Take A Chance

by Micalea Smeltzer

  He let out a weary sigh. “There is no guarantee, but I have to believe that even he isn’t so fucked up that he’d hurt a child. His child.”

  Beyond the room I heard a flurry of activity and the officers voices rose.

  I ran from the room and into the kitchen where they’d taken residence.

  “What is it? What do you know?” I clasped my hands together and bounced on the balls of my feet.

  Officer Myers stepped forward and he was grinning.

  “You found her!” I exclaimed. He had to be smiling because they found her, right? “Please tell me you found her!”

  He nodded his head eagerly. “We found her. She was in the abandoned warehouse and the truck that was spotted belonged to Todd James.”

  “So, she’s okay? She’s not hurt? When do I get to see her?” I rattled off question after question.

  “She appears to be fine, maybe a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. A medical team will be looking her over to be sure, though. Once they know she’s indeed okay, and stable enough to travel, she’ll be brought back.”

  “Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” I basically tackled the poor officer in my haste to hug him.

  Officer Myers lifted his arms and awkwardly patted my back in his pathetic attempt to show affection.

  Pulling away from him I stepped back into Hayes’ embrace. He held me tight, burying his face into the skin of my neck and that was when I felt his wet tears.

  He’d had to be the strong one through all of this, and now was his moment to break.

  I held him tight. “I love you,” I whispered. “Thank you for being you. Thank you for putting up with me. Thank you for everything.”

  “That’s what love is,” he murmured against my neck, “it’s loving someone through every storm. You don’t ever need to thank me for that.”

  “Yes, I do.” I assured him, pressing a wet kiss to his cheek.

  I turned to Officer Myers and Hayes wrapped his arms around me, his front to my back, not wanting to let me go.

  “Is it possible for us to meet them halfway and get her ourselves?” I questioned—throwing in some puppy dog eyes for good measure.

  Officer Myers winced, his lips twisted with displeasure. “Well, you see…there’s a bit of a problem.”

  My blood ran cold. “What kind of problem? You said she was okay? What could possibly be wrong?”

  Office Myers looked behind him at another officer. When that officer nodded he turned back to us.

  “We found Mia.”

  “Yes, I got that.” I grinned. “You found her and she’s okay.”

  “But that’s it,” he said, his dark brows furrowed with worry. “We only found her. Todd was not in the warehouse.”

  “Oh my God.” My eyes widened in horror. “So you mean he’s still out there? He could do this again?”

  Officer Myers nodded sadly. “I’m afraid so. We’ll be releasing a statement soon about Mia being found, and we’ll blast Todd’s face everywhere. We will find him.”

  “So what does that have to do with us not being allowed to get her?”

  Officer Myers nodded to himself. “This has been a high profile case due to your…uh…status.” He glanced at Hayes. “We just want to make sure we do this right and keep her safe so she’ll be in police custody the whole way here. It’s the safest option with Todd still on the loose.”

  “I understand.” I was disappointed, but I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize Mia.

  I couldn’t believe she was safe and okay and that she was coming home.

  “I need to call my mom and our friends, to let them know.”

  “Of course,” Officer Myers nodded, taking a step back. “We’ll be here until she arrives and if there are any updates regarding Todd I’ll let you know.”

  “Thank you,” I said again.

  I backed out of the room and called my mom while Hayes called his.

  When his mom found out that Mia was missing she’d been beyond hysterical that this was happening. Hayes told me she was the one that had made the soup he’d gotten me to eat. She’d driven all the way here to deliver the soup herself, and had wanted to see me, but Hayes had talked her out of seeing me since I hadn’t been in the best frame of mind. Thank God for that, since I might’ve thrown something at her. Not that I’d thrown things at people or anything. Okay, only once, and it was at Casey.

  My mom answered on the first ring, just like the last time. I was pretty sure her phone was permanently glued to her hand at this point.

  “Anything?” She said in greeting.

  “They found her.” A sob bubbled out of my throat. I was so relieved and now my emotions were all over the place.

  “Oh thank God!” She cried and her own sobs filled the line.

  “I feel like I can finally breathe,” I admitted.

  “Oh, I’m sure sweetie. I can’t believe this happened, but at least she’s been found and safe.”

  “I know. But Todd wasn’t with her, which means he’s still out there and could try something like this again.”

  She clucked her tongue. “That isn’t good.”

  “No, it’s not,” I sighed, “but Mia’s okay and that’s all that matters.”

  “When will she be home?”

  “Hopefully tonight.” I pushed my hair away from my face. “I don’t know if I could stand it if they made me wait until tomorrow.”

  “Once she’s there and everything is settled your dad and I want to come see her.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks for all your help, mom.”

  “Of course. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  I hung up and called Sadie to let her know everything and she promptly burst into tears of relief. We were all an emotional bunch right now—but I was thankful to have friends that cared so deeply.

  By the time Hayes and I finished making our rounds of phone calls I felt more exhausted than I had in days. Now that I knew that Mia was safe my adrenaline had faded.

  We found ourselves back on the couch, and I lay down on my side with my head in his lap.

