Only Women in Hell

by A. R. Braun

  The color drained from Marie’s face and her eyes became wide. She trembled. The lines around her eyes became more pronounced as she obviously forced a smile. She pulled her robe over her blouse and slacks to shield herself from the wind. “But… I thought… these were the kids Stacey dropped off after she ran away with that cult.”

  Christina laughed. “I didn’t think you’d admit it.”

  “Admit what?” Mrs. Alley yelled.

  Christina folded her arms. “Just get the children.”

  As Mrs. Alley turned to get the kids, she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But if Dick did what you said he did, then that makes him a very bad man, and I’m sorry something like that happened.”

  Christina turned up the corner of her mouth. “I hope you’re right… for your sake.”

  While Mrs. Alley hobbled away, her legs shook.

  We’ve got to get some proof that she knew. Hopefully, I’ll obtain that information from Stacey when she gives her statement.

  In a few minutes, Mrs. Alley returned with three adorable little girls, thin as a rail. They looked up at Christina with innocent eyes. One had black hair, one had brown hair, and one was a blonde.

  Mrs. Alley put a hand over her mouth. “Oh. Oh my good lord.” The large woman blanched, whimpered, and fell backward and fainted, making a loud thump that shook the porch. The children jumped and turned to look behind them.

  Christina shook her head. “Guys, get the woman in the cruiser.”

  The officers passed the children, heading for Mrs. Alley.

  “All right, boys,” Officer Brenneman said, “one, two, three, heave!”

  Christina bent down to the children, her bad knees screaming in pain and popping as she did. “Hi girls.”

  The children’s long hair blew in the wind as they stood there in little pants and little shirts. They looked at her shyly.

  Christina smiled. “Don’t worry, kids, I’m a nice police detective. I promise I won’t bite you.”

  The children drew a little closer.

  “What are your names, sweethearts?” Christina asked.

  “I’m Bobbi,” the brown-haired one on her far left said. She pointed to the two other girls. “That’s Kyra, and that’s Louisa.”

  “Such pretty names,” Christina smiled again. “How old are you all?”

  “Seven,” Bobbi answered, twisting from side to side.

  “You’re triplets, huh?”

  Bobbi nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  The policemen had been huffing and changing positions, but now they carried Mrs. Alley off the porch.

  Kyra, the black-haired child, started crying.

  “Why’s that man taking Mommy away?” the blonde named Louisa asked, about to cry herself.

  “Aw. C’mere.” Christina held Kyra.

  The other girls came forward and held her, too.

  Christina stroked their backs and hair. After about a minute, they pulled apart.

  Christina cocked her head to the side. “She just had a fainting spell, that’s all. The doctors are going to make her all better.”

  “She gonna be okay?” Bobbi asked.

  “She’ll be fine, dear-heart.” Wow, talk about dropping the bomb. “So, you girls think that Marie is your Mommy?”

  They nodded.

  “Mm-hmm,” said Bobbi.

  Christina put her hand over her mouth, then withdrew it. “You don’t know about Stacey?”

  They shook their heads.

  “A woman about my age with short brown hair?”

  They shook their heads again.

  “You don’t know who your real Mommy is?”

  The girls pointed to the police cruiser as it pulled away.

  Oh boy.

  “Well…” Christina forced herself to continue. “… we’re going to take a nice ride.” What could she say? Christina slapped her legs as she rose. “Have you girls ever taken a ride in a police car before?”

  They shook their heads again.

  “Won’t that be fun, then?” Christina asked.

  Again, they shook their heads.

  Christina smiled. “Oh, but it will. You’re not in trouble or anything. We’re just going to take you for a fun ride so you can see what a police car looks like.”

  The butler magically appeared—as if he’d been listening around the corner—and got the children into their jackets and boots.

  “Can we run the siren?” Bobbi asked in a munchkin voice.

  Christina’s heart broke. “Oh sure.”

  Bobbi nodded, and the other kids followed suit.

  Christina stood and held out her hands. “Okay. Come on, cuties.”

