There were still so many unanswered questions that needed to be solved, but the burning matter was getting out and away from Rick.
I spent the better part of the night catching up with my father. His wife had taken the boys out Christmas shopping and they never returned before I left, but my father assured me that it would be fine if I came and stayed with him until I could get situated with Conner. He didn’t say much about me going straight into another relationship, although, I could see that it was a concern for him.
I loved Conner so much and as it became obvious that I was finally going to be free, I needed to tell him the truth. He needed to know that I was having his baby and that no matter what he decided, I was going to keep it.
He drove on the way home and I cuddled my body up close to him. The doctors had told me that the pain I was experiencing was my body adjusting and my skin stretching from the baby. When I left that hospital, I’d tucked the little sonogram picture into my underwear and hid it in my wallet. I wanted to pull it out and show him, but I was so afraid.
Once I got home, I packed a bag of everything that was important to me. I was surprised when it turned out to be a lot less than I realized. I sat down on my bed and looked around at the house that I had called home for years. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember one good memory. I pulled the ring off of my finger and sat it on his pillow. It made me smile picturing him finding it there.
My next thought went to Rick and I wondered why all of the sudden he was trying to be a different person. It wasn’t like I was falling for it, but I wanted to know what he was up to.
I knew that leaving was not going to be me just walking out the door. Rick wasn’t just going to step aside and let me be happy. His need to control me was probably never going to change, unless someone stepped in and prevented it.
Once I moved out, I could file for separation and get a restraining order. Once I knew that he wasn’t going to come after me, I could hire someone to look into his financials and find out what else he had been doing behind my back.
Conner called me right as I was getting ready to walk out the door.
You got your stuff all packed?
Yeah, I was just about to leave.
Call me as soon as you get to your father’s.
I will. I love you, Conner.
I love you too.
I didn’t even take a second look as I walked out of the house and got into my car. It felt so good to drive away from it all, even though my heart was beating out of my chest.
By the time I got to my father’s it was very late. He and his wife Elizabeth had been waiting up for me. I was surprised how much she had aged, but knew that two little boys could take a lot out of someone.
After letting Conner know that I was safe, I got myself situated in the guest room and tried to get some sleep. I was lying there staring up at the ceiling and playing with the little picture of the peanut growing in my stomach, when I felt a fluttering in my abdomen. I sat up and held really still. There it was again.
I started crying again, but they weren’t tears of pain or being scared. I was having a baby. Something that was always going to love me and be mine. Even if Conner didn’t want me, I’d still have this beautiful piece of him.
I ran my hands over my belly. “I promise to always keep you safe.”
I woke up to the sun shining in my window. To make things easier and prevent my worries, we contacted the alarm company at the salon and gave them our new information and phone numbers. I was petrified of Rick doing something that would be destructive. If he was willing to beat me, then destruction of personal property was definitely a possibility.
My father had hid my car in his large garage. Even if Rick tried to find me, he wouldn’t be able to. Elizabeth sat with me and helped me call all of my appointments for the day and cancel them. The weather was supposed to get horrible, so they didn’t seem to mind, although with it being so close to Christmas, I knew some were just saying that.
Conner called me as much as he could. He was helping Ty and his dad get everything ready for the whole family to come and stay, so in between duties he was calling me and checking on me.
I didn’t want to spend the holidays without him, but knew that we couldn’t exactly come out just days before Christmas. His mother was coming in with her fiancée and they needed to all spend time together.
My little half-brother and step-brother had gotten so big. Even though they seemed excited to see me, they ran up to their rooms to play video games the first chance they got. Being with my father and seeing him love his children was what I needed. My sister was too busy with her family and my other brother was God knows where, but I had my dad and two little siblings that I wanted to get to know.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged and I don’t think that my father ever hugged me as much as he had since I showed up at his house. Each time he would pull away I would see the tears in his eyes and feel just how sorry he was for what I went through.
My father and his wife had made plans to attend a neighbors Christmas party, and even though he invited me to tag along, I opted to stay behind and just relax.
I had a nice fire going and was waiting for Conner to call me, when my phone started to ring.
The call was coming from a weird number, but since only a few people knew that I had this phone, I answered anyway.
Hello?
Did you just think you could run away with your little boyfriend and I was going to let you go?
Rick?
Who else would it be?
How did you get this number?
The alarm company called to verify my new address and phone number. Imagine my surprise when I got that call.
I know the salon is mine, Rick. You can stop pretending that you want to reconcile. I don’t know what you’re up to, but you won’t come near my place of business. I will call the cops and have you arrested.
Are you threatening me you little bitch? I’ve tried to be nice to you, but I’m sick of this acting shit. You will get your ass home, or I am coming to get you.
What planet are you on? We are done! I don’t want anything from you. You stole from my father and lied to him to keep me away. I hate you, Rick. I wish you were dead. Don’t call me again and if you go anywhere near my salon, mark my word, you will be sorry.