  “It’s over,” Hayes said, stroking his fingers through my hair before settling his hand on my neck.

  “Is it?” I questioned, worry still plaguing me.

  “It has to be,” he whispered.

  The sky was dark, completely black with not even the hint of stars or the moon, when the cop car containing Mia pulled into Hayes’ driveway.

  I’d been on the front steps for the last fifteen minutes, waiting anxiously for her arrival, despite Hayes’ demand that it was too cold for me to sit outside. He’d joined me anyway, and wrapped a big fluffy blanket around my shoulders to help keep me warm.

  When I saw the car turn into the driveway I took off running. I didn’t think I’d ever run that fast in my entire life.

  The car stopped and I pulled the door open.

  Almost immediately Mia dove into my arms, her tears dampening my shirt.

  “Oh, baby girl,” I sobbed holding her tight and inhaling her scent in an effort to convince myself of the fact that she was really here, “I’m never letting you go,” I vowed.

  “Momma,” she sobbed, “I twas so scared.”

  “I know, baby, I’m so sorry.” I squeezed her tight and then peppered her face with kisses. There was a small scratch on her nose, but other than that she appeared to be fine. “I love you so much.” I held her tight again.

  I felt the warmth of Hayes’ hand on my shoulder and I turned to look up at him, surprised to see that he was fighting back tears.

  “Come here,” I told him.

  Without hesitation he squatted down beside me and wrapped his arms around Mia and me.

  “I was so worried about you, Mia,” he choked. “I missed you.”

  I watched in quiet fascination as tears streaked his face.

  “I’m so happy to have my family back,” he whispered, kissing my forehead and then Mia’s.

  Mia pulled from
my arms and dove into his, squeezing him as tight as she had me. “I mwissed you too. I wuv you.” She sniffled, choking on her own tears.

  “I love you too.” He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, laying his head on hers.

  He stood, picking up Mia in the process. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight as we trekked back to the house.

  The officers were standing outside waiting for us, unable to hide their own smiles.

  “Thank you,” I said again for the millionth time, and proceeded to hug each and every one of them.

  I’d admit, I hadn’t been the nicest to them—when you were worried out of your mind about your child you weren’t nice to anyone—but they’d done their job and brought my daughter back to me. I knew some parents weren’t as lucky as I was.

  This could’ve been a whole lot worse.

  Hayes set Mia down inside the foyer and thanked the officers like I had.

  “We’re going to continue searching for Todd, this isn’t over yet,” Officer Myers warned us forlornly. “The officers discovered some evidence in the warehouse that he was planning to hold her for ransom.” He glanced at Hayes when he said this. “Just be careful, alright?”

  “We will,” I promised, reaching out and holding Mia’s hand.

  I wouldn’t be letting Mia out of my sight until she was like…thirty, and maybe not even then. I was going to be taking ‘over-protective’ to a whole new level.

  “We’ll pack up our stuff and head out. If you see anything suspicious call me.” Officer Myers handed me a card with his information and headed back into the kitchen with the other officers following him.

  “I’m going to go give her a bath and put her to bed,” I told Hayes as I absentmindedly stroked my fingers down Mia’s cheek, “can you stay and see them out?”

  “Yeah, of course.” He nodded.

  I picked Mia up and carried her upstairs—despite the fact that she was now too big for me to do this—I just needed to hold her close.

  I set her down in the bathroom and began to run warm water, adding in a dash of bubbles.

  “Momma missed you so much, baby girl.” I took her face in my hands before helping her undress.

  She had a few more scrapes aside from the one on her nose, and a couple of bruises too. I felt relieved, because I knew it could’ve been a lot worse.

  “I mwissed you too.” She sniffled, wiping at her nose.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed.”

  I lifted her into the bathtub since it was too high for her to climb in by herself.

  She splashed in the bubbles for a minute, before she said, “Momma?”

  “Yes, baby girl?” I rested my arms on the top of the bathtub.

  “Will you sweep in my bed tonight?” She wouldn’t look at me when she asked the question, like she was embarrassed.

  “Of course, honey.”

  I’d always do anything for her, and if she wanted me to sleep in her bed tonight then I would. But I was beyond worried about what kind of effect this would have on her. Could children develop PTSD? I’d have to Google that later, although knowing Google that would only scare me further.

  I figured I’d need to have Mia see a therapist. That seemed a bit drastic at her age, but she’d been kidnapped by her own father and he’d planned to hold her for ransom, so in my book that seemed like something a therapist would need to help with. I didn’t want to do nothing and have this affect her for the rest of her life.

  Mia grew quiet, so I quickly washed her hair and body before helping her out and wrapping her up in the fluffiest towel I could find.

  “You’re a brave, strong girl,” I told her as I put her pajamas on her.

  “I am?”

  I nodded emphatically. “The strongest.”

  That got her to smile and I felt the vice around my heart start to lessen a bit.

  Neither one of us was going to be okay tonight, or tomorrow, or even the next day, but eventually all would be well again.

  Mia fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

  I propped my head in my hands and lay watching her sleep. I was afraid if I closed my eyes I’d wake up and find that this was all a dream and she was still missing. I wasn’t sure my heart could take that. It’d been beaten enough.

