“What a splendid idea! The effort you’ve put into these drawings is obvious, and the heart you have for the children is evident in your work.” Mr. Chamberlain turned and shook his hand. “I would be delighted to partner with you on this journey.”
Eric shook the man’s hand with his firmest grip. “Thank you, sir.”
As they left the office, he ran his hand through his hair. What if he couldn’t pull this off?
Victoria approached from the hallway corridor.
“Oh good, you’re still here.” Mr. Chamberlain wrapped an arm around the young woman. “Eric, I’d like to introduce you to my niece, Victoria.”
She leaned into her uncle, her expression somber, childlike. “We’ve already met.”
“Wonderful.”
Victoria’s gaze burned through him. “I was hoping Mr. Matthews would show me around.”
“That’s a splendid idea.”
Victoria slipped a piece of paper into Eric’s palm. “Call me.” She sauntered away, her thin frame swinging with each step.
His cheeks flamed as he turned to face Mr. Chamberlain. He couldn’t possibly entertain the idea of calling her. Not now when so much rode on this project.
“You couldn’t describe my niece as shy, now could you?” He slapped Eric on the back.
Eric gave a polite laugh. “Thank you, sir, for taking the time to meet with me. I look forward to doing business with you.”
“Yes, me too, son. I see us working well together.”
Mr. Chamberlain’s steady and sure answer hung in the space surrounding him as Eric walked to his truck, his mind racing.
I did it.
He’d been trying to land the account for months. The four million dollar job could be the beginning to his financial security, but more than that, it was something he’d dreamed of his whole life—doing something, anything to help the orphans. And if he knew anything, it was this—Mr. Chamberlain would make sure the young people were given a future filled with love.
Turning the key in the ignition, one more thing occupied his mind as he continued onto the main road—the smell of coconut and flowers.
* * *
Mallory tightened her pony tail, careful not to touch the tender scar on her scalp. She collapsed into the sunken mattress and hoped the dreams that haunted her nights wouldn’t find their way to her consciousness. Sleep knew no pity.
A rough, deep voice, one she’d never forget, growled in sharp tones a floor below. She opened her eyes, terrified she’d see his face. Her lips quivered, but she didn’t cry out. Wrapping the blanket in a death grip around her fingers, she yanked it to her chest.
Stephanie burst through the bedroom door and locked it behind her. “Mallory, you have to get out of here.”
Blood rushed to her head. “What do I do?” The whispered question sounded absurd. She’d practiced this scene a hundred times, but the words fell from her lips in a desperate attempt to remain calm.
“Grab what you can. We don’t have much time. Jake’s outside on the porch.”
Mallory stood too quickly and dizziness gripped her. She blinked and focused on the clock. Two fifty am. Every muscle of her body fought against her resolve to move forward.
“Bonnie won’t be able to hold him downstairs long, but we can’t wait for the cops.” Stephanie’s voice was edged with warning.
This would be her only chance to escape. Her pulse pounded, vibrating through her head. “Where will I go? It’s the middle of the night.”
“We’ll figure that out when I get you out of here.”
Mallory grabbed her worn, black duffle bag from under the bed. She crammed it with her few items of clothing and the shoe box holding her most precious possessions. Jake’s harsh tone and Bonnie’s high pitched voice reverberated through the walls. Stephanie was right. She had to go now.
Mallory treaded softly across the dark room, her heart thudding with the sound of each squeak of the floorboard. She waited as Stephanie pried open the window then followed her down the fire escape into the back yard. The cool breeze jolted her senses. Tall pines lined the shelter’s acre of land, enclosing it from everything but the street. The exterior light illuminated several meters and she wanted to be free from the glow threatening to expose her. Her breath came in short spurts as her bare feet met the cold, wet grass, her shoes stuffed in the bag.
The shock of Jake finding her mingled with disbelief. She swallowed the tremors climbing up her throat as she followed Stephanie toward a leafy canopy blocking the starlight.
A frightened gasp slipped from her mouth as they stepped past the first row of trees. “Wait, shouldn’t we go to the street?”
Stephanie shook her head. “It’s too bright. This is a shortcut. Try to stay on the trail.”
Mallory could see no trail. She could see nothing. The thin nightgown clung to her clammy skin. She scrambled through the pine brush, ignoring the gelatin feel of her legs. The sensation of being trapped in a nightmare filled each step. Where were they going? She clamped her mouth shut, her unanswered question stifled.
I’ll never be free.
Mallory pushed past an undersized pine tree. A branch swung back and caught her lip. The rusty taste of blood dripped on her tongue.
Finally, street lights filtered through in random streaks, brightening the casing of leaves hovering above them. Briars scraped her bare feet as she maneuvered through the last stretch of trees.
“What now?” Mallory’s voice trembled.
“I know someone who can help. A lady I met at church.”
A silent alarm pulsated through her. “You want to go there now?”
“She lives there.” Stephanie pointed in the direction of the neighborhood.
“It’s three in the morning. We can’t knock on her door at this hour.”
Stephanie sprinted onto the street. “She won’t mind. Come on.”
