Savage Love (2 page)

     After putting it in neutral both of them got out and leaving their doors opened, pushed the car over to the side
, Samantha keeping one hand on the wheel. Thankfully they had not been going up an incline.

     “Well, that’s that
, it must not have been too hot,” said Seanna.

     “Ok, let’s pray.” Samantha joined hand with her daughter and said, “Father, you see we are stuck here. We don’t know what is wrong, can’t fix it and don’t know what to do. We ask that you make a way where there is no way. We thank you that it won’t cost too much to fix and that
we will be safe with whoever you send. Thank you. Amen.”

     “And Father, keep Mom from stressing out, give her your peace, in Jesus name, Amen.”
Seanna added, smiling at her mother.

     “Me…stressed?” They both laughed. While Seanna was the more positive of the two, Samantha tended to be the worrier.

     “Why don’t we lock up the car and walk up the road just a bit. Maybe we will see a driveway or some sign of people over that next little rise,” Seanna suggested.

     After locking up they started walking. The weather was nice and there was a slight breeze. The air was clean and fresh and the scenery was beautiful. They had just topped the small rise when they could hear a vehicle approach
from the way they had come. Both turned at once and in the distance they could see a large black limo slowing down by their broken down car. It rolled to a stop and then started heading their way.

     “What do you think, Mom, is that our night in shinning armor?”

     “Who would be in a limo way out here? Well…we prayed. If they don’t stop, we’ll just let them go by. If they stop, we’ll have to trust God and trust whoever is in there,” said Samantha.

     The car came stead
ily on. Samantha and Seanna just continued walking until the big car slowly pulled up beside them. The windows were dark and Samantha was just starting to worry when the driver window descended. A dark handsome face with big white smile poked out the window. He had very short super curly hair and big brown eyes. He seemed normal enough and Samantha’s anxiety lowered a bit.

     “Do you ladies need some help?”
He asked.

     “That’s our car back there. I am afraid it
’s quit on us and we’re stranded with no cell service. If you could call a tow service when you get to where you’re going we would be most grateful. We could just wait in the car until they can come,” answered Samantha.

     A voice came from the back of the car and the man turned to
listen. Then he smiled at the them and said, “The closest town is fifty miles away and their service shop closes at five. It isn’t safe for you two to be out here alone, there isn’t too much traffic, but you shouldn’t stay out here. My boss lives only a few miles up the road. Why don’t we go back and get your things and you can come and home with us until we get someone to come and look at your car.”

    
He must have seen the worried look on Samantha’s face, because he quickly added, “My wife can get you all comfy for the night. We have plenty of room and we can call the mechanic first thing in the morning.”

     Samantha turned and whispered to her daughter, “
What do you think?’

     “I think we don’t have much choice
,” then turning back to the limo she said, “I am Seanna Shepperd and this is my mom, Samantha. We’d like to take you up on your offer as long as you’re sure it isn’t a problem, we wouldn’t want to put you out.”

     Over the quiet laughter
coming from the back the man replied, “Nice to meet you, I’m Leal Johnson. Just hop in front with me and we’ll go get your things.”

   As they walked around the front of the car a sliding window came up between the front and the back of the limo. Samantha tried to get a peek of the person in the back but was too late.
Who would be driving this big limo out in the wilderness? Why doesn’t he want us to see him? Lord, I am trying real hard to trust you here.

     Leal got out
to help. He was good looking, tall and well built. With his creamed-coffee colored skin, he had to be at least part African American. Right off the girls felt comfortable. It was quick work getting their things out of the car and into the trunk of the limo. Once they were on their way Seanna started some small talk about the mountains and how pretty it was. Leal chatted about the area and how he and his wife loved it there.

     “Where are you from?” he asked.

     “We live in a small town in Wisconsin, Bear Ridge. It’s pretty much in the center of the state.” Samantha finally joined the conversation.

     “What brings you to God’s country?’

     “We’re on our way home from my Dad’s Father’s funeral in Washington,” said Seanna.

     “
Wasn’t your Dad able to make it?” asked Leal.

     “Dad passed away this March,” answered Seanna before Samantha had a chance to reply.

     “I am sorry to hear about your loss. Wow, Wisconsin to Washington, why didn’t you just fly?” Leal quickly changed the subject.

     “Well,
Mom hates to fly. We flew there and since we are both off for the summer I talked her into taking the scenic route home and having some mother-daughter time. I just graduated and mom teaches school. I thought it was a great idea, until the car we just bought gave up the ghost,” said Seanna.

     “I could have
handled the flight back, but it just sounded like fun to take some time together before Seanna has to leave for college in the fall. I haven’t been out of the Midwest and wanted to see some of the sights on the way home. It’s the first impulsive thing I’ve done in years,” said Samantha. “I’m sure when this is all over, it will be something exciting to tell our friends back home,” explained Samantha.

     “But right now it
isn’t too much fun,” drawled Seanna.

     “My grandma used to say
‘this too shall pass’ when things weren’t going as planned. Sometimes it would make me so mad. But she was always right. Even the most frustrating things don’t look so bad once you’re on the other side of them,” said Leal. The cynical laughter from the back stopped the conversation in the front until finally Leal said, “Well…here we are.”

     Leal turned the big car onto what looked like little more than a dirt trail that curved through some hills. About
a hundred yards in, there was a locked gate and the road turned into blacktop. Leal punched a remote and the gate slid open for them to pass. They topped a rise and he slowed so they could enjoy what they were seeing. Nestled in the mountains was a group of buildings, and gardens. From the road you would never even know it was there.