  Eventually the door creaked open and between the slice of light from the hallway I could see Hayes’ silhouette.

  I waved him forward and he tiptoed into the room so that he didn’t wake Mia.

  Leaning over the bed, he whispered, “They’re gone.”

  I nodded in response and patted the empty space beside me in the large bed. “She wants me to sleep in here tonight. Will you stay too?”

  His eyes shimmered with relief. “I don’t want to be without either of you,” he confessed, slipping into bed behind me and leaned around me to look at Mia. He smoothed his large fingers over her small cheek. “I didn’t know it was humanly possible to experience what I’ve felt the past few days.”

  “I didn’t either,” I concurred, burrowing under the covers.

  Hayes lay back and wrapped his arms around me. “Go to sleep, Little Bird. It’s over now. Rest.” His lips brushed against my ear as he spoke, sending a shiver down my spine.

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  “Try,” another brush of his lips, “she needs you to be strong for her and you can’t do that if you’re dead on your feet.”

  I peered around him at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was nearing one in the morning.

  “I’ll try.”

  His hand slid up my back, settling on my neck and he massaged the tense muscle. My eyes grew heavy and I yawned.

  When he started humming I was a goner, and sleep claimed me peacefully.

  I sat bolt upright from a dead sleep.

  The clock flashed that it was nearing five o’ clock in the morning, so I’d only been asleep for a few hours.

  Beside me, Mia slept peacefully and Hayes was completely knocked out with his arm crossed over his face.

  My heart raced inside my chest and I rubbed my hand over it, like somehow that gesture would slow it.

  And that’s when I heard it.

  Footsteps downstairs.

  Casey and Greg were staying in the guesthouse over the garage, and it was complete with a kitchen and everything, so there was no logical reason as to why one of them would be in the house.

  My throat closed and I shook with fear.

  Something told me that this was bad.

  Very bad.

  Bad with a capital B.

  I shook Hayes awake.

  He startled awake, slinging his arms around. “Huh? What is it?”

  I slapped a hand over his mouth and his eyes widened.

  “What?” He mumbled against my hand.

  I made a shushing gesture against my mouth.

  “Listen,” I mouthed.

  He grew quiet and we both heard the sound of someone coming upstairs.

  “Take her and get into the closet or…just fucking hide,” he hissed, rolling out of bed.

  “What about you?” I whispered as he tiptoed to the bedroom door.

  “I’ll be fine,” he mouthed back, slipping from the room.

  I watched in horror as he left the room. I wanted to run after him, to stop him from whatever he was going to do, but Mia was my top priority.

  I grabbed her into my arms and she startled awake. I immediately put my hand over her mouth so that she wouldn’t scream. Her mouth opened beneath my hand, like she was going to bite me, but when she saw that it was me she relaxed.

  I carried her into the closet and eased the door closed just as I heard the person top the stairs.

  The closet was large and I carried her all the way into the back, sitting her on the floor behind a box filled with blankets.

  “Mia, listen to mommy…I need you to be very quiet. Do you hear me?” I waited for her to nod. “Whatever you do, don’t make a sound.”


  She nodded again.

  “I love you. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

  Before I could talk myself out of leaving her I eased out of the closet and tiptoed into the bathroom.

  I heard the sound of whoever was in the house rummaging through a room a few doors down. They were close, too close for comfort, and I needed a weapon. I refused to be defenseless.

  I remembered seeing a heavy-duty flashlight in one of the bathroom drawers, but I couldn’t remember which one.

  With my heart beating unsteadily I rummaged through the drawers as quietly as I could.

  I found the flashlight in the third drawer I checked, and I held it tightly in my hand.

  I eased the drawer closed, taking a deep breath before I passed out.

  “Mia, come out, come out, where ever you are.”

  Todd.

  He laughed manically, and I knew then that he was truly off his rocker.

  I started to ease out of the bathroom but I caught sight of his shadow approaching the room, so I quickly ducked back inside, holding my breath.

  “Mia, I just want to play. Don’t you want to play with your daddy?”

  I held the flashlight so tight in my hands that my fingers started to go numb.

  I heard his feet shuffling against the carpet and I pressed my back against the wall, praying he didn’t glance in the bathroom and see my reflection.

  “Mia, where are you?” He called. Clucking his tongue, he said, “It’s not very nice to hide from your daddy.”

  In the reflection of the mirror I saw him bend down and peer under the bed.

  He reached under it and when he pulled his arm out I saw that he was clutching one of her many stuff animals. He held the panda tightly in his hands, gritting his teeth as he stood.

  “I know you’re here, you little brat!” He yelled, his voice echoing off of the high ceilings. “Where are you?”

  With another cry he stripped off the bed covers and threw them on the floor.

  “Arden! I know you’re here too! You whore!”

  I pressed a shaking hand over my mouth.

  “Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your transgressions? You belong to me, and only me.” He spun around the room, looking for any sign of us. When he wasn’t looking towards the bathroom I eased down behind the counter, squatting on the floor.