I rolled back over, turning to face the television set. “Oh all right. I’ll watch one show with you. And I won’t even tease you about watching a Rachel Cooper show.”
“That’s big of you.”
As I watched the story I knew—if her last primetime special had turned my world upside down, this one would go a long way towards setting it right again.
That gut feeling was given credence the next morning when Charlie called to incredulously inform me that Julie had not shown up for her court date. Given her failure to appear and indications that she had fled the country, the case was dropped.
As difficult as it was to not race back to Hampton the moment I heard the news, the knowledge that my patience was purchasing my freedom made the wait worthwhile. Charlie took Gabrielle home and registered her in school while I stayed to face Daniel Winslow in court.
Of course, Charlie left the girls with Anjelita so he could be by my side the day my life came full circle.
We listened to testimony after testimony about the Winslow men, and I realized that I truly had been trapped in something so much larger than myself. It was odd to see just how finite the view was from my vantage point.
And then, just like that, it was over. The monster was put in a cage. I was released from mine. We headed home just in time for the girls’ birthdays, a life worth living sprawled bright and promising in front of us.
Epilogue
If my stomach got any larger, I was pretty sure it would pop like a balloon. Sweat beaded on my forehead and no matter how much I tried to keep my hair up, it seemed to perpetually stick to my neck. July in Arkansas was feeling particularly brutal.
I wished I’d looked more like a human and less like a whale when I met my in-laws, but was grateful they seemed to like me regardless. I’d been so scared to meet them. Knowing how much they meant to Charlie and to the Torres family had built them up in my mind as fairly intimidating people.
In reality they were humble and kind—a lot like their son. And they were thrilled to see Charlie so happy. I think that went a long way towards their liking me. It was good to see Charlie happy; I had to agree on that. The dark circles were gone from his eyes. He seemed at ease in his own skin again. Every night, he would lay his head and his hands on my stomach and talk to the baby, smiling like a schoolboy whenever his son would kick him in response.
The baby was due in six days, but in my current state I was quite convinced the kiddo had cooked long enough. Anytime he wanted to make an appearance was okay by me. I was really holding out hope for this evening—we were hosting a cook-out and going to the Fourth of July festival and fireworks after. That sounded like a perfect recipe for inducing labor to me.
“Hey,” Conrad slipped up behind me, planting a kiss on the top of my head. “I need to talk to you but I don’t want you to make this a bigger deal than it really is.”
“Some intro,” I stopped chunking watermelon and turned to face him. “What’s up?”
“I’m moving.”
“To Hampton?” hope laced my voice.
“To New Jersey,” he said almost guiltily.
“Oh,” I processed that for a second. “Isn’t New Jersey close to New York?”
“Alright brain child, I’m glad you know basic geography.”
“Who do we know that lives in New York?” I tapped my finger to my chin thoughtfully. “If only we knew someone there so you wouldn’t be all alone.”
“I’m going because I got a great job offer, not because of her.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Shut up.”
“Well, if you happen to bump into a really important journalist while you’re up that way, tell her we miss her.”
“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes. “So, you’re not mad at me?”
“Absolutely not. I’ll miss you, but I’m glad you’re living your life for a change. Have you told Gabrielle yet?”
“I was hoping you’d help me there. I never know what to say to that kid anymore. She cries if you say boo.”
“Welcome to the tween years, my brother. I don’t think it gets much better until they go off to college.”
“She’s welcome to stay with me if she wants to go to college out east.”
“Very funny. I was thinking more along the lines of a few weeks over summer break.”
“That would be nice,” he nodded. I think I might have even seen a glint of a tear in his eye.
“What are you two so serious about in here?” Charlie interrupted the conversation.
“My big brother is leaving us,” I sighed and went back to the watermelon. “Good thing Mary’s coming to stay for a while or I’d be lonely. Manny keeps Anjelita so busy with their business; she hardly has time to catch a breath lately.”
“Oh, they are going to the festival with us tonight,” Charlie remembered, giving me a peck on the cheek as he stole a piece of watermelon.
“Good; they need a break.”
“Manny says he doesn’t want to miss a chance to see the Doo-Wop Boys in their neon-pink shorts.”
“Do I want to know what that means?”
“The band. It’s been the same band since I was a kid. They were infinitely cooler thirty years ago.”
“Ah,” I smiled at that mental picture. Typical small-town life, I guess. But it was nice—there was a certain continuity to things.
Beau came charging through the kitchen, sopping wet and smelly from a swim in the pond. Three young girls were hot on his heels, shouting his name and giggling. I stared at the muddy paw prints on my floor and sighed.
“Come on,” Charlie pulled the burgers out of the refrigerator and motioned for Conrad to join him. “You can help me cook these while you explain why you’re leaving us.”
“For a girl,” I made a face at him.
“For a job,” he made a face back.
I turned back to the watermelon with a smile. Gator holes and fences and monsters seemed like nothing more than a distant nightmare on a day like today.
As I gathered the watermelon rind to take it out to the trash, a sharp pain streaked across my abdomen, doubling me over before I’d even taken my first step towards the door. I blinked a few times and tried to remember to breathe.
When the pain ebbed to a dull ache, I straightened and finished taking out the trash before calling Charlie inside. The inquisitive look on his face changed from one of concern to excitement as another pain snaked its way from my back to my belly. Our eyes met across the room. Ready or not, we were about to embark on a new kind of adventure together.
###
Author’s note:
I have always admired Neena’s courage, strength and tenacity. Despite these characteristics, she needed someone to be her voice when hers had been silenced by a great evil. That’s why this book is free; it’s my way of doing what I can to be a voice for voiceless.
I often encourage my readers to use their talents to leave their mark on this world—to make a difference. Once cause I believe very strongly in is the fight against modern-day slavery. Every day around the world people from all walks of life are enslaved. Statistics show there are more people in slavery today than there were during the height of the transatlantic slave trade. Women and children are especially at risk.
It’s an atrocity on all our heads if we hold silent. Sometimes with a problem this large, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Fair Trade is a good place to start. By ensuring the products you purchase weren’t made by the hands of slaves, you speak with your consumer dollars. And that voice is loud. Learn more about Fair Trade at www.wfto.com.
There are also many excellent organizations out there who dedicate themselves to making a difference. One I trust and respect is World Vision. Please consider making a donation to their Hope for Sexually Exploited Girls fund. Every dollar helps. You can learn more about World Vision at www.worldvision.org, or by clicking one of the World Vision buttons on my website.
About the author:
Heather Huffman lives in Missouri with her husband and their three sons. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending time with the family horse and their pack of rescued dogs. A firm believer that life is more than the act of taking up air, Heather is always on the lookout for an adventure that will become fodder the next novel.
Connect with me online:
Blog: http://www.heatherhuffman.blogspot.com
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HeatherHuffman
Facebook: Facebook profile
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