by Lucy Rinaldi
“I had a breakdown, Roya. A terrible one. I was so lost that nothing made sense to me. My husband wasn't around when it happened and I had no one to talk to. I didn't tell anyone what happened, I just gave her a funeral with just me in attendance. I came to this town, I don't even know how I ended up here.” She looks down at her hands.
I feel for her, the fact she lost her child. As a mother, I can only imagine what that did to her. I don't think I could go on living if I lost Jaxson. And trust me, there were plenty of times when I thought I would. But I got a second chance with my boy, I get to hold him each night, I get to stroke his hair as he falls asleep. I get to tell my baby every day that I love him, and he gets to hear it. Simone never got that chance.
“I didn't mean to take you. I just saw you lying there, sucking on your little fist as you kicked your legs. I don't even remember taking you. I don't remember anything until I arrived home with you in my arms. I thought so many times about taking you back to those people.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“I don't know.” She says quietly. “I wish more than anything that I had. You didn't deserve the life I gave you. When you left, I thought about coming after you, but I thought you'd found your way here. I didn't want to go to prison, Roya. I just needed some help.”
She's crying. I wish I was too heartless to give a shit, but I'm not. What happened, happened and there is nothing I can do to ever change it. I don't know what she's really doing here, but this is one part of my life that I need closure on.
“What you did, changed a lot of lives, Simone. For whatever reason you did it, I forgive you. But for you to truly find forgiveness and peace, you need to apologize to my parents for what you did to them by taking me.”
“They would never forgive me, Roya.”
“They will forgive you. It won't be easy, but if you are truly sorry for what you've done, then tell them that.”
She nods slowly, her eyes moving to look out of the window. She still can't keep her attention on one thing for very long.
I look out of the window to see if I can find the source of her sudden attention. I blink once, twice. My face feels hot. That must be her car outside the shop, but is that her child in the passenger seat?
God above, please let that be her child. Please don't let this be a repeat of what she did with me.
“What's his name?” Maybe I should have eased her into it, but I won't. I can't, there's a child involved.
“Seb. He's five.”
“Is he yours?”
Please say yes, please say yes.
“Oh, Roya.” Her head finds her hands and she cries. And I cry silently because I know what she's again done. She's taken someone else's child and left his family devastated.
“How long, Simone?”
Takes her a few moments but she tells me, “He was newborn.” I close my eyes, I can feel the bile rising in my throat. She stole a newborn from its mother! “She was my friend, Roya.” God, it gets worse! “She was raped by some random guy. She'd been helping me get myself sorted when she was attacked. I tried to help her, but she just kept on getting more depressed. When she gave birth, she told me, “I want to name him Seb. I want you to take him, Simone. Take him away from me, please.” Ten minutes later, she died.” She sucks back a sob and I feel the pain inside of me for that little boy out there.
“I took the baby. They just handed him over to me, can you believe that?” No, I can't. “I've taken care of him the best I can, but when I put myself in that residential place, I had to leave him with someone else. The poor kid doesn't know who he is or where he came from. I can't take care of him, Roya.”
I narrow my eyes, what the hell is she trying to get at? She looks at me expectantly, and it hits me just what she's trying to say. “Simone, you can't be serious? You want me to take him?”
She grabs my hand, “Please, Roya. I can't be a mother to him. I'm not good for any child, you know that.”
I do know that, but how can I take on this child? I barely get by with Jaxson, my baby needs all of my attention right now.
I don't mean to sound selfish, but Jaxson has to come first. I can't bring another child into my home right now.
“If you don't take him, then I'll leave him at the nearest kids home because I can't do this anymore.”
I should be shocked by what she's just said, but I'm not. I'm honestly not. It didn't even affect me at all. This is the Simone I know. The selfish, self-centered bitch that she is. I can't let her do that to this little boy. I can't let her dump him in a place where he'll be stuck for the next however many years. I know I can't keep him, but I know my dad can help me find out where this little boy truly belongs, because I don't believe her story for a second.
“You brought his belongings with you?” She nods. I sigh to myself before telling her, “I'll take him,” She smiles in relief.
Whatever this woman has planned, because I know she's planning something. Probably to make it look like I stole the kid and she'll tell the cops and I'll be arrested. Not that it will get her anywhere, my daddy is the sheriff. But I have my own plans. First one, to get that little boy away from this mad woman.
“If I take him, you are never to come near any of us ever again.”
“I won't, I swear.” Sure she does.
She tells me to wait right here while she gets Seb from the car. My heart is pounding, but I rush around the counter and lift the phone. I need to call my dad right now and have him come over here while she's still here.
I don't want to cause a scene, but Simone has to pay for what she did to my family, for what she's done to Seb and his family. Maybe her story was true, but I doubt it. And if I can bring that little boy back to his family, then I will.
“Abi, is everything okay?” Both my parents call me Abi sometimes. I don't think they mean to do it, it must just slip out, and I don't really mind. Abi is who I am to them, that's okay.
“Daddy, I need you to come to the boutique as fast as you can.”
