by Joy Wild
Autumn drove aimlessly toward her babysitter’s house to pick up her daughter. There was a light wind blowing, but the evening was still. She had called Ms. Lela to let her know she would pick up Abby tonight. Blake was coming, and she knew she had better have Abby at the house.
“Mommy,” Abby yelled and ran toward her. Autumn caught her and picked her up, ignoring the pain ripping through her side.
“Hey, my baby girl. Did you have fun?”
“I did, Mommy. We made cookies!” Abby squealed.
“You did? I love cookies.” Autumn laughed.
“I know. I made chocolate chip, just for you,” Abby said proudly.
Autumn’s heart swelled with the love she had for Abby.
“Come on, baby girl, we need to get home.”
“Is Daddy coming over tonight?”
“Yes, he is,” Autumn told her.
“Yay!” Abby giggled and ran to Ms. Lela to get her bag and the container of cookies.
Running back to the car, Abby yelled, “Come on, Mommy, let’s go.”
“I wish I could feel the same happiness,” Autumn muttered. She buckled the squirming girl into her car seat and got in the driver’s seat.
She waved at Ms. Lela as they backed out of the driveway. Abby was bouncing away in the car seat, happy to see her daddy, oblivious to the hell that awaited Autumn.
Autumn drove home and waited for the gate to open so she could continue up the long drive. The house was beautiful, but as she suspected, it was already boarded up and hurricane-ready. Autumn wished that she and Abby could live in a little place somewhere safe from Blake, but she knew better than even considering that. For a moment in her mind, a dark-haired man with graying temples and the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen was staring at her. Oh, Mark, I wish you could help. But I won’t risk it. I won’t risk Abby.
Autumn parked the car in the oversized garage, right next to Blake’s massive truck. She shivered, but no point in waiting. She got out and got Abby out. Abby took off into the house, yelling for her daddy.
She walked into the expansive kitchen, where the staff was preparing dinner. She said hello to everyone and then headed for her bedroom. She had eaten at work because she knew Blake would never allow her to eat dinner when he was here. He always had other plans.
13
Autumn was driving along the dark road, and she glanced in the backseat, and Abby was sleeping soundly in her car seat. The rain was pouring down. It was so hard to see the road. Her heart was racing, and she wondered if Blake knew she was gone. Was he chasing her? Blake would never hurt Abby, so he wouldn’t chase her. Would he? The thoughts were charging through her mind like a bull in a china shop. The fear was making her crazy. This was her life now, running, always running from him. She peered up in the rearview mirror and noticed headlights coming up behind her. Autumn slowed down; she didn’t want to get pulled over for speeding. The vehicle came up behind her fast and then went around. Autumn breathed a sigh of relief until suddenly the car slammed on its brakes. She had no choice but to swerve to miss it. She ran off the road. Her heart was pounding as she careened down an embankment into unknown darkness. It felt like an eternity when the car finally stopped moving. She tried to get her thoughts together. Abby was still asleep in her car seat. Oh, thank God. She didn’t need that.
Suddenly, Autumn felt cold water on her feet. The car was filling up with water, fast! Her heart started pounding again. The water was already up to the seat, and she was struggling with the seatbelt. It wouldn’t release.
“Abby!” she yelled.
The water was up to her chest, and she still couldn’t get the seatbelt off.
“No, please God, no!” she screamed. She looked back; Abby was still asleep in her seat. The water was up to her neck. They were going to die. There was nothing she could do. I should never have run! I’m sorry, Abby! I’m so sorry!
As the water was overtaking her, she screamed for Abby one last time.
“Abby!”
Then there was silence as her head went under, and she couldn’t breathe.
“Mommy, wake up!” Abby was shaking her. “Mommy!”
Autumn’s eyes popped open, and her heart was thudding loudly. It was a nightmare, only a nightmare, she thought. She was soaked with sweat, and she had been crying.
“Mommy, are you okay? What happened to your eye? Is that why you were screaming for me?” Abby asked her.
