by Ava Frost
“Morning Alison,” Mrs. Brown greeted when she entered.
“Morning Mrs. Brown,” she responded with a smile.
“You’re early today do you have the day off?”
She smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “I wasn’t feeling very well today, my doctor’s appointment is a little later, so I figured I’d get some fresh air.”
“You poor thing, what’s wrong?”
Mrs. Brown was a real granny; gray hair all bundled up in a net, with a floral printed dress. Alison liked her; she always showed such compassion to others.
“Just feeling a little ill, I think it’s something I may have eaten,” she lied and dug in her pocket for her library card, “I was wondering if I could use one of the computers today?”
Mrs. Brown moved in behind her computer, and her fingers flew over the keys with precision, “Looks like there’s one available, how long would you need it for?”
“Just a few minutes.”
“Go ahead, sweetie.”
“Thank you.”
Alison made her way through to the back of the library where the computers were lined up against the wall. Grateful that the one in the far corner was available, she sat down. She had deleted all her profiles, so first things first. She needed to create a new one. First she created an e-mail account, then she searched online for a random profile picture, before she settled in to create her fake Facebook profile. She knew that Gareth kept his profile open, which she always found odd, since he was so pedantic about his image. But then again he was one of the biggest womanizers she knew. She took a deep steadying breath and typed in his details. A few Gareth profiles popped up, but his stood out like a pimple on a pig’s butt. Those icy blue eyes and pitch black hair with his thick black brows reminded her of a sadist. Much to her surprise all she could find was his profile, but she had no access to his timeline or his photo’s. She couldn’t view any of his friends either. Frustrated by the fact that he had gone and secured everything she sat back and stared at his profile picture. There had to be a way for her to figure out if he was still in Chicago. For a moment she considered contacting the company he worked for, but that would be too suspicious. She could always pretend to be a client wanting to make an appointment, she thought, but that too made her nervous.
She finally gave up on her attempt to find him and again deleted the profile she created. She realized that she was paranoid, for good reason, but again she reminded herself that if he hadn’t looked for her by now, he probably never would. She rode back on the chair and rubbed her temples.
“What’s the worst thing that could happen,” she asked herself.
“Excuse me?” the woman at the other computer asked, looking up over the screen.
“Oh sorry, I was just talking to myself,” Alison said, standing up in a hurry, “I had a long night.”
The woman smiled at her and then continued with what she was doing.
Relieved that the woman didn’t bother to make conversation, Alison made her way back to the front of the library.
“Did you find what you needed, sweetie?” Mrs. Brown asked.
“Yes, thank you Mrs. Brown,” she said and took out money to pay for her session.
“Don’t worry about paying.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind paying.”
Mrs. Brown waved her hand and smiled, “You weren’t even on there that long.”
Alison laughed, “I guess, but thank you for letting me use it, anyway.”
“It’s only a pleasure.”
Alison had just exited the library when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a text from Maurice.
Oron is looking for u. I told him u were not feeling well.
Alison frowned and her thumb paused over the reply button. Why would he be worried? Surely he wasn’t still bothered by the fact that he didn’t side with her?
She rolled her eyes and replied.
Is he still there?
His message came through almost immediately.
No, he left, r u ok?
She replied to the text.
I’m fine, just feeling under the weather.
Maurice didn’t respond, and she could only assume he got busy. She felt bad for not being there, but she couldn’t face a bunch of customers today. The fact that Oron had asked for her specifically was a nice feeling though. By tomorrow her hangover would be gone and she would be back to her normal self. Then she could tell Oron that he doesn’t have to fuss over her.
Chapter 4
Oron had been frustrated when he arrived at The Teddy Bear the day before, to find that Alison hadn’t shown up for work. It was not like her, and Maurice had told him that she was not feeling well. Although he was concerned, he had forced himself not to pursue her, or rather scare her. Maurice had promised him that she would be back today, and he promised himself, that if she wasn’t at work, he would go find out for himself.
The town was busier than usual, he didn’t mind the odd tourist that passed through, but when the tour groups came, it was always such a buzz. They were like a swarm of locusts out to suck the very life out of Big Bear. Not that anyone else complained. It was just his opinion. Today he had come into town earlier than usual to wait and see if Alison arrived at work, and when she did he let out a relieved sigh. He studied her from across the street where he stood behind the news stand. If she ever found him following her around, he could only imagine how awkward that would be. He waited until she was inside, and then headed down the street, trying to buy some time. If he went in too early, she might just find it suspicious that he would be there right after her arrival.
He opted for one of the park benches and waited, time ticked by slowly. An hour later he finally made his way to the diner. When he entered Alison was serving a few customers, but she offered him a friendly smile and his heart drummed in his chest. She was the one person who could light up an entire room with her smile, and the fact that she smiled at him had to mean something.
