Tata held his hand out to me. I took it and he left closing the door. He paused a moment like he had a feeling that something was missing, like he excepted something to happen.
We sat down on the sofa and waited. My eyes pretty much stayed on the clock. I could hear Thomas and his wife. They were arguing about a suitcase. He wanted her to sit on it and she told him it would be more effective if he sat on it. I peeked over at Tata. He grinned a little too but he looked really worried. He was constantly looking over at his other brother's door.
Maria came out and looked at us for a moment. She had a suitcase in each hand. “My car is almost here.” She set down her suitcases and stared at Tata for a moment. “I figured that you can buy yourself whatever you want now.” She motioned towards the tree and then picked up her suitcases, making it clear that she wasn't going to cry or give any hugs.
Thomas came out of his room with his wife. She gave him a nod and then looked at the other door.
Thomas knocked on it. “Mom wants to leave now. Come out and say goodbye.”
There was no answer. Thomas opened the door and peeked in. “They're already gone.” He looked over at his mother, wanting her to tell him how to proceed.
“Then we should follow his good example.” She went to the door of the apartment.
Tata jumped up to open it for her. “Farewell, mother.”
She glanced at him for a split second and bobbed her head once and walked down the stairs. My heart broke watching her. It hadn't been his fault that he was born to her. She was rejecting him.
A man was holding the door for his mother but I saw a little boy who just wanted to be loved and told that he was okay the way he was.
I waited for him to turn to me and look at me. But when our eyes met I wasn't prepared for the sorrow I saw in them.
I had to look away. I looked over at Thomas. “We will be leaving too. Grab a bag and make yourself useful,” he said to his wife.” He was hurt and taking it out on her. I was glad that Tata wouldn't do that.
We were left standing all by ourselves. Tata was still holding the door as his brother and his wife went through.
I could see something wash over his face. He was smiling and pretending that his feelings weren't hurt. It would be my job to see to it that life never disappointed him again.
“I got you a few gifts.” He went to the tree and pulled the presents towards him. Three of the presents he quickly tucked behind himself. He didn't want me to notice that he was the only one who had gotten something for everyone. I knelt down next to him and smiled brightly.
“This is for you. It isn't much but you will be getting lots more when we get home. I am going to shower you with gifts.” He looked me in the eyes. I could see a little boy begging someone to like him. He was willing to buy my love if need be.
“Tata, you shouldn't spoil me. I want to stay nice.”
He smiled at my words. They had been the right ones. “I'm not worried about that. You are such an angel.” He held out a wrapped package.
I took it and opened it up. It was a very beautiful book with empty pages. “This way you can write down all of our adventures. This will help you remember them. We are going to have lots.”
“It's so beautiful.”
“I saw it and I had to get it for you. I'm glad you like it. Grab Carrots, our adventure is starting now.” He picked up the presents behind him and shoved them into one of the suitcases. We went down to his car. He piled in the suitcases and then he helped me into the passenger's side, like I was a princess. He set me down and gave me a kiss. “You have Carrots and we are all set. Anything else would be replaceable.”
That was when it hit me. I was his Carrots, the thing that he couldn't sleep without. The one thing that made him feel safe in the night and not so alone.
I started to cry. My heart was breaking because he had had to wait so many years for me to come along and make his life tolerable.
“Hey, you don't need to cry.”
I took hold of his hand and smiled at him. “I'm not all that brave, I guess.”
“You don't have to worry. I'll take good care of you.”
“I know, Tata.”
He closed the car door and went over to his side. He got in and we drove off. It felt wrong to leave the property, especially because I was leaving Wolf behind. Would he ever learn to trust another human?
I wouldn't if I were him.
Chapter 14
Tata drove for a long time. We were moving quickly because there wasn't much going on. Everyone was with their families. I wondered about my mom and grandmother. I was sure that they were together, better said that they would be tomorrow. In Europe they celebrated on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas Day.
Tata was being very quiet. He kept his eyes on the road as we drove south. I looked out the window at the landscape. This really was a beautiful country.
“We'll be there in a couple of hours. If you want to nap you can.”
“I want to look out of the window. Is that alright?” I peeked over at him. “If I need my strength for later than let me know.”
“You can look out of the window.” He was smirking a little. Traffic was starting to pick up. We were getting closer to Bucharest. We drove around the outskirts of town. Tata was still heading south.
I was being very quiet, but I was asking myself if I should be saying more. This was such a big day for him and thus also for me. He was no longer the bad guy. He was turning over a new leaf. The fact that his freedom was paid with hundreds of slaves couldn't be sitting well with him.
“Why would they have a road block set up on Christmas?”
I looked to see what he was talking about. Several policemen were waving people left and right on the road. The ones that went to the left were allowed to continue but the ones to the right had to stop and open up their trunks. Everyone had to get out of the car.
Sure enough the cars in front of us all got to turn to the left. I wasn't surprised when we had to go to the right.
