by Mia Ford
I turned to go get the guard, thinking he could take the door right off the hinges. As I stepped forward, I heard a whimper that echoed into a scream coming from the inside of the bathroom. It was Casey and she was absolutely terrified, her scream showing something was not right at all.
Chapter 28: Casey
My hands were shaking so hard I could barely even hold onto Seth. The phone still wasn’t working and I had no idea where Dex was or if he was even okay. I could hear the crowds of people yelling and running through the halls and up the emergency stairwells. The sounds of sirens echoed through the entire building and an alarm had been triggered inside the hotel. Lights flashed above the bathroom door and Seth grabbed onto me, frightened by all the sounds. I wanted so badly to calm my son, to make him feel like everything was going to be okay but I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on enough to calm even myself. It had been hours since all of this started and we were still hunkered down in the bathroom listening to the protesters trample through the hotel. Muffled gunshots rang out below us and I wondered if people were dying or were they rubber bullets like they used in the US during riots? This had to be the worst situation I had ever been in and all I wanted to do was hear the sound of Dex’s voice, feel his comforting arms around us, and get our little boy to safety.
We sat very quietly, listening to all the sounds around us, wondering when those sounds would get closer and if they did, what I needed to do to get us out safely. In reality, the bathroom seemed like the right choice but I had ultimately cornered us, not leaving any space to make a run for it. Part of me thought about leaving the bathroom and venturing through the crowds trying to get to safety but I knew that the sight of a woman and child wasn’t as strong during these kinds of events as they would be back home. These people were angry and though I understood their plight, I couldn’t help but see them as the enemy keeping me and my son from safety. I listened carefully as the sound of fighting out in the hallway rung out and I grasped onto Seth hoping it would quickly end and move on. However, as the fighting ended I could hear the click of the front door, someone was inside the room. Footsteps echoed all around us as someone searched the space, looking for something or someone. I heard the person yell something out but between the alarms and the sounds in the hall, I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Seth began to whimper and cry. I pulled him close, trying not to give away our hiding space. We ducked down in the tub, finding solace in the porcelain sides, listening as the footsteps grew closer. Suddenly there was a loud banging noise on the bathroom door and I covered my mouth to stifle a scream. The person banged for several moments and Seth pressed his face against my chest. When the banging stopped, I took in a slow quiet breath, hoping they would just leave. But as my shoulders began to relax they knocked loudly again, scaring Seth and me half to death. Tears flooded my eyes as I sat completely unable to do anything. I could see the shadow of the person’s shoes under the crack in the door and I sat very still. As he continued to bang on the door, I could no longer hold it in and Seth whimpered loudly as I let out a scared and frustrated scream.
“Leave us alone,” I screamed incoherently.
The banging stopped and a voice shouted over the alarms. “Casey? Casey, it’s me,” Dex shouted. “Open the door baby, it’s okay. I’m here.”
I kissed Seth on the forehead and set him down, scrambling from the tub. I grabbed the door handle and flung it open, tears flowing down my cheeks. I dropped to my knees balling as Seth climbed out and ran to my side. Dex dropped down and wrapped his arms around the both of us, squeezing us tightly and letting the emotion take over. We sat there in each other's arms for several minutes, letting the reality of safety set in. Seth wrapped his arms around Dex’s neck and refused to let go. Dex’s hands were shaking and I could tell how nervous and scared he was. He buried his face into our son's neck, a small tear flowing down his cheek.
“I’m so sorry,” he cried out. “I never meant to put you guys in this situation. I would have never brought you here if I knew this was going on. I promise I am going to get you guys out of here. We have a helicopter waiting on the roof and the jet is ready to go on the runway. Please forgive me for this, I would never put you two in harm's way, ever.”
“I know,” I said, pulling his head toward mine. “Just don’t leave my side, please. Stay with us. I was so scared that something might have happened to you. I couldn’t even start to imagine what I would do without you.”
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too,” I replied, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth of his touch.
“Come on,” he said standing with Seth still wrapped around his neck. “We need to get out of here.”
I shook my head yes and grabbed my cell phone, checking my pockets to make sure I had all our information. As we walked out into the living room we could hear the gunshots out in the streets. Things were getting worse than they already were. These people were no longer protesting and were now fighting for their lives. Screams could be heard out in the hallway as people raced in and out of the stairwell. I looked around the room, trying to find our things.
“What about our stuff?”
“Leave it,” Dex yelled over the sirens. “It’s just stuff. It can all be replaced, you can’t.”
I stopped for just a moment and realized what kind of man Dex had grown into. As he stood there reaching for my hand, cradling our son in his arms, and pushing us to safety, I knew that Dex was not the man I met six years before. Instead, this Dex was strong, brave, and didn’t give a damn about anything but me and our son. He truly loved us even more than I already knew and because of that, I trusted him whole heartedly with our lives. I reached out and took his hand, following behind him to the door. When we reached the hallway, there were six large bodyguards waiting for us. I nodded my head at them and smiled, knowing they were there to get us out of this situation in one piece.
