Forever, I Promise (A Northern Woods Novel)

by Roberts, Charliann

  “It was great. Tara received so many gifts and as you can see the activities pooped her out. She was so happy.” Hailey played with her water bottle for a moment, running her finger along the rim.

  “Okay, what’s this all about? Something seems to be bothering you.” He looked into her eyes and waited for an answer.

  The kitchen window was open a bit; the curtain fluttered and the gentle breeze tousled a few strands of hair over her eyes. She lightly swiped them aside.

  “Oh, I don’t know. The party was nice and it made Tara so happy,” she said and slid her hand up and down the side of her bottle, wet from the moisture. “I guess I’m afraid Kellie will suddenly appear and take Tara away from us. That would break Tara’s heart; she’s so happy.”

  “Stop worrying about it, Hailey. You’ll end up with a nervous breakdown.”

  “There was a phone call during the party, Wade. I was busy with the games and let the recorder pick up.”

  “Oh yeah? From who?”

  Hailey stood and walked over to the phone to hit play. “Happy birthday, baby.”

  “Who was that from?”

  A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it with her hand. “I don’t know. I didn’t recognize the voice. It may have been someone’s child who wasn’t able to make it to the party. Or…”

  “Or what, honey?”

  “I’m afraid it may have been Kellie. I’ve been praying to God every night since the day Tara arrived in my garden; I’ve asked Him if He was the one who sent Tara to us soon after we found we were unable to conceive a child of our own. Now we receive a message that could possibly be from her.”

  “As you said, a few people couldn’t make it to the party. It was most likely one of them. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Kellie hasn’t called us since she left the child with us, so why would she call now?

  “I’ve been praying daily too, honey, and perhaps everything will turn out as we have asked. That’s why I’ve been telling you to wait and see. We’ll find out sooner or later what He has planned for us. It’s all in His hands.”

  “I know, Wade. I know.” Hailey rested her face in her palms.

  “Why don’t you take Tara up and get her ready for bed. I’ll clean up the wrapping paper from the living room floor and bring Holly outside. Has she eaten?”

  “Yes, although she’ll need to go out once more.”

  “Okay, you tend to Tara and I’ll take care of Holly. I’ll meet you upstairs and you can pick a movie for us to watch in bed.”

  Hailey nodded and returned to the living room to wake Tara. She carried her up the stairs and brought her into the bathroom to potty. There was no need to bathe her; she led her into the nursery and removed her clothing, then grabbed a pair of pajamas from the dresser. When she placed Tara in her crib she immediately fell back to sleep.

  Hailey smiled as she focused on her little girl. She was growing fast. She leaned over the safety bar to kiss the top of Tara’s head, covered her with the “Bambi” blanket she received for her birthday and quietly left the room.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was eight o’clock on a September morning. Wade, Hailey and three-year-old Tara had been sitting at the kitchen table eating their breakfast while they watched the fallen autumn leaves swirl in the wind outside the window. Suddenly they heard the doorbell ring and were surprised to have a visitor this early on a Saturday.

  Hailey stood. “It’s probably a customer needing a last minute bouquet.”

  She hurried to the front entryway. When she opened the door it almost blew out of her hands, the gusts were so strong. The caller stood facing the street, her long brown hair blowing in disarray. She had an extremely thin build and was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a light green turtleneck sweater which appeared above the neckline of a denim jean jacket.

  “May I help you?” Hailey asked.

  When the caller turned to face her, Hailey covered her mouth in shock. “Oh my God,” she whispered. The woman’s hair was long and tousled at her waist, but Hailey recognized her facial features. “Kellie?”

  “Hi, Hailey.” She paused and glanced past Hailey, into the hallway. “May I come in?”

  * * *

  Wade overheard the mention of Kellie’s name and quickly removed Tara from her high chair. The small hallway led to the front door, and to the left. He was able to carry Tara up the short stairway to the nursery without being seen.

  He set her in the crib and she began to whimper.

