Away

by Megan Linski

  “You took a long time in there. Are you feeling well?” he asks me, pretending to be concerned. It’s not enough to fool me. I laugh and say, “I don’t know, how would you feel if a crazed maniac captured you for no good reason other than he wants to be selfish?”

  “None of that here,” he says, and he actually looks nervous. “Just please have dinner with me. We don’t want to cause a scene that we have to clean up.”

  Clean up? A frightening thought crosses my mind. Would he actually hurt Dolly, to prevent my escape? Is that why he had the gun? Did he even have the gall to use it? “You wouldn’t,” I say.

  “I would do anything for my daughter,” he says. He goes to reach for my hand but I sharply jerk it back. He looks hurt, but I don’t give a damn. I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.

  “If you would do anything for me you would’ve spent time with me when I was growing up, not kidnap me when I’m a full grown woman,” I spit at him. “You had no time for me all these years, and all of a sudden you want to get to know me.”

  “You don’t understand,” he says. “Your mother kept me away from you. I tried everything I could to see you, but she turned the police against me.”

  “So you capture me instead of trying to contact me yourself? You’re ridiculous.”

  “I admit that these are extreme measures-”

  “Extreme? You’re a lunatic!” I shout.

  He sharply hisses at me and says, “Quiet! I don’t want to leave here!”

  “Why shouldn’t I be loud?” I say, and I raise my voice, hoping someone in the kitchen will hear me and get the message. “Why shouldn’t I?”

  “Rosemary,” he says as a warning, and he opens his coat just slightly enough so I can see the handle of the gun. I bite my tongue, forcing my voice to go lower as I say, “You lost your chance a long time ago, and after what you’ve done I’m not giving you another one. Not now, not ever.”

  “Here you are!” the happy voice of Dolly sings over us as she puts down a hamburger for Jack and what looks like ravioli for me. A familiar smell reaches my nostrils and I remember...spinach cheese ravioli, my favorite pastime dish here at Frank’s Town.

  “Can I get you anything else?” Dolly asks cheerfully.

  A phone, the police, maybe a kitchen knife so I can get out of this myself, I think, but I force myself to stay silent as Jack says, “We’re good. That’ll be all we need.”

  “Well you just holler if you’re in need of help,” she says as she begins to walk away. I look down at my dinner and my stomach lurches. I haven’t eaten in over twenty four hours. I know I’m starving. But even as I go to pick up my fork my stomach wriggles and flips. I feel nauseous and hungry at the same time. Jack looks at me expectantly and asks, “Are you going to eat?”

  I pick up a fork and cut into one lightly, putting bits into my mouth slowly. Jack begins devouring his meal and I stare at him, watching the carnage and feeling quite like that hamburger at the moment.

  “So tell me this,” I ask, barely done with one ravioli as he’s more than halfway through his meal, “How exactly did my mother keep me away from you? You had visits with me all the time when I was little.”

  “I did, and I always enjoyed them. They were the highlight of my week,” he says.

  “Yeah. And you know what? You stopped coming.” I put down my fork and glare at him. “There were times I waited and waited and waited for hours, for you to show up and you never did. I was a little girl and you abandoned me I don’t know how many times. But now all of a sudden I’m so important to you.”

  “When you started getting older your mother didn’t think it was right for us to associate,” he says. “She thinks because of my...problems...that I’m not a good influence. She’d rearrange the dates for us to visit and then tell me the wrong times so I couldn’t see you. I never missed a day, Rosemary. I think your mother kept us both waiting.”

  “My mother would never do that,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re making it all up.”

  “I know you don’t want to hear this about her. I know. But it is true, and you have to believe it eventually. When I figured out what she was doing, I tried going to the courthouse. That was when she had a doctor come to examine me, determine I was too unstable to be around you. Like it wasn’t safe.” He scoffs. “The safest place in the world is with me.”

  “Okay, whatever, keep lying.” I roll my eyes as he takes a sip of his drink. “You’re just doing this because you want revenge on my mother,” I say. “That’s all you want. You two were always too busy taking things out on each other to ever consider me.”

