Facing Reality

by Sarah Cole

  “What should I wear?” Clara asks.

  Some of her clothes were salvageable and she did some online shopping to make up for the rest. It provides me a certain level of satisfaction every time I walk into my closet and see her clothing hanging up next to mine. I have two more bedrooms here besides the master and Emma’s room, and she could have had any of them, but after that first night she crept into my room seeking me for comfort, she just kept coming back and there’s no way in hell I’d have it any other way now. I’m just trying to figure out a way to make this living arrangement permanent.

  “Anything you want, hun. The Pickle isn’t exactly a super classy establishment.” I joke.

  “You’re kidding…” she says sarcastically with a small smile.

  “Just wear what you want, and it will be fine.” I say, giving her a little swat on the butt with my free hand before I go get Emma’s things together.

  Half an hour later I hear footsteps on the stairs, and I glance up briefly, only to do a double take. Holy shit.

  “Nuh uh. Nope. Go change.” I say, shaking my head.

  “What? Why?” she glances down at herself, and I have to clench every muscle in my body to keep myself from tossing her over my shoulder and taking her to bed right now.

  “Because I’m going to have to fight men off of you all night wearing that, angel.”

  She smiles a wicked smile, looking down again at her short as hell jean shorts, gauzy white tank top and taupe leather cowboy boots I bought her.

  “Then I guess you’re just going to have to stay close, baby.” She winks sauntering over to where I stand holding Emma.

  She takes her from me, and says something in gibberish to her making her giggle and talk back. When she bends over to put Emma in her carrier, I just about lose it. She stands up and smiles over her shoulder at me. Little devil knows what she’s doing…

  ***

  “Boy, you better close that yap trap of yours before you catch a fly or trip over your lip.” Jack, the owner of the Pickle, says sliding another beer over the counter top at me. It’s my second and last. I hate feeling out of control. It happens enough on its own as it is; no need to encourage it.

  I peel my eyes away from Clara and her sexy as hell dancing for just a moment to give him a friendly smile before I continue watching her.

  “Yeah, you got it bad, man.” Lucas says, nudging me with his elbow.

  “You’re damn right I do. I’m in love with that woman.” I say without apology. I’ve fallen hard and fast for this girl, and I don’t want to get up.

  More so out of habit than necessity at this point, I scan the room for any threats, but something catches my attention in the corner of the room. I know it’s more common than not these days for people to have their phones out, taking selfies, video recording shit; except this asshole has his phone trained right on Clara and her friends dancing. I’ve never seen this guy before in my life, and around here that just isn’t common. I get Lucas’s attention, directing it to where the guy is recording his wife and my girl.

  “That dog just ‘aint gonna hunt.” Lucas drawls, rolling a toothpick between his teeth with his tongue as he stands, heading straight for the man.

  The weasely little bastard doesn’t even see us coming as he takes out a professional camera and starts to snap picture after picture. In no time flat Lucas has the guy up against the nearest wall, ready to take him out. I’m glad he took initiative on that one because with my training, I can’t be instigating any fights. Lucas looks like he has it handled, so I go over to warn Clara and her friends.

  I move up behind Clara’s gyrating hips, setting my hand on her trim waist and she leans into me, and I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

  Bending down I whisper in her ear, “There was some guy taking pictures of you, videoing you guys.” At my words, she stills and turns to face me, her brows pinching together.

  “Do you think it’s him?” she whispers with fear in her eyes, and I curse myself for not even thinking of that as I turn back around only to find the guy gone and Lucas headed towards me with the camera dangling from his fingertips by the strap.

  “What happened?” I ask, and it seems that our whole group seems to be clued in now that something is off.

  “He said he got a tip from a source he knows in LA and decided to make the trip. He asked around, and folks said they recognized these two,” he nods to Emily and Landon, “but then he said he recognized Clara, but he was calling her Elizabeth.”