“Sandra, are you going to be good for me?” Tata peeked over at me. His greatest fear must be losing me.
“Yes, Tata.” It hadn't even crossed my mind to say anything. I hadn't had the best experience with the police in this country.
“Just let me do the talking. I don't want you to say anything.” He rolled the window and talked with the police.
They wanted of to get out of the car. Tata talked to them. He opened the trunk for them as well as our suitcases.
I noticed that they were allowing all the cars to pass by now. I wanted to go to Tata and point that out. He was surrounded by police officers.
I stepped towards Tata and the officer nearest to me said no. He said it in English. Tata had fake papers for me. There was no way that they would think that I couldn't understand them.
I met Tata's eyes. Something was wrong here.
I saw his shoulders slump. He was giving up. One of the officers got in his car and pulled it off to the side of the road and down a gravel side road.
We followed the car. I tried to get over to Tata a couple of times but I was told no. I left my eyes on his. He was talking to the officers, probably promising them anything he could think of to get us out of this situation.
I saw a limousine parked by a patch of woods. We were heading that way. We were following the officer driving Tata's car. I said nothing. I had a feeling that my life was going through another bend. I was about to be on a path that I couldn't have seen coming. They were going to hurt me. Whoever was in that car was going to lay claim on me and take me with them. Was it that man who had waved to me back when I first moved in with Tata? He had been so upset that I couldn't go with him. Or was it the slave man who wanted to buy me?
Whoever was in the car would take me away. I would have to go without Tata. Why did everyone just take what they wanted here? That wasn't how I was raised.
One of the officers took his stick and clubbed Tata behind his knees with it, making him fall
to the ground.
“Sandra,” he called out.
All the men were going at Tata now, kicking him with their feet.
I was screaming as I tried to force my way between the men to get to my Tata. A couple of men took hold of me and pulled me over to the limousine. They opened the door and threw me in. It took off right away. I pounded on the window, screaming for my Tata. They were killing him. He was on the ground with his arms wrapped over his head while the officer circled him in.
Then he was out of my sight. I would probably never see him again.
“Sit down and shut up.”
I turned to see who was behind me.
It was Kelly.
“Why?”
She sighed loudly. “The why is so long and complicated. You are too small and too dumb to understand.”
“But he quit. He is out of this business now.”
“What do I care?”
“Enough to do this. Please, go back and help him. They are going to kill him.”
“Perhaps, but I'm not worried about that.”
“But you should be. His blood will be on your hands.”
“Knock it off, Sandra. Just sit down and be quiet.”
I sat and stared at her, surprised that I had gotten her to lose her cool. That just wasn't the woman I had seen and met back at the house.
“Stop staring at me.”
“You are staring at me too,” I told her.
She looked away from me then. I looked out of the window, thinking that I should be trying to get my bearings. The limousine pulled into an underground parking lot. It remained underground and drove to a private parking area.
“I can't be this interesting. I'm not worth you kidnapping me. I won't sleep with any of the men.”
“You aren't going to have a choice. Why should you? I never did.”
“I'm really sorry about that but please don't do anything mean to me. Just let me go and check on him.”
“Just sit there and be quiet. This cost me too much money to back out.”
“Maybe he could reimburse you.”
“I said shut up Sandra, and I meant it.”
“But you don't understand,” I pleaded with her.
“I do. Now be quiet.”
“I don't want to work for you.”
“I'm warning you. Be quiet. Not another word.”
I curled up and cried to myself. I wanted my Tata but he was probably dead.
“No need to get comfortable, we're home.” She got out of the car and looked back at me.
“Please take me back to him.”
“No. He doesn't love you anyway. You are just a younger version of me. One that isn't as used up but still we're the same.”
“No, we aren't,” I whispered, but hadn't I thought the same thing a few months ago.
“Yes, we are. It was even the same guy who took our virginity.” She grabbed onto my hair and pulled me towards her. “Behave. I don't want to even hear a peep out of you.”
“I'll runaway first chance I get,” I told her. I didn't want to be a whore.
“And where would you go?” She looked amused.
“Away.”
“Send me a postcard when you get there. I've never been away to figure out where away is.” She looked at me so meanly.
“We could go look for it together. I know that circumstances got you into this mess but you can get out now. You could start a new life. Just like Tata wanted to. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Seriously? What part of shut up don't you understand?” She shoved me away from her, releasing my hair from her fingers. “Besides, I am a very successful business woman. I have lots of money and I can sleep with whomever I choose. This is my new start and it is very triumphant. I am even stronger than your Tatis. He left himself open for an attack. I was just the first one to get to him. Others would have followed.”
I couldn't help myself then. I broke down and cried. The last wall of restraint had fallen. My poor Tata was dead. He just wanted someone to love him who wasn't using him too. That had been his one goal in life and now his life was over. He was dead somewhere along the side of the road, all alone.
Kelly walked into an elevator and I followed her, because she was right, I had nowhere else to go.