Mallory weighed the distance and moved forward, keeping pace with the thrashing of her pulse. She didn’t expect this woman to welcome them in the middle of the night, even a church-going woman.
They ran along the grass behind a row of Leyland Cyprus separating the property.
Stephanie stopped. “There it is. Wait here.” After one more glance over her shoulder, Stephanie faced her fully. “Don’t worry. The police have Jake in custody by now.”
Mallory looked toward the dark mass of trees. Stephanie was right. If Jake had followed, he would have caught them by now. She twisted the handle of her bag to immobilize her shaking hands. Stephanie drew closer to the house, farther from her. The crunch of dead leaves beneath Mallory’s feet intensified with each step inching her forward. Sudden movement in the brush echoed through the eerie silence and a hollow feeling filled her head.
Broken Butterfly~Two
After a long day of ordering materials for tomorrow’s breaking ground at the children’s home site, Eric sat straight up, his sleep-filled eyes searching the clock. Three a.m. He fluffed his pillow and laid back, his arms stretched out behind his head. He returned home last night only to hear more banter about Mr. Chamberlain’s sister and niece’s arrival. He’d been careful not to mention that he’d met the young woman.
After flipping the lamp switch, he unfolded the small, note paper wrapped in pink lines and yellow dandelions on the table next to his bed. The number Victoria had printed in perfect handwriting beckoned an inner yearning he hadn’t felt in years. Her blonde hair had shimmered in the sunbeams from the skylight above the Chamberlain’s foyer, the light scent of her perfume still lingered in his memory.
How could he even consider calling the bold, beautiful woman he barely knew? But then again, what could it hurt? Loneliness had become a way of life, his job requiring long hours—his well-deserved punishment for the mistake he’d made years ago.
A nudging of gratification edged the border of his conscience. He was awarded, yesterday morning, the project that would ease the guilt he wore like a cloak around his neck day after day.
With strong assurance, he determined to call her first thing in the morning, before he could change his mind.
Moonlight spilled through his window, and he turned on his side. His confidence waned as past mistakes edged into his conscience. How could he move forward, when he couldn’t find a way to forgive himself?
* * *
A few feet away, a small animal, eyes glowing in the dark, skittered by and disappeared in the burrow of a tree. The blood rushing to Mallory’s head slowly dwindled back to normal, and she took a full breath.
A soft light burned through the window. She inched forward with each moment she waited. What was she doing here?
The porch light shined and the front door slipped open. A woman wrapped in a robe stepped forward. She made a motion for Stephanie to come in, but Stephanie pointed in Mallory’s direction. They talked for only seconds before Stephanie beckoned Mallory to join them.
All the fight drained from Mallory, and she left the safety of the trees. Each step she took was quicker than the last. She would rather die than have Jake find her.
Mallory followed them in and the lady closed the door behind them, stirring a floral fragrance through the small space.
“Mallory, this is Nancy.”
In the murky light, Nancy watched her with gentle eyes. Mallory expected stiffness, not kindness. The lady brushed her fingers through her gray-streaked hair. Tiny creases lined her cheeks as she smiled and reached for Mallory’s hand. “It’s nice meeting you. I have a spare bedroom you girls should feel comfortable in. Let me get you something for those scrapes.”
Mallory brushed a finger across her blood-stained ankles. She hadn’t felt any pain. Nancy returned minutes later with a washcloth and bandages.
“I’ll help her.” Stephanie took the items and hugged Nancy. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s get you two settled in.” Her comforting voice produced memories of a long, lost dream.
Nancy led the way through the kitchen and into the living room stacked with boxes. Moonlight streamed in through the windows as they entered a large bedroom with a queen bed and matching dresser set.
Nancy set extra blankets on the edge. “If there’s anything else you ladies need, let me know. I’ll be in the next room. You girls sleep well. There’ll be plenty of time to talk in the morning.”
Why had this woman willingly accepted them into her home? She hadn’t asked any questions. Everyone always expected something in return. Didn’t they?
Mallory stood next to the bed and clung to her bag. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her you weren’t safe and needed someplace to go.”
“And?” She glanced at the door. “Just like that, she’s willing to let us stay here?”
Stephanie yawned as she faced her. The soft glow of the lamp cast a strange glimmer in her eyes. “She’s leaving tomorrow.”
Mallory recalled the boxes stacked against the wall. “You mean she’s moving? Oh.” At least she was safe for tonight. Her chest tightened and she grabbed the bed frame as reality set in. “Where will I go? I can’t go back to the house, not now. Jake knows …”
“She wants you to go with her.”
“What do you mean?” Mallory forced her voice to a whisper. “Go with her where? She doesn’t know me.”
“I had already told her about you.”
“You did what?” Her tone jumped a whole octave. “Why?” Mallory turned her back on Stephanie. Tears burned her eyes—tears she’d fought against for eight years.
“Trust me. You can’t stay here. You have to get away for good this time. This is an answer to my prayer.”
For a moment, Mallory considered arguing, but Stephanie’s eerily calm tone changed her mind. Only one thing she could be sure of—prayers wouldn’t work for her.
“Sit down so I can clean your ankle.”
