Freedom

by Mary Crawford

  “I should have burned down this place with everyone and everything in it! I didn’t get you this time, but I will kill you the next time I see you,” Vincent threatens as the tactical team marches him across the lawn toward their vehicle.

  Zoe and I walk to the front lawn to watch what happens next. Katie walks up behind us, still wearing her ivory wedding dress. “Some days, I wonder why I gave up police work. Today is not one of those days.”

  The tactical team stuffs Vincent into a nondescript SUV and drive off.

  Katie looks around at all the stunned guests and the tables which were upended during the struggle. “I’m sorry my brother ruined your lovely day,” Zoe tells Katie as she gives her a tearful hug.

  “Don’t worry about it. You are not him or the things he’s done. That’s all on him.”

  “Still, it’s your wedding day —” Zoe argues.

  Katie shrugs. “After the news media gets wind of what happened today, my runaway bride story will seem like nothing. Maybe we should throw a wedding every year and see how dramatic it can be — it’ll be like dinner theater,” she finishes with a chuckle.

  “Funny, but I’m not at a point where I can laugh just yet. I almost lost the love of my life today. That call was too close for comfort,” I confess.

  Zoe looks at me with wide eyes and a slack jaw. “Wow! I didn’t know we were this far along. You said the L word. I mean, I’ve been in love with you for a while. But I never knew if you felt the same way.”

  “What did you think I meant when I asked you to move to Oregon?” I incredulously reply.

  “I don’t know. That’s part of what made this move to Oregon so difficult. I didn’t know where I stood with you.”

  “As you know, finding words is not a natural talent for me. If I ever forget to tell you how much I love you and what you mean to me, just remind me.”

  EPILOGUE

  ZOE

  I THROW THE OVERSIZED TOTE containing toys, treats and grooming equipment onto our couch as I walk by. I lean down to stretch out my back and twist around to see if I can loosen the tension. I don’t see Phoenix in the kitchen where he usually is at this time of day, so I kick off my shoes and walk into our office.

  Phoenix has his headphones on and is rapidly typing on the computer. I take a moment to admire his dogged determination. He has been working on this project for several days. It’s a different sort of project than he usually does. This time, he’s trying to reverse engineer a competitor’s software to find the security glitch which is allowing the company to glean personal information from each user’s personal contacts. Even though today is Saturday, he's hard at work trying to unravel the puzzle.

  I walk up behind him and kiss him on the neck. He startles because he didn’t hear me coming over the music playing through his headphones.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you were working with the Ferguson family today.”

  I run my fingers through his hair and massage his neck. “You must be buried in code. I’ve been gone for three hours.”

  Phoenix glances down at his cell phone. “No kidding? Wow, it seems like I was just kissing you goodbye this morning.”

  Sighing, I remove my Critter Coach apron. Stuart helped me choose the name and I drew the logo. Most days, I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished in a few short months, but today I’m just exhausted.

  I flop down in my favorite chair — a big round papasan. Well, it used to be my favorite chair but at the moment, it has flipped over on top of me as I sprawl on the floor. It’s pretty symbolic of how my day has gone.

  Phoenix springs into action. He pulls the chair off of me and sets it upright. He squats down beside me as he asks urgently, “Are you okay? What happened?”

  “It’s just one of many misses in my life today. I can’t even say I’m surprised. I landed off-center and got dumped.”

  Phoenix examines me carefully. “Do you hurt anywhere?”

  I shake my head. “Only my pride.”

  Phoenix stands up and offers me his hand. After I make it to my feet, he scoops me up and carefully sits down in the chair as he holds me on his lap. “So, tell me, what was so awful about your day?”

  I burrow deeply against his chest and take a deep breath. “I feel stupid even complaining. Critter Coach has grown faster than I could ever imagine. Still, sometimes people drive me nuts.”

  “I thought you liked the Ferguson’s dog.”

  “I do. Willie is an awesome whippet. But, the people in his life could use some help.”

  “What do you mean?” Phoenix asks as he brushes some hair out of my face.

  “Well, Frederick has a good head on his shoulders — especially for being twelve. But, Willie is his first pet and he doesn’t quite understand Willie isn’t an action figure he can put down and ignore whenever he wishes.”

  “What about his parents?” Phoenix asks.

  “Oh, don’t get me started. The dad is a field producer for a television show. He’s gone a bunch. So, Teresa, Frederick’s mom, treats Willie like he’s a baby. She even has a special purse she carries him around in.”

  “I’m not an expert on dog breeds, but didn’t you tell me Willie is a whippet? Don’t they need huge amounts of exercise?”

  “Bingo! You get it. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to reach either of these clients. Frederick is open to new information, but he doesn’t want to take the time to learn about the responsibilities of having a pet. Teresa should know better, but she thinks it’s ‘cute’ to treat her dog that way. Poor Willie doesn’t know what to do because the rules are different. I don’t have a good way to teach them this information. They can’t afford to have me follow them around for days on end to correct their bad habits.”