Her eye. Dammit, she remembered the hit. She was nothing more than his punching bag. He didn’t need her for sex. He had his girlfriend for that. No, he needed a punching bag, one that wouldn’t talk. This time it was super bad. He usually didn’t leave marks where people could see them. She was going to have a lot of questions to answer this time.
“I have to get a shower for work, baby girl,” Autumn said as she hugged Abby. “Go eat some breakfast, and I will be ready shortly.”
“Okay, Mommy,” Abby said and bounced off the bed, and headed to the kitchen.
Autumn hurt everywhere. Blake had indeed done a number on her, but she would survive. She had to, for Abby’s sake. She showered as quickly as she could. After putting her uniform on, she finally glanced in the mirror. She gasped at the enormous black eye he had given her. Grabbing her makeup, she did her best to hide it. Putting on the best smile she could muster, she headed to the kitchen to get Abby.
“Good morning,” Autumn told the staff. They glared at her, and she could see the disdain on their faces. She knew they all reported to Blake. Anything she said or did was reported.
“Come on, Abby girl, time to go.”
“Yes, Mommy,” Abby grabbed her bag, and they headed for the garage.
Autumn made the short drive to Ms. Lela’s house and once again dropped Abby off with her.
“You don’t worry about her, sweetie. She is safe with me. Abby knows where my safe room is,” Ms. Lela told her.
Autumn regarded the sky. It was dark and ominous.
“Looks like we are going to get some storms today,” Autumn said.
“That hurricane is going to turn this way. I feel it in my bones,” Ms. Lela said while rubbing her hip.
“I hope you’re wrong,” Autumn groaned.
“I’m not, hon, you need to prepare,” Ms. Lela laughed. “When you get to be my age, you know these things. The bones don’t lie.”
“Well, you two stay safe. I will be back as soon as I can, but if it does turn this way, I will get sent to the coast to help evacuate,” Autumn told her.
“We will be safe. You be careful out there.”
“Thank you, Lela,” Autumn said and turned to her car. This is gonna be bad. Autumn shook her head. She had a throbbing headache, and it was only going to get worse.
14
Mark knew Autumn was in trouble, but he didn’t know how much. Her ex-husband was a jackass, and he noticed how Autumn reacted to him. He had seen this look before. It was the same one his mother had whenever his father walked into the room. What he couldn’t figure out was why. They are divorced. She has no ties to him, so the abuse shouldn’t be still going on.
“I’m missing something, but what?” Mark asked himself.
He dialed the phone.
“What?” a voice answered.
“Wow, nice greeting,” Mark said.
“I’m busy; speak,” Gene barked.
“I’m not a damn dog. Any word on Autumn’s situation?” Mark asked.
“If I had any information beyond public knowledge, I would have told you.”
“I didn’t know Autumn was married until yesterday,” Mark said.
“Was being the key word. She was married to Blake Daze, a famous football player, for about five years, I think. Her parents don’t have much to do with her because she eloped with him. He’s got a supermodel girlfriend and loves being the center of attention. No criminal record, nothing,” Gene said. “I saw a medical alert that Autumn was seen in the ER yesterday for a cut on her head. The doctor noted that she had
some severe bruising on her left side but refused to say anything more than she fell and hit the bathtub. He made a notation that he thought there was more to it but had no proof. She lives in a house that Blake owns. He provides everything for her, so it appears to be a model arrangement for her.”
“It’s not. I saw him with her yesterday. He was rude and very forceful with her. She cringed when he walked into the room, and I could see her trembling. I think he is abusing her.”
“Well, without proof and without her asking for help, there is nothing we can do.”
“Not what I want to hear,” Mark said.
“Maybe not, but it’s all I got right now,” Gene said, and the phone went dead.
“Dammit, I hate when you do that,” Mark said to thin air.