  He slams the glass down on the table, sloshing liquid everywhere. “I did not use you as a tool, Rosemary! You mean more to me than to settle a grudge match!”

  “I was always the favorite weapon, for both of you,” I snap. “You’d both use me to try and get leverage over the other. Well, I’m sorry, but I’m a big girl now and I don’t let people play with me like that anymore.”

  “You need to calm down,” he says slowly.

  “You need to let me go,” I say, narrowing my eyes.

  “You’re staying with me until you learn the truth,” he says, and he pushes his empty plate away. “I didn’t take you from your home to keep you prisoner. I took you because you need to know everything, not be sheltered by it from your mother. Once you know the truth you can stay, go back to Lousdale, whatever you like. But until you know what really happened between your mother and I, I’m not letting you leave.”

  “Well then tell me, so I can go,” I say.

  “You won’t listen,” he says. “When you’re ready to listen, I’ll tell you.”

  “Liar,” I whisper, loud enough so he can hear it. Dolly returns to our table, a frigid stone wall. She nervously glances at both of us as she takes our plates away, looking at my nearly full one and asking, “Did something not taste right with your food?”

  I’ve barely eaten, but I can’t force down anymore. “I’m not feeling too well,” I say. “But it was really good.” I go to give her my silverware and she glances down at my wrists, exclaiming, “Oh dear, what’s wrong with your arms?”

  I look down. The handcuffs have started to press into my skin, grazing away at the upper layer and giving me red rings around my veins. Jack’s eyes meet mine and without even thinking about it I say, “It’s from hairbands. I wear them around my wrist when I sleep because I forget to take them off.”

  “That’s a bad habit, dear,” she says. “Remember next time to take them off for me, alright?” She walks away once more and Jack goes up to pay the bill, giving me a slight smile as he does so. My mind whirls. Why did I just lie to her? I had a chance to escape. Why didn’t I take it?

  “Time to go,” Jack says, putting a hand on my shoulder. I rise up from my chair and as I walk to the exit door Dolly waves goodbye to me, cleaning up our table. I open my mouth, a small cry coming out of it, but Jack tightens his grip on my shoulder and I fall silent. In the parking lot, all that can be heard is the sound of a barking dog.

  “You seemed pretty nervous there,” I say, trying to unnerve him even more. “Are you that afraid of me getting away?”

  “No. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid. I know you. You wouldn’t do that to me,” he says.

  “You’re wrong,” I say, trying to shake off his grip. His hand doesn’t move.

  “If you really wanted to leave me you wouldn’t have lied there,” he tells me.

  “I lied because I don’t trust you not to hurt Dolly,” I say, and my stomach wiggles once again. “She’s been a friend to you all these years, and I don’t doubt you’d put a bullet in her back.”

  “Do you really think I’m that sort of person?” he asks.

  I look him dead in the eyes. “After everything you’ve done to me, I wouldn’t put it past you.” I get in the car and put my seatbelt on, ignoring him as he refastens the handcuffs to my wrists. As we start driving again my stomach does mo
re flip flops and turns, and I hope that if I have to throw up it’s all over him and his car. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my stomach. What exactly was this big secret that Jack was so intent on telling me? And why couldn’t he just let me know? It wasn’t like it was going to change anything.

  No matter what, I would still hate him.

  Chapter Five

  The restaurant is closing. I run up as a cook is closing the door, putting a hand on the side of it as he pulls it shut. “Wait, hold on! I need to ask you something.”

  “We’re closed. Sorry, you’re going to have to come back tomorrow,” he says, and he tries to close the door on me but I resist him.

  “There’s no time! Please, really quickly!” My eyes beg him.

  He sighs. “What is it?”

  “Did a man and a young woman come in here to eat recently within the past few hours?”

  “Tons of people come through here everyday. I can’t remember each one,” he argues.

  “This is important! She would be around my age, reddish brown hair past her shoulders, around five feet tall.”

  “Rosemary McGowan,” I hear a voice say, and I peer behind the cook to see a middle-aged woman looking at me curiously. “Is that who you’re looking for?”

