The Legacy (45 page)

Taking a deep breath, she makes an effort to get up when
a car approaches and stops.
“Are you all right, honey?” the woman calls through her
window.
Sadie wipes her face. “I need to get to the police station.”
The woman’s brows draw together in concern. “Well,
come on and I’ll take you.”
“Thank you,” Sadie says with a grateful sob. As she
stands and moves toward the car, her knees buckle and she
falls. The woman jumps out and helps her to walk around to
the passenger’s side.
“I think maybe I should take you to the hospital instead,”
she says, seeing fresh blood roll down the back of Sadie’s neck.
“I work in housekeeping there and I'm on my way in now.”
“No, please,” Sadie says as she collapses into the seat. “I
need to
get
to
the
police.
I have
information
about
a
kidnapping.”
“Good heavens!” The woman closes the door. As she
pulls out onto the road she introduces herself. ”My name is
Helen Grant.”
“Sadie Roberts.” Sadie continues to hold her head. The
pain is excruciating and she is just barely hanging on to
consciousness. “I’m grateful for your help, Helen. It was a
miracle you came when you did. You were an answer to my
prayers.”
Helen gives a small smile. “I’m happy I can be an answer
to
someone’s
prayers.
I’ve
certainly
had plenty
of
mine
answered lately.”
When they finally arrive at the station, Helen walks
around and opens the door for Sadie, helping her to stand.
Sadie leans against her and they walk into the building. The
officer at the front desk looks up just as Sadie’s legs give out
and she goes down, almost taking Helen with her.
“What happened?” he asks, rushing to them.
“I was driving by and saw her sitting at the bus stop. She
told me she was trying to make it here, but she was in so much
pain, she had to stop.”
The officer gently lifts her head and examines the bloody
mass on the back. “Someone got her pretty good.”
Sadie loses consciousness and the officer calls for an
ambulance. While they wait, he questions Helen and she tells
him all she knows. When the ambulance finally arrives and
leaves to take Sadie to the emergency room, Helen follows,
hoping she will be okay.

As
morning
light
spills
into
the
room,
Adagio
lay
watching Cisely sleep. He wishes he could see her dreams and
longs to be a part of them. How he loves just looking at her!
He gently brushes her hair back, not able to resist touching her,
and marvels that she never ceases to take his breath away, even
when she is sleeping peacefully. Despite all they are going
through, their love for each other is continually growing, and
his entire being thrives on her happiness.

Adagio is so proud of Cisely for her strength and awed by
her
determination
to
continue
their
family
Thanksgiving
tradition, even though Phillip is not with them. There is still a
great deal of pain every time he thinks of his little boy and his
hope for Phillip’s return never ceases. But his faith is strong
and he knows in his heart their son is all right.

As Cisely slowly awakens, Adagio continues to caress her
face, as if she were a priceless treasure. Opening her eyes, she
smiles, the deep love in her eyes evident.

“Good morning,” he says with a smile. “How are you
feeling?”
“About the same.”
“I will go and get a croissant and some juice for you,
okay?” He sits up, pushing back the blanket.
She nods. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
“Adagio?” she says, reaching for his hand as he stands.
He sits on the edge of the bed. “I love you. Thank you for
loving me so much.”
Leaning over, he presses a gentle hand to her face. “You
don't need to thank me. You are very easy to love. I can't
imagine not loving you or having you in my life.”
“I can’t imagine not loving you either. She stares into his
eyes and he sees a multitude of emotions in them. “It seems
like we have always been together, like I have always been
yours.”
“You were meant to be mine,” he says, his voice gentle,
yet his gaze is intent. “And you will always be mine.” Pressing
his lips to hers, he kisses her possessively.
You will always be mine.
The statement embeds itself deeper into his soul as her mouth
continues to soften under his.

I melt under the power his kiss holds. I really am his. I
completely
belong
to
him.
Everything
about
his
love
is
perfection.

“I will go get that juice and croissant for you,” he
whispers against my lips. He draws back a little, meeting my
misty eyes with his own tear-filled gaze. “I love you, baby.” He
kisses me again and heads to the kitchen.

Sliding over to his side of the bed, I contemplate his
words. Pressing my face to his pillow, I breathe in his scent.
This powerful passion I harbor for him completely fills me, and
he holds my heart in the palm of his hand. He is everything to
me, a literal part of my soul.

