Taken Bride

by Alta Hensley

  “Christopher…” I begin, not sure I want to actually speak my thoughts out loud. “Do you think it’s possible to see Pap— Richard before we are in the courtroom? I don’t want to see him, but there’s a part of me that feels I need the closure. I need to be able to say goodbye to him and that part of my life. I won’t be able to do that if I’m on the stand and he’s staring at me from across the room.”

  “I’ll have our lawyer work on it first thing. I’m sure it can be arranged if it’s something you really want.”

  “It’s not something I want but something I feel I need to do.”

  “I understand,” Christopher says as he stands. “I’ll make the calls now and make sure we have the best lawyer in the country handling us.”

  22

  Ember

  * * *

  I used to be a scared girl. Actually… I used to be a terrified girl.

  Everything made me worry. Every shadow haunted me.

  I hid in a schoolhouse, not just because I was forced to, but because I didn’t know how not to hide.

  It was safe there, and I craved safe.

  I still regret that I was too weak and too cowardly to help Christopher when he first arrived in Hallelujah Junction. I didn’t have the strength it took, and no matter how badly I wanted to step in and do the right thing… I couldn’t.

  I will forever be haunted by all the poor souls Richard killed in the acid pits. I wish I could have saved them. I wish I could have prevented their deaths somehow. I wish I could have been a different person.

  But somehow, with Christopher by my side, and with time, I’ve become the person I always thought it was impossible to be.

  I’m not the scared little girl who was kidnapped at age five.

  I’m not the terrified ghost hidden away in a dilapidated building.

  I no longer look out from the inside, wishing for a life I’d never have.

  I’ve risen from the ashes of the town I helped burn down.

  I’m stronger for it. I’m better for it.

  I am no longer the Ghost of Hallelujah Junction.

  I’m Ember Davenport, and nothing and no one will crush my spirit again.

  Yes, I considered not having this meeting over and over again. But I know it’s something I have to face head-on if I’m ever going to be able to let go of Richard. No amount of therapy will be able to cure me of the darkness he brings and the suffocating grip he has over me. It’s on me. I have to do this. I have to take the control back.

  Christopher and I have been traveling hours to get to the jail that is holding Richard until trial, and though we’re both exhausted from the drive and the rush of different emotions, I insist that we come straight here. I need this to stop lingering over me. I need it to come to an end now.

  And as I sit down in a plastic chair facing a glass divider, waiting for Richard to be escorted into the room on the other side, I release the breath I’ve been holding. I know it’s going to be hard, but I have no idea just how much until I see him in his orange jumpsuit take the seat in front of me. Even though I know there is no way he can reach me, and the only way he can speak to me is by picking up the phone, and that police are all around us, I still have a moment of wanting to flee. I still feel terror that this man can take me again and I’ll have to live my life in captivity once again.

  But I fight back against the urge to run, and I also refuse to let him see the flurry of emotions raging through me.

  We both pick up our phones and bring them to our ears, our eyes locked together.

  “Ember,” he begins. “I was hoping you’d come.”

  “Why?” I ask.

  Is it so he can try to control me from afar? Is it because he wants my help to secure better legal counsel? Is it because he wants to yell and blame this all on me? Or is it so he can make me feel guilty for being free when he isn’t?

  “I’m going to be in here for a really long time,” he says calmly. “You’re going to have to be a strong girl and live without your papa.”

  I slam my hand on the table and lean toward him. “No,” I seethe. “Don’t you dare treat me like a weak little girl. You are not my father. You’ve never been my father. Do you understand that? I’m not going to sit here and let you speak to me as if I’m nothing but a scared child. Those days are over. Over!”

  Richard leans back, licks his lips, and gives me a smirk. “I see Christopher has gotten into your head. You’ve allowed the devil inside.”

  “You’re the devil,” I say, regaining my calm. “You always have been.”

  He shakes his head. “No, Ember. I saved you. I raised you. It’s because of me that you’re even here breathing.”

  I take another deep, calming breath. “It’s because of you that I missed out on life. You held me captive in a schoolhouse, tricking me into believing that it was all there was. You made me believe I had no other choice. You kidnapped me. That’s the reality. You kidnapped me and trapped me in your own version of hell, just like you did to Christopher.”

  “I should have never brought that man into your life,” Richard spits. “I’m paying my penance for that mistake now.”

  “You’re paying your penance for all the people you killed and for all the bad that you did.”

  “Hard decisions have to be made in life,” he counters. “You’ll see this soon enough.”

  I nod. “Yes, I know all about the hard decisions. Coming here to face you was a hard decision, but I had to come. I had to look you in the eye and say goodbye. You won’t see me or hear from me again after today. Not until I take the stand and help put you away for life, or to aid in giving you the death penalty if that’s what’s decided. I’m not your daughter. I’m not that barefoot little girl in Hallelujah Junction anymore. I never will be again.”