“Good morning Oron,” Maurice said in his usual upbeat tone.
“Morning,” he nodded.
He didn’t bother to break into conversation and made his way straight to his usual spot in the back of the restaurant and waited. Again he made sure that he kept his focus on the breakfast menu before him, instead of staring at Alison, but he could feel her gaze resting on him. When he looked up, she was standing there smiling, his heart skipped a beat and his beast growled. Two days ago, he was convinced that he could deny the attraction he felt towards her, but now he was not so sure.
“And how are we today?” she said in her usual happy tone.
“Fine,” he mumbled.
“Will it be the usual again?” she asked.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked without looking at her, and when she didn’t respond he looked up.
“If I didn’t know better, I would think you actually missed me.”
Oron rubbed his hand over his stubble and shrugged, “Maurice told me you weren’t feeling well.”
She laughed softly and shook her head, “I had a long night, too much wine and I didn’t think I would be able to cope with more rude customers.”
He frowned and studied her, “You went out?”
She raised a brow at that and said, “No, I had wine at home.”
“Oh,” he pulled the menu closer and mumbled, “The usual thanks.”
He detected her hesitation and then reached for the newspaper and she turned away from him and headed to the kitchen.
He was puzzled by the fact that she had been drinking to a point that she was incapable of working the next day. He knew that she wasn’t one to indulge in alcohol. Surely he would have noticed it lacing her scent. He was curious as to why though. If it had been because of the incident with that couple, it must have been quite significant.
Alison had been in the back when tourists entered the restaurant, and Oron instantly felt agitated. It was ten odd people who were rowdy and arguing
about where to sit. He glanced over at the group and clutched the newspaper. ‘I picked the wrong day to be here’, he thought, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. But it was the intense scent of fear he detected that made him look up. Alison stood frozen behind the counter and her eyes wide with fear.
“Marjory?”
One of the tourists stood up and marched over to where she stood. He was a tall, muscular guy with a goatee and a clean shaven head. Oron watched her as she stepped back, shaking her head. Why was that man calling her Marjory, and why did she look like she had just seen a ghost?
“Well isn’t this a fucking surprise!” The man said as he slammed his hand down on the counter, “You just up and left without a word.”
Alison just stood looked at him, and he ground out again, “What, you haven’t got anything to say to your fiancé?”
Oron pushed his chair back and got ready to stand up, he was ready to rip the brute to shreds.
“Baby, what’s going on?” A young blonde woman with too much make-up and too little clothes asked as she came to stand beside him.
“This is the bitch that walked out on me a year ago,” he muttered, keeping his eyes pinned on Alison. “And now that I’ve found her, I think we have a score to settle.”
“Baby that’s all in the past now, you have me.”
The man pulled his arm out of the woman’s hand and leaned on the counter, glaring at Alison, “What do you have to say for yourself?”
Alison gently put the coffee pot down, and while everyone in the restaurant sat glued in their seats watching the escapade, she sighed, “It was over a long time ago, you just didn’t want to believe it.”
“That’s utter bullshit! I gave you everything and what did I get in return?”
“J-just leave me alone,” she whispered.
“The fuck I will! You owe me bitch, and I’m here to collect!”
“Gareth, please, I don’t want to cause a scene, just…”
Oron stood up and his chair scraped back, and at that moment, Alison looked at him, her eyes wide with fear and shook her head. He didn’t care. He was not going to allow this pathetic piece of shit to talk to her that way.
“Excuse me,” he muttered as he placed his hand on the man’s shoulder, “The lady asked you to leave her alone.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Someone you wouldn’t want to fuck with.”
“Oron…” Alison started, but it was Gareth who made the first move. Before he could lay into Oron, Maurice cocked his gun and pointed it at him.
“There will be no fighting in my restaurant, if you boys want to take it outside, be my guest, but Alison is my employee, and she has work to attend to.”
Gareth whipped his head around to look at her, “Alison? Geezus, you changed your fucking name?”
“Gar…”
“Not another word Alison,” Oron said and stepped in between her and Gareth, crossing his arms over his chest.
Gareth sneered and stepped back with his arms raised, but the hatred reflected in his eyes was impossible to ignore. He draped his arm around the blonde’s shoulders and looked at Alison, “This ain’t over bitch, not even close.”
Oron stepped forward, holding back a growl, his beast wanted to rip the man’s throat out.
“Oron,” Maurice warned, and Oron backed down.
The other customers all sat quietly, and when Gareth and the blonde finally left, they carried on as if nothing had happened.
Oron turned to Alison and tilted his head. Her real name was Marjory, but he preferred Alison, and he assumed she did too.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I-I…” she started and then looked at Maurice, “I’m so sorry, I have to go.”
Maurice flicked the safety on his shot gun and lowered it to his side. “Oron will see that you get home. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Oron nodded and stood aside for her to pass him, but Maurice stepped up, “Go out the back, I have a feeling this trouble maker might be waiting outside.”