Mark sat in his car, watching the fire station for Autumn to get to work. He needed to see that she was okay. As he stared into space, his mind went back to Blake grabbing Autumn and slamming her into the side of the ambulance, and then kissing her. He saw red and wanted to beat the shit out of Blake, but he had no right. He saw Autumn’s fists ball up at her side, and he knew that she didn’t want him to do it, she cringed at his presence. Blake had whispered something in Autumn’s ear, and whatever he said had made Autumn shrink. Mark knew that Blake was beating Autumn in his heart, but he couldn’t figure out why.
He saw her car pull up and park. Mark watched Autumn get out slowly. She was moving with extreme care. She was hurting, and he knew it. Deciding to go in and say hi to everyone, Mark pulled up by Autumn’s car. When he walked past, he glanced inside and froze. Sticking out from under a blanket was the corner of a car seat.
She has a fucking child. That explains a whole lot.
Grabbing his cellphone, he hit redial.
“What now?”
“She has a fucking child.”
“What? Who?”
“Autumn,” Mark said.
“There is no record of a child,” Gene said.
“Well, there is a car seat in her vehicle, she is being abused but won’t ask for help, and she disappears quickly. She is protecting a child.”
“Well shit. That changes things. Give me a little bit to do some deeper digging.” The phone went dead.
So many thoughts were going through his head. She has a child. Why is she hiding the fact that she has a child? Where is the child? Boy or girl? How hold? Mark’s head was spinning with this new information. He was frozen in place as he pondered the news. His cellphone rang.
“Owens.”
“She has a six-year-old daughter named Abigail. The child is homeschooled and kept hidden from the world. According to what I can find, they keep the child hidden because of Blake’s fame. That child may be the answer to all the questions you have,” Gene said.
“I’m going to help her. If the daughter is being abused too, I won’t stand by.”
“She is your case. Keep me posted. I won’t bring in the others until we know more,” Gene said and hung up.
Mark knew he had to get close to Autumn and fast. Forcing himself to relax, he walked into the station.
“Hey, everyone. Y’all ready for this hurricane?” Mark asked.
“Hey, Mark,” Winter said as she smiled at him. “As ready as we are going to be.”
Mark smiled as Autumn walked into the bay. God, she is gorgeous. He thought to himself. With her Auburn hair and her green eyes, she reminded him of fire. He stared at her as she walked forward. He could feel the tension coming off of her. She looked him in the eyes and then quickly turned away.
“Hey, guys,” Autumn said to get everyone’s attention.
“What’s up?” Winter asked.
“The hurricane turned. We have twenty-four hours before direct impact here. John wants everyone in the boardroom now,” Autumn told them. “Guess that means you too since you're here,” she said to Mark.
They all headed for the boardroom to find out what was going on.
“Everyone, take a seat,” John said. He waited until everyone was seated and focused.
“Mark, I’m glad you’re here. This will affect you too. We are evacuating nursing homes in the lower parishes. We are setting up an incident command in Lafourche Parish. Every ambulance will be staffed with an EMT, a paramedic, and security.”
Everyone started talking at once and eyeing Mark.
“Quiet down. I know this is not the usual standard, but the incident commander has said there is a lot of trouble brewing, and I would rather have my people safe. I will have everyone assigned to a unit within thirty minutes. In the meantime, get your units stocked and fueled up. Be ready to roll out in an hour. Dismissed.”
Mark’s phone rang, and he knew what this call was.
“Owens.”
“You’re assigned to Autumn’s truck. Sam and Steve will be there soon. Caleb has to remain at the hospital.” The phone went dead.
“Well, awesome,” Mark said to no one.
He went to his SUV and grabbed his go bag, extra uniforms, and weapons. At least now, Autumn would have to pay attention to him. I would give anything to see her genuine smile again. Mark had never paid attention to it before, but her smile seemed fake. Mark had watched politicians his whole life. A fake smile is a diplomatic smile, one for the press, but not real. “Well, ex or not, she is going to notice me.”
Mark walked back inside, ready to take on Autumn, Blake, and hurricane all at once.