  “Christopher Davenport has corrupted you. I know this. I know this isn’t really you speaking. You’ll come around.”

  He’s trying to act like my words mean nothing and aren’t bothering him, but I can see in his eyes that they are. He’s losing. He sees this. He hears it. And soon, he’ll have no choice but to face it.

  I shake my head and give my own smile. “No, Richard. This is not him speaking. It’s me. All me. And I want you to know that you did one good thing for me. One. You gave me Christopher. He’s a good man. He’s my husband in all ways and forever will be. I have you to thank for that, but only for that one act.”

  “Don’t let the devil stay inside you, girl.”

  Irritation prickles my skin. He’ll never hear me. Not really. He’ll sit there behind the bars of his cell and never see me for the new woman I am. No matter how much I try, I’ll only be wasting my breath. I see this now. And the truth of the matter is…

  I don’t need him to see me for the strong and resourceful woman I’ve become.

  I don’t need his approval or his blessing.

  I don’t even need his understanding that I will never be in his life again.

  I don’t need anything from this man.

  “You’re going to spend the rest of your life looking out a small window at a freedom you will never have. You are going to be held captive. You are going to be at the mercy of your jailer. You are going to die knowing exactly how I felt. You are the captive now. Not me. I’m free. I’m finally free.”

  I hang up the phone and stand up to leave. I see his lips moving in rebuttal, his face red that I have the audacity to end the conversation before he’s finished, but I couldn’t care less what he’s trying to say. I’ll have the last word.

  Me.

  I’m in control. Not him. Never again will I hand my strength over to another person.

  I walk out of the jail to join Christopher, who has anxiously been waiting for me. He doesn’t see me when I first arrive, and he’s pacing back and forth. The minute he does see me approaching, he runs up to me and takes me into his arms.

  “Are you okay? How was it?” He pulls away so he can study my face.

  I release the last br
eath of tension that is locked inside me and smile reassuringly. “He’s a sick man. He’s an evil man. But I know now that I’m free from all that. I never have to have him in my life again. It’s over. It’s finally over.”

  Christopher pulls me into a hug and kisses the side of my head. “Yes. You’re free now, Ember. And I swear to you that you’ll never have to go through that again. I love you; I’ll always love you, and nothing and no one will ever change that.”

  Yes, I’m finally free. The Ghost of Hallelujah Junction no longer haunts the town.

  Epilogue

  Ember

  * * *

  “They’re here!” I hear Violet scream from the doorway of the chapel. “Holly! Isaac! Ember and Christopher are here!”

  We reach the top of the mountain, winded from our hike but thrilled to finally see our friends again. Winter has passed, as well as spring, and the signs of summer are all around us. New life, new birth, a new beginning. The hike up to the chapel was far harder than the hike down, but I had the excitement of seeing them driving me forward.

  Holly and Isaac follow Violet as they meet us halfway. I’ve never seen the sisters look so happy. They have put on some weight, don’t appear hollow and sad in the slightest, and I see smiles on their faces until their cheeks run out. Violet is the first to reach us as she throws her arms around me and pulls me into a tight embrace. She shows no signs of her once having a broken leg and in fact looks to be in perfect health and fitness.

  “I’ve missed you so much,” she squeals.

  I see Isaac extend his hand to Christopher, and they shake and then hug like long-lost buddies. A bond has been forever formed between them, and it’s obvious to see.

  Holly forces Violet out of the way and gives me a hug herself. “It feels like forever since we’ve seen you,” she says. She pulls away and scans my body from head to toe, smiles, then looks at Christopher. “Come on inside, out of the sun. Let’s get you something to drink and eat. I’m sure the trip up here wasn’t easy.”

  “That sounds great,” I say, looking at the chapel with new eyes.

  It doesn’t have the haunted, evil, ominous look it did when I first laid eyes upon it. It’s obvious that repair work has been done to the exterior. There are no longer gaps between the weathered wood. Dead weeds that used to kiss the edges of the foundation are now colorful wildflowers.

  When we enter inside, I almost don’t recognize it. Log walls have been built, sectioning off rooms, instead of the tattered sheets we used before. The floors are clean, the windows sparkling, freshly cut flowers are in a mason jar in the center of the large table, and the chimney is complete. It feels like a home rather than a prison. It smells of Holly’s stew, but this time it’s being cooked over a hearth that appears expertly built.

  “You’ve done so much to the place,” Christopher says, spinning around and taking it all in. “It doesn’t look like what I remember at all.”

  “It’s beautiful,” I add. “It really feels like a home.”

  Violet nods, walks up to Isaac, and takes his hand in hers. “Isaac helped us fix it up. We even have a well now with the freshest mountain water!”

  Holly walks over to a pitcher of this water and pours us some glasses. “We couldn’t have done this without him.”