I smile, thinking of the new life growing inside me that is
another product of our love. Brushing a tear away, my thoughts
linger on Phillip and how happy he would be to know he is
going to be a big brother. Pressing a hand to my chest, I sob
softly as sadness again overwhelms me. I miss my little boy
immensely and it isn’t getting any easier.

Adagio returns with a tray for me. Setting it down beside
the bed, he slips under the covers, immediately pulling me into
his arms.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I didn’t mean for this to happen
this morning.”
“Shhh,” he soothes, pressing a kiss to my brow. “It is all
right. Anytime you need to cry, it is okay.” His voice cracks.
“And I will be right here.”
As if his permission is all I need, I bury my face against
his chest and cry without restraint. Adagio can do nothing but
hold me and cry with me.

Sadie slowly awakens as the early morning light seeps
through the blinds of the hospital room. The pain she’d felt
previously is gone, replaced by a lightheartedness she has never
felt before. Lifting a hand to her head, she finds it securely
wrapped in bandages. She tries to remember what happened
last night, but her mind is still fuzzy and her brain can’t seem to
function. The one thing that does stand out in her mind is
Phillip is in danger. She has to help him.

She pushes the call button attached to her bed. After a
moment, the doctor enters her room and she finds herself
doing a double take, taken off guard by his attractiveness.
Taking in his expression, she wonders if she only imagines the
look of relief in his eyes.

“Good morning, Miss Roberts,” he says softly. “I’m Dr.
Grant. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you awake. I know
you probably don’t remember much and I will try and fill you
in. But first, how are you feeling?”

“My head is kind of fuzzy, but it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“That’s good. It means the pain medication we gave you
is still working. As soon as it wears off and you start to feel
pain, don’t hesitate to ask for more.” His eyes turn serious.
“That was a nasty gash you received and you got a slight
concussion along with it.” He places a gentle hand on her arm.
“Would you like to tell me how it happened?”
Sadie’s arm tingles under his hand and she forces herself
to keep from reacting. “Yes, I’ll tell you, but I need to speak
with the police too. I have some important information for
them.”
“I thought you might. There has been an officer waiting
out in the hall for a while now to speak with you. I said I would
let him know the moment you awakened. I’ll go and get him
now if that is all right.”
When Sadie nods, he leaves, returning seconds later with
the officer. Sadie vaguely remembers him from last night.
Dr. Grant sits on a stool next to the bed. He isn’t sure if
he should stay or not, but he doesn’t want to leave Sadie just
yet. A deeper part of him needs to know who would do such a
thing to her.
“Miss Roberts, last night you came to the station because
you had some information about a kidnapping. I would like to
take your statement now.”
Taking a deep breath, Sadie tells the officer about Gladys
kidnapping Phillip and bringing him to her house, pretending
he was her grandson. She tells him about her history with
Gladys, explaining that even though she didn’t like the woman,
she had no reason at first to doubt her story. Then she
observed the hateful way Gladys treated the boy. Sadie tells the
officer that until yesterday, Phillip hadn’t spoken, so she didn't
know he had been kidnapped. Then she saw the missing child
poster at the bus stop. She repeats to him what Phillip told her
about Gladys taking him from the wedding reception of a
relative in North Carolina.
She wipes her eyes. “Gladys came in and caught me
talking to him and became suspicious. That was when I made
up my mind to get him out of there. She watched me for the
rest of the evening. When I tried to get him out of the house in
the middle of the night, she hit me from behind. The next thing
I knew, I was waking up on my hallway floor. And now . . .
now she’s taken Phillip to who knows where . . . and it’s all my
fault.”
Dr. Grant takes the box of tissue from the table and
places it on the bed. Seeing guilt and grief etched into her face,
he wishes he could say something to help. He places his hand
over hers and squeezes.
Sadie looks into the doctor's eyes, her own conveying
how much she appreciates him being there. She doesn’t know
this man, and she is sure this isn't a part of his job description,
yet for the first time in a long time she doesn’t feel alone.
The officer tells Sadie she isn’t responsible for any of this
and it's good that she came forward as soon as she’d made the
discovery, but his words do nothing to ease her conscience. She
should have known Gladys wasn’t telling the truth. She should
have done something sooner. The guilt is tearing her up inside.
When the officer leaves to call the information in, Sadie
heaves a sigh of relief, holding to the hope that they will find
Phillip before it is too late.