“All right, everyone, listen up. Autumn and Chris, you are teamed up with Mark. Winter and Mike, you will be teamed up with Sam Saint, who will be here in ten minutes. Summer, welcome aboard. I know it’s your first week here, but… well, it’s gonna be trial by fire. You will be teamed up with Steve Knight. Since Spring is still out with the baby, Steve will be your medic and security. Once your team is assembled, roll out.”
Mark gazed around, and everyone seemed happy; well, everyone but Autumn, who was shooting daggers at him. He smiled at her and saw her glare waver, just a little bit.
“Chris, Autumn, I’m going to ride down with you guys so I can help coordinate,” John said as he got in the passenger side of the ambulance. Chris got in the driver’s seat; this left no choice for Autumn but to get in the back with Mark.
“Great,” she muttered.
“Hey, I could take offense to that,” Mark laughed.
“So. I call the stretcher. It’s a two-hour nap for me,” Autumn said and climbed in the back. He could tell she was hurting badly.
“Cool, I can sleep on the bench,” Mark said as he climbed in behind her.
They both tossed their bags up behind the cab and sat down.
“Y’all ready back there,” Chris called out.
“Yep, wake me when we get there,” Autumn said. Mark saw Chris smile and slide the cab door shut.
He glanced over, and Autumn was lying on the stretcher with her eyes closed but facing the bench. He smiled and stretched on the bench, facing her. He was so close to her, but yet it seemed so far away. Mark stared at her, and that’s when he noticed the black eye. He felt his anger start all over again. Blake had beaten her last night. He wondered about Abby and if she was okay. Mark pictured a little girl like Autumn, and he couldn’t help but smile.
“Stop staring at me,” Autumn said. Her eyes were still closed.
“How did you know I’m staring at you?” Mark questioned.
“I can feel it.” He reached over and very gently touched her cheek. Her eyes flew open, and the terror was evident as she moved away.
“Whoa, baby, easy,” Mark said, pulling his hand away.
Autumn sat up. Mark sat up in front of her.
“Baby, I know what’s going on. What I don’t know is why. I want to help you. I can help you if you let me.”
“You can’t help me, Mark. No one can.”
“Is it because of Abby?”
Autumn’s face paled, and she looked like she was about to pass out.
“How do you know about Abby?” she stuttered.
&nbs
p; “You forget what I do for a living,” Mark replied.
“No one knows about Abby. No one can know.”
“Baby, I’m not telling anyone. I want to help you, but you have to trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone, Mark. No one. Ever.”
“Please, let me prove to you that you can trust me. Lay down and get some rest, baby.”
He watched as she slowly laid back down. He hoped she was thinking about letting him help. He laid down, and taking a chance, he gently took her hand and closed his eyes. He smiled when he felt her hold tighten on his hand. Well, that’s an excellent first step.
15
Autumn lay on the stretcher holding Mark’s hand. What the hell are you doing? Blake will kill him and you, then where will that leave Abby? Being raised by a monster. Autumn’s mind was racing. She cracked her eyes open to sneak a peek over at Mark. Damn, he is gorgeous. I wish I could wake up to that every day. But it’s not gonna happen. Besides, no one wants to be saddled with someone else’s kid.
“Stop thinking so hard. It will work out, and besides, I love kids,” Mark said.
Autumn’s eyes opened wide, and she saw him smiling.
“How did you know what I was thinking?” she asked him.
“Your thoughts are loud,” he laughed.
She pulled her hand away and turned over without another word. She needed to sleep. It wouldn’t be much longer until they moved nursing home residents to a safer location, and it would take hours.
Autumn was running through the woods. The trees were slapping her face, but she didn’t feel it anymore. She was out of breath, and she couldn’t keep running.
“Abby! Abby!” She kept screaming, but there was no answer.
“You can’t keep running bitch,” a voice called out. “Abby is gone from you forever.”
“No!” Autumn screamed.
“Autumn, wake up, baby,” a voice was calling to her. “Autumn, wake up.”