  Isaac pulls his hand out of Violet’s but replaces it by arranging his arm over her shoulders in a possessive embrace. I notice how Violet’s cheeks pinken as he does so, and her smile beams even brighter. “I’m not taking any of the credit. These ladies know how to work hard. Once Violet’s leg healed, she was up and at ’em like a tornado. I couldn’t keep her down.”

  My heart warms as I watch Violet press her body to Isaac’s. Holly doesn’t seem to notice or care, which tells me this act is part of their normal day. Something has happened—a connection and closeness between Isaac and Violet—and I can’t wait to get Violet alone so I can hear all about it.

  We all settle in around the table and have small talk at first, but then it’s Holly who finally says what we have all been waiting to discuss. “I can’t believe they found both of them guilty. It almost seemed too easy.”

  “This nightmare is over,” Christopher inserts. He reaches under the table, puts his hand on my thigh, and squeezes. “It hasn’t been easy and nearly broke us at times. But it’s finally over.”

  “It almost doesn’t seem real sometimes,” Violet adds. “I still keep expecting Scarecrow to walk through that door at any moment, demanding his supper.”

  I watch Isaac place his hand over hers and pat reassuringly. The brief moment of sadness that washed over her face vanishes the minute he touches her. All I see is pure happiness and bliss. I’ve never seen Violet look so alive.

  “We can move on with our lives now,” I say, happy that the trial is finally over.

  Though our bulldog of a lawyer managed to shield us from a lot of the media madness, it still was a lot to take. Our privacy, however, remained intact, and our home is still our secret. It’s pretty obvious that the townsfolk know who we are now if they didn’t already, but they don’t bother us about it. And with time, I’m sure they will move on to another’s gossip. But we’ve started to make friends and settle in. Roots are growing, and I actually use the term “home” and mean it when I say it.

  “Violet,” I say, standing from the table. “Why don’t you and I go get some firewood.” I look to the full stack by the fireplace and smile. “For memory’s sake.”

  Violet hops out of her chair and readily follows me. When we shut the door behind us and head to the barn, I get straight to the point.

  “What’s going on between you and Isaac?”

  Violet blushes and looks down at her feet. “I like him. I like him a lot.”

  “It appears he feels the same way.”

  Her eyes dart up at me. “Really? You think so?”

  I nod and smile. “I do. It’s pretty obvious there is something there between you two.”

  “He took such good care of me when my leg was broken. Holly and I couldn’t have survived without him. He’s such a good man.”

  I gather an armful of wood and head back to the chapel. “He truly is. I owe him everything.”

  Violet reaches for some of the wood in my arms to lessen the load. “I know I wouldn’t be here with my second chance at life if it weren’t for him.”

  I pause before the door and turn to her. “Then take hold of what makes you happy. You deserve it. If Isaac is who you want, then grab on and never let go.”

  “I will,” Violet promises. “I know what a gift I have now that I get to live life… and be happy. I won’t throw it away ever again.”

  We both enter the chapel as if nothing of importance was discussed and easily join the group conversation as if we hadn’t even left.

  “Are you all still happy living up here?” Christopher asks, although we both already know the answer to that question. We can see it in how they look and how much work has already been done to the chapel. “My offer is still on the table to move you wherever you want. Pinesville is a great mountain town that Ember and I love calling home. You could join us there.”

  Violet’s eyes dart to Isaac and then to Holly. “We’ve never been happier.”

  “Yes,” Holly says. “We appreciate your offer, but we’re really turning this place into our home.”

  Isaac chimes in with a proud sparkle in his eyes. “I’ve managed to purchase the property the chapel sits on. It connects to my own land, and so it was easy to just expand.”

  “What about you two?” Violet asks. “What are your plans? You just mentioned living in Pinesville. Are you going to stay? Raise a family someday?”

  “Well, that’s one reason why we’re here,” I answer as I reach for Christopher’s hand. “I know you don’t want to move from here, but we were hoping you’d at least come visit us in Pinesville for our wedding. Christopher has officially asked for my hand in marriage, and we’re going to make our wedding vows legal. It’s the last
step of erasing our past and what was forced upon us. We are choosing to be married now. I want our vows to be made without an actual chain around our ankles.”

  “It would mean a lot to have you three there,” Christopher adds. “You’re our family.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Violet announces. “Oh, what amazing news.”

  When both Holly and Violet squeal in joy and pull my hand out of Christopher’s so they can see the large diamond ring he bought me, Christopher and I both laugh at their excitement.

  “You both look really happy,” Isaac says. “It didn’t come easy, but well worth the wait, it seems.”

  “I wouldn’t want to go through this journey with anyone else—hard or not,” I admit, looking at Christopher with so much love in my heart that it actually physically feels tight.

  Christopher puts his arm around me and pulls my chair closer to him as he says, “It’s about time I truly make Ember my bride. She was my captive bride, then my kept bride, and then my taken bride. But it’s about time for her to be my forever bride.”

  * * *

  The End.

  * * *

  What’s next? I have some secrets of what book is coming soon…

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