  “Shhh…” he said, and placed his finger to his lips. “Lie down and I’ll be right back, Princess.” He picked up her teddy bear and handed it to her. She hugged it in her little arms and plopped down on her blanket.

  * * *

  Hailey held the door open, unsure of her emotions; anger predominated, but fear lurked too. Kellie entered. It took both hands for Hailey to push the door closed against the heavy wind. She led her along the hall and into the kitchen; Kellie accepted the negative welcome and followed.

  Wade returned to the kitchen and stood next to his wife, a frown on his face and hands on his hips. Hailey nervously slid her arm through his.

  “Where the hell have you been, Kellie?” she demanded, and tensely held onto Wade’s sturdy arm. “Wade and I have tried many times to find you and got nowhere. There were so many things I wanted to ask you. Why did you choose me? How did you find me, anyway?”

  Kellie’s eyes were fixed on Hailey. “I looked up your name on the Internet and put two and two together. I found you were married and had no children. I saw your business – Hailey’s Garden. It’s beautiful, Hailey. I’ve so admired you from afar.

  “Back in the days when we were close, you told me many times how you longed to be a mother someday while I wanted to be free and travel around the world. At least that was the way I thought before I became pregnant. Suddenly a baby felt like the most wonderful thing imaginable.”

  “What is really going on, Kellie?” Hailey asked. “Where is your husband?”

  “Please be patient. I will tell you, but this will take a while. I want to let you know everything that happened to me – and Tara, from the very beginning, right up to this day.”

  “Sit,” Wade said, while he helped Hailey clear the breakfast dishes from the table.

  “May I ask you for some water?” Kellie asked.

  “We also have soda… or coffee if you’d prefer,” Hailey added.

  “No, water will be fine, thank you.”

  Hailey opened the refrigerator, removed three bottles of Dasani and set them on the table. They each pulled out a chair and sat, Wade and Hailey remaining close to one another.

  Wade leaned back and took a swig of water. “Okay, let’s hear everything,” he said. “We want to know the truth.”

  And so she began…

  Chapter Twenty

  Miami, Florida…

  “Kellie, at the time we married you agreed there would be no stinkin’ kids,” Larry said, nostrils flaring. Spittle flew across the table and splattered Kellie’s cheek. She swiped it with the kitchen towel. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred. She knew he’d come home directly from the pub a block down the street, his favorite stomping grounds.

  “Larry, please believe me. You know I take birth control pills.”

  “You’re lying. How stupid do you think I am, huh? If you’d been taking the pill you wouldn’t be pregnant!” He stood in front of her. He wasn’t the man she thought he was when she married him. She so admired him when they met. He was six foot two with brown hair and had a strong body built of pure muscle. She felt well protected when other men would step toward her. Back then she hadn’t realized how possessive he’d become. He was a wrestler before they met, that is until he became a member of every bar in town.

  “Larry, they aren’t one hundred percent guaranteed! I swear to you, never have I forgotten to take even one pill! I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t want to get pregnant, but I am and now we’re going to have to
live with it.”

  “Oh no we won’t; no way. I’ll get some cash from the bank in the morning. You’ll have an abortion. It’s not a problem these days. Nothing will stand in our way. Nothing will come between us.”

  “No, Larry, I won’t do it. I may not want children but I will not kill our baby!”

  He reached across the kitchen table, gripped the front of her cotton blouse and pulled her face up to his. The top three buttons popped off of her blouse and flew over the counter and onto the floor.

  “You will have an abortion. Don’t even attempt to argue with me,” he said calmly. “I’ll take you there myself. I know a doctor who will take care of you. End of discussion. Tomorrow is Wednesday. In order to get you in and out of there in a few hours I’ll pay him well. You be ready to leave early in the morning.” He stared at her, his face red. Suddenly he shoved the kitchen chair that stood in front of him and it fell to the floor. “Do you understand? Now, I’m going to head back to Buck’s Bar & Grill where I know I’ll get a decent meal. Make sure you get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day.” He leaned down and placed a disgustingly wet kiss on her forehead before he pushed his hand deep into his pocket for the keys to his truck.