The mattress springs were silent, unlike the bed at the shelter she’d slept on for two weeks.
Stephanie squatted and her hair fell into her eyes. She pushed the bleached, stringy strands behind her ear before wiping away the dried blood. “It’ll be good for you to get a fresh start. And you’ll love Nancy, she’s a godsend.”
A godsend? God wanted nothing to do with her, not that she blamed him. Only by a miracle had she escaped, but she didn’t believe in miracles. “Where’s she going? Can’t you come with me?”
Stephanie settled onto the bed. “I’m not sure where, but I can’t leave my daughter. She’s safe with my aunt, but as soon as I can save enough money, I’m going to get her and get out of here. There’s nothing keeping you here. This is your chance to get away from Jake forever. You’ll be safe.”
The events of the night were stripped away one by one, as overwhelming emotions attached to the wall of her soul eased in an ounce of hope. The reality that she would leave tomorrow settled in as Jake’s voice echoed in her memory.
You’re a worthless piece of trash. You’ll never find anyone to love you, because you’re not worth it. But that doesn’t matter because you belong to me, and you’ll never be able to leave.
Mallory winced, the sting of his hand still fresh in her mind. If Jake found her this time, he would never let her go. She sensed the desperation in Stephanie’s voice. Her friend knew it too.
She had to go now before it was too late.
Mallory stepped into the dark living room early the next morning, after a few hours of restless sleep. With each creak of the house, her eyelids fluttered opened. With each minute, each hour that passed, she waited for Jake to appear—to take her back.
Stephanie wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “She’ll take you to a safe place.”
“Get Gracie and come with us.”
“It’s too risky. This is your break, girl. Take it.”
Mallory’s stomach tightened. Was she really leaving? What would happen after they arrived? Would Nancy take her to another shelter?
She tucked her hair under a Carolina-blue ball cap. A large, black jacket hung to the knees of her five-foot-six frame. If someone saw her, she hoped they’d mistake her for a guy. Jake had eyes everywhere. She had never been able to do anything without him finding out.
Nancy and Mallory hurried to the car, leaving Stephanie standing on the front steps. Moonlight danced across the sky, casting shadows on the sidewalk.
The fresh, clean scent flowing through the car vents gave Mallory an odd sense of wonder. Dreamlike moments beguiled her, convincing her it was only her imagination, until reality found its way back. Slumped deep in the seat, she stared ahead as the sun rose above the horizon.
Nancy adjusted the volume on the radio. “I guess you’re wondering where we’re headed.”
Mallory didn’t answer. It didn’t matter where they ended up. She wouldn’t be any different and neither would anybody else.
At the stop light, Nancy rested her head against the seat. “I have a cousin who lives in the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. A small town called Paradise. Have you heard of it?”
“No, ma’am.” It was only a white lie. She had to be careful. Just because she had read every book she could get her hands on about the world, trying to find the perfect hiding place, the perfect place for starting over, it didn’t mean she had to be honest. At least not today.
“I’ve lived there most of my life. It’s nice and quiet. My cousin needs an extra housekeeper or two. I promised to come and help when his sister arrived.” Something in her eyes changed, but then just as quickly the smile lighting them returned. “God may have planned this perfectly. This job may be just what you need.”
“Job?” She bit her fingernail. “In Paradise.
“Of course, I should ask you first. I would like to offer you a job as a housekeeper, working alongside me.”
“You want me to work with you?” Her voice cracked. Was this happening or had she stumbled into a make-believe world?
“I do. It will be a regular paying job. Of course, I’ll be there to help you. His
sister and niece moved in with him recently. Let’s just say my cousin, Thomas, will need some extra help.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Thank you.” The idea of having a real job, a future without Jake, settled in, leaving her breathless. This could be her chance to earn enough, to save enough, to finally make her own way.
Only when they were miles down the road did Mallory allow herself to look through the window. To her right, a young woman tended to her flower garden. The woman’s brown hair hung in curly layers just like Mama’s had. She blinked as memories drowned out the music.
Day after day, she had waited for her mama to come back, for her mama to find her, for her mama to love her.
The mid-morning sun hid behind dark, hovering clouds as they crossed another state.
Nancy spoke, snapping Mallory back to the present. “Are you hungry?”
Mallory’s stomach plummeted as she remembered the five dollars stuffed in her pocket. The only money she had. She needed to save it. “No, ma’am.”
Wherever they were going would have a soup kitchen. She wouldn’t play on this woman’s sympathies. Nancy had already done enough.
“I wanted to stop at this sandwich shop, if it’s all right. I’m getting hungry myself.”
Mallory nodded. A soft rumble filled her stomach, and she hoped Nancy left the car before it grew louder. She searched for a sign, the name of a city or county. They had been riding for hours already. How long would it take to get there? It didn’t matter. Three states would separate her from Jake. The farther the better, yet the single string still tying her to North Carolina still burned through her veins, ripping her from the edge of joy she was so close to obtaining.
A few minutes later, Nancy returned with a large sack. Mallory pressed against the window to keep the smell of fresh bread and meat from making her stomach growl louder.
Chasing Paradise Page 27
