One Among Us

by Paige Dearth

  Colby leaned in again, but this time he wrapped his thick arms around her small waist and pulled her into him. His light-brown, almost hazel eyes bored into hers as he slowly placed his mouth on top of hers. The passion and fire that sparked between them made it impossible for either to stop or pull away. They lay together on the sofa, kissing and running their hands over each other’s bodies. Colby rose from the sofa, pulled Maggie gently to her feet, and guided her into his bedroom.

  Inside Colby’s room, Maggie unbuttoned his shirt and ran her soft fingers over his wide chest and rock-hard biceps. Their mouths touched every wonderful place on each other’s bodies as they undressed each other, one piece of clothing at a time. Then they stood naked in the middle of Colby’s bedroom. Colby slowly ran his tongue over Maggie’s collarbone and gradually downward. He stopped to take her breasts into his mouth, lingering for just a moment as his tongue danced around her nipples. His plump lips kissed her belly and hips. Moving toward his destination, he slid his tongue down her navel until he was finally between her legs.

  The moans Maggie released surprised her. She’d never felt anything so good in her life. Maggie pulled on Colby’s hand, and he rose, following her over to the bed. She lay on her back and pulled him to her. She grabbed onto his firm ass as he entered her, and her heart soared with an exhilaration and pulse-pounding elation she’d never known. When they were finished, Maggie lay next to Colby. Their legs and arms were intertwined.

  “I love you, Maggie. I don’t want to freak you out. We’ve known each other for a long time, and I want you to know that I love you,” Colby admitted.

  Maggie smiled, but still didn’t look at him. “Thanks.”

  “Thanks? Really?” Colby said in a hurt voice.

  “Yeah, thanks,” Maggie said with a giggle.

  “Wow,” Colby gasped. “You’re a harder nut to crack than I’d thought you’d be.”

  Maggie propped herself up on one elbow. “Well, I never indicated that loving me was going to be easy,” she said and put on a pouty face.

  “No, you didn’t. But thanks? That’s all I get?” Colby said with a smile.

  “Oh, all right. I love you, too. There. Now are you happy?” Maggie joked.

  Colby started tickling her under the arms. “Oh yeah, I’m real happy. I’ve been following you around like a lapdog for a couple of years and after I finally make love to you, you toss me aside like a dirty rag.”

  Maggie laughed and rolled on top of Colby’s naked body. “You’re a very tasty dirty rag. So given this information, I may not toss you aside just yet,” Maggie said, and gently sucked his earlobe.

  “Enough talking,” Colby said, as he embraced Maggie and began to respond to her sexual advances.

  They made love a second time that night. Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms, and for the first time since Maggie could remember, she slept in peace.

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three

  The next morning, Joey sauntered into Colby’s bedroom, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.

  “Why are you sleeping in here?” Joey mumbled incoherently.

  Maggie lifted her head slightly off the pillow. “Well, I figured you wanted your own room.”

  As Colby stirred next her, Maggie put her finger over her lips to tell Joey to be quiet. She slipped from under the covers, grabbed Colby’s large T-shirt, and put it over her head. Then she led Joey out into the kitchen.

  “Colby and I like each other, Joey. So, we slept together last night,” Maggie explained.

  Joey scrunched up her nose. “Why would ya wanna do that? I hated doin’ those things they made me do when I lived in that place where you found me.”

  “Well, that’s a good question. When you do those things, have sex, with someone you really, really like, it’s a lot different. It makes you feel good instead of bad,” Maggie tried to explain.

  “So Colby didn’t hurt you last night?” Joey asked. The young girl knew sex to be ugly, painful, and dirty.

  “No, he didn’t hurt me. He would never hurt either of us. So, the thing is, I’m probably going to share Colby’s room with him. That will leave you a room all to yourself,” Maggie said.

  “OK, that’s fine. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy,” Joey said sincerely.

