Clearing her throat, she croaked, “My babies?”
Putting the cup down, he sat on the side of the bed, careful not to jostle her. “They‘re quite healthy, the doctor assured me.”
She smiled weakly, relieved, her thoughts drifting back to what she thought had been a dream. Or had it been?
“Honey, what’s wrong?“ he asked, seeing a troubled look cross her face.
At first she thought about not telling him, that he may think it was the pain medication, but decided to share it with him anyway. After telling him, she was pleasantly surprised that he simply accepted it at face value.
“I’m glad that she sent you back to us, to me, the children, our friends and family. Sweetheart, you are the glue that holds us together. Besides, I have a little secret of my own that I‘ve never told you.” He then related his experience in the bedroom of their old home, how he had caught the whiff of honeysuckle, and heard Jenny whisper directly in his ear.
She was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about Ezekiel?”
“He pulled through with flying colors. Matter of fact, he’s in the room right next to this one. When they move you both to a private room, you can see each other.”
A nurse came in and smiled at them. “Hello, Mrs. Riley. You should know, your two babies are the Belles of the Ball at the nursery. They are sooo adorable. Those heads full of thick auburn curls, and those gray eyes….”
“When can I see them?“
“Tomorrow. Right now, you just need to rest. I’m going to give you something for pain, and if you need anything else, just hit the buzzer.”
After the nurse left, Connell sat back down carefully and held her hand.
“What about Zamora? Did they catch that crazy ass Mary?” she mumbled, the medicine already making her drowsy.
“Well, Jonus called me, he’s gone after her. You rest assured though, he’ll see to it that she’s Ok. His father and brothers are helping him, too. Sheriff Berry now has two of them, the guys, in custody. He’ll get them to crack, trust me.” As he watched her fall asleep, he thought about the woman that had barged into his home to hurt his family. Hatred for a woman her had never laid eyes on burned through him, and he thought..She better pray I never get my hands on her.
***********************************************
Sobbing quietly, Zamora stretched out as best she could. The closet she had been confined in was so small a child would have had a hard time moving around. She knew that Mary was somewhere around. She had been brought to a hunting shack just a few miles from the compound, instead of the compound itself.
She still couldn’t believe that her father had planned all of this. When she had saw him she had told him everything that Mary had done, including shooting her brother. His only reaction was to strike her several times. She shivered as she remembered the look on Mary’s face as she watched her father striking her with several vicious, open-handed slaps. The woman had had a look of sadistic glee on her face. He had then told Mary he would have someone bring food for them each day. He also said the police had raided the camp and had arrested Samuel, but since no one other than them knew about the shack, he wasn’t worried about the police finding them. She knew she had to try to escape, and soon, or her spirit would be broken, quickly and savagely, this time around. The closet made the meditation room at the compound seem like luxurious accommodations in comparison. But it would be dangerous as long as Mary was still in possession of the gun.
She touched her swollen lip tenderly and winced. It had been busted open when Samuel had tried to take advantage of her in the hotel room, several days before. “No man other than Jonus will ever touch me!” she remembered screaming at him, and he had backhanded her savagely, and ripped her shirt off. She knew he would have raped her if it hadn’t been for Mary coming in right at that moment and stopping him. Not because she cared, she was simply fearful the police would be at the hotel any minute, and she wanted to leave.
For the last three days she had sat listening to Mary and her father preaching to her about her sins, and no matter how many times her father said all would be forgiven if she just stood before his followers and claimed she was forced into leaving because of Aisha’s evil influence, she was smart enough to know they weren’t going to just let her go. Especially since the police had arrested Samuel and were looking for Mary. She had hoped someone would have found them by now, but her hope was fading fast. When she had been imprisoned, and on and off after that, she had screamed and yelled until her throat was raw, all to no avail.
Lowering her head in abject misery, her sobs became more hopeless. “Jonus, where are you? I love you and I’m scared I’ll never see you again.” she cried.
**********************************************
For three days Jonus, his father, and two brothers had waited and watched the compound from a distance, in the woods, hoping to spot Mary, so she could lead them to Zamora. His frustration was reaching a point to where he was considering just sneaking in and snatching Zamora’s father up, and beating the lunatic until the old man spilled everything.
The state police had raided the farm and searched every inch of the place, but turned up nothing but Samuel. He had been arrested, but he claimed no knowledge of where Mary was, or of Zamora’s well being. I wish they would give me five minutes with that bastard, I would beat it out of him. he thought angrily.
Ed looked at his son and could tell he was at his wits end. Patting his shoulder reassuringly, he said, “Son, I’m sure she’s fine. Wait just a bit longer, eventually someone will lead us to her. Remember when I used to force you boys to go deer hunting with me? Well, forcing you to go was wrong, but the same principle to hunting applies here, patience.”