You’re threatening me now? We’ll see which one of us comes out swinging. You have two hours to get your ass home.
Fuck you! You ruined my life. I would never come back to you and you’re crazy if you think that. You do nothing but lie and hurt people. Call your girlfriend Heather and have her move in.
You don’t know shit!
I know enough to hate you. You make me sick. I’ve waited for months to get away from you. Knowing I could have gotten rid of you years ago, makes me hate you even more. Stay out of my life and away from my family.
Your family? Are you speaking about your father, or your boyfriend?
I almost dropped the phone on the floor. This wasn’t happening.
I don’t know what you’re talking about. There is no boyfriend.
I had to protect Conner.
I’ve been following you and him for months. Quit your lying. You think I didn’t know you were meeting him at that hotel and spending the night? You think I didn’t notice that something had changed about you? For seven years I dealt with your shit. You really think I’m just going to let you go? You’re right about one thing. After tonight, there will be no boyfriend.
The line went dead.
Panic set in and I began dialing Conner’s number. When he didn’t answer, I tried Miranda. I feared the worst and thought about the innocent people that Rick was threatening. I had to get to them.
The garage at my father’s house wasn’t connected to the main house, so I threw my coat to hang over my shoulders and walked through the sleet to start my car and let it warm up.
When I got back into the house, I bent over to grab my purse and
someone grabbed me from behind. Because it startled me, I jumped and caused myself to fall on the floor. I landed on my hands and immediately began to stand up and move away from who grabbed me.
As I backed up and turned around, Rick stood in front of me. “Did you miss me, baby?”
I held my hands up. “Rick please. Please don’t hurt me.” I looked over at the counter top and saw my cellphone blinking. Conner must have called when I went outside.
Rick looked over and grabbed the phone. “Looks like the boyfriend is looking for you. “He took my phone and tossed it across the room. “Guess you won’t be seeing him for Christmas.”
I was crying within, scared for my life. “Please just tell me what you want. Why won’t you let me go? What is it Rick? Why can’t I leave?”
He leaned down and got in my face. “I will lose everything! You don’t know what that’s like because you’ve never had shit. I won’t let you drag me through the mud.”
“I’m not dragging you through anything. I just wanted to be happy.”
He grabbed me by my hair and picked me up. “You’re not going to take everything from me, Amy. I won’t let you.”
I was really freaking out, He was hurting me, but I was afraid to cry. “Rick, just tell me what you want.”
“I want you to give me the money, Amy.”
I was so confused, but as he stood there, threatening my life, my instinct was to grab my stomach. He shoved me across the room. I stopped myself from slamming into the cabinets. “Please, don’t hurt me, Rick. I don’t know about any money. I swear.”
“Bullshit! You’re father had to have told you by now.” He walked closer to me and I tried to run, but he grabbed my arm and slapped me in the face, hitting my nose. “You’re going to come home with me and writing me a check for the whole fifty thousand, or I’m going to make sure you never see your boyfriend again and he never gets to see that child you’re carrying.”
Oh no!
I kicked him in between the legs as hard as my leg would fly. He went falling down on my father’s kitchen floor and I ran straight to my car.
I started my journey from my father’s to the Mitchell Farm around nine at night. The roads were horrible and without a coat or a phone, I was sure I was going to freeze to death on the side of the road somewhere. I knew Rick was going to come to Conner’s house, but I had to warn them. I couldn’t let a family that I adored, be in danger. I could never forgive myself if that happened.
By midnight, I’d made it into town, but I had to drive around five miles an hour to keep from sliding into a ditch. The fifteen minute drive from town to the farm turned out to take another hour. There were no street lights, so when I came up to the farm, I missed the turn and slammed on my breaks. My car slid and hit a culvert, before coming to a stop on the side of the road. I tried to turn it around, but one of my tires was all jacked up and it wouldn’t move.
I was freezing and it was both snowing and sleeting even harder than before. I sat in my car for the longest time, but it got colder and I would eventually run out of gas. When I saw headlights in the distance, I started to wonder if it was Rick coming after me.
I laid on my horn over and over, praying that someone would hear it and come to my rescue. If I had to run the quarter mile up the driveway I would, but I didn’t want to take the chance of falling and hurting the baby.
Ten minutes from the time I started blowing the horn, I saw headlights heading in my direction. Nothing could have compared to the feeling when Conner opened my car door. “What the hell are you doin’ here?”
“It’s Rick, he found me at my dad’s. He says I have to go home to him and if I didn’t he was going to come after me and your family. He threw my phone against the wall and broke it. I was so scared that something would happen to you. I got away from him and came to you.”
I heard Ty saying something behind him, but I didn’t know what it was.
“I got this. Go ahead up. We’ll just leave the car here and pull it with the tractor tomorrow.” Conner took off his coat and wrapped it around me. We walked to the four-wheeler and he held me tightly as we drove up to the house. He kissed me on my head several times before picking me up and carrying me in the house. I could feel the warmth right away, but kept my head tight in Conner’s chest.