  Phoenix is silent for a couple minutes. Finally, he replies, “You said Frederick likes to treat Willie like a toy, right?”

  I nod, puzzled at his question.

  “What if I could develop a video game which would educate kids and teenagers about proper pet care?”

  “That sounds like a fabulous idea. Can you make one for his mom too? Honestly, she lacks even more skills and common sense than Frederick.”

  I can feel Phoenix shrug as I cuddle up against his chest. “I don’t see why not. We could design some software for adults. It would be cool to develop a mobile app. I think now people spend more time on their phones and tablets than they do in front of a computer these days.”

  “Are you just saying all this to make me feel better?” I ask skeptically. “Do you think Jameson would allow you to do that on the side? Some companies are picky about what their employees do during their off hours.”

  “I’m sure he would think it was a great idea. Just the other day, he was telling us not to get pigeonholed in our jobs and to continue to be creative. He was stressing that one of Tristan’s core values is to challenge ourselves to do what scares us.”

  “We’ve been doing a pretty good job of living up to his motto recently, haven’t we?”

  “You can say that again. But, we kind of prove Tristan’s point. We have been living outside our comfort zone for months and look how much better our lives are now.”

  “Okay, you’ve convinced me. You provide the computer skills and I’ll provide the knowledge about training dogs and together we’ll conquer the world.”

  “Maybe just a small corner of it, but it will be great fun to try.”

  “Can you believe we’re actually doing this?” I ask as I check the thermometer on the turkey.

  Phoenix chuckles softly. “It’s dinner with my parents, it’s not like we’re finding the cure to cancer or anything.”

  I playfully bop the back of his head with an oven mitt. “You don’t understand. This is a huge deal. This is the first formal dinner we’ve had in our new home.”

  Phoenix grins. “I know. My parents are never going to believe how domestic we’ve become. We are like an old married couple. Did I tell you I spent twenty minutes the other day trying to f
igure out which brand of laundry detergent would work best? I even opened the lids and sniffed the detergent. I felt like such a rule breaker.”

  I laugh out loud. “You are too funny. If someone was to look at you, they would never guess you like to live life on the straight-and-narrow. You are the quintessential rebel without a cause.”

  “I’ve heard a rumor you think my motorcycle gear is sexy. So, why would I mess with success?”

  “Good point,” I reply as I stand on my tiptoes to give him a thorough kiss.

  After I pull away, a sad thought crosses my mind. My mom used to kiss my dad all the time in the kitchen when they were cooking together. The memory is enough to make me a little lightheaded. “I’m so happy things are working out with your parents, but I can’t help but miss mine.”

  Phoenix hugs me close. “I’m so sorry Zoe. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that they embezzled money from their social club to help finance your brother’s time on the lam. They seem so uptight about law and order — I figured they would turn him in. Instead, they made it easier for him to escape and continue to torture you.”

  “I know. It’s like I don’t recognize any of my family members. They’ve all become cruel distorted versions of themselves. All I have left are a few touching family memories. It’s not fair.”

  “I know it’s not, Zoe,” Phoenix murmurs against my temple as he embraces me. “Look on the bright side. Maybe you can adopt my parents.”

  I pull away and give him a skeptical look. “I think you're forgetting something. Your family doesn’t care for me much. I think your mom disagrees with nearly everything I do — especially when it comes to you.”

  “I don’t know about that. It seems the longer we are away from home, the bigger fans my parents have become. They appear to be looking forward to this visit.”

  Bruiser gives a puff of a woof a second or two before our doorbell rings. I reach down and grab Phoenix’s hand as we walk hand-in-hand to the front door. “You ready for this?” I whisper.

  Phoenix smiles, “I have no earthly idea, but I know if you’re next to me I can handle almost everything.”

  As soon as I open the front door, Phoenix’s mom envelops me in a hug. When she’s finished, his dad shakes my hand. “Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, we're so glad you’re here. Welcome to our home.”

  Phoenix's dad pats me on the shoulder. “Oh, don’t be silly. We are just Moon and Clarence here. It’s nice and green here in Oregon. There are mountains almost every place you look.”

  I smile. “I know! It's great, isn't it? I had the same reaction when I first came here. It’s like an enchanted forest of green. I’m surprised you guys could come all the way out here. It’s a long trip.”

  “It sure is! We are happy to be here, but it's even better because it’s on my company’s dime. They offered to train me in either Minneapolis or Portland. So, since you guys were here, it was an easy decision,” Clarence explains.

  “Phoenix, you have such a nice home,” Moon comments as she looks around. “Your job must be going well —” she probes, clearly seeking an answer.

  “Thanks, Mom. Come on in and sit down,” Phoenix instructs as he escorts them to the sectional couch in the living room. I make myself busy as I carry food to the table. Phoenix continues, “My job is fine. Actually, it’s better than fine. My boss is really creative about meeting my needs.”

  “What do you mean?” Clarence asks as he grabs a handful of salted nuts off the coffee table.