Patrick put down the night vision goggles, rubbed his eyes and mumbled, “I think dad’s right, bro. Don’t forget that one woman who always walks to the back of the compound at the same time every night. She always has a bag, then she ducks behind that old barn. She shows back up after about forty minutes, like clockwork.”
Timothy sat up and stretched. “I don’t know, I’m thinking we should try to work our way around to where we can spy on that barn. She could be sneaking off the property, you know. These people may be religious zealots, but I’m willing to bet they aren’t stupid. They probably suspect they’re being watched. If not by us, at least by the police.”
Nodded his head, their father replied, “Pretty sound reasoning, to me. Let’s get rolling. Be very careful though, we don’t know if they put traps out or not.”
They grabbed all the gear they thought they would need, then patiently and quietly made their way towards the structure.
**********************************************
It wasn’t long before the woman came. Looking around to see if she was alone, she unlocked the wooden gate behind the barn and began walking down a dirt trail.
They allowed her to get a good bit ahead, and quietly followed her, using their night vision goggles.
Twenty minutes later the woman suddenly stopped when a flashlight clicked on up ahead of her.
Signaling silently for his dad and brothers to follow suit, Jonus slipped behind a large tree and listened.
“Greetings, Sister Mary, here’s the food. The Prophet said he would be up later, he has decided Zamora’s fate.” the woman said, sounding genuinely upset.
Peeking around carefully, Jonus saw the woman named Mary give the woman a smug smile, then snatch the bag from her hand silently. Without a word, she turned and walked away.
The four of them hunkered down and waited for the food-bearing woman to pass. Several minutes later, they set off quietly in the direction Mary had taken.
**********************************************
Zamora heard someone unlocking the door. When it opened she wasn’t surprised to see Mary standing there, breathing heavy.
With a scowl, she snapped, “Get out! You can go relieve yourself before you eat.”
St
ruggling to her feet, she moaned at the painful pins and needles sensations in her legs, the result of blood circulating once more through cramped muscles.
Before she could step out, Mary pointed the gun at her and said, “Simon Says….. what? Since I’m being so nice and letting you go outside to use the bathroom?”
Simon Says you’re a nut! Zamora thought, but answered meekly, “Thank you for letting me go relieve myself.” Since the shack had no kind of indoor pluming, when nature called, it was necessary to find a bush and make do. As she made her way to the door, Mary said, “Take too long, and I’ll just have to assume you’re trying to run. I’ll hunt you down like a dog and shoot you in the back!”
How…how much time do I have?”
“That’s classified.” Seeing the fear on the young woman’s face, she smiled viciously and said, “But, Simon Says, feel free to run if you want to! I’ll have just as much fun shooting you as I did shooting that pig brother of yours!“
She had always been a sweet soul, timid, and respectful of everyone, regardless of what kind of person they were. Now, however, rage gripped her, and she wanted nothing more than to tear this demon woman apart with her bare hands and teeth. Mindful of the gun, she bit her tongue, looked at the floor, then stepped outside.
***********************************************
Jonus almost jumped from his hiding place when he saw Zamora emerge from the shack, walk forty or fifty yards down the trail, and duck down behind a thicket of bushes. Oh, thank God she’s alive….. he breathed quietly. He watched as the woman named Mary stepped out, her back to them. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he turned to see his father pointing silently at her, mimicking with one hand that she had a gun.
Motioning for all three of them to stay put, he stood slowly. All three of them stood slowly as well, looking at him and shaking their heads, indicating they would be going with him, whether he liked it or not.
**********************************************
Jonus crept up behind her, the loud chirping of nocturnal insects covering any noise they were making. Pouncing, he grabbed the hand that held the gun, and wrapped a powerful arm around her throat, choking her.
With a strangled cry, she tried to resist.
Twisting her wrist painfully with one powerful hand, he forced her to drop the gun. Planting one leg in front of her shins, he brought his full weight against her back, and she fell, face first, onto the ground, his weight knocking the breath out of her. Yanking both her hands behind her back, he signaled to Patrick, who quickly tied them together.
A moment later Timothy was on his cell phone, calling a State Trooper who had given them his contact information. He informed the officer where they were, and what had happened.
*************************************************
Hearing voices, Zamora rushed out of the thicket, and was shocked when she found herself face to face with Ed Thompson. She let out a frightened yelp when the man grabbed her and hugged her like she was a long lost daughter.
“Calm down, honey, Jonus is here, he came to get you.“ he laughed.
Grabbing her hand, he tugged her down the path. “Here she is son, she’s safe!” he called out. Glancing back at her, he said, “You wouldn’t believe how worried he was about you, but I told him you would be fine! After all, women who marry Thompson’s have to be tough!”