“Conner, what is going on?” I could hear Miranda asking. I just couldn’t face her yet. There was so much that I didn’t understand.
“Not tonight, sis. Just let it go for tonight.” Conner walked us into his room and laid me down on the bed. He crouched down over me and kissed me on the lips. “You shouldn’t have drove in that mess, darlin’. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.” He threw me some clothes. “Put these on and get warm. I’ll get you some of my sister’s clothes tomorrow mornin’.”
I thought about being here with Conner and his family. Not only would I have to explain why I came, but also why they were all in danger if I was there. “Conner, I can’t stay.”
Chapter 37
Conner
For the longest time, Amy laid on my bed crying. I’d just rescued her from being stuck on the side of the road in the freezing cold and she was telling me that she couldn’t stay. She had to know that wasn’t going to fly with me. “What do you mean, you can’t stay?”
“I can’t put your family in danger, Conner. I can’t do that to them and to you. He’s going to come and I’m going to have to leave with him.”
I shook my head and put my hands over my face. “I can’t keep doin’ this, Amy. One minute I think you’re stayin’ with me and the next you’re just givin’ me a reason why you’re runnin’ back to him. My family is all here and I want you to be a part of it, but I can’t do that when you won’t let me.”
“Conner, it isn’t what you’re thinking. I swear I don’t love him. You have to know that. I just don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
I grabbed her hands and looked into her saddened eyes. “You’re hurtin’ me.”
I was tired from working all day and the thought of her leaving just really pissed me off. “You do what you gotta do.” I got ready to take back my statement, but my sister came knocking on my door and came right in. “What now?”
My sister gave me a dirty look. “I just thought y’all would want to know Rick is here.”
I looked over to Amy and then back to my sister. “I’ve had about enough of this shit.”
Amy got in front of me. I could tell she felt uncomfortable around Miranda. “Please don’t do this.”
“I’m not goin’ to stand here and let this keep happenin’.” I didn’t give a shit about what my sister was thinking.
Amy kept at it though. “It’s not like you think. Just stop it. He doesn’t know you are back. He thinks you moved back to Kentucky.”
“Conner, you need to calm down. I don’t know what’s goin’ on here, but that man is at our door and he’s waitin’ for his wife.” My sister pushed me away from the door.
Ty came walking in and I wasn’t worried about beating my way through him either. “He needs to know what it’s like to have a fist thrown at his face.”
Without asking his wife, Ty walked closer to Amy. “Amy, I don’t care if you stay here for Christmas, hell, I don’t even care if there is something really happening between you and Conner, but right now your husband is at our door and he ain’t going to leave until you talk to him. Now, I will stand beside you the whole time if that’s what you want, but if you want to remain friends with Conner, or whatever else you are to each other, then I suggest he stays put in this room and keeps his mouth shut.” I was going to punch him for giving me that look.
For some reason when Ty grabbed my sister’s hand, they looked at each other and smiled and she changed her attitude. “I’ll stay back here with my brother. You two go do what you need to do. Amy, if you want to stay, you know you’re welcome. You don’t have to go back with him.”
Amy put her head down and started to cry. “I wish it
were that easy. Conner, you know I can’t stay. You know why I have to go.”
“You’d pick that over your own safety?” I couldn’t believe this was happening. What was she thinking?
“I have to. I’m so sorry you guys. I have to go with him.” I went to follow her out of the room, to beg her to stay with me. I didn’t care about his threats to my family. We could handle them together. They would all understand.
Ty walked in front of me and pushed me back again. I gave him a desperate look. “Ty, you don’t understand. She doesn’t want to go with him.”
When he pushed me down to sit on my bed, I knew it was going to be a fight I didn’t want to start. “She ain’t goin’ to leave him. He has somethin’ on her and she can’t afford to leave. I told her she has friends that would help her, but she’s adamant, man. I can’t just sit back here and know that he’s goin’ to be layin’ his hands on her, forcin’ himself on her again.” I couldn’t tell them the whole truth, so I made it sound like it was something other than our relationship.
Ty was watching me like I was going to run past him and go after Amy. I was considering it.
“You have to let her make the choice. Look, dude, I know she’s your friend and I know you care about her, but she’s a grown woman. If she wants to leave with him, you have to let her.”
When I heard him putting on a pathetic show to try to get Amy to leave with him, I thought about grabbing my damn shotgun and chasing him off our property. I didn’t know what he had on Amy, if it was even something at all, but she needed to know that I was there for her, no matter what.
“This is bullshit!”
Noah and Bella came walking down the hall and Ty grabbed them right away. “Somebody came to see Aunt Amy and we don’t want him knowing we are all back here. Can you two be quiet for a couple more minutes?”
They both shook their heads and stood there with us, being good for once.
I heard the front door close and put my head down. She had gone with him and I didn’t think I could take it anymore. The weather was terrible and she was putting herself in even worse danger.
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