“This is what we are going to do,” the large man at the door yelled. “We are going to surround you like a bubble. You just stay in that circle and we will push everyone out of the way. Once you are in the helicopter, don’t wait for us, we are going to go back down to the office. Just get out of here safely and go somewhere a lot quieter than this!”
I laughed as he raised his eyebrows at me, looking up as another protester limped quickly across the hall and up the stairwell. I took a deep breath and stood next to Dex, grasping his hand tightly as the bodyguards swarmed around us, creating a protective barrier. The biggest guy shook his head and pointed to the stairs. We all started walking forward in a group, pushing our way into the crowded stairs. There were hundreds of people in there already and I couldn’t help but feel bad for not helping those that were obviously injured. The protesters looked defeated and they stared at us as we made our way up the stairwell. Some people shouted at us in Spanish while others ignored our presence entirely, tending to their wounded and trying to create a plan to get out of the hotel without being spotted by the police. I couldn’t even begin to imagine living in a world where this was the normal way of life. I couldn’t imagine coming out to protest for freedom and being shot at by police, beat up in the streets, and arrested. Though I was more than happy to be getting out, my heart went out to these people.
We pushed up the last set of stairs and out onto the roof. The sun was beginning to set in the distance and I stopped for a moment to look out at the horizon. While all this unrest was occurring, there was still a beautiful piece of life floating in the distance. The place was still gorgeous despite the smoke rising from the burning cars, the sirens blaring into the streets, and the smell of smoke bombs wafting through the air. I looked up as Dex pulled on my hand, motioning for me to get into the helicopter. I climbed up inside and took Seth from Dex, wrapping my arms around him and kissing his forehead. I watched as Dex walked over to the largest of the guards, shook his hand, and thanked him for everything. The guard refused the money Dex tried to hand him but
instead shouted for him to take care of us because there were a lot of people today who would no longer have that luxury.
He nodded his head and made his way into the helicopter, buckling his seatbelt and taking my hand as we lifted off from the pad. As we got higher and higher in the sky, I let out a deep breath of relief. We had made it out safely, something I wasn’t sure would actually happen. I squeezed Dex’s hand tightly as we sped through the air, looking down at all the people marching and fighting in the streets below. Right at the base of the hotel, there was a loud bang and a bright flash and smoke began to rise. Someone had set off a bomb right where hundreds of people were standing. Tears flowed down my face as I watched the groups get farther and farther from me, knowing there were more casualties than I realized. What I heard in the bathroom, hiding in the bathtub, was just the beginning of the chaos that was ensuing in the streets of Caracas. People were there to fight and that’s exactly what they were met with.
When the helicopter landed at the airstrip, we were quickly ushered off toward the plane. We could hear the sirens in the distance and I knew this wasn’t something that was going to end anytime soon. I carried Seth onto the jet and buckled him quickly into one of the seats. I took the seat next to him and held his hand tightly as Dex sat down across from us. The crew worked quickly and before I knew it, the plane was headed down the runway and into the air. As soon as we took flight, I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, letting the emotion of the event completely fill me. Tears streamed down my face and I sobbed. These tears encompassed everything from the fear I felt, the helplessness that filled me, and the empathy for those who were hurt or killed in the events taking place. Sitting in that bathroom, I never thought I would feel fear like that ever again, but I realized as we soared off to safety in our private jet, it was only an ounce of what those people would feel on a daily basis.
Dex reached over and took my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly. I opened my eyes and looked at his comforting face. This was exactly where I needed to be and I couldn’t be more grateful that we were actually here, safe and together.
Chapter 29: Dex
I let us get in the air and out of the Venezuelan airspace before going to talk to the pilots. When the turbulence had passed and we were free to unbuckle, Casey took Seth back to the bedroom on the jet to try to get Seth to take a nap. He was still pretty shaken up from the experience and we fully expected to have him talk to a professional when we got back home. In all reality, it would probably be a good idea for all of us to go see a therapist after an event like that, especially Casey who had such a sensitive nature. I could tell she was really hurt by the violence and the death she watched happen right before her eyes. It was one thing to watch it on a movie screen, it was another thing entirely to see it firsthand. Even though she tried to hide it, I could tell Casey was really messed up after watching everything go down like that. I waited until she slid the bedroom door shut before walking up to the pilot’s quarters.
“Evening Mr. Canton,” the pilot said, tipping his hat. “Have you figured out a destination for us yet? I set the course for home so we could take off but I can change that at any point.”
“I want to take them somewhere calm, quiet, and safe,” I replied. “Somewhere exotic in nature, you know, something that the whole family can enjoy but is perfect for Mrs. Canton. We cut our honeymoon short to end up in that mess. It has turned into a family affair but I want her to enjoy herself. We don’t want anywhere crowded and I am definitely thinking a warm climate.”
“How about back to the South Pacific?”
“Sure, sure,” I responded, picturing the crystal blue oceans. “But I don’t have the yacht anymore.”
“How about Bali?” The stewardess had stepped into the room. “There's a part of the island where it's pretty much secluded. You won’t find all the tourists there. They have cabins with glass floors so you can see down in the water. I bet the little guy would love to watch the fish swim by under his feet.”
