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"I understand, but did you know that she was made to wear a cloth over her eyes while I was here so I couldn't see her clearly?"
"No, I did not. Why would Liam do that?"
"Because he didn't want me to know who she was. Who he's been holding captive here for the past fourteen years."
"What? No, she was here of her own free will. She told me herself years ago." My grandfather doesn't want to believe that his brother was indeed as evil as he was, but he's not defending him either. Finally, my grandfather sighs heavily. "God, that poor woman. Had I known…"
"You didn't, but Grandpa, you know who that woman is. You knew her very well at one time."
"My God, I did? Well, who is she?" He's so worked up already that he's squeezing my hand, and I don't think he realizes it.
"Her name is Chloe…"
His eyes move back and forth, and I know he's dragging his memory for anyone with that name, but then he stops. "Are you sure I knew her? I only knew one Chloe, and that was your mother…"
The silence in the room is deafening.
"No…" Grandpa whispers, "No, it can't be. Please tell me it wasn't your mother…she was so kind and beautiful! Why would Liam… Tell me that I didn't…" His sentence trails off as his voice cracks, and he begins to cry.
I can't tell him what he wants to hear, and it hurts me that I'm hurting him by having to tell him at all. I could have left it alone, but if he's going to be living with them, he needs to know. His wails bring Cal and my mother into the room to check on him, and my mother immediately takes his other hand. She holds no grudges against him either; they were both Liam's victims, just in different ways.
My grandfather turns his head when he feels Mom slip her hand into his. "I will never forgive myself, Chloe… I didn't know. I swear I didn't know!" he tells her pleadingly.
"I k-know, B-Baxt-ter."
I remember him pulling her in and holding her like a father would a daughter, and they both cried. It's how we all stayed until the police arrived. Lucky for us, my uncle always had the cameras on, so they saw everything that had taken place, and I meaneverything. They had wanted to take me in for questioning since I had my damn cock hanging out at one point, but Mom practically beat them in the head with a cushion before they finally left, telling us they would be in touch.
Lyle returned not long after the police arrived and was taken into custody. With as many sexual assault charges as he has against him, he will never see the light of day again. My mother broke down in tears as she watched Lyle being placed in the back seat of the squad car, hugging herself. I stand back and observe her as she looks around at her surroundings. She no longer knows what to do with herself now that she's free and never has to allow others to use her again. My heart breaks for her, but I know that in time, she will be able to put this all behind her; I'll make sure of it.
When we decided to stay the night and head out the following day, Mom tried going back into Liam's room and sleeping on the mat at the foot of the bed, where he always made her sleep. It took me a good twenty minutes to talk her into coming and sleeping in my room. I gave her the bed, and I slept on the couch. I think it may have been her first night of good sleep in years.
Finding my belongings in Liam's desk when I returned the gun, I was able to get my truck out of the old barn where they had hidden it. I could tell it had been driven a few times, but I wasn't concerned with that. What concerned me was what I had hidden inside the back seat of the cab of my truck. Finding the lever for the release, I lifted the seat, expecting to find empty space, but to my delight, I found the bag of money I had withdrawn from my account over two years ago.
Leaving Cal with my grandfather while Mom and I searched for my little sister, the nurse promised to keep me updated on his patient. He will also start preparing to move him for when we return. I knew my grandfather was in good hands and I wasn't concerned. Even though he's still beating himself up over what he had done all these years to his daughter-in-law, Grandpa was in good spirits when we left. The never-ending gray clouds have finally lifted, and blue skies are now in the forecast.
I wanted to call Ryan the moment I was free to do so, but I wasn't sure if she would understand why I wasn't coming home right away. That's what I keep telling myself anyway. Deep down, I think I'm scared of her rejection now that I've been gone all this time. She believes it was my choice, no thanks to my uncle, so I can hardly blame her. Still, I know it's going to hurt like a bitch.
I know what I told my mother about how they still love us and will want us back, but I'm uncertain whether that's still true for me. Our situations are different. My father believes my mother is dead, so he will welcome her back. But Ryan? To her, I chose to leave and never come back.
Mom's excitement at pulling up to this lead we received about where Cayley is supposed to be draws my attention from the depressive thoughts running through my head. I grin at the woman beside me because she's changed so much in the two weeks we've been on the road searching for her daughter. She's even stuttering less. I know that once we have her home, she will blossom.
This is the second to last boarding school on Liam's list of schools in his desk. Cal had searched more while we were gone and finally came up with some bank statements with this school's name in the transaction history, so this is where we headed. When the Headmaster makes us wait in her office while she searches the records for Mom's name, I start cursing, knowing that getting my sister out of here will be a fight. However, it turns out that the school required both parents’ names for the student to attend, so Liam had no choice and had Chloe Huntley listed as Cayley Huntley's mother.
We take our time getting back, wanting to get to know each other before facing what my mother and I know looms ahead. Cayley is a polite young girl but very energetic. We look like full-blooded siblings with dark hair and Huntley looks. Cayley has Liam's and my father's warm brown eyes, whereas I have my mother's green eyes, but she's got my mother's cheekbones.
We learned that my sister is fluent in French and Spanish languages, and she is an A student and has never been in trouble a day of her life. Explaining to her about what happened to her father was complicated. However, she barely knew him, but it seemed that he called her every week, so he was really the only parent she ever knew. She was excited to finally meet her mother, and they both cried, but now it's like they've been around each other all of Cayley's life.
I tell them about me growing up, and I also tell them about Ryan. I'm not giving up on her. Ryan is my soulmate, and I'll do whatever it takes to make her mine again. My mother smiles and caresses my cheek as I watch the road.
"Don't, baby. It s-sounds like s-she's the one, s-so don't ever give up on her." Her encouragement means more than she will ever know.
It takes us a week to get to the Manor when it should have only taken three days from where Cayley's boarding school was located. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous as we pull up near the front door. My hands are sweaty, and my heart is racing. There is no hiding it from my mother when she looks at me because I can see she's going through the same thing.
It's evening, and the light is fading fast with the cool weather coming in. I lead Mom and my sister up the steps and then have them stand off to the side while I press the doorbell. Unless things have changed, no staff should answer the door this time of night. My father always liked having the house to just the family in the evening, so either my father or Ryan will answer, and I'm still determining which one I'd prefer.
We don't have to wait long; there is a woman's squeal and then some laughter as padded feet race for the door. I glance at my mother, who looks like she may bolt. I shake my head and give her a smile just as a loud bang hits the door. More laughter, and then the door swings open by not just one person but two.
Warm caramel eyes focus on me as Ryan smiles, but then I see it register on her face who she's looking at, and her smile drops...and so does my stomach. I don't bother looking at my father because I can't tear my gaze away from the woman I have been dreaming of seeing again for the past two years. I can't stand the silence between us, so I curve my lip slightly, giving her the smile I know she loves.
"God, you have no idea how much I've missed you, Ryan."
"Beau?"
I nod and step toward her, wanting nothing more than to take her into my arms, but then she turns and... She’s gone.