Alison looked at Oron, then at Maurice, “Maurice, I’m so sorry…”
“We’ll talk soon Ali, just go with Oron, he’ll see you home safely.”
Oron walked beside Alison in complete silence, he had so many questions, but he didn’t want to upset her more than she already was. He was certain that this Gareth guy was not going to just let her get away.
“Do you feel safe going to your place?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know. He’s…” she sighed, “I never expected to see him again.”
“I assume you were romantically involved?”
She nodded and kept her head down, as if she was counting each step she took. Oron raised his face to the air and sniffed.
“He’s going to follow you.”
“I know,” she said, but didn’t elaborate.
Oron stopped and took her by her shoulders, “I can protect you, if you let me.”
She looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes, “No one can protect me.”
Oron studied her, and then looked over her head towards the main road, “Do you trust me?” he asked.
She bit her lip, “Yes.”
“Then let me protect you. You can’t go back to your place. He will find you.”
Chapter 5
Alison had no idea what to make of it all. She was still in shock after her confrontation with Gareth. It was almost too much for her to handle. All this time, the fear she had was real. She knew that he was going to find her and now that he had, she realized that she wasn’t safe. And the last thing she wanted was to drag Oron into her dark despair.
“Why did he call you Marjorie?” Oron asked, drawing her out of her thoughts.
She closed her eyes and sighed, “I needed to disappear.”
She followed Oron as he led her to where his truck was parked. How could she ever explain to him why, or how she ever got involved with Gareth? He was a stranger and now he was willing to risk his life for her. He had no idea what her ex was capable of.
When they reached his truck, he opened the passenger door for her and she got in. The only reason she would trust him was because Maurice trusted him. Other than that, she hardly knew him, but at this point he was her best chance. Going home was not an option; she was in danger as long as Gareth was in town. She could wait it out, maybe try to disappear overnight and run again. But where would she go? They drove in silence for a while, and she kept looking in the side mirror for any sign of Gareth. How could she ever have thought that she could stay under the radar? The world was a small place indeed.
“So do I call you Alison or Marjorie,” Oron asked curiously.
“Alison is fine,” she murmured.
“Okay Alison, if I’m going to help you, I need to know who this guy is and why you needed to disappear.”
She sat quietly for a moment, contemplating. She would have to tell him the dirty details whether she liked it or not.
“I dated him for three years, at first everything was rosy as most relationships go, but then he changed. I lost all my friends, my dignity and well, nearly my life,” she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“He was into drugs and wanted me to do the most horrible things, at times, making me,” she wavered.
“What horrible things?” he asked calmly.
It was just too embarrassing for her to retell, it was a part of her life she would rather forget.
“Before I disappeared, I ended up in the hospital with two broken ribs and a dislocated jaw. I had to leave. And I knew if I didn’t change who I was, he would find me. So I left Chicago with the clothes on my back and a few dollars I had kept hidden from him.”
“So he abused you physically,” Oron stated.
She nodded and bit her lip. She was felt so broken that she was sure that if she dropped dead on the spot, she probably wouldn’t even care. Oron turned onto a small road obscured by bushes and trees, and Alison swallowed.
&nbs
p; “Do you stay this far out?” she asked nervously.
“I have a cabin out here in the woods, it’s nothing fancy, but it’s comfortable.”
Great, now she was going into the woods with someone she hardly knew, most likely never to be seen again.
“Alison,” Oron said and glanced toward her, “You’ll be safe here, I promise.”
Something inside her softened and she let out a shaky breath. If Oron had any hidden agendas he would have tried his luck a long time ago, she realized. At least now, Gareth won’t be bugging her, but when she went to work the next day, he was most certainly going to be there.
They pulled up to a cabin that appeared hidden in the brush. It crouched under the sprawling branches of an oak tree, the walls were made of logs, and moss had grown around the base of the cabin. It looked like something out of a fairytale, the only thing missing was the door made of cookies and cream.
Oron pulled his truck to a stop next to the cabin and got out, “It’s not much, but it will do for the time being. You can stay here for a few days.”
“A few days? What about work?”
“Maurice is not expecting you back at work this week.”
Oron didn’t come around to open the door for her, and she scrambled out of the truck, “What about my clothes?”
“I’ll go and pick up some of your stuff in the morning.”
“What about tonight? I need clean underwear and clean clothes.”
“You’ll manage,” he simply said.
Alison stumbled after him and walked up the wooden stairs to the door. The inside of the cabin looked cozy, but it only had one bed. She looked around and rubbed her forehead.
“This isn’t going to work, there’s only one bed.”
“I’ll take the floor,” he said, starting the fire.
“No, I’ll sleep on the floor, it’s your place and I’m imposing.”