  “Well, Jameson is excellent about thinking outside the box. He allows me to issue a video every week to my staff talking about our goals, upcoming tasks, accomplishments and any concerns. Then, there is an online forum for our little section of Identity Bank West. Anyone can post any questions to me and I will address them in the next video. It’s so much easier for me to deal with problems and conflict if I can think about what I want to say ahead of time. It's great that I don’t have the look people in the face while solving conflicts. The pre-produced videos are almost a perfect accommodation for me,” Phoenix explains

  “Well, that’s just good problem-solving. Sounds like you found the ideal work environment. I hope they’re paying you plenty for your skills because they are second to none,” Phoenix's dad announces as if any of us need any convincing.

  “Let’s say Tristan willingly invests in great talent. They’re even letting me work on a side project to help people become better pet owners.”

  Moon is studying my every move. Eventually, she pipes up and asks me, “Need any help?”

  I set the mashed potatoes on the table. I point to the dishes I left on the counter. “You can help set the table, if you want. It took me longer than I expected to make the gravy and I just haven’t had a chance to get to the table.”

  Moon walks over and picks up a stack of dishes. When she takes a closer look, she gasps. “Phoenix must love these. They are perfect for him.”

  “Aren’t they great?” I concede. “I found some similar ones, but they weren’t quite big enough for what we needed. So, my friend Ivy, who works with ceramics, made us a set as a going away present.”

  “Oh well, that was nice of her. But, I can’t help but wonder if it’s such a good idea to cater to Phoenix and all his oddities. He has to be able to function in the real world,” she pontificates.

  I shrug. “In the grand scheme of things, I'm not sure it matters all that much to the rest of the world whether Phoenix's mashed potatoes and peas touch. Still, it matters to him. I don't see the harm in making his world more comfortable. Look around you Mrs. Wolf. Your son is doing a phenomenal job adapting to the real world. He’s one of the most valuable employees at Identity Bank West and he is working on the thoughts and behaviors which hold him back a bit. I mean, come on … he is able to fly without me these days. That’s a big deal.”

  “That’s nice dear. Do you understand life with Phoenix will be hard? Are you prepared?”

  “I am. You’re right. Being with Phoenix is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” I confide. “But —”

  “I told Clarence you probably weren’t cut out for this,” Moon interjects in an acerbic tone.

  “You didn’t let me finish.” I assert. “The rest of what I was going to say is although being with Phoenix is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it is also the easiest. We are free to be ourselves and love each other openly and honestly. Phoenix can’t change who he is, but neither can I. The fact that he’s different is one of the reasons I fell hard and fast for him. If he was just ordinary, I would’ve paid your son no mind. I love Phoenix for who he is and I don’t think it'll ever change.”

  Phoenix comes up behind me in puts his arms around my waist. He gives me a light squeeze before he asks, “Do you really mean it?”

  I turn in his arms to face him. “I do. Sorry to tell you, you’ll have to kiss your precious freedom goodbye because you're stuck with me forever. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I think you misunderstand the situation,” he says with a bemused smile. “I have the freedom to soar because you love me. I love you so much, Zoelle Dominique Hurlington. I don’t know what I would’ve done if our fates would’ve gone in a different direction.”

  Clarence walks up beside us. He points at Moon. “See? I told you. Phoenix has found his match in Zoe the same way I found mine with you. You can stop worrying. They are obviously thriving without us.”

  Moon gets a little misty eyed. “I don’t know if I can do that, Clarence. I think there’s a part of me which will always worry because I’m his mom.”

  I turn and hug Phoenix’s mom. “I expect nothing less. A mother should never stop loving her child no matter what. I just hope someday you consider me to be part of your family too.”

  Phoenix hands his mom a paper towel as she starts to cry. “I never thought I would see the day my son would fall in love with someone who loves him just as much. It’ll take a bit of getting used to, but I am happy to include you in my family.”r />
  “Mom, that would be perfect. Zoe’s family seems to have trouble figuring out what it means to love someone.”

  Moon looks at me for confirmation. “Sadly, Phoenix is right,” I reply

  “Well, that just makes your love all the more miraculous,” she says as she hugs me again.

  Clarence picks up three glasses of water from the table and hands one to each of us while he takes the last one. He holds it up as if he’s about to give a toast.

  “Here’s to having the freedom to love who you choose.”

  I take my glass and clink it against everyone else’s glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

  THE END (for now)

  For more information about Tara and Aidan’s daughter, Madeleine O’Brien, please check out Dreams Change.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for giving my book a read. If you liked reading about people who are not so stereotypical, then I’ve got good news…

  More stories are coming.

  Cody Erickson is tired of losing people he loves

  First, it was his partner. Now, at risk kids he works with seem to be disappearing off the street.

  Where do you go when you’re a police detective and no one wants to hear your theories about missing kids?

  Cody knows one prosecutor who is tougher than anyone he’s ever met. She doesn’t take any flack from anyone. Would she be willing to listen when no one else seems to care?

  Love and Injustice will be released December 13, 2018.

  ~Mary

  Because love matters, differences don’t.