  They looked up at her with big, brown eyes. Hesitating for a few seconds, Bobbi and Kyra took her hands, while Louisa held onto her waist. They walked off the porch toward the remaining cruiser.

  Oh wow, I’m speechless. How in the hell are we going to break this to them?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Stacey and her three oldest daughters stood staring out of a window in the waiting room at Clarksville Psychiatric Hospital, an upscale institution. There was nothing to see but a row of chairs in the small, rectangular room, except for a widescreen TV on the wall and a young children’s playroom.

  Look at the sunshine. The snow’s beginning to melt. I bet it’s forty degrees. God, I want to go back out there.

  Therese brought her face closer to Stacey’s. “Mom? Are we gonna be able to go outside again?”

  “I don’t know, honey,” Stacey answered.

  Devon crossed her arms. “I hate this yucky hospital. I don’t wanna live here.”

  Stacey put her arm around Devon’s waist. “Now, sweetie, we should be glad we’re free. Try not to worry, okay?”

  Samantha put her arms around Stacey’s waist. “I’m glad we’re free, Momma.”

  Therese scowled. “You would be, Momma’s girl.”

  Sam stuck her tongue out at her.

  Devon released her mother, obviously wishing to be on Therese’s team as she walked over and stood with her.

  “Therese, don’t pick on your sister.” Stacey rubbed Sam’s back.

  My god, we’re so fucked-up. A molested daughter, now a woman with hardly any education or job skills, and my three children of incest; what are we going to do?

  Outside, the sun hid behind the clouds. Like their hope.

  Keys rattled in the door and it opened. A plain-looking, slightly chunky blonde entered the room, followed by a couple of orderlies. The woman carried a clipboard and traded glances at it and the foursome. “Miss Alley?”

  She nodded.

  “And these are your three oldest daughters?”

  “Mm-hmm.” She pointed to her oldest. “That’s Therese, next to her is Devon, and that’s Sam holding onto my waist.” Stacey looked at the floor. She felt like shit around normal people who’d grown up in happy families and had the benefit of a college education.

  God, we’re misfits of the darkest kind.

  Sympathy was in her eyes as the woman extended her hand. “I’m Amanda Forrester, the head psychologist at the hospital.”

  Stacey shook her warm hand. She had a good grip for a woman, no limp-fish. “Pleased… to meet you.”

  Amanda looked over the children. “I’m so sorry about what happened with your foster father.”

  The children’s eyes kept straying to the window. Stacey didn’t know what to say.

  The heater kicked on.

  Therese grabbed Stacey’s arm. “It’s so easy to breathe in here, Mom.”

  Stacey nodded.

  Amanda’s eyes darted to other end of the room. “Miss Alley, can I talk to you over there for a minute?”

  “Sure.” Stacey followed her over.

  Amanda took a chair close to the institutional wall, just brown tiles jammed in with calk, not too different from the green tile walls in the dungeon. She patted the chair next to her.

  Stacey sat. Her eyes kept straying to her kids
. The sun must’ve come out because it gave their faces a bright-yellow glow.

  “Can I call you Stacey?”

  She nodded.

  “What your foster father did to you and your children is probably the most heinous thing anyone could’ve done to another human being. You have my deepest sympathy.” Her eyes glanced to the clipboard, then back to Stacey. “I’ve read over your intake report, and I think you know this has affected you and your children deeply.”

  Stacey sighed and looked away.

  Amanda leaned forward to catch Stacey’s eye and recapture her attention. “I’m not placing judgment on you, but we’re going to need to treat you and your children for quite a while. I think anyone who went through what you did would be significantly traumatized. Again, I’m so sorry.”

  Stacey blinked. “Quite a while?” She panicked. “How long is quite a while?”

  “Until we feel you’re ready to be released.” Amanda sighed through her nose. “Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of you and your family.”

  Stacey trembled and her words did, too. “I feel like such a freak,” she almost whispered.

  “No, no, your foster father is more deserving of that tag than you. He’ll be sorely punished, if that’s any consolation.”

  Stacey looked over and saw her kids had turned around and were staring at the orderlies.