  ***

  Maggie’s life shifted significantly once she moved in with Colby. Although she was happier than she’d ever been, she had a nagging fear that something would go wrong and take away everything she now had. Over the first six months of living together, they had fallen deeply in love. It was almost hard for Maggie to imagine life without him. He was warm and loving to her and Joey. Maggie couldn’t believe how much her life had changed.

  Since leaving Kensington, Maggie made regular visits to see the young prostitutes who had been left to fend for themselves. Some of the girls were still on the streets, selling their bodies without pimps, while others had found shelters and other forms of government help to get them back on their feet. A few of the girls had been reunited with their families and no longer lived in the rectum of the city. More often than not, the Clarkes traveled into Kensington with Maggie. It was important to the Clarkes to understand the life Maggie had lived during the long years she was away from them, but even more important was their urge to keep Maggie safe from further harm. The work Lorraine and Rob had done with other missing children and their families during Maggie’s agonizing absence had helped prepare them for the harsh world their daughter had inhabited.

  It wasn’t until late fall the following year that, while visiting Shiver at Double Visions, Maggie had the urge to contact Tony and Vincent. She had kept their phone number in a safe place, and since she had no way of contacting Emma, she decided to reach out to them and find out what had become of her friend.

  “Yeah?” Tony huffed into the phone when he answered.

  “Tony? This is Maggie.” There was a long pause. “Maggie from Double Visions. Emma’s friend.”

  “Ohhhh yeah, little Maggie. How the hell ya been? Vincent and me were just talkin’ ’bout ya da other day. We’s been wondering what happened to ya. We heard all about that big bust in that shit hole where ya live,” Tony said.

  “I’m doing really well now, Tony. I moved in with my boyfriend. We live in Whitemarsh, and things are going great,” Maggie explained.

  “That’s real good. Have ya seen your parents?” Tony wondered aloud.

  “Yep. I live five minutes from them, so I get to see them all the time,” Maggie said.

  “Well, me and Vincent are real happy for ya. How’s everythin’ else?” Tony asked, wondering what the real reason was for Maggie’s call.

  “Everything is fine. I just thought maybe you’d like to meet me and Joey for lunch someday. I was actually wondering how Emma was doing. I don’t know how to reach her,” Maggie said.

  “Well, Emma’s been away for a while. Not sure when she’s comin’ back to town. Who’s this Joey guy ya want us to have lunch wit’?” Tony asked.

  Maggie giggled. “Joey is a girl. She was Seth’s best friend. Her mom sold her when she was little to some asshole, so now she lives with Colby and me.”

  “Her own mudder sold her when she was little? She’s a fuckin’ sorry excuse for a woman,” Tony commented in an angry voice. “Listen, why don’t you and Joey meet us at the Melrose tomorra afternoon? How’s that sound? It’ll be good to see ya.”

  It wasn’t normal for Tony and Vincent to meet people outside of the mob for lunch or any other meal. But for Maggie, they’d make an exception. She was a good kid, and when she lost her boy, the two men had felt badly that they couldn’t do anything to help her. A good meal at the Melrose seemed the perfect opportunity to do something nice for her. Besides, Tony was curious about the big bust that took place in Kensington. It was always good to know how things went down on other criminals…there was always something to learn about the police.

  The next afternoon, Maggie and Joey got off the bus and walked a few short blocks
to the Melrose Diner. The restaurant was bustling with loud chatter and high-pitched laughter. Maggie led Joey to the back of the diner, where she’d spotted Tony and Vincent. Before she reached their table, a man working at the diner approached. “Nah, you can’t go back there,” he said, trying to keep everyone away from Tony and Vincent.

  “Jimmy,” Vincent yelled. “She’s OK. She came to see us.”

  Jimmy nodded and stepped aside to let Maggie and Joey pass.

  The two large men stood, and each took a turn giving Maggie a hug.

  “Sit down, sit down,” Vincent said with enthusiasm, gesturing to the two seats across from them.

