Crazy Maybe (34 page)

I convince Kelly to stay with Luke and me for the night, or what’s left of it now, and I get her settled into the bed after she had a long, hot shower.  By the time I tucked her in, she seemed much calmer than before.  She hugged me tightly but it was more of a thankful, reunion hug rather than the end-of-my-life squeeze she gave me earlier.  I kissed her forehead and told her to sleep soundly because she’s safe now.  She was sound asleep within a minute of closing her eyes.

Luke and I sat up until sunrise, talking over all the events of the night and what will happen next.  It’s concerning that they still haven’t found Jackson and Delia.  He probably used a private physician to treat his wounds so he wouldn’t be reported to the authorities.  We can’t live the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders.  I want this to be over.  It’s really all so…..anti-climactic.

LUKE

“Luke, Andi, come out back!”  My dad yells from the backyard.  We make our way through the kitchen and head out the back door to Mom’s backyard haven.  Everyone is gathered around the fire pit, roasting marshmallows and hot dogs.  Mom and Kelly just brought out more food. 

As soon as Kelly puts the food on the table, she bounds over to Andi and throws her arms around her neck.  Andi laughs and grabs her up.  Kelly is very little for a sixteen-year-old and sometimes we all treat her like she’s much younger.  Sometimes it makes her mad, but usually she eats it up, like she’s doing now when Andi is fawning over her. 

It’s really a great sight.  Kelly came to live with my parents soon after she showed up at our house that night.  Mom and Dad were thrilled to take her in and she still gets to be Andi’s sister.  She doesn’t spend time alone with Dad yet, but she does talk to him and include him in things, so I know she’s trying.  They’re preparing to officially adopt her and make her a real Woods.

It’s been two weeks since that awful night.  The night I thought I would have to
watch and listen to Andi be raped by that madman.  They planned to torture her and kill her in front of me and then kill me.  Kelly overheard all of their sick, sadistic plans of what they would do to Andi.  How they would torture her and beg for them to kill her long before they finished with her.  Kelly remembered Andi and how she always took care of the younger kids in the Rhoades’ house. 

She said she couldn’t let anything bad happen to Andi, so she took one of Jackson’s guns and followed him
tonight.  She knew he’d come after Andi at the club, so she waited and followed him when he left the club before we did.  She was hiding in the house when we got home.  Kelly said she recognized the look he had when he was moving towards Andi.  He was going to hurt her badly before finally killing her, so she shot him.  Her only regret is that she didn’t kill him – not that we know of, anyway.

I’ve been asking Andi every day when she’s going to marry me.  I’ve tried to talk her into going to Vegas and doing it in one of the drive-through chapels.  Or we can go to Gatlinburg and rent a chapel.  Or we can go to the Justice of the Peace right here in Atlanta and get married right now.  I don’t care where or how or who is there. 

I just know I almost lost her and I can’t stand it.  Not that being married would’ve given us special powers, but there’s something about knowing she’s completely mine, with my name, for all eternity, that is comforting to me now.  It’s a totally foreign concept to me – I never thought I’d be this guy.  The guy who’s completely pus-, uh, whipped – and unable to live
without
the same woman for the rest of my life instead of being forced to live with
just one
woman.

I haven’t convinced her to set a date yet.  Like
tomorrow’s
date.  I know she loves me and this whole Rhoades fiasco isn’t over yet.  They haven’t found them and she still feels that black cloud hanging over our head.  I’ve tried to convince her that we’re stronger together but she has dug her heels in and refuses to budge.  She doesn’t want our brand new life tainted by the old life.  I can’t say this to her, because she may hold me to it, but I will wait for her as long as she needs.

I move behind Andi and guide her to a seat with me in front of the fire.  She leans back on my chest and I wrap my arms around her.  Her hands are resting on my arms and she’s drawing lazy circles with her finger.  It’s strangely arousing and I’m glad she’s sitting in front of me, blocking the view from everyone else. 

I note that Kelly is watching us with a mixture of curiosity and maybe a little longing.  I thinks she’s afraid she’ll never have what we have – mutual love, trust, respect and admiration. I think she’s in the perfect family to convince her otherwise.  I smile at her and I actually get a full-on smile back this time.  She’s coming around slowly.

Brandon bursts out of the house, yelling for us to hurry and get inside.  Something is on the news that we have to see.  Andi and I exchange looks and we immediately know it’s about Rhoades.  We simultaneously jump up and run into the kitchen and see the breaking news banner across the top of the screen and the rolling text at the bottom.

“
Again, the yacht owned by Speaker and Mrs. Rhoades was found capsized off the coast of Africa.  Sources say the yacht was riddled with bullet holes.  Speaker Rhoades’ body was found still inside the living quarters of the ship.  His genitals had been savagely removed and preliminary data indicates he was still alive at the time. 

The exact cause of death has not been determined as of yet nor have any suspects been questioned.  Officials indicated that pirates are most likely responsible.
Mrs. Rhoades has not been found as of yet and is presumed to have been taken.  Pirates in the region where the yacht was found are well known for human trafficking.

