Save Me (3 page)

“It’s ok Oli, I didn’t mean to jump.  I don’t know why I am so easy to scare lately,” I said with caution not wanting to draw too much attention to that statement.  “It’s ok; you don’t have to apologize to me.”  I filled up the kettle and we sat down at the kitchen table and waited for it to boil. “So Grace, tell me about you,” he said.   Oh, crap, he just could not resist.  Why was this man so eager to know me?  If he only knew, he would not want to.

“Well there isn’t much to tell.  I mean my husband is gone; I got married at twenty-three mainly because I got pregnant with Annabelle.  I didn’t really know my husband, but at the time it worked.”  There was that good enough for Mr. Nosy?

“You said you were from Chicago? Is that where you were born?”  Ugh.  “No, I wasn’t born there,” I said annoyed. I could sense frustration in his face; I do not know what you want me to say.  Oh my husband is nuts, he tried to kill me several times, so here I am!

“Look Oli, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t have a happy back story.  I have never had a normal life.  Trust me it’s not that interesting,” I said this time sternly, trying desperately to make my point that I did not want to discuss my life.

“I disagree Grace, for some reason that I cannot figure out, you are very interesting.  Even though you have rather seemed irritated with me from the day we met.  I cannot help but wonder more about you.  Like I said, it’s new to me to want to protect and want to know so much about someone, especially a woman.”

I was not sure what to say to that.  “Ok, Oli why don’t you tell me something about you,” I said surprisingly eager to know him. “Oh me, well I am an open book.  What do you want to know,” he said with a grin. “Start with whatever you want,” I said rolling my eyes. I was really just making conversation.  To be honest I do not have many friends and I do not know how to make small talk. 

“Ok, well I have lived in this town my entire life, but when I was twenty, I went New York.  I had graduated high school and went to college online.  We do not really have a university nearby so I got lucky to be able to go online.  Once I graduated, I wanted to get away for a while so I went to New York.  I actually decided to go to the police academy there.  Before I knew it, I was a graduate and offered a position with the NYPD.  It was like a dream come true.  I had always planned on moving back, but once I was offered a job, I couldn’t resist.”

               Wow, I would have never thought that he was a city person.  He definitely did not seem to fit the part.  “So why did you come back?”  He looked at me and smiled but this time it was not his normal smile.  It was mischievous and fun.

“Ah, who’s eager for info now?” I scowled at him.  “Ok, Ok.  I am sure it is not as interesting as you would think.  However, I met a girl there.  She was working as a psychologist on a case I was working on.  Her name was Lindsay and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life.  Eventually we started dating and before I knew it, we had gone to the courthouse and gotten married.  Our entire relationship was fast, but it was right.  My family, especially Maggie, was outraged.  It was not like me to make decisions so rash like that.  They had only met her once when they came to visit for Christmas.  They liked her, but I am sure they would like her better if we would have waited,” he said. I could see the slight pain behind his eyes. I had to admit, the story tugged at my heartstrings a little.

               He is married, interesting.  “So what happened?  You and Lindsay decided to move back to town to make your family happy,” I said sarcastically. Why am I such a bitch?

“No not exactly, Lindsay got sick.  She was tired all of the time and I thought it was all the cases she was working on.  There were times that we both would work twelve-hour days.  It never dawned on either of us that it was more than being tired.  One day at work, she collapsed.  When I got to the hospital, she said it was probably because she had forgotten to eat, I believed her.  Then the Doctor came back with her results.  She had leukemia, a very rare form.  It all happened so fast.  They did test after test and none of them were good.  About a month after doing as many tests and going over as many treatment options as we could, the doctor told us that no matter what we did, it would only buy Lindsay a few more weeks or months.  Without the treatments, she had maybe a month.  Before I knew it, she was gone.  I moved back home shortly after because Maggie insisted and stalked the hell out of me until I did.  It was good that I did though because I was about to lose my job.  I had gotten sloppy and I was so blinded by grief that I was messing up cases.  I think that my boss felt sorry for me because he kept cleaning up my messes.  Therefore, I packed up and moved home.  Maggie needed my help here anyways.  Moreover, as luck would have it, the Sheriff was retiring.  So there you go, that is my sob story.  I told you it wasn’t that interesting.”

               Oh my, Oliver was wounded too.  Why was I so hateful?  This man had been through a lot like me, a different type of pain, but it was sad.  “I’m sorry Oliver, I am so sorry about Lindsay.  I can’t imagine what that must have been like,” I said quietly. “I am sure you do.  How did your husband die,” he said.  Crap!