  “This is Joey,” Maggie said once they were seated. “Joey, this is Tony and Vincent.”

  Joey immediately felt intimidated by the two men. For starters, they were tall and wide. But what really made her nervous were the holstered guns she noticed on each of them when they hugged Maggie.

  “Hi, Joey,” Tony said, “it’s nice to meet ya.”

  Joey nodded but remained silent, watching both of them carefully.

  Tony, Vincent, and Maggie chatted about Double Visions, and then she filled them in on her life after Kensington. They had just finished eating when Maggie rose from the table.

  “I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” Maggie announced.

  She stood and turned to walk toward the bathroom when suddenly she stopped and sat down again.

  Tony took a long gulp of his coffee. “What? Ya changed your mind?” he teased.

  But Vincent didn’t play into it; he was too busy watching Maggie. The color had drained from her face, and her hands were shaking. Maggie’s eyes bulged, and for several seconds, Vincent could tell she was holding her breath. Tony was still digging into his apple pie when Vincent nudged him under the table. He looked up at Maggie and put his fork on the pie plate.

  “What’s wrong, Maggie?” Vincent asked in a dark voice.

  Tears filled Maggie’s eyes, and she shook her head ever so slightly.

  Joey immediately grabbed onto Maggie’s forearm, sensing her fear.

  “Maggie?” Tony said. “Tell us what’s wrong.”

  Maggie cleared her throat, and in a shaky voice, she whispered, “The man in the orange shirt, sitting behind us.”

  Tony strained his neck until his eyes landed upon a large, lanky-looking white man. His greasy hair hung around his baggy, puffy eyes. He was hunched over his meal with his arms on the table, guarding his plate like hungry dog.

  “Yeah, I see him. He looks like a fuckin’ pig,” Tony commented. “What about him?”

  Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. “Joey and I have to go. We have to get out of here.”

  Tony and Vincent were confused. “Did that loser mess wit’ cha on the bus ride here or somethin’?” Vincent guessed.

  “No,” Maggie said quietly, “that’s the man who kidnapped me. That’s John William.”

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four

  Tony was the first to react. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a pair of sunglasses, and handed them to Maggie.

  “Put these on and get outta here,” Tony instructed.

  Maggie’s body felt like it was made of stone, but she willed her legs to lift her body from the chair. Joey was standing next to her and grabbed Maggie under the arm to hoist her up. One step at a time, Maggie headed toward the door with Joey beside her. As they approached the table where John William was sitting, Maggie paused and stared at him. Feeling an unwanted presence, John William looked up from his bowl of clam chowder and sneered at them. His eyes washed over Maggie and then Joey with perverted lust. Maggie remembered the look well, and her fear began to subside as rage pushed away any feelings of nervousness. Maggie looked over her shoulder. Tony pushed his chin toward the door to indicate that she had to keep moving.

  As the two girls passed, John William gawked at Joey, and they heard him say, “Mmmmmm.” He was too stupid to look at their faces. Had he looked up, John William might have recognized Maggie. Even after all those years, Maggie looked like an older version of herself from childhood.

  Once outside the diner, the fall air hit Maggie in the face, and she drew in a deep breath. She and Joey walked quickly toward the bus stop. Maggie looked back several times to see if Tony and Vincent had emerged from the diner, but they remained inside, and so did John William. She didn’t know what they had planned, but Maggie knew that whatever it was, the two men did not want Joey and her hanging around the diner to find out. As reality set in, Maggie’s anger grew until she could literally chew on the hate she felt for John William.

  Maggie held onto Joey tightly as they sat in the very first seat on the bus, heading back to Whitemarsh. Maggie’s insides were churning just as they had when she was a little girl. She was thinking about her life inside the prison with Cali, Max, and the others. Her thoughts landed on Seth, the child whom John William had murdered.

  “Maggie, that man looked really mean. He’s the one who stole you,” Joey stated.

