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Me:How’s the search going? Anything useful?
Bo:Not yet, still combing through the laptop we found. How’s Marley?
Me:Physically, okay, but mentally? I don’t know. She’s traumatized. I don’t know how to help her.
Bo:Just be there for her, listen to her, but don’t tell her how to feel or how she should be reacting. It’s going to take her time to process everything. Everyone deals with this type of trauma differently. Lord knows I saw the whole gambit of reactions during my time in service. Rosco, too. He’s probably the best one to consult on this. His SEAL team rescued and recovered many victims of kidnapping and abuse.
Me:Thanks for the advice, Bo. I’ll ask him to talk with her. Let me know if you find anything. I’ll be down to help when I can. She’s sleeping, but I don’t want to leave her alone.
Bo:Understood. You are where you are most needed. We got this.
I lay my phone back on the night stand and look down at the sleeping angel on my chest. Her eyes are moving rapidly behind her closed lids. A whimper leaves her lips, twitching in her sleep. “Shh, baby. You’re okay,” I whisper to her. I stroke her back, hoping to soothe away whatever bad dream she’s having.
MARLEY
Iexit Jay’s, heading for my car, wanting to get home to Luke as soon as I can. He’s asked me to move in with him, permanently. Are we moving too fast? Maybe, but I don’t think so. I love him, and I know he loves me, too. I can feel it when we are together. I can’t wait to get home and begin our life together. I’m thinking I should get some sexy lingerie to celebrate our decision. A hand closes over my mouth as sharp pain presses into my side. Oh shit!
It's happening again. I’m being taken. Suddenly, I’m no longer in Jay’s back parking lot. I’m in the cabin being beaten. The man hits me over and over as he screams at me to answer his questions. Then Luke is there. The man is hitting Luke, knocking his head to the side as blood flies.
“Who are you working for?” the man yells into my face.
“I don’t know what you want!” I scream. The other man hits Luke again. His eyes blackening from the hits. “Please, don’t hurt him!” I plead with the men, but it makes no difference.
“Answer me!” my kidnapper demands. “Tell me what I want to know or he dies.” This can’t be happening. I don’t know what they want to know. They are going to kill Luke and me. There’s nothing I can do to stop it. I seemovement in the corner of my eye. Daisy is there. Blood is dripping from her head. She falls at my feet, dead. Her eyes are open, but unseeing. A scream is torn from my body at the sight. I look up to see Luke glaring at me.
“Why Marley?” he asks. “Why didn’t you tell them what they want to know? You killed my sister. I hate you!” The man who’s been beating him suddenly pulls a gun and fires it at Luke’s head.
“NO!” I scream bolting upright in bed. My heart is pounding in my ears.I can see Luke’s body falling backward from his chair. Hands grip me from behind. The men are going to kill me now too, but I no longer care. They’ve taken him from me. Life no longer matters. “Luke!” I cry as nausea rolls up my throat.
“Shh, baby,” Luke coos as he pulls me to his chest. “You’re okay. It’s just a dream.” I blink my eyes looking around. I’m in bed with Luke in his bedroom. I shudder as the remnants of the nightmare leaves me. The cabin, Daisy and Luke’s bodies fade from my sight. I’m breathing heavily, and my heart is racing as I try to calm down. “You okay, baby?” I nod, unable to speak at the moment. I cling to him as he grounds me in reality.
A few weeks later…
The nightmares aren’t getting any better. If anything, they’re worse. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep and I’m irritable all the time. I can tell it’s taking a toll not only on me but on Luke, too. I’ve tried to get him to let me sleep in the room I used when I first came here, but he’s refused. While I know it would be best for him, I’m glad he’s denied me. It’s his soothing voice that brings me out of the dream every time, but I know he needs his sleep. He’s been working so hard to find out more information on the organization to which my kidnapper belonged to.
“Morning, baby,” Luke murmurs in my ear when I begin to stir. I’ve been awake for a while, afraid to fall back to sleep after my last nightmare. I’m lying on my left side. Luke is spooning me from behind. I love the feel of him next to me. He comforts me like no one ever has before, but we can’t keep going on like this,only sleeping a couple hours a night. I turn in his arms to face him.
“Morning, honey.” I place a kiss to his lips. He rests his forehead on mine.
“Another bad night,” he comments. I nod in response. What else can I do? We’ve had this conversation so many times over the last few weeks. “Marley, we need to consider getting you a therapist. I know you aren’t keen on the idea, but I think you need it.” I sigh, because he’s right. I thought it would get better, that I could handle it. Obviously I was wrong.
“I know, Luke. I’m sorry,” I say. “You aren’t getting any sleep either.”
“Baby, it’s not about whether or not I’m getting sleep,” Luke answers. “It’s about you and your mental health. I know this is taking a toll on you. You’ve lost weight, and you look so tired all the time.”
“So you’re saying I look like shit?” I ask, cocking my head to the side, awaiting his reply. I’m not upset with him. I know how bad I look. He frowns at me.
“That’s not what I’m saying, baby girl,” he replies. “I’m just worried about you.”
“I know, Luke, but I do look like shit. I see myself in the mirror,” I inform him with a smile, but he isn’t smiling. “I agree. It’s past time to do something about this. I’m not getting better. I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open most of the time, but I’m afraid to sleep. I’m so anxious I can only eat a few bites before my stomach begins to hurt. I’m having difficulty concentrating, and that’s not even considering the fact I haven’t been able to return to Jay’s. Just thinking about going back to the bar makes me want to puke. It’s like my body associates the bar with my abduction. I need help, Luke, that’s clear.”
“Okay, baby,” Luke comments. “I have been checking around, and I found a few options for therapists that deal specifically with trauma victims.” My eyes widen in surprise, but I shouldhave known Luke would have done his research to find the very best. He notices my reaction. “I’m only trying to help. Please don’t be upset with me.” I hate that he expects me to react badly to him looking for a therapist for me, but I have been short tempered lately.
“I’m not upset with you,” I assure him. “I know I’ve been easily annoyed lately, and I’m sorry about that. I know how I’ve been acting. I don’t want to be this way.” Luke hugs me to him, kissing my forehead. I melt into him and let him hold me.
“We are going to get past this, baby girl.” Luke’s voice rumbles in my ear, which is resting on his chest. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, at the moment, but it will get better.” I nod against him. It’s the only thing I can do. I have to believe he’s correct and that I will get better. Otherwise I’ll go completely insane.
I’ve been going to the office with Luke since my kidnapping. I just can’t stand the thoughts of being alone in that big house, even knowing all the security measures and the safe rooms that are there. It was a little awkward, the first few days, being around Kristen. She has given me a wide berth, but she’s been polite when she’s been forced to speak to me. Luke has been gracious and given me things to do that help him and keep my mind busy so I’m not dwelling on my nightmares. I’m finding that I enjoy helping him out around the office. I’m learning so much about what he does day in and day out. Luke keeps this company running like a well-oiled machine. I don’t know how he keeps up with everyone and all the different projects they have going at one time.