You’ll remember that Speaker and Mrs. Rhoades have been embroiled in allegations of years of child abuse and molestation.  They both disappeared soon after the Department of Justice handed the case over to the FBI to investigate and possibly prosecute them both for their respective involvement.”

My whole family stands silent and immobile, staring at the television long after the news ends and normal programming resumes.  Kelly and Andi stay in place after everyone else leaves the kitchen, sensing their need to be alone to process this latest information.  Kelly turns around to face Andi, with tears streaming down her face, she grabs Andi around the neck and sobs loudly.

I can’t see Andi’s face from where I’m standing but I can see the shaking of her shoulders.  She’s sobbing, too. 
Are they crying because they’re glad it’s over?  Are they sad for what could’ve been but wasn’t?  Are they happy that both the bastard and the bitch got what they deserved in the end?
  I suspect it’s a mixture of all three and neither could explain it if asked.

Wiping their eyes, I see Kelly’s pretty smile light up her face and I know now that she will be just fine.  She is becoming stronger every day.  She is learning to trust, to love and to live a normal life.  She’s actually learning what normal means – a normal family, a normal father, a normal mother.  For some, normal is over-rated.  For others, normal is the greatest unknown.

Kelly walks back outside to the fire pit and rejoins
our
family.   Alicia sits next to her and wraps her arm around Kelly’s shoulder.  Kelly leans in to accept her comfort and it occurs to me that I have two little sisters now.  It feels good. 

Andi still hasn’t moved from her original spot.  Just as I’m about to call to her, she whirls around to face me.  She’s wiping her tears away and catching her breath to speak.  She takes a deep, calming breath and wills the tears to stop.  Her eyes meet mine and I’m searching her – searching her eyes, her face, and her body language.  I’m trying to read her mind, prepare myself for what she’s about to say, and just be here for her no matter what it is.

“Luke,” she says in her watery, shaky voice.

“Yes, baby,” I reply softly….tentatively…anxiously.

“Can we have a Christmas wedding?”

I fucking love her.

ANDI

The karaoke competition ends tonight and I’ve made it to the final round.  It’s down to me and two others tonight.  To be honest, after everything that’s happened, I don’t really care if I win or not.  I just find peace in sharing my thoughts and feelings through songs.  The lyrics speak to me and I hope others can feel what I have a hard time putting in words.

The song I’ve chosen tonight is dedicated to my
family
.  That is something I never really thought I’d have outside of Pop and Shane.  So many people are part of my life now and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them and their happiness.  In light of what all has happened over the course of my life, I think this song is rather fitting.

Travis Malone is here watching me tonight.  Over the past couple of weeks, Travis and Luke have become good friends so Luke isn’t quite as jealous over him now.  I guess it’s hard for Luke to not see Travis as a larger-than-life lead singer.  But I know he’s still dealing with the demons of past abuse, so he doesn’t see himself like the rest of the world sees him. 

I decided to not stay on with MaxMorgan Music.  I want to devote all my time at the youth center – in both running it and working as a juvenile lawyer to help the kids who can’t help themselves.  Like all these young, courageous women who stuck their necks out on the line for me.  Luke is still boxing but he’s also waiting for his license reinstatement to arrive in the mail so he can help me at the center.

As we all knew, Shane’s drug test came back negative for any type of illegal drug use, including performance enhancing steroids.  The boxing commission made a full, public apology for the “obvious mix-up” in specimens.  I can’t wait to see Shane’s next fight – I know he’ll be great.

So tonight, as I walk onstage for one last karaoke competition, my family is in the audience, cheering me on.  Luke, Brandon, Alicia, Greg, Kelly, Maria – all my girls, actually – Shane and even Pop – they’re all here for me, just like they have since the day I met them.
Luke’s parents, Sam and Linda, are also here and they’ve asked me to call them Mom and Dad.  It feels strange but it feels really good, too.

If Today Was Your Last Day
, by Nickelback, says it all for me.  If I knew that today was my last day to live, what would I change?  What would I give?  Who would I love?  Who would I forgive? 

With that in mind, I’ve chosen to live like every day is my last day, because one day, it will be.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to say
Thank You
to:

1. Each and every person who purchased this book!  Please rate this book and leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.  I read each and every one of them!
   

1. To my husband, thank you for sticking with me through the hours and hours of late nights I sat in front of the computer working on this book.
   

1. To my children, thank you for believing in your mom.
   

1. To my friends, who have asked repeatedly when the next book will be out and anxiously awaited its arrival.
   

1. To the many book bloggers who supported me, guided me, answered my questions and helped get me out in front of the readers.
   

1. To everyone who read an ARC, provided feedback and suggestions.
   

1. I want to say a very special
   Thank You
   to my dear friend and fellow book junkie, Ana Isabella, for reading and re-reading multiple versions and giving your honest feedback.  Your support means so much to me!