  Kellie pressed her fist against her mouth and nodded. Her eyes remained on him while he walked out.

  When she heard the garage door close she immediately sprang up. She moved quickly along the hallway and into their bedroom where she pulled a large backpack from the closet shelf. She then lowered herself to the floor, ran her hand over the carpet behind the bookshelf at the far end of the closet wall. She lifted a corner of the rug and pulled out the envelope in which she’d been putting money, small amounts at a time, so he wouldn’t notice an unusual sum missing from their account. Also in there were fake IDs.

  She quickly counted the bills; one thousand two-hundred dollars. There would be enough to purchase a bus ticket and leave this despicable man. He had been abusing her for three years. She would no longer have the fear of his fist meeting her face, arms and legs; no longer have the need to wear long sleeves and jeans to cover her bruises in the hot and humid Florida temperatures.

  “He is not going to kill my baby,” she whispered as she changed her clothes, throwing the torn blouse and slacks into the backpack. If Larry discovered them left behind he’d eventually put two and two together and begin a search for her.

  She tossed as many clothes and necessities as possible into the bag with no room to spare. It didn’t matter anyway, she’d have to purchase maternity clothes soon enough. She put three hundred dollars into the deep pocket inside of her jacket then zipped the amount left of her savings into a hidden panel in the bottom of her backpack. She needed to spend as little of her savings as possible so she decided to travel by bus. She pushed her feet into her fur-lined mountain boots and snatched her purse, scarf and gloves before she left the house. For many months she’d been ready for this day, determined to leave him after one more beating, but kept staying on in hope that he’d change; but he didn’t, and she suffered yet one more beating. His wanting to abort their baby was the last straw. She was very thankful for a friend who also had a “friend of a friend,” with the skill to print out five bogus driver’s licenses for her, each with different names and addresses. She’d only use them if she was in a situation where she would need to show her I.D. She believed they would help to prevent Larry from discovering where she’d fled. It was eight p.m. She should be able to catch a city bus to the Greyhound Bus Station in thirty minutes. The city bus makes a stop two blocks to the west of her street. If she hurried she was sure she’d make it on time.

  Buck’s Bar & Grill was around the next corner on 8th Street to the east. The bus would be stopping at Willow and 7th Street. She decided to walk to the south, along a short alley. It was one block out of her way and a bit dangerous, but less chance of Larry spotting her if he happened to be standing outdoors for a smoke.

  The load on her back was heavy but her legs were strong from working out whenever she knew Larry wouldn’t be home. The city bus braked just as she arrived at the stop. The door opened and she stepped up, paid her fare and asked the driver if he had a stop anywhere near the Greyhound station. He told her yes, and he would inform her when they were near.

  Kellie sat in a seat close to the driver. She wouldn’t be comfortable until she was on a Greyhound bus, one with a destination far away from Miami, and away from Larry. She was nervous and felt as though butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She held her hands in her lap and knew it was her nerves, not the baby. After all, she was only three months pregnant.

  The driver told her the next stop was for her and she instantly slipped her arms back into the shoulder straps of her backpack and hung her purse around her neck. The driver brought the bus to a stop and pointed to the street ahead of them. “The Greyhound Bus Station is that way, one-half block to Southwest 7th Street. Turn left on 7th and you’ll see it – a half block from the corner. Good luck, young lady.”

  “Thank you.” She stepped down to the sidewalk and ran the short distance, arriving in time for the final departure – the beginning of a journey to North Dakota. It may be a long ride, but she wanted to get as far away as possible, where there would be less chance of Larry tracing her. Once she was able to find a job she would work until her baby arrived. Hopefully she’d be able to find a doctor near her place of residence, wherever that may be. Despite owning those driving licenses, she didn’t have a car and wouldn’t be able to walk far once she was further along in her pregnancy.