With one hand gripping the back of Phillip’s shirt,
Gladys knocks on the door of the secluded old trailer, musing
that it pays to have friends in low places. Looking around the
area she has to admit, this place is even lower than her own.
The
rusty
old trailer
is
out
in
the
middle
of
nowhere
surrounded by
trees.
There
are
junked cars
and trucks
everywhere and the road leading to the place is unpaved.

Yeah, no one will look for me here,
she thinks with a smile.
When there is no answer, she bangs on the door again.
“I’m coming!” a gruff voice yells. “Hold your horses!”
A minute later the door opens. Phillip looks up at the big,

rough-looking man and cringes.
“Well, if it ain’t Glad Gladys. What are you doing in this
neck of the woods?”
“I just thought I’d come and hang out with my old
drinking buddy for a while.” She eyes the tall Indian and smiles.
“How you been, Tom?”
“As well as can be expected. Ya’ll come on in, then.”
“Go on in there, boy,” Gladys says, shoving Phillip
through the door.
“So what you been up to?” Tom asks, fixing his eyes on
Phillip as she shoves him into an old chair in the corner of the
cluttered room.
“Not a whole lot. My daughter dumped her boy off on
me and I’ve been trying to take care of him. But it’s hard when
money is low.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. My ex tried to leave the two
young’uns with me, but I wouldn’t stand for it.” He eyes Phillip
again. “That’s a good looking boy, but I know his daddy ain’t
black, is he?”
“No, he ain’t.”
“You want something to eat, boy?” Tom asks him.
Phillip nods slowly. Normally he wouldn’t have answered,
but since he hasn't eaten anything since dinner yesterday, he is
hungry.
“Well, I got a can of peaches and some bread. Come on
in the kitchen.” Phillip timidly follows Tom.
While Tom is getting the food for Phillip, Gladys starts
looking through his cabinets for something stronger than water
to drink.
“I got a bottle stashed in the bottom cabinet over there.”
He points to a greasy door in the corner.
“Ah, jackpot!” she says as she pulls the almost full fifth of
vodka from the cabinet. She takes a dirty glass off the table and
fills it, then quickly takes a swallow, grimacing as the burning
liquid rolls down her throat.
“I’m guessing you needed that.”
“You guessed right,” she says, smiling before taking
another swallow.
“Well, pour me a glass.” He takes another dirty glass from
the table and hands it to her. She fills it half way and holds it
out to him. Tom takes a large swallow and sets the glass down.
“So, how long you plan on staying?”
“Just for a few days. I’ll keep out of your way and the boy
won’t be a problem. I’ll make sure of it.” She shoots Phillip a
hateful look.
Phillip fights the sudden burning in his eyes, determined
to not cry. It makes Gladys angrier when he does, and that's the
last thing he wants.
“”He don’t look like he’ll be too much of a problem.”
Gladys looks over at his now empty bowl. “That boy
would eat me out of house and home if I let him. That’s why I
ain't got any money left now.”
“I hear what you’re saying. Young’uns take every dime,
that’s for sure.” He turns to Phillip. “Hey, boy, go on back in
the bedroom and turn on the television while me and your
grandma talk.”
Phillip does as he is told. Secretly, he is eager to watch
television. He hadn’t been allowed to at Sadie’s. Gladys hadn’t
allowed him to do anything, except sit quietly in the bedroom
all day. And he read the picture books Sadie bought for him so
many times, he had the pages memorized.
He turns on the television and sits in a wooden chair in
the corner, but instead of watching the cartoons on the screen,
he thinks of Sadie. Tears fill his eyes as he recalls her lying on
the hallway floor. Never during this whole ordeal had he been
as frightened as he was at that moment. Gladys has always been
mean, but to know she actually hurt Sadie completely terrifies
him. He feels like it is his fault. Sadie was only trying to help
him, but she ended up getting hurt instead. He quickly wipes at
the tears.
“Please let her be okay, God,” he whispers. “Please let
Sadie be okay.”