“What's going on? What's wrong?”
His panicked voice pulls at my heart strings, he knows something is wrong just from the sound of my voice.
“Daddy, Simone, the woman who took me, she's here. She has another child with her, she wants me to take him...” I'm rambling. I can't help it.
“Baby, listen to me. Keep her there as long as you can. I'm on my way right now with Freddy. I'll be ten minutes.”
“Please hurry, daddy. I'm scared that she stole that little boy like she did me. She's coming back.” I end the call, replacing the receiver before she can see me do so. I then rush around the counter and stand in front of it.
Sixteen
Roya
I brush down my top and then run my hand over my hair, plastering on a fake smile as she walks through the door holding the hand of a small boy. He's cute, dressed in jeans and a Batman t-shirt, tanned skin, dark eyes. Sad eyes.
What has this little boy been through with this woman?
Does he have a family out there somewhere? Parents, who miss him?
“Roya, I'd like you to meet Seb.” She smiles at me and then looks down at Seb. “Seb, this is Roya.”
“It's nice to meet you, Seb.” He doesn't answer me, is looking anywhere other than at me. Poor kid, he's terrified.
I watch Simone crouch down beside him, take his arms and turn him to face her. “Roya is going to take care of you from now on, Seb. You're going to be so very happy now.”
“Where are you going?” His little voice is a mix of confusion and fear. He doesn't know me from Adam and she's just going to leave him here?
“I have to go away for a while.”
“When will you be back?”
“I won't.” He looks from her to me, sad eyes shining with tears. “Look at me, Seb.” He does. “You know that I love you, don't you?” He nods his little head. “I will always be with you. In here.” She lays her hand over his heart.
It breaks mine to see this scene. She ne
ver said anything like this to me. She was never loving toward me. Not that I begrudge this little boy of the love she obviously feels for him, but where was that love for me?
How pathetic do I sound?
Jealous of a five-year-old?
Ridiculous!
I have my family back now. My mother, my father, my siblings, nieces and nephews, and I love them all so much. And there's no denying how much they love me, and my little Jaxson.
God, I wish I could cuddle him right now.
Has this little boy ever had love and attention like my little boy?
What the hell will become of him when Simone is arrested?
Because she will be. My father will arrest her as soon as he arrives here. If I can keep her here long enough. How the hell I'm supposed to do that, I don't know.
“Whenever you feel sad, all you have to do is look inside your heart and you'll find me there. Because I will always be there, Seb.”
“I don't want to stay here, Simone.” Simone? I thought she was his mother? What the hell am I talking about, I thought she was my mother but I never called her that. She never allowed it.
I asked her once why I couldn't call her mommy like other kids. She told me, “Because you're a vile little brat who invaded my life like a goddamned cancer!”
She struck me that day. She struck me so hard she made my mouth bleed. I was six-years-old. She pulled my hair and literally dragged me to my room. She threw me on my bed, slapped my backside till it was raw out of anger, then proceeded to lock me in that room for two days solid.
Not once did she feed me, not once did she give me anything to drink, not once did she allow me out of the room to use the bathroom.
When she did open the door, she instantly got angry because I'd soiled my room. Where else was I supposed to use the bathroom? I tried so hard to hold it all in, but I was just a little girl and I couldn't.
I cried so hard while begging her not to be angry, that I didn't mean it. She made me clean the mess up myself. She told me that I wouldn't be able to take a shower or eat anything until the room was spotless. It took me hours but I managed it.
Then she dragged me into a boiling hot shower and scrubbed me raw while I cried my heart out. She fed and watered me, put me in front of the TV, then left for the night with one of her men.
No one will ever know the horrors I suffered thanks to the woman in front of me, acting like mother of the year to this little boy. They will never know how lonely I was growing up. Lonely because of this selfish woman.
I could have had a wonderful life with my real family. My whole family could have had a better life if it hadn't been for Simone and what she did. Every member of my family suffered in one way or another. My parents because they lost me. Kory because he couldn't take the fact I'd gone. Callie because she blamed herself. Greg, Lora, and Della because they had to watch the people they loved suffering.
Their lives could have been so different.
My life could have been so different.
But if Simone hadn't taken me, I wouldn't've met the man I love, I wouldn't have my little boy. Yes, our lives would have been different, all of our lives. But I cannot regret everything that happened. I will not regret meeting Bryton and having Jaxson, he's my whole world.
I forgive Simone for what she did. I don't need to hold onto the hate I felt for her. It won't change anything now.
I see my dad's patrol car pull up outside through the corner of my eye, just as Simone is hugging Seb on last time. Poor boy has finally come to understand the only mother he has ever known is leaving him for good.
“I have to go now, Seb.”
“Okay.” He mumbles.
Simone gets to her feet and turns to me, and my breath is held so tightly I might throw up. “Thank you for this, Roya. You will never know how grateful I am.”
I open my mouth to speak when the doorbell chimes and my father and Freddy walk into the shop. Freddy stands right in front so Simone can't escape. She looks from my father to me, her eyes widening, and I imagine her heart is pounding forcefully in fear right about now.