  Clara’s face pales, but Maggie reaches for her in comfort. “Relax, honey. I’m pretty sure the whole town knows who you are already. No one would ever tell you that because I’m sure they know you don’t want to talk about it, but trust me they know.”

  “How?” She asks.

  “Well, you kind of stand out. That, and your face is always on TV and the gossip magazines in the checkout lanes.” She smiles.

  “We shouldn’t have come. We just made this worse for you.” Landon says to Clara.

  “Oh, hush. Someone was bound to come snooping around sooner or later. It isn’t your fault at all.” Clara comforts.

  “You guys didn’t happen to say anything to anyone about where you were headed, did you?” I ask Emily and Landon.

  “We would never tell anyone.” Emily says sincerely, and I believe them. They seem to value their privacy and quiet time just as much as Clara does, but I believe they value their friendship more.

  “I think I’m ready to go home.” Clara says, burying her face in my chest as I stroke her hair.

  “Baby, no one’s going to get anymore pictures of you. Lucas and I aren’t going to let anyone close enough. I can talk to Jack and make sure no more out of towners get in until we leave. You want to stay a bit longer?”

  She nods and I kiss her, stepping back and guiding her by her hands to the center of the wooden dance floor where the cover band just started playing Cruise by Florida Georgia Line. I begin to serenade her, and her lips turn into a smile as I pull her to me and begin to swivel my hips to the music. I’m a shit dancer and singer, but I’d do it for her everyday if it makes her smile like this.

  15

  CLARA:

  Over a week has come and gone since the departure of Emily and Landon, and every day another news story, another photo of me, another new paparazzi reporter surfaces in Stockbridge making me feel like a prisoner in the only place that I ever really felt free.

  “We’ll figure it out, angel.” Flynn distracts me from staring out the window.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here… put this on you, on Emma. It was selfish. You don’t deserve to live like this.”

  “Stop, Clara! It isn’t your fault. You deserve a life just like every other person.”

  “But it would be easier without me… you wouldn’t be watched all the time- stalked. I don’t want that for you or Emma. You don’t want to live under a microscope.”

  “Are you kidding me? The only way we’ve survived these past several months is because of you! You are everything to us, and to think we’d let you go from our lives because of a little inconvenience is preposterous.”

  “I’m just sorry.” I sigh, placing myself on one of the stools at the island.

  “It’s going to be ok, Clara. I know eventually it will all work out.” Flynn spins me on the stool, placing his palms on my bare legs and ducking his head to look me in the eye.

  “I love you, angel. Don’t ever think that you’re not exactly where you’re supposed to be.” He places a soft kiss to my lips.

  “I love you, too.”

  “I might be home a little later than usual. We’ve got some more of the supplies for your house in and my guys agreed to help me frame some of it off so we can get it up and tarped before the rain rolls in this weekend.”

  “Ok, be safe.” I tell him.

  “You too, baby. Try and just get out of the house. Go for a walk around the property or something. You’ll be fine.” He winks.<
br />
  ***

  I cleaned up dinner, and got Emma bathed and put down early after our long day outside. We did exactly what Flynn said and got out of the house. We took a long walk around the large property, and did some yard work and gardening. The past few weeks, I have kind of taken over Flynn’s vegetable garden and have kind of fallen in love with it. Emma sat under the shade tree near the garden in her pack and play while I worked my frustrations out on the hard Georgia soil. I think the fresh air did us both a world of good, but I wasn’t quite ready to be inside yet. After laying Emma in her crib and putting up the dinner leftovers for Flynn, I grabbed the baby monitor and now I have myself parked on the back porch watching as the setting sun shines its last brilliantly hued rays on the horizon. I pick up my Kindle and start a book I have been wanting to read for a while when I hear boots on the wooden porch. I don’t even bother turning around as I hear Flynn approach.

  “It’s so nice outside. I’m definitely not missing that humidity.” I say, and he stops to stand behind me.

  A hand firmly places itself over my mouth and another closes itself around my throat.