A few seconds later she found herself staring down at Mary, who was face down in the dirt, bound, and spitting mad. Looking up, she saw Timothy and Patrick waving at her with goofy grins on their faces. Finally, her eyes caught sight of her love, Jonus, and she ran to him, crying tears of joy, and was swooped up into his loving embrace.
Helping Mary to her feet, Timothy shoved her in the direction of Patrick, who caught her by the shoulders roughly.
She took that moment to stomp his foot, hard, and spit at him.
“Look, my brothers and I are gentlemen, but do that shit again, and I’ll smack you so hard you’ll be sane again.” he growled.
Hearing the sound of sirens in the distance, Mary knew she was going to jail. Glaring at the couple kissing, she thought, I should have killed her when I had the chance.
Putting Zamora down, Jonus stepped back, looking in her eyes. He was upset that her face was bruised and battered, but the important thing was she was still alive, and safe. With him. Touching her swollen lip tenderly, he said, “I’m never gonna’ let you out of my sight again, girl. If I would have lost you…..”
Placing a fingertip to his lips to silence him, she said, “Well, you didn’t lose me. And you know what? You’re going to marry me, your dad said so!”
Ed chuckled and shook his head. “Well son, all I’ve got to say is your daughters will be hell on wheels! Man, if my granddaughters have half the temperament she and her sister has, no man will ever cross them.”
Laughing, Jonus replied, “Thanks a lot for the visual, dad, now you‘ve got me worried! Am I going to have to hide your shotgun and run?”
“But, you‘ve got it all wrong, son! My intentions are to force HER to marry YOU, because all my boys deserve the best!“
“Ok, dad, I give up, you win!” he laughed.
Watching the young couple embrace and kiss, Ed Thompson was more at peace than he had ever felt. This is something money could never buy.. he thought, then closed his eyes as a tear trickled down his cheek.
***********************************************
Epilogue
Aisha held their firstborn daughter, who had been named Jenny, and Connell was standing beside her, holding their second born, named Rainy. The two eighteen-month-old toddlers seemed to be enjoying the festivities going on all around them. With a smile on her face, she watched as Jonus and Zamora danced. It was their first dance together as Mr. and Mrs. Jonus Thompson. Looking around at the people that had become her family, she felt so blessed.
Helen was five months along with her first pregnancy. It was a baffling mystery too, how that had came about. Both she and Ben had received an anonymous letter in the mail one afternoon, several months previous. Inside the envelope was the business card of one of the finest fertility experts in the country, along with a computer printed note stating that all the doctor’s fees had been paid in advance. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, they had set up appointments with the fellow.
She chuckled as both her and Ben, who were trying to play matchmaker, introduced Helen’s younger sister to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel had decided to stay near them, and teach at the grade school, a job he loved. She thought he would be truly happy if Helen would only stop trying to marry him off. But Helen was hearing nothing of it. “A man as good-looking as you needs a woman to treat you right.” she heard her friend badger him as he smiled patiently and tried to edge away.
“Come dance with us Ma!” Abby yelled from the dance floor as Shawn and Gabriel were dancing around her. After meeting Gabriel, Abby had decided that he would be her brother instead of her cousin. She laughed when Abby began her Elaine Benice dance, complete with the dreadful caterwauling.
Connell groaned, then laughed. “Good Lord, hon, we need to get her enrolled in dancing classes, and singing classes, and…oh…never mind. Some folks are born with it, some folks aren‘t. Guess she‘ll have to settle for a career as a vet, like her mother.”
Laughing at her husband’s joke, she spotted her mother making her way towards them, with Doctor Boyd following close behind. The widowed doctor had been courting her recently, and for the first time since she and her siblings could remember, she seemed genuinely happy.
Her father, Jeddah, AKA The Prophet, had been found dead the day Jonus and his family had rescued Zamora. Fearful of arrest and imprisonment for his part in the kidnapping, he had locked himself up in the meeting hall and hung himself. Mary, Samuel, and the two elders who had helped them were all serving lengthy prison terms. She didn’t know what had became of those who had been left behind at the Tribe of Eden compound, nor did she care,
since every last one of the children who had been living there had been placed in the care of the state, permanently, the day Zamora had been kidnapped. Neither her mother, herself, Ezekiel, nor Zamora had attended the Prophet’s funeral.
“Give us the babies, and you two go out there and have fun with the kids.” her mother said as she and Doctor Boyd took the girls.
Seconds later Connell swept her up in his arms and twirled her around on the dance floor. Pulling her in his arms, he looked around at his family and friends, then down at her. “I love you so much. Thank you for keeping that promise.”
Looking up at him in adoration, she softly replied, “It’s a promise I plan to keep for the rest of my life, you knuckle-dragging ape.”
Promise To Keep Page 53