Chapter 4

I had sat in the silence for a few minutes.  Whelp, now or never.  “Max isn’t dead.”  He gave me a puzzled look. “Oh I’m sorry you said he wasn’t around anymore, I just assumed, I apologize.  Are you still together?”  He almost had urgency in his voice.  Why did it matter to him? 

“No were not.”  I was not trying to be so short.  I just could not tell him what had happened.  The man was a cop for God sakes.  He seemed to be able to tell that I did not want to talk about it anymore and I felt slightly relieved when he smiled and said, “Well I think that maybe I should be going.  Thanks for letting me help you today and thanks for the tea.”

               I was not sure why, but I was almost sad to see him go.  “Sure, no problem, I think tea is the least I can do after everything you have done for me.”  He smiled and said he would see me later.  However, it sounded more like a promise than anything did.

I went to bed that night and it was the first night that I slept all night without any nightmares in  I don’t know how long, I didn’t care why, but Oliver had come into my life uninvited and I was glad. I was happy to have made a new friend, even if he was a little too curious for my taste.

chapter 5

              I woke up feeling so refreshed.  I looked at the clock and it read 6:45.  Good.  I had about an hour before I had to wake up my little Belle.  I was anxious to make myself a cup of coffee and sit on my porch.  Gloria had these beautiful chairs on the porch and I loved to sit and watch the trees blow in the wind.  I have no idea what kind of trees were in the yard but they were huge and had beautiful light pink flowers on the tops.

I did this as a child.  I would just sit, watch, and take in the smell of the wind.  I stopped doing things like this when my parents died and I was not allowed to sit and do nothing around Max.  He found something for me to do, usually something around the house.  He said it was lazy to sit and relax and he would not have it in his home. 

So many things I wish I could have done differently.  I did not think that I was the kind of woman who would allow a man to treat me that way.  My father was so kind to my mother.  He never raised his voice or put his hands on her in any way but to be affectionate.  Why me?  Did I look like a victim?  Did he pick me out of some crowd because I looked stupid?  I guess I will never know.  It does not do me any good to dwell in what ifs or what I should have done, which is ran like hell when I first met him, but I would not have Annabelle and that little girl is my lifeline.  I love her so much. 

There was a time in my life when I thought I was not ever going to be capable of love.  I was not even sure that it was love I felt with Max, but when Annabelle was born, I knew.  This is the kind of love I felt with my parents.  They left me too soon.  I guess I will never find peace with it.

              I slowly closed my eyes and drifted off, “Please Max, please. Do not do this.  I know that you love me.  I know you do.  We can be happy.  I will take care of you and Belle and I will do what you say,” I said pleading with him.

He loosened his grip on my neck.  “Oh honey, I am so sorry.  Do you see what you made me do?  You made me so angry that I did this.”  He was still hovering over me, I looked to the corner of my eye, and that is when I saw it.  I was trying to reach it with my right hand that Max could not see because it was below his waist.

               “Mommy, where are you,” Annabelle shouted. I woke up startled.  Oh no, oh thank goodness.  Its ok, your safe Grace, you are safe.  I had to tell myself this several times a day just to make it through sometimes.  I guess I dozed off.  “I am out here baby,” I shouted.  “Mommy I’m so hungry I could eat a hippo!” I laughed. 

              “Ok Belle let’s get some breakfast.” 

I walked her inside and looked at the clock, 7:30.  I had just enough time to shower and give Annabelle a bath.  If I hurried, I could make her pancakes, her favorite breakfast food.  We had to be at Maggie’s by nine.

               After breakfast and showers, we were dressed and ready to go by 8:30.  Not bad.  “Ok Miss Belle, are you ready to meet Maggie?  She is the nice lady who is going to take care of you while mommy works today, ok?” 

“Ok mommy,” she said.  However, I knew she was afraid.  My little princess was a ball of energy, but she was so shy.  On the walk over, I grabbed the piece of paper that Oliver had given me and opened it up to check the address.  151 Parker Ln., hmm didn’t Oliver say his last name was Parker, that is cute, I thought, their family name as their street name.

              We found Maggie’s, walked up the driveway and rang the bell.  I had ahold of Belle’s hand and she was shaking.  She was so nervous.  I bent down and whispered in her ear, “Hey there Belle, she is very nice and has two kids not too much older than you, chin up princess.”  She smiled at me. It was not hard to make her smile. 

I reached out to ring the bell again and before my hand got to it, Maggie opened the door and squealed, “OMG!  You must be Grace, and who is this?  Is your name Annabelle?”  Belle nodded her head and gave Maggie a shy smile.  “Hi my name is Maggie,” she said. 

“Hi Maggie, I am so happy to meet you.  You have no idea how much I appreciate this,” I said.  “Oh nonsense, I love kids.  In addition, I love my big baby brother.  He spoke very highly of you so I figured that I would help in any way that I could.”  She gave me a warm smile. I can already tell that I like her.