  “You didn’t think I’d find you? That I wouldn’t come back for you?” he whispers into my ear, his hot, stale breath blowing across my face, making my stomach lurch. My heart hammers in my chest as I realize I’m all alone with a baby inside and the nearest neighbors are at least a quarter of a mile away. If I can just get inside the house, I can maybe find something to defend myself with – lock him out, call Flynn. At least I’d have a chance… but Emma is inside and I don’t want to lead him in there, but the door is unlocked anyways. I need to lock her in.

  In a snap decision, I bend my knees the slightest bit, giving me a little bit more leverage against him and launch myself backwards in the rocker, taking myself down to my back with a heavy thud, and knocking the air from my lungs, but it’s just enough to break his hold from me.

  “You fucking cunt!” he shouts, as I scramble up on my bare feet. I bolt around the corner of the porch for the door to the kitchen, pushing it open and as I get one foot inside, I’m yanked backwards by my ponytail causing me to fall on my butt, sending a sharp pain up my spine. He tries to get his hands on me again, and I flail like a lunatic. I have absolutely no skill when it comes to fighting, but I know that I’m absolutely not going down without giving him all I’ve got. I land a decent blow to his crotch with my elbow, causing him to pause momentarily and I stumble my way into the kitchen trying to force the door closed on his already encroaching form.

  It’s only now that I finally get a good look at him, and he is nothing like what I expected. He’s actually pretty attractive, about Flynn’s size, maybe a few inches shorter with dark, buzzed hair and a chiseled jaw. He looks to be around my age. If I saw him out and about, I wouldn’t think he was weird or scary because he looks… normal.

  He smiles a menacing smile through the crack in the door as he begins to force it open with his weight, and quickly begins to overpower my meager strength. A moment later he’s gone as I hear his body being slammed up against the siding of the house.

  “What the fuck, Darren? What are you doing here, and why the fuck are you trying to get into my house?” Flynn growls.

  Darren? He knows this guy? How in the hell is that possible?

  “Can’t a guy come to visit an old buddy?” Darren asks, completely unfazed.

  “You and I were hardly friends, Private.” Flynn addresses him curtly.

  “Oh, come on Major Alexander…we’ve been through a lot together. Just thought I’d come and do some catching up, ya know. Lucky to be alive, no thanks to you.” He sneers, and I honestly have no idea what in the hell is going on.

  Flynn starts to come inside and Darren worms his way in behind him before Flynn can get the door closed. Flynn turns around, getting in his face.

  “Do you think you’re alive because you were a good soldier?” He shouts, shoving Darren’s back up against the wall and pinning him. Their chests are heaving with rapid breath; both poised and ready, aching for a fight. There is apparently so much unfinished business here that I have no idea about and it’s honestly driving me insane because I’m terrified out of my mind. Who are these men?

  “You’re alive because of what I did to save your asses! And don’t think I don’t know what you did.” He spits.

  “Well, it wasn’t enough to keep Bryan alive! Was it? He died because of you.” Darren shoves back against Flynn’s chest laughing maniacally, and with that Flynn lands a heavy punch to his jaw, instantly dropping him to the floor. Flynn gets down and lands a few more solid punches to Darren’s face splitting the skin on bone in several places.

  “You don’t know the first fucking thing about Bryan, so keep his name out of your god damn mouth! Get out of my fucking house, and stay away from my girls, you psycho! I swear to god, if I catch your ass around this town again, it will be the last anyone sees of you.”

  Darren stands, his eyes slightly glassed over and spits a mouthful of blood towards my feet and I flinch.

  Darren looks my way one more time, “Oh, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you guys again.” He chuckles like only a crazy person could in this situation, “You guys just make it too fucking easy!” He spits again, before Flynn shoves his bloody ass out the door, slamming it and locking it, and I’m left reeling with a shaking body.

  Flynn turns to me, his face paling. “Did he touch you?”

  “I- he-” I can’t get out much more before my fear begins to fully wash over me and I’m left even more paralyzed.