The elevator brought us up to a room that fit most of my clichés about a whorehouse. It was down up in red, with lots of red velvet curtains and furniture. There was a huge Christmas tree with red velvet ribbons on it.
Several women were talking to men. The men must be customers. The girls even had to work on Christmas.
I wiped my tears away as I looked around. I needed to appear to be tough. If the girls hated me than things would get a lot more difficult. I needed to be popular and find a way to escape.
I recognized a girl from back at the house. She was grinning over at me.
“Get back to work. She is none of your concern. Your job is to make him feel special.” Kelly looked at the customer. The girl went right back to work. She was afraid of Kelly.
I peeked at Kelly. She looked satisfied now. I figured that she liked being the one to dish out things now.
“This is all mine. Everything and everyone in this place belongs to me.” She went over to a strong bodyguard. “This is Ivan. Ivan, tell Sandra who you belong to.” She left her eyes on me as she talked to him. She was even leaning on his shoulder like she adored him.
“I belong to you, mistress.”
“That's right. Tell Sandra what you do here.”
“I make sure that the cops stay out and the girls stay in. If a man does any funny business I kick him out, or make sure that he pays up.”
“You see this cute little girl Ivan, what would you do to her if she tried to runaway. Tell Sandra.”
“I wouldn't let her get out of the door. I would bring her to your office and you would tell me what I should do with her. If you told me to break both of her legs, I would. If you told me to whip her, I would.”
“Did you hear that, Sandra? Ivan isn't the only man I own here. I have lots. Ivan what would I do to you if you tried to run away.”
“You would have me beaten and killed.”
Kelly pushed away from him, trying to show me how tough she was. She went to a staircase and started to walk up it.
I was still looking at Ivan. He was strong enough to just break her in half. Why didn't he?
“Sandra, come on. I want my dinner now. You can watch me eat.”
I turned to her and followed her up the stairs. She took me into her office where I stood still. She went into her adjoining bedroom. This room was done up in a dusty rose color, with brown paneling. It looked great. It was a room fit for a queen.
“Come here, Sandra.” She stood in her doorway and looked at me. “You will stay by my side, constantly. I don't want to have to say it again.” She turned and went into her room. I was left wondering why she was constantly turning her back on me. That couldn't be very clever. One of these days I would get hold of a knife.
Her bedroom was a lot brighter than the rest of the house. She had large windows and I could look out over the road. This room was also rococo style with heavy curtains and dark furniture. However the colors in here were a dark cream mixed with various shades of pink. Floral designs were on the curtain, the upholstered chairs and on the huge Oriental rugs.
Kelly was sitting down at a table, being served her Christmas dinner. She didn't have a tree or any Christmas decorations. There was nothing in this room that would hint at the season. There had been a tree downstairs but Christmas hadn't been allowed to reach this room.
A maid was putting food on her plate. She wasn't eating large portions. The table was set for two.
“Sit down, Sandra.”
I reluctantly sat down across from her. She had clearly said that I could watch her eat but the maid was putting food on my plate.
After the warm food was in place the maid set a glass of berries in front of Kelly. When she wanted to giv
e me one too Kelly raised her hand to stop her.
“No. She's allergic to strawberries. Bring her something else.”
“That's okay. I'm not allergic anymore. I used to be when I was little but I grew out of it.”
The maid was unsure, but then she just set the berries down and then left.
I looked at Kelly, wondering how she had known that. “You did your homework about me. Was that still in my medical records?”
“Yes, but it isn't important. Eat and please be quiet for once.” She picked up her fork and started to eat. I watched her and waited.
Our food had come out of the same bowls but that didn't mean that my plate couldn't have some sort of poison sprinkled on it.
“Why aren't you eating?”
“I don't want to keep my strength up.”
“Of course you wouldn't. But it wouldn't have mattered. You are the type that men want to have fight them a little. But you would be so weak and they would have their way with you any way.”
“I don't understand most of what you say,” I admitted.
“That's fine.” She went back to eating.
“I want to know what you have planned for me.” I sounded so scared and meek and I had wanted to sound tough like she was.
“I'm going to call your mommy and daddy so they can come and get you.” She spoke to me like I was a tiny baby.
I looked away from her. I wasn't sure how to deal with her. She just wasn't calm and pulled together like she had been back at the house. She didn't seem to be in control of her emotions. “Are you feeling guilty because you had Daniel killed?”
“No, besides I told them to rough him up, not to kill him. Daniel isn't dead. He will never think that I am the one that kidnapped you. He isn't going to come and get you.”
“I think he might. I'm all he has.”
“Yes, you and a bit of money. We'll see what he does. My guess is that he will shrug and go off without you. He won't want you anymore when he thinks that you are sleeping with lots of strange men.”
“He loves me. He'll come and get me.”
“I doubt that.” She got up and went to her phone. “Where is Daniel now?”
Class Trip Page 15