“That sounds perfect,” I said, shaking my head. “Can you book one of those for us?”
“Sure,” she replied, smiling and leaving the cockpit.
“I’ll charter our plane for Bali, sir,” the pilot responded without question.
“Thank you,” I replied, thinking about surprising them with an amazing vacation. “Oh, and I’m going to be in the bedroom with the family, we’re trying to get the little man to sleep. Ring me if you need anything.”
“Absolutely sir,” the pilot responded.
I shook my head, feeling completely out of it from everything we had just gone through. I walked into the main area and sat down for a moment, opening my laptop and checking my messages. I wanted to make sure Joe got to safety as well, so I sent him a quick note before looking up the accommodations that the stewardess recommended. They looked absolutely amazing, quiet and just what I was looking for in a vacation for the three of us. I watched out the window as the sky changed into deep hues of oranges and pinks. This time change had really affected my ability to think straight, not to mention I hadn’t slept in forever. Everything was nice and calm now but my mind was still reeling from almost losing the loves of my life. I yawned and walked back to the bedroom to check on Casey.
I slowly slid the door open and peeked inside, smiling at what I saw in front of me. Casey and Seth were curled up on the gigantic bed, sound asleep next to each other. I leaned over and switched the light off before crawling in beside them. I sat with my head propped in my hand, watching that beautiful little boy and his absolutely stunning mother sleeping safely and soundly in my bed. I had never been as scared as I was back there, just trying to get to my wife and child. They were everything to me and the exhaustion of it all was catching up to me. I laid my head down on the pillow and pulled Casey close, feeling her snuggle into my body. As the plane soared toward a better destination, I fell fast asleep with my family beside me.
By the time we all woke up, the plane was getting ready to land in Bali. We were all so exhausted that we slept straight through the trip. We carefully buckled Seth in and sat next to each other, holding hands as the plane landed on the runway. Casey looked out the window, curious of where we had gone. I looked and her and smiled as the plane taxied.
“Welcome to Bali,” I said quietly. “A nice, safe, trip for the three of us.”
“It looks amazing,” she said, gawking at the blue waters out the window.
I smiled at the stewardess as she informed me that everything was set up and the car was waiting outside. We piled into the limo and sat back, watching Seth as he gazed out the window at the beautiful scenery. He seemed to be just fine after a good long sleep and even Casey’s cheeks were showing some color again. We stopped at the store on the way in, picking up some toiletries for the cabana since we left everything behind in Caracas. The stewardess took the liberty of having whole new wardrobes sent over for us. They were waiting in the closets when we got there. The limo drove up to the pier and let us out. Casey’s mouth dropped open as she gazed out at the large house sitting in the water at the end of the pier.
I held Seth’s hand as we walked down the water and into the house. Immediately Seth started running around, chasing the fish swimming underneath him. The entire floor was made of glass and even in the late afternoon sun, lights lit up the water below showing the dazzling coral and a multitude of colorful fish swimming around. Casey looked down smiling as Seth giggled, running his hands over the floor.
“This is really cool,” she said, leaning in to kiss me. “Thank you.”
“You deserve it,” I replied, slapping her on the butt playfully as she walked away.
She looked back and me and winked as she walked into the bedroom and looked at all the clothes that had been delivered for us. Casey shook her head, impressed that I had been able to get everything together in such a short amount of time. We spent the rest of the evening lounging around, eating a good hearty meal out on the porch
, overlooking the lapping water, and then put Seth to bed together as a family. I looked down at that little boy, dressed in dinosaur pajamas and snuggled with his new stuffed animals, and thanked my lucky stars that we were still here to enjoy such an amazing life together. These two were so amazing and I got to continue to be part of their lives. I watched as Casey leaned down and kissed Seth’s cheek, pulling the blanket up to his chin and switching off the lamp.
We slowly crept out of the bedroom and into the living room where I turned and pulled Casey into my arms. I hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go. I could feel her let out a deep sigh as she pressed her face against my chest. I rubbed my hands through her hair and pulled her chin up to me, kissing her lips softly. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, even with tired eyes and messy hair.
“For those moments when we were apart and I was terrified of losing you, my life was completely empty. I was so scared that I would come back and you would be gone,” I said, looking deep into her eyes. “I promise to devote every second of my life to making you happy and building our family. You have made me the happiest and the luckiest man on earth and I will never take that for granted. Ever.”
My hands were still shaking from the day’s events but I grasped her head in my hands and gently pressed my lips to hers. She breathed deeply as she leaned into my mouth, pulling her hands up and wrapping them around my neck. I grabbed her waist and pulled her in as close as I could get her, feeling her mouth move passionately over mine. Immediately, my love and lust exploded from my chest and I reached down, scooping her into my arms. As I walked, we continued to kiss, not wanting to part from each other’s skin for even a moment. I made my way into our bedroom and sat down in the chair, holding her in my lap as my hands ran through her hair. The passion behind our kiss was more than I had ever known and it was too good to stop.