  He starts towards me, but I step back until I’m up against the wall.

  “You know him? It was him.” I try to emphasize what I mean, but I find myself being extremely inarticulate at the moment, but I forgive myself given the circumstances.

  It takes him a second before his eyes widen and he grinds his teeth, stealing another look at me. “MOTHERFUCKER!” he roars, unlocking the door and sprinting out and down the porch steps into the fading light towards the darkened tree line.

  “FLYNN! NO! Don’t leave me!” I scream, my voice cracking.

  “Get the fuck inside that house, angel. Stay with Emma, and lock it the fuck down!” he yells at me, and I don’t hesitate for a second knowing I need to do it for Emma’s sake. The commotion has probably already woken her up.

  “Wanna fuck with someone, Darren? Come at me! Let’s play. Let’s see how good you are!” Flynn shouts into the night as he runs, searching for the man that my end up being may demise.

  FLYNN:

  “DARREN!” I yell his name again and again into the darkened timber, but don’t get a response. I’m going to have to get to the bottom of this later, but right now I’m going to track this sick son of a bitch down… and I’m going to kill him. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again without remorse this time. It’s hard to have a heart about killing when you’ve already stopped so many with your own hands. I’d kill again if it’s to protect what’s mine.

  I roam around in the dark for I don’t know how long before I realize my attempts are fruitless in the dark, and I navigate my way back home. I tap in the security code, and let myself in. I look for Clara downstairs, but she’s is nowhere to be found. I don’t want to call for her because of Emma, so I walk upstairs to find the hallway dark. I flip on the light to find Clara sitting outside Emma’s closed bedroom door holding a kitchen knife poised and at the ready.

  “Put the knife down, baby.” I say, but she eyes me wearily, her hands shaking.

  She eventually lays it on the floor next to her with tear filled eyes, and I move slowly towards her, kneeling on the ground.

  “What the heck were you thinking? He’s dangerous, Flynn!”

  “Angel, when are you going to understand that I’d do anything for you – to keep you safe? I’d gladly take a bullet for you.” I say.

  “Emma ok?” I ask, and she nods licking her lips, the tears finally spilling over onto her tanned cheeks.

  “I
couldn’t find him, but I promise you that I will. We’re going to the police tomorrow morning and telling them everything we know, and I know a few guys that can help out. Clara, listen to me.” I say, taking her face in my hands.

  “I will make sure that son of a bitch gets what is coming to him. Now tell me how you know it’s him. We need to piece these facts together and see what we know.”

  I pull her up off the floor, grabbing the knife and tug her towards our room. I settle in, pulling her into my lap and I can feel her shaking body.

  “What happened?” I ask.

  “I was just sitting on the porch reading after I put Emma down for the night. I heard footsteps and I thought it was you, so I said something and the next thing I know he’s got his hands around my neck and as soon as he said his first words. I knew it was him. He told me that he’d find me. How the hell he found me, I don’t know, but I fought, Flynn. Thank goodness you came home when you did because I honestly think I’d be dead right now if you hadn’t.” She rattles out with shaky words.

  “I’m going to kill him.”

  “You have to answer some questions for me now. How do you know him? How does he know where you live? Who is Bryan?” she asks on one breath. It’s not like I didn’t think she’d ask, but it is a story that I don’t necessarily like retelling because that means I have to relive it, but for her… for her I’ll go back and tell her everything.

  “I was in charge of a whole unit. I had forty seven men under my command and we were stuck in a small village on just the edge of the Hindu Kush mountain range, and we were sitting ducks. I’d been in this position before, but never with that many men. It was pretty quiet there. Much less action than most of us had seen- well, at least the seasoned men. We were there to help defend against a local terrorist cell that had been recruiting children and even women which is completely unheard of, but apparently they had called in reinforcements to wipe out our men and take back the area. We had been tipped off by one of our local translators. I had a plan in place, and we had more troops coming to help and a plan to get vehicles to get us out if needed because we weren’t sure how many guys they had coming.”