  Kellie walked up to the ticket desk. “I’d like a ticket to North Dakota, please.”

  “The only bus scheduled to leave tonight will make a stop in Minot. Its final destination is Dunkins Lake. Where are you off to?”

  “That’s the one I want – I’ve been on vacation and now I’m heading north to visit my parents. How much do I owe you?”

  The clerk looked at her. “Two hundred twenty-five dollars and thirty-nine cents; I’ll also need some identification with your name and address.”

  Kellie placed the amount on the counter, eleven twenty-dollar bills along with five ones then dug her hand deep into the bottom of her purse for thirty-nine cents. She pulled out her driver’s license with an address located in Fairfield, Colorado and slid it across the counter.

  “Thank you Cindy,” the clerk said. “Your bus will be boarding in one-half hour at Gate 3. Have a nice trip.”

  With a deliberately quiet exhale she thanked the clerk with a smile, turned away from the counter and strolled over to the waiting area at Gate 3. She sat down and took a deeply satisfied breath.

  She was now Cindy Carson – until the bus made a stop in Colorado where she would change her destination to Williston, North Dakota instead of Minot. She planned to stay one night in Williston where she would find a hair stylist to cut her hair and also to change her hair color from medium brown to strawberry-blonde. Her name would again change before boarding a bus back to Minot where she would spend the night. The following morning Kellie planned to travel on a different bus with another name en route to Dunkins Lake, North Dakota.

  The trip would take a total of four days which included three transfers and two overnight layovers. She looked forward to a well-earned rest and time to plan what she would do when her bus arrived in Dunkins Lake.

  * * *

  The trip had been long, although Kellie was happy to be able to catch up on all of the sleep she lost in the past week. She was also grateful to have tossed a good book into her bag. It was a great classic romance, Love Story by Erich Segal. The story had stood the test of time, more than could be said for her marriage. At least it kept her mind away from all she’d been through over her three miserable years of marriage. They’d been married for six months before Larry began to show his true personality, but now she felt free – she’d be able to protect herself and her baby.

  When the bus pulled into Dunkins Lake at eight a.m. her stomach was growling. She spent th
e least amount of money possible and had very little to eat during the few stops the bus had made. She slung her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her backpack then waited behind several people who took their time to abandon their seats. Finally it was her turn to depart. She stepped off the bus and began her walk through the streets of Dunkins Lake in search of a café. She wanted to have a decent breakfast to prepare her for the busy day ahead. There were several ideas to contemplate which included her budget, before she moved on to her final trek a bit further east.

  It was mid-September and the morning temperature was bitter cold. Kellie walked quickly along the sidewalk, approximately three blocks until she spotted the Green Leaf Café. She shifted her bag over her shoulder, pulled open the door and immediately noticed an empty table to the rear of the restaurant. She made her way over to the table, lifted her backpack onto the chair next to hers and spread her heavy jacket over it. She sat down and securely held her purse on her lap.

  The waitress arrived shortly and handed Kellie a menu. “Good morning. Would you care for some coffee, honey?” She seemed to be in her fifties and reminded Kellie of her Aunt Mary Sue.

  “Yes, please.”

  The waitress immediately brought her coffee and took Kellie’s order: two eggs, over easy, two slices of bacon, hash browns and toasted wheat bread.

  Within fifteen minutes the woman returned with her breakfast. The delicious aroma drifted across the table as the waitress set the plate before her.

  “Here you go. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like. My name is Dorothy. Are you just passing through Dunkins Lake?”

  “Yes, I am. Can you tell me where I’d be able to rent a room for the night? It doesn’t need to be fancy, just clean and comfortable.”

  “Sure can. There are rooms for rent with a bed and bath right next door. I’ve been told by many customers who stop here for meals – the rooms are nice and clean and only forty bucks a night. I’m assuming you’re traveling alone?”