan Ryan’s empire is in jeopardy, and he must be working long hours to save it.”
“Is it because his diamond mines were taken from him when the local government changed hands?”
“Yes, and he mentioned that he might make a trip to Africa, although I don’t know what he would hope to accomplish by talking to the new government; it’s a dictatorship.”
At the pool, Jimmy climbed atop the diving board while fully dressed and began dancing as everyone laughed. Her brother was as happy as Jessica had ever seen him, and she had come to love Reina like a sister.
The thought of new familial ties brought to mind Michael, and when Jessica looked about for him, she didn’t see him.
“Where’s Michael?”
“He told me that he was going to see Summer.”
“He’s not driving is he? He’s a horrible driver, since he gets so easily distracted.”
“No, he’s not driving, he walked.”
“That’s a long way.”
He pointed at the ridge that sat above the stream, which flowed past the rear of their property.
“Once you make it up there, the PREY House is only about a mile away, and only a few hundred yards past that old Victorian-style home of Sylvia Morgan.”
Jessica thought about it and nodded.
“That would take you there, yes, but it’s still a bit of a walk.”
“It’s the way Summer travels when she comes here to visit Michael, because that way it’s less likely that anyone will see her.”
“She’ll look more normal once she has the plastic surgery.”
“I think Michael still sees her as the most beautiful thing in the world.”
“Do you think that they’ll go beyond friendship someday?”
<
br /> “Time will tell,” he said.
***
Summer grinned when she opened the back door of the PREY House and found Michael smiling at her.
Summer’s wounds looked better than they had when the sutures were first removed, but her grin was somewhat lopsided, as her face had sustained a degree of muscle damage from Todd’s attack.
However, she rarely thought about her face when she was with Michael, and she gave him a peck on the cheek as he entered while carrying a cardboard box.
“What’s in there, Michael?”
“It’s a gift for you.”
“A gift?”
“Buggy, it’s your birthday.”
Summer thought about it and realized that Michael was right.
“I’d forgotten, and it’s been years since I celebrated one.”
Michael placed the box on the floor and sat down beside it cross-legged, he then gestured for Summer to do the same.
When she opened the box, she found a female puppy. The adorable pup was a mix of pit bull and German shepherd, and was one of the litter that Stitches had sired.
Summer cooed with joy as she lifted the puppy from the box.
“Oh, she’s so beautiful, but Michael, I don’t know if Elena will let me keep her here.”
“I asked her and she said yes, but that Hope would be your responsibility.”
Summer hugged the puppy to her breasts.
“Her name is Hope?”
“That’s what I call her, but you can name her something else if you’d like.”
Summer smiled at Michael.
“No, we’ll call her Hope, I like it.”
Michael slid the box aside and moved closer to Summer.
“Happy birthday.”
“Thank you so much for my gift, Michael.”
They stared at each other, and as they did so, their lips grew closer, and they kissed.
A PLEA
Thank you, precious reader, for spending time with TAKEN!
I hope you enjoyed the book. If you did, please consider writing a review. Without reviews, an author's books are virtually invisible on the retail sites. Let other readers know what you thought! You can leave a review by visiting the book's page and I will greatly appreciate it.
The TAKEN! Series - Books 13-16 (Taken! Box Set Book 4) Page 58