  “Yes,” I say. “She’s my girlfriend. Was she alone?”

  “Your name?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

  “Noah Cash. Was she alone?” I repeat.

  “Dolly Parkings. And no, she was with her father,” the woman says.

  “Do you happen to know where they were going?” I say.

  “Why do you want to know? Jack McGowan and his daughter have been coming in here for years,” she tells me.

  “It’s very important. Jack’s kidnapped her,” I say, and both her and the cook’s eyes widen.

  “What do you mean, kidnapped?” the cook mutters, glancing from me to Dolly.

  “Just what I said. Please, you have to listen. Think about it; Rosemary hasn’t been with Jack here in years. Why would they suddenly show up now?”

  “I figured since she was overage now, she had the right to see her father when she pleased.” Dolly shakes her head. “Out of all the things Jack McGowan would do, I don’t think kidnapping’s one of them. Are you positive that he took her?”

  “I saw it happen,” I insist. “She didn’t try to run, get help?”

  “She said nothing to me,” Dolly says. “I think you’re wrong about the whole thing.”

  I sigh in irritation. This was getting nowhere. I lift up my shirt to show her all of my bruises, and she gasps. “Here. This doesn’t prove much, but this is where I flew off my bike from when Jack hit me with his car when I was trying to save her. You have to help me find her. If you know anything, please, tell me.”

  Dolly glances outside quickly, and then motions for the cook to open the door. “Come inside,” she says. I do so and the cook quickly locks the door behind me, and Dolly shuffles over to a table, plopping herself down in exhaustion. The cook looks at us and says, “I’m going to finish locking up, Dolly. Are you sure you’re going to be okay alone?” He glances at me.

  “I’ll be fine. A lot has happened to this old bird.” She waves him off and he walks away warily, glancing at me over his shoulder as he passes through the kitchen door.

  “Jack McGowan, kidnapping...” Dolly takes a long breath. “I don’t know whether to believe you. But I have to admit that Rosemary was acting a little funny when she was here. She was in the bathroom for ages and she didn’t eat much. I just thought she wasn’t feeling well.”

  “Did Jack mention where they were headed next?” I ask.

  “When Rosemary was in the bathroom Jack told me they were going to drive for awhile, and Jack told me he was going to look for a hotel nearby, but he didn’t say which one.”

  “Thank you,” I say. Wavering, I try to make my way towards the door, my legs feeling like watery jello. I’m so damn tired.

  “Now wait a minute, where do you think you’re going?” Dolly asks, rushing forward and grabbing my arm.

  “I’m about to go search every hotel around.” I suppress a large yawn.

  “Not like that you’re not. When was the last time you got any rest or food?” she looks at me in concern.

  “Last night...I think.” I put a hand on the wall to steady myself.

  “You can’t go around driving like that,” Dolly grabs my arm. “I live on the apartment above here. I’ll make you a quick bite and you can sleep on my couch.”

  “Thanks, but I can’t. I have to find her.” I go to leave again but she has a steady grip on me. I’m so tired I can’t even fight off an old lady.

  “Jack McGowan means his daughter no harm,” Dolly tells me. “He does love her. I’m not saying that she isn’t in danger, but I’m saying that you can’t rescue her on no sleep and no fuel. Sleep for a bit and then leave early in the morning.”

  “I have to find her,” I say, and I hate how my voice wavers. This is important. I have to be strong.

  “You’ll find her. Jack isn’t going anywhere once he stops for the night. If you leave early enough, you can catch up.” Before I know what’s happening Dolly is dragging me to the stairs, pulling me up them and pushing me onto a kitchen chair that’s in her clean, orderly apartment, one that looks like a room straight out of the 1970’s complete with doilies, floral wallpaper and shag carpet. She goes into her bedroom for a minute and I gaze at the kitchen tile dully. It’s starting to peel away in places.

  “I called the police and they’re looking for her as we speak,” Dolly tells me. “They might even find her before you do.”

