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“Believe me, Aaliyah: I really like you. From the first day, you showed up in the church. But it’s beyond that. I just refuse to judge people. I’d prefer to love them and pour out myself to them. If everyone lived like that, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”
Aaliyah didn’t say anything as she absorbed his words. Ted placed a palm on her cheek and stared into her eyes.
“I know you probably don’t feel the same way about me as I do about you and you have good cause to do so. I mean, your trust has been abused and all. I’m not asking for anything myself. I’m just asking that you open your heart again. Truly, there are a lot of crack heads like Jackson out there. But there are good ones too. People who won’t hurt you. And there’s family. Marcia really loves you. Whenever she talks about you, it’s hard to believe it’s the same person others see as a snob that she’s talking about. Don’t push her away, Aaliyah. Tell her everything. And do it soon. It’s obvious she doesn’t have much time left.”
Aaliyah allowed herself to get lost in his eyes for a second. It all felt weird: being held by someone who didn’t make any move to use her; who seemed trustworthy and loved her just for who she was. She began to feel overwhelmed.
She nodded and got up.
“Thanks so much, Ted. I wouldn’t have believed I would have been in this place with you if someone had told me an hour ago.”
Ted smiled up at her and nodded then he held up the bandage and the alcohol.
“Thanks for these by the way. Finally, I can get a state-of-the-art wound coverin
g.”
She chuckled slightly, feeling free in her heart. She turned and walked away.
“Where are you going to?” he called from behind her.
“I’m just taking a stroll.”
“But the rest of the camp will soon be leaving”
“I can’t move without my grandmother, can I?”
Chapter Six
The kidnapped ones are the lucky ones…
19th November, 2021
12:35am
Danville, Vermont. USA
Ted and his father dropped the makeshift trolley in which Marcia lay onto the snow. Aaliyah was by their side.
“Thanks so much, Mr. Hankins. I don’t even know why you’re helping me”
The elderly man smiled at her.
“It’s nothing, really. I just hope she gets well soon.”
Aaliyah looked down at her grandmother who was sleeping and she nodded. She had told her grandmother everything as Ted had advised her. Marcia had wept with her. She realized she had done herself wrong by not opening up. Her family had loved her.
It was the midday break, lasting only for thirty minutes. She had been unable to go hunting that morning. She couldn’t leave her grandmother.
Feeling the need to be alone and think, she asked;
“I really don’t mean to bother you with my mother, sir. I was just hoping: Can I just stroll a bit? I’ll be back soon.”
His brows narrowed but he was still smiling.
“You know this is supposed to be a rest period, right. The walk will continue soon.”
“I know. I just need to be alone and clear my head a bit.”
