by Kay Edwards
Chapter Twenty-Two
Helen woke up feeling something around her waist. She looked down, saw a hand, and smiled as she remembered Logan was here husband. She turned in his arms and looked at him. His eyes were closed. She smiled as she watched him sleep. He stirred and pulled her closer and Helen giggled in delight. She did not know why she laughed, but she did. She almost jumped out of her skin when he spoke. Then, she giggled again.
Logan felt like he was being watched. He could tell by Helen’s breathing she was not asleep and assumed she was the culprit. He stirred and pulled her closer waiting for her reaction. He smiled as he heard her giggle. Logan felt her jump when he busted her out on the staring thing. “I’m sure you have heard that a person can’t sleep when they are being watched.” he tried to sound stern. Her giggles assured him he failed.
Helen pulled back to look at her husband. She tried to look repentant but failed since she was nibbling her bottom lip to keep from laughing. She shrugged her shoulders instead and giggled some more.
“I see you like laughing,” Logan said before he rolled her underneath him. She paused and looked at him the sparkle still in her eyes. “Helen.” he asked in a very serious tone “Are you ticklish?”
Helen was still giggling when Logan rolled on top of her. She looked up into his eyes. When she heard him ask if she was ticklish, Helen kept eye contact as she nodded yes. She felt his hand go to her side.
Logan smiled as Helen nodded yes. His eyes never left hers as he put his hand on her side. “I think you have earned a sound tickling. Would you agree?” He watched her head shake no. Her eyes were still sparkling. “Is there anything you would like to say in your defense?” she nodded yes. What she said next he could not disagree with.
“I think we should go brush our teeth so that you can kiss me.” she giggled at his shocked look.
Logan knew he looked surprised when she laughed. “Well I guess I can’t turn that down.” he rolled off of her and headed for the bathroom. She joined him at the sink, and they brushed their teeth. The couple watched each other in the mirror. Helen giggled again, and Logan smiled. They finished brushing their teeth before Logan leaned down and kissed his wife’s lips.
Helen kissed her husband back. She was aware that as things progressed she would be more curious. She also knew that because Logan was her husband she was allowed to be. She looked at her husband as he finished the kiss. She smiled up at him. “I love you. How did this happen?”
Logan gazed down at his wife. She was more than he deserved. He had made some pretty bad choices. Loving her was not one of them. “I love you too. I don’t know why God picked me for you, but I am so glad He did.”
Helen glanced at her mother’s bedroom door. The door was still closed. Helen knew she was still sleeping. “I say we go make some breakfast.”
“Lead the way.” Logan gestured for her to take the lead. The two went downstairs and started to make breakfast. They made sure there was more than enough for Ester when she woke up.
A knock sounded on the front door, and Logan went to answer it. He returned with his mother and Toby. Helen greeted Elaina “Hi Mrs...mmm… Mother Day.”
Elaina laughed. “I suppose it will take some remembering.” she went over and kissed her new daughter’s cheek.
Helen noticed Toby. She was a bit taken back. She was not used to having other males around. Suddenly uncertain, she looked at Logan.
Logan could see Helen getting uncomfortable. He walked up and put his arm around her “Helen you remember Toby.”
Helen found her tongue and spoke. “Of course. Hello.” she greeted softly.
Logan talked to his mom and Toby as well. “Have you two eaten?”
Elaina answered the question. “No, Ester invited us over for breakfast. Where is Ester?”
As if on cue, Ester entered the kitchen. She greeted everyone. “Good morning family.” She walked over to Helen and kissed her cheek. Next, she walked over to Logan and kissed his cheek. Seeing Toby, she walked over to him and kissed his cheek. Logan laughed as his friend blushed.
Toby smiled as he watched Ester kiss her daughter and new son. His smile froze when he realized she was going to kiss his cheek too. “…Um good morning Mrs. Kiser…” He could feel himself blush.
Ester laughed at Toby. “Now dear, you can just call me Mother Kiser. I hear you calling Elaina Mother Day, and I won’t be left out.” She rolled up her sleeves and walked over to help Logan and Helen. “What have you started?”
Helen looked at her mother and smiled “Everything, go and sit down mom. Logan and I can finish. You did so much yesterday let us do this.”
Logan and Helen finished breakfast in no time. They put sausage, eggs, home fries, and toast on the table. They all held hands and blessed the food.
Toby watched as Helen and Logan finished breakfast. He smiled as he watched his friend flirt with his new wife. Toby knew something was up but was not near as worried about it. When they all held hands and prayed, he felt something stir in his heart. He would have to think about what had caused the feeling.
The five of them ate and chatted about the wedding. The mothers did most of the talking, and Helen looked over at Logan and winked. She remembered their talk the night before. Helen had meant every word of her vows. She knew Logan had as well.
Toby was having a great time. He enjoyed listening to his two new moms talking. They were treating him like they had known him for years. Logan’s cell rang, and he watched him pull it out of his pocket. Logan’s face grew serious. Toby looked around and noticed everyone was looking at Logan. He was confused when Logan spoke. “I need to take this it’s Detective Benion.” He saw that Helen’s face had paled at her husband’s words. He watched Logan leave the room with Helen following close behind him.
Ester watched Toby knowing he was now part of their tiny family. She knew in a couple of minutes he would know why Helen and Logan married so fast. Her heart broke for her daughter a little. Helen was so uncomfortable about even the pastor knowing what had happened to her. She looked at Elaina and Toby as she gestured toward the living room. “Shall we?”