“What's going on, Roya?” She doesn't look at me, her eyes are fixed on my father. She knows just who she's looking at, she kept enough newspaper clippings after she took me.
“I'm sorry, but I couldn't let you walk out of here. You have to pay for what you did, Simone.”
“You ungrateful little bitch!” She lunges for me, my father grabs her and pulls her away. Little Seb runs into my arms and clings on for dear life. He's terrified of her right now. And right now, I know she's treated him just as she did me. That's why I now know I will do everything in my power to make sure this woman does not get away with what she's done to both of us!
“Simone Westwood, you are under arrest for the abduction, torture, and abuse of Abigail Jade Harper, and Sebastian Robin Johnstone. You do not have to say anything...” How does my dad know her full name? How does he know this little boys name?
I am so confused right now.
Simone screams, protests, begs me to help her. She protests her innocence over and over. I can't look at her while my father and Freddy drag her away. I simply walk away with Seb in my arms as he cries. If my father knows Seb's full name already, it means his connections have already rushed through the details. Or, they were already looking for Simone. Seb's parents would have reported him missing. Meaning the story she fed me was bull.
“It's okay, Seb, everything is going to be okay.
* * *
We've been at the police station for hours. My father and Freddy both questioned Simone and me. A social worker was present when they questioned Seb, but he cried so hard until Pam, the social worker, agreed that I could be present. That little boy put so much trust me right then, I just couldn't let him down.
I had to sit there holding his hand, listening to him tell my father and brother-in-law all about the day Simone took him. How he was in a supermarket with his mommy, he wondered off to find the toy aisle, he tried to reach for a Power Ranger toy, a nice lady grabbed it for him and handed it to him. He talked to her for a moment, she told him that his mommy had sent her to find him and that she'd take him to her.
He doesn't remember how he got in her car, but he remembers waking up while they were driving. I looked at my father as he wrote it all down along with Freddy, and all I could think was that she must have placed a chloroform filled rag over his nose and mouth to knock him out.
He said that Simone had told him that his mother and father had been killed and that he was now to live with her, she would be his mother.
I listened as he told my father everything that woman did to him. How she would beat him if he cried for his parents, how she wouldn't feed him if he did something she deemed wrong. How she beat him with a belt once because he peed himself in fear of what she might do to him next. It killed me inside listening to it all, and it brought back so many memories that I had to fight the urge to throw up.
After the interview, the social worker said that she'd be taking him with her, my father told her that would not be happening as he'd located the boy's parents and they were on their way in. Pam asked him, of course, how he'd managed that so quickly. He promptly told her that he'd known where they were for a while. He'd been investigating Simone since the day I told him who she was. He'd been in touch with missing persons, they'd given him the details of Seb's parents.
Seb has no clue yet that they're on their way, but he does know that they didn't die. My father explained to him that Simone had lied, that his mommy and daddy had been searching for him for six months. That's how long Simone really had Seb for.
God, that damn sob story she told me. I knew in my heart it was a lie, but I stupidly wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. I shouldn't have.
My dad said I could go home, my mom had arrived and that she'd take me to my little boy. But the second Seb knew I was leaving, he broke down and begged me not to leave him alone, that he was scared to be here.
I couldn't leave him, so I stayed. And right now, he's straddling my lap with his arms around my waist and his head on my shoulder. This poor little boy. At least he wasn't without his family for as long as I was. His parents will never have to spend twenty years wondering what happened to their son.
I stroke the back of his hair and kiss his little head. My heart hurts for him. My dad told us to wait in the children's room. A sort of playroom at the back of the station where children are kept for whatever reason. It's comfortable. Looks like any other den.
I don't know how long we've been waiting here, but it has to have been a couple hours since we had our interviews. My poor Jaxson must be wondering where the hell I am.
The door suddenly opens. Seb doesn't lift to look who's just walked in. He's gotten used to people walking in and out. A beautiful young couple walk in, a little scared maybe of what they'll find. God, they can't be much older than me. There is no mistaking that this couple are the parents of the little boy in my arms. He looks just like them, from his hair color to the color of his eyes. He looks more like his beautiful mother, though.
Both of them are dressed in suits, expensive ones by the look of it. I bet they have good careers. Lawyer's or Doctors. Seb must have had a nice, perfect life before he was taken. And from what my dad told me, Seb is their only child.
How could someone be so cruel?
How could Simone do this to another family?
Seb's mother clasps her hands over her mouth to stifle a sob, her eyes are filled with tears as she looks right at her son. Her husband wraps his arm around her shoulder, his eyes filled with as many tears.
I smile at them.
I lift Seb to look at me and I smile at him. “Do you remember the wish you made when we came in this room?” He nods his little head. “What was it, Seb?”
“That your daddy would find my mommy and daddy because he said they're not really dead.”
“That's right, sweet boy, they're still alive. And if you look behind you, you'll see that wishes do come true.”
I point behind me.