     “We like our privacy, can you tell?”
Leal laughed. He started driving and gestured to the buildings. “Welcome to Mountain Home, I know, not real original. We have a pool, guest rooms and gardens. I already used the CB to radio into my wife Trisha to let her know we were bringing company. She’ll be all ready for you. Then in the morning we’ll see what we can do about fixing that car.”

 
   As they got closer to the house Samantha and Seanna couldn’t help but get a little excited. It looked like it was built right into the side of a hill, from the driveway it looked more like a rambler style. But when they drove around they could plainly see that it had several levels with windows and balconies from top to bottom. There was one balcony that overhung a large pool. The pool itself looked like it disappeared over the edge of the hill. As they pulled up under a carport area, Seanna looked at her mom with her eyebrows raised and a big smile on her face.

    
Before they came to a complete stop, a petite young woman hurried out to greet them. She had an Asian look about her. Her hair was straight black and cut at chin length and she had a friendly smile. She walked right to the driver’s side door and started giving instructions to her husband about bringing the luggage into the house. Then as the girls stepped out of the limo, she met them in front and introduced herself.

     “
Hi I am Trisha, Leal’s wife. You two just grab what you need to freshen up and Leal will get your bags into the house. Follow me. I’ll show you where you’ll be camping for the night.” Then she led the way into what could only be described as a modern mansion.

Chapter 2

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

     Daffyd waited until his assistant, Trish
a, got the ladies out of the car and into the house before he allowed Leal to help him out of the limo. Being so weak from his chemo treatment, he had to be practically carried into the house.
Why did I let Leal talk me into bringing those two here? I should have had him take them into town no matter how long the trip. Now I have unwanted guests and I feel like the usual half corpse after that poison!

    
The treatments wrecked havoc on his already weak body, but they were the only thing keeping the stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma from killing him. He had always been thin, but now he looked more like the pictures of severe anorexia patients than like the Rock Star that he was. His once long blond hair had fallen out the first year of treatment. He had dark circles under his dark circles and his skin was the color of chalk. He could have passed for eighty instead of his recent birthday of thirty years.

    
Maybe I should have let them get a look and they would have run away screaming, begging Leal to take them to the next town. At least I still have my sense of humor
.
Like when Leal talked about his grandmother’s saying “this too shall pass”. The only time that applies to me is after I eat. It all passes right through or comes back up. Maybe I should have contributed to
that
conversation. Then they for sure wouldn’t be invading my privacy.

     Leal got him into his room unseen. That was quite the feat going up
the open stairs one side of the great room while Trish kept the company distracted by showing them their rooms.  This was one time that the whole open concept to his dream home became an issue. When he built the house four years ago he had dreamed of a place to rest after long tours. He needed a safe haven away from the world of music and media. That was all before his brother’s accident, before the massive anxiety attacks and before the cancer. When Gareth and his wife died it rocked Daffyd’s world in a way that he hadn’t expected. Especially when he had read his brother’s will asking him to care for his nephew Bryce. Gareth and Daffyd had gone their separate ways after high school, and had only seen each other at the few family gatherings that Daffyd had made it around to going to. His family had always been close and loving. Bryson Sayvage, his father was a second generation American of a Welsh descent. His parents were strong in faith and their convictions and had brought up their two boys to love God and to serve others.

     Even though they were polar opposites, Daffyd and Gareth had always been close. Gareth loved sports and working at the local homeless center in the kitchen after school.  Daffyd, though athletic, loved books and music. By the time they were in high school, Daffyd’s musical talent began to grow. He could play any musical instrument he picked up and was singing solos at school and Church. 
In his senior year a group of older guys asked him to join a band, and against his parent’s advice, he did. Gareth didn’t like the way the whole lifestyle was pulling his brother away from his family and his beliefs. Soon the band was playing in bars and clubs all over the area. In a few short years the band members had all been replaced, other than Daffyd, and had become known simply as ‘Savage’, a play on Daffyd’s last name.

    
At the young age of twenty five he was the hottest singer in the business, not only in the U.S. but in several other countries. The world knew him as James Savage the Rock Star. When Gareth and his wife were killed in a plane crash several years later, Daffyd started suffering from severe anxiety. Crowds and noise made him feel like he couldn’t breathe, like the world was caving in on him. His scheduled tour had to be cancelled and his manager scrambled to make excuses for his young star. It was leaked to the tabloids that he was suffering from exhaustion, which wasn’t too far from the truth.

     Thankfully his nephew Bryce was in his senior year in high school and was able to stay with friends until his graduation.
So Daffyd’s role as guardian of his nephew was put on hold. By the time summer had rolled around Daffyd had overcome his anxiety enough to record his next album. Even without the tours, it hit the charts and stayed on top for months. That first summer was a battle for Daffyd to come to terms with the death of his estranged brother and to prove to his parents that he could care for Bryce. In the fall his nephew began college at Daffyd’s encouragement and financial provision. They had grown to love one another if not understand each other. In Bryce’s last year of pre-law Daffyd had gotten the flu and it didn’t seem to get better. After passing out in the recording studio Trisha insisted he go get a checkup. The diagnosis was cancer. Now after almost two years of treatments, his prognosis wasn’t any better. He had gone into remission for a while, but the disease had come back with a vengeance. From the first day he found out, he had hidden his condition from the world. He had fired Barry, his long time manager, and had moved into the house in Montana taking Trisha and Leal. On one of Bryce’s visits he had broken the news to him but made him promise not to tell anyone, not even his grandparents.