  Hubba-hubba, huh?

  Devon turned from the window. “Mom?” she yelled. “Why are all those reporters out there?”

  “Reporters?” Stacey rose, barely able to stand on her trembling legs.

  “I’ll get your mother back to you in a jiff, okay?” Amanda said.

  Stacey sat down, fidgeting with her hands.

  “Such wonderful children, even after the ordeal,” Amanda added.

  Stacey attempted a smile. “I think if I hadn’t had kids, I would’ve gone crazy in there.”

  Amanda smiled back at her. “I’m glad you had them, then. I’m not even going to try to relate to what you went through.”

  “Why did my baby say something about reporters?”

  Amanda sighed. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but your story is big news. No one has ever imagined anything like this in their wildest nightmare. Well, at least not since Jaycee Lee Dugard.”

  “Oh god.” Stacey looked away.

  Amanda leaned forward again. “It’ll blow over. I have a very nice room where you’ll stay, and it’s got plenty of space. Because of the press, I’m afraid you may have to skip the outside activities for a while till they go away. I have no way of knowing, but they might still be there in the spring.”

  Stacey felt a stab of anxiety. “How long?”

  “I don’t know. Darn hounds. But it won’t be forever… oh, and you’re about to be reunited with your other three daughters.”

  A wave of both joy and anxiety washed over Stacey. “My… other three girls are here?”

  Grinning, Amanda nodded.

  Stacey stood up, touching her forehead. She felt lightheaded. Stacey turned to look at her counselor. “That’s great!”

  Amanda smiled again, also standing. “They’re beautiful little girls, normal as punch.”

  Stacey felt more excited than she thought she could take. “They’d be seven.”

  Amanda nodded. “They’ve had a normal life, which, unfortunately, you and your oldest kids haven’t had.” Amanda sighed again. “And they think Marie Alley is their mother.”

  “What?!”

  Amanda lightly touched Stacey’s back and moved her toward her oldest daughters. “Dick Alley took them in and gave them a regular life. I’m sure you know that already.”

  Stacey nodded.

  “God knows why he played eenie-meenie-minie-moe like that,” Amanda continued.

  “Because there wasn’t room for six kids in the dungeon,” Stacey answered.

  “Oh.” Amanda locked eyes with her. “Are you ready to see them?”

  Stacey put her hand over her mouth. She released it, feeling a tear slip out of her eye. She wiped it away and nodded, then gasped.

  Her older kids stepped forward.

  Sam asked, “Are you okay, Momma?”

  Therese raised one eyebrow. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

  Devon stomped her foot. “I knew it. This is gonna suck.”

  Stacey put her arms around the girls. “Kids, your youngest sisters are going to stay here with us.”

  <^^>

  Stacey gasped. The oldest children’s eyes became wide. Stacey imagined her eyes goggled when her three seven year olds walked in. She just stared and her heart broke.

  My god, they’re the most adorable little things I’ve ever seen in my life!

  Holding onto Amanda were three angels wearing white shirts and pants, plus little white tennies. One girl sported long black hair, another long brown hair, and the third sported a blond mane. They looked exactly like each other. Amanda was smiling, but the kids furrowed their brows at their true mother.

  All Stacey could do was gawk.

  Good lord, they don’t know who I am!

  Also nonplussed, Therese, Devon, and Sam just stared at the little ones, too.

  Amanda bent down to the children. “Sweethearts, I want you to try hard to understand me, all right?”

  The tykes looked at her strangely, then nodded and said, “Mm-hmm.”

  Amanda pointed to Stacey. “This nice lady is your real mother.”

  The kids shook their heads. “Unh-uh,” they all said.

  Amanda nodded. “Yes, she is.” She had to suppress a tear by wiping her eye. “Your daddy told you a fib. This kind lady’s name is Stacey, and she’s really your mom.”

  The children looked Stacey’s way with raised eyebrows.

  “My mommy’s name is Marie,” the black-haired one cried.

  Stacey put her hand over her mouth. “Oh god,” she whimpered. Her three older girls looked her over.