I do not know why hearing Maggie say that Oliver spoke highly about me made me blush, but it did and boy did she notice.  “Yes Oli has been so nice to us, so kind.  I do not think I can repay any of you for your help.  However, please Maggie, let me pay you for your help.  I just wouldn’t feel right about it.”

“Oh, no way!  Not happening, I am home anyways dear.  I do not need the money at all and I want to help.   Besides my kids, do not have many friends their age in town.  They will love to play with Annabelle so I will not take a dime.  Don’t even try it,” she laughed. 

I really liked how energetic she was.  She was slightly taller than I was and had long dark chestnut hair.  It was the same color as Oliver’s.  In fact, they looked a lot alike, besides the fact that she had blue eyes, they were pretty, she was pretty and she had a beautiful smile.

              It was near ten when I looked at the clock in Maggie’s kitchen.  I had sat with her for almost an hour just chatting and I listened to her gossip about the town.  It was nice to have made a friend.  I made friends with Gloria immediately and with Oliver, but it was nice to have a new friend who is near my age, and a friend that I was not attracted to as I was with Oliver. 

“Well thanks again Maggie.  I have to get into the store and help Gloria.  She told me that I could leave around four today so I won’t be gone that long.” 

“Oh, no problem, just get here when you can.  I promise I will take care of her.  I won’t let anything happen to her.”  She winked when she said it.  “I think we will be good friends Grace.”  I smiled, “I think so too.  I am grateful to have made a friend, I don’t have many.”

              Once I got to the store Gloria was already there and opening up the boxes that were just delivered.  “Oh Gloria, let me help you do that.  You shouldn’t be even lifting these.” 

“I am not dead Grace, well not yet at least.  But your right I can already feel my arthritis kicking in.”  Gloria was a hard stubborn old broad.  She reminded me of my grandmother.  She died when I was eight, but I remember her hard, tough, stubborn attitude.

              It was a little past three and Gloria had gone home for the day.  She could not last as long as she wanted to.  It made me so sad.  I was cleaning the place up, dusting and sweeping when I heard the door open. 

Finally!  Not a customer all day and one show up now ten minutes before we close.  I turned around and was surprised to see Oliver.  Well I guess maybe excited, or surprised.  Heck I do not know.  “Hey Grace.  I thought I would stop by and see if you’re doing ok today.”

That was nice, but why did he think I wasn’t ok?  “Oh, ok well yes I am doing ok.  It was a bit of a slow day, and I am anxious to get back go Annabelle.” He smiled, “I know, Maggie said you called about five times today.” 

“It was not five, it was more like four,” I smiled.  “I’m sorry, she was great.  I really like Maggie.  Annabelle really liked her too; I guess I just have issues is all.” “Oh that’s all huh,” Oliver said sarcastically. “Yes,” I smiled. Well what does that mean? 

“I can drive you over to Maggie’s to get Annabelle and then drive you home.”  Why was he so nice?  “I couldn’t ask you to do that again and besides you are on duty again,” I said nervously.  “Well I don’t remember you asking, I did.” 

Ok geez.  “Ok well sure.  Let me just finish up here, lock up and I will be ready to go,” I said.  “Sure,” he grinned.  Oh lord I love that grin.

              I finished up and we headed over to get Annabelle.  “Thanks again for the ride,” I said giving a light nervous smile.

“It’s not a problem at all Grace.  I enjoy it.”  He does, does he?  Well that is strange.  In a good way, I guess.

              Once we got to Maggie’s I felt better.  I saw Annabelle playing in the front yard with Maggie’s two boys.  They were so cute.  She was having so much fun that she did not even notice that I was there.

“Hi Maggie sorry for the stalker calls today, it seems I was being silly because it looks like she is having a blast,” I said.  “Oh she is and she did all day.  She is a very delightful little girl, we had so much fun,” Maggie said smiling.

“I am so glad.”  Come on Annabelle, we need to get home and get dinner started.”  She saw me and her face lit up. 

“Mommy!  I want to show you something, this is Luke and Cole, and they are my friends, Annabelle said squealing with delight. “Oh, hello boys, it is nice to meet you.  I am Annabelle’s mother, Grace.”  The boys were so sweet and I could tell that they were sad to see Belle leave.  “Can Belle come back tomorrow?”  Luke the older boy said.  “Of course she can,” I said laughing. “Oh great!  Yippee!” Cole said.

“She was really fun today and ate very well.  She also took a short nap.  I forgot to ask you if she took naps, but I could not keep her up.  The poor thing was beat, probably because of my boys and their never ending energy,” Maggie said laughing.  I laughed quietly; it was just what Belle needed.