  Maggie nodded. “Yes, he’s the one who took me and Seth.”

  “Do you hate him?” Joey asked.

  “Yes, I hate him. I hate him a lot,” Maggie confirmed.

  “Well, I hope he dies,” Joey said.

  “So do I,” Maggie agreed. “I hope he dies a prolonged, painful death.”

  “Prolonged?” Joey asked.

  Maggie looked down at Joey. “Yes, prolonged…it means I hope he has pain for a long time before he dies.”

  Joey squinted. “Just like we had a lot of pain when they had sex with us when we were kids, right?”

  “Yes. Nothing could be as painful as what we went through. Oh, and by the way, you’re still a kid,” Maggie reminded her.

  “Yeah, I know,” Joey said. “I remember when I first came to Kensington, and the kids at school used to tell Seth he was damaged goods. You know, I think we’re all a little damaged. What do you think?”

  Maggie put her arm over Joey’s shoulder. “I don’t think we’re damaged, Joey. I think our experiences make us who we are, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with us.”

  Joey pondered what she’d been told. “I don’t get it.”

  Maggie leaned closer. “There are lots of people who go through bad things, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with those people. Look at us, for example. We went through bad things, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t really cool chicks.”

  Joey smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  The two fell silent, and then Joey spoke again. “Maggie? I’m glad you picked me that day…from that place where they were keeping me, I mean.”

  “Me too, Joey, but I wish I could’ve taken all the other little girls away from that place too,” Maggie admitted.

  Joey nodded. She had been frightened by seeing John William in the flesh at the diner. She was scared that the man who’d stolen Maggie would take both of them back to the dreary place where men touched her in places that made her skin crawl and made her guts twist into tight little knots. But nothing bad had happened, she told herself over and over again as she rested her head in the crook of Maggie’s arm and let the sound of the bus tires lull her into a sense of numbness.

  Maggie gave thanks as the bus left the city limits, and she wondered what, exactly, Tony and Vincent were going to do about John William. Their reaction had startled her. Even though she was initially scared when she saw John William, the look on Tony and Vincent’s faces made her feel exhilarated, even powerful. She imagined them telling John William what a piece of shit he was and scaring the hell out him with their sheer size and malicious demeanor. She basked in the thought of John William being scared and looking over his shoulder the whole way home.

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five

  Over the next six months, Maggie began taking college courses to become a social worker. She had an undeniable urge to help people in need. At first, she joined her parents with the work they did with Rae
Harker. But as time went on, Maggie felt she had an opportunity to help the children who were still on the streets and prostituting to stay alive.

  Maggie began by spending more time on the streets of Kensington. Of course, there was still organized prostitution and drug dealing. Once Rock and his gang were arrested, it wasn’t long before others took over the various territories. Maggie sought out some of the underage prostitutes first and tried to convince them to return to their families, to get off the streets. Some actually listened, and with Colby’s help, they were placed back with their families. But others, who had no one in the world who cared about them, drew Maggie to Kensington day after day.

  Maggie’s most satisfying moments were when she met with Max and Cali’s parents. She had made a pact with Max and Cali that one day, their parents would know everything, and she intended to fulfill her promise to them. Maggie took Ron and Juliet Frey with her to meet the two sets of parents. The only gift Maggie had to give them was information. It was a sad meeting, but at the parents’ request, she described the lives and deaths of Max, Cali, and later, Seth. Max and Cali’s parents had finally found closure, even though it was painful. Both couples were grateful to Maggie and the Freys for contacting them, and they vowed to stay in touch with Maggie.

  Lorraine and Rob had bought Maggie a used car, and Colby had taught her how to drive so she could get back and forth to Kensington. Colby tagged along with Maggie two or three days a week “to help,” but it was really because he was concerned for her safety. It was no secret that Maggie had helped to bring Rock to his knees, and Colby feared that Rock would have someone on the outside harm her.