Toby followed Elaina and Ester. He walked into the living room and took in the scene before him. Logan was still on the phone, and Helen was on the sofa. Her legs were pulled close to her chest as if protecting herself from an unseen enemy. Whatever was going on it involved Helen. Toby wanted to make sure it was ok with her that he was there. He walked over and sat down beside Helen. She looked up, and he saw fear in her eyes. His voice was gentle. “I’m not sure what is going on, but if you want Helen, I can leave the room.”
Helen watched Toby walk toward her. She was frightened, but knew Logan was there. She just did not know what to do about Toby. When he talked to her giving her a choice, she knew it was ok for him to know. He was Logan’s best friend and may be able to help. She spoke softly, “It is ok if you stay. You are Logan’s best friend.” a tear slipped down her cheek as she buried her head in her knees.
Toby watched Logan hang up the phone. When he walked over, Toby moved to allow him room to sit beside his wife.
Logan saw Toby go to Helen. He knew she was afraid. He watched his friend show kindness to his wife. Logan knew Toby had been concerned about the marriage. He did not know Helen and had all sorts of questions. The fact that Toby could see his wife’s pain and respond with gentleness made Toby his friend for life. He hung up with the officer and walked over to Helen. Toby moved so Logan could sit next to her. All eyes were on Logan when he finally spoke. “Detective Benion said that the number of cigar butts across the street added up to about five times the amount they found near the studio. It is like we first suspected he has been watching Helen since her face appeared on TV rescuing Lidia.” Logan watched his wife as he finished. “The DNA on the butts matched the DNA they found on the clothes you gave them.” Helen starte
d to tremble, and Logan pulled her onto his lap. She buried her head in his chest.
Toby wanted to ask questions, but he didn’t. He had a feeling if he remained silent it would all make sense.
Ester was confused. “Logan, what clothes?”
Logan looked at his wife. He knew she needed to be the one to answer that question. “Tell her Helen.” he encouraged her softly.
Helen was very shaken, and she tried to breathe. She looked at her husband in anguish. “Logan?”
“Breathe Helen. You can do this. Your mom needs to hear this from you.”
Toby watched the exchange between Logan and his new wife. Helen had such a look of torment on her face.
Helen looked at Logan. She found strength in him. She nodded and turned to face her mom. “I still had the clothes.”
Ester looked at her daughter in horror. “Why would you keep the clothes? How did I not find them?”
Helen looked at Logan again. He nodded encouragement. “The man left the door open. I got dressed and ran home. I did not want you or daddy to know. I was confused, ashamed, and broken. I climbed in my bedroom window. I took off the clothes and hid them. When we moved, I was afraid you would find them, so I packed them and hid them again. I’m sorry, Mamma.” She said softly.
Ester would not allow her daughter to apologize. She got up and walked over to her. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Please do not ever apologize again. That monster that took you is the one that should be sorry. Not you. My dear Helen, you were only nine. You were a child.”
Helen got off of Logan’s lap and leaned into her mother’s embrace. “I love you, Mamma.”
Ester’s tears streamed down her face. “I love you too my sweet baby. Thank you for telling me.”
Toby was sick. Everything made sense with how Helen had acted toward him. She was just a child when this had happened. The video of Logan teaching her to dance was not her being anxious, it was not her pretending to be something she wasn’t. It was her being afraid. He leaned forward and braced his arms on his knees. He looked up at Logan and made eye contact. His friend looked like there was more. “What else did the officer say?”
Helen looked back at Logan. He held out his hand, and she took it. He pulled her into his lap and finished. “The DNA is also linked to the murder of a ten-year-old girl last year.”
Helen started shaking. “No.” she whispered. She looked at Logan. “If he gets me, I won’t live, will I?”
Logan cupped his wife’s face. “I am here for a reason. I can’t imagine that God would bring us together just to rip us apart. I will protect you.”
Toby was a bit upset about God being in charge. Where the heck was He when Helen needed Him? He voiced his issue. “How can God be so great if He allowed Helen to be hurt like that?” he was surprised when Helen was the one who answered.
“God never promised that we would not have pain. He only promised to hold us through the pain.” Helen slid down between Toby and her husband. “I have never felt like God left me. I need you to know that Toby. I believe God is why I am alive. Who harms a child and then leaves the door wide open for her to escape? I got away. I know God had something to do with that.”
Toby looked down at Helen. He saw God’s strength in her clearly. He knew he needed what she had. Toby looked up at Logan. He could tell his friend was aware of what he was thinking.
Logan looked at Toby. He knew his friend realized his very real need for Christ. They made eye contact. Logan asked, “Are you ready to know Christ?”
Toby nodded his acceptance. “How?”
Logan answered. “You ask Him. Do you want to pray now?”
“I can’t look at God in your wife and deny He exists any longer. Yes, I want to pray.” They all bowed their heads, and Toby prayed. “God, I’m not great at this praying thing. The fact is I did not even think You were real for the longest time. I see now how much I need You. I believe that You sent your Son to die for me. I accept Him as my Savior. Thank You for this new family. Amen.” Toby looked up at the room. He did not even try to hide the tears.
Toby looked down at Helen. “Thank you.” He whispered as he gently hugged her. He felt her tense, so he kept is short. He looked at the tears in her eyes as she told him he was welcome. Ester and Elaina also hugged him. He kissed each of their cheeks.
They all sat down a bit amazed at what just happened. Helen spoke softly. “Satan has tried to use this from the very beginning to destroy. What he intended for pain and destruction, God has used to reach Toby.”
Logan hugged his wife. “Do you know how special you are?”
Helen looked at Logan and blushed. He kissed her forehead.