  “He better hope they do. You know, you don’t have to do this. You don’t know me,” I protest. I put my arms on the table and watch as the room begins to spin. I’m seeing two of everything.

  “Nonsense. Anybody who cares about Rosemary this much is a friend of mine. I love that little girl.” Dolly’s bustling around her kitchen, stirring a pot on the stove and warming up something in the microwave. She hands me a glass of water and sits down at the table with a cup of coffee, taking a slow sip. I start gulping my water and the burning in my throat subsides, giving me a bit of relief. After a minute I look at her and ask, “Do you really believe that?” I set my glass down and look at her. “Do you really think that Jack wouldn’t do anything to harm Rosemary?”

  Dolly hesitates. “Not on purpose.”

  I freeze. “What do you mean?”

  She closes her eyes. “Years ago, Jack was waiting here to see Rosemary, but her mother never dropped her off. Apparently this wasn’t the first time she had done this. When the man supervising the visit told Jack he had to leave, he went ballistic. He punched the man in the face so hard it knocked him out. He started flipping over tables, breaking chairs. The cooks in the back had to restrain him. A few people ended up getting hurt. The police came and he went to jail for a few months. He paid for all the damages and apologized over and over again later, so it was obvious he regretted it.”

  “What?” I leap up, and the room shakes as if there was an earthquake. “Then I can’t leave Rosemary with him!”

  “Young man, sit down!” Dolly demands, and she leaps up as well.

  “You don’t understand. If there’s even the slightest chance that he could go off on her, there’s no time to waste,” I protest.

  “You don’t want to anger Jack McGowan!” Dolly hisses, and she yanks me back down. “You’re going to need all your strength if you’re going to try and take his daughter away from him. He’ll do whatever he can to stop you.”

  “He could be doing whatever he could to hurt her,” I say, and I begin to shake. “The longer she stays with him the bigger chance...”

  “Jack doesn’t blow up like that very often,” Dolly says slowly. “He’s very patient. He never loses his temper, but when he does...yes, I’d say he was dangerous.”

  “But then what if Rosemary pisses him off, and there’s no tables or chairs to take it ou
t on?” I insist.

  “It’ll take quite a lot to push Jack completely over the edge, and Rosemary’s a smart girl,” Dolly says. “She’ll know better than to make her father angry.”

  I wasn’t so sure. Rosemary was good at pushing people’s buttons, and sometimes she just didn’t know when to stop. If she was mad at her father and she wasn’t completely sure what he was capable of, she would do things to purposefully make him angry. I knew she would.

  “What I can’t understand is why Rosemary didn’t say anything to you,” I say slowly. “What is he threatening her with? A weapon?”

  “Did it ever occur to you that Rosemary might not want to be rescued?” Dolly asks, leaning forward.

  “What? That’s ridiculous,” I say.

  “Rosemary hasn’t seen her father in years,” Dolly says gently. “There might be something in her that misses him. Even if she doesn’t want to be his prisoner, if there’s a part of her that wants her father’s attention she won’t try as hard to escape.”

  “Absolutely not,” I shake my head. “He kidnapped her. She has to be terrified right now. Whether she misses him or not, she knows that it’s safer to stay away from him.”

  She doesn’t say anything more. She gets up and pours me from the pot a large bowl of potato soup and grabs a few warm rolls from the microwave. “I expect you to eat all of it,” she says sternly, gazing at me. “I’m going to bed, but I put a few pillows and a blanket on the couch for you. Don’t worry about the dishes; I’ll clean up in the morning.”

  She heads off to bed. I immediately dig into my soup, burning my tongue with the hotness of the liquid. It’s thick and creamy on my tongue, tasting of cheese and soft potato, mixed with an array of vegetables and herbs. It’s delicious. I finish that and the rolls off in minutes. When I have a full stomach I put my empty bowl in the sink and go to lay down on the couch.

  I expect to drop off immediately, but my mind is racing. If Rosemary could’ve said something to Dolly in order to get away, why didn’t she? She knew I was trying to rescue her. She couldn’t not know. She knows I would do anything for her...right?