  “Where’s my daddy?” the blond girl yelled.

  Amanda sighed. “Honey, your daddy’s been very naughty, and so has Marie.” She looked as if she were deep in thought. “But, actually, Dick and Marie are your grandpa and grandma,” she lied.

  The brown-haired child shook her head. “Nuh-uh.”

  “Yes, honey. Have you ever met your grandpa and grandma?”

  The black-haired one spoke up. “Daddy said they went to heaven.”

  Listen to those adorable munchkin voices!

  Amanda shook her head. “I’m afraid Dick and Marie are your grandpa and grandma. They fibbed.” Amanda flashed a look at Stacey. “Grandparents do that sometimes.”

  “Why they do that?” the brown-haired one asked.

  “Well, sometimes big people are naughty, and they have to be punished, just like little kids.”

  “They gonna get a spankin?”

  Stacey laughed out loud, and so did her oldest children.

  “Sort of,” Amanda answered.

  The triplets eyeballed Stacey again. This time, their eyes twinkled.

  “Why didn’t we ever meet our mommy?” the black-haired girl asked.

  Amanda cocked her head and smiled. “I’m afraid naughty Grandpa wouldn’t let Mommy come see you, but she really, really wanted to.” Amanda looked at Stacey. “Right, Stacey?”

  Stacey wiped away tears. “God yes.”

  The triplets stared at Stacey.

  The blonde smiled. “Mommy’s pretty.”

  Stacey and her oldest girls laughed, though Stacey’s was a choked laugh.

  Amanda stood. “Why don’t you tell your real mommy your names?”

  “My name’s Bobbi,” the brown-haired girl said. “I’m seven years old.”

  “Me, too,” the black-haired girl said, standing beside her. “My name’s Kyra.”

  “Aw,” Stacey said, sniffling.

  The blonde stuck her hands in the air, having technical difficulties counting to seven on her hands. “My name’s Louisa.”

  Stacey nodded. “I know. I named you
. You were with me when you were little babies.”

  Bobbi’s mouth formed an o. “We were?”

  Stacey nodded, wiping away more tears.

  Amanda pointed at the older girls. “And these are your sisters.”

  “Uh!” Kyra said, looking Amanda over. “We have big sissies?”

  “Sure do.”

  Stacey’s oldest kids came forward.

  “I’m Therese.”

  “I’m Devon.”

  “I’m Samantha, but you can call me Sam.”

  “Why don’t you go say hi to your mommy?” Amanda asked.

  The triplets flashed Amanda one last look, then dragged their feet over to Stacey. Bobbi broke off from them, running and holding Stacey as she bent down. The other two joined in on the group hug.

  Stacey bawled. “Oh… my babies. I’ve got my babies back.”

  They stayed like that for some time. Stacey looked up and caught Amanda grinning.

  Bobbi pulled away, and the other two followed suit. The sun was setting behind them, highlighting the triplet’s faces in scarlet.

  “Why are you crying, Mommy?” Bobbi asked.

  Amanda walked over and handed Stacey some tissues. She dabbed at her eyes.

  “Tears of joy, honey,” Stacey was barely able to say.

  Therese walked over to Louisa. “We’re gonna be good friends.”

  Devon advanced toward Kyra. “Hi sweetie.”

  Sam came from behind Bobbi and hugged her. “You’re a pretty little girl, aren’t you?” She looked at Stacey. “You’ve got brown hair, just like your mommy.”

  Bobbi nodded. “Pretty ones, we.”

  Kyra and Louisa rubbed their eyes.

  Stacey smiled from ear to ear. “They’re so adorable.” She hugged Amanda.

  “Oh,” Amanda said, then patted her back.

  “Thank you so much,” Stacey said. She broke the embrace and looked back at her six children.

  “Not a problem, believe me.”

  Sam let Bobbi go and looked at her. “Wanna go to the play area?” She pointed it out.

  Bobbi’s face brightened. “Yeah!”

  “Yay,” Kyra cried.

  Louisa echoed that sentiment.

  “Let’s go,” Sam said.