Unfortunately, we’ve been in this hospital, in this room, far too many times in recent years.
The room is vacant because it’s a private waiting area. One Mom usually reserves whenever there’s a need. “Mom knows?” I ask in a monotone voice.
“Yes. She’s en route with Dad. And I called the others and Sandrine too. They are all on the way.”
“Have you spoken to any of the doctors?” I ask, spinning around and heading for the door we just came in.
“Yes.” Kev grabs me back. “They can’t tell us anything yet. The nurse said to stay here and someone will come and talk to us as soon as they have some information.”
I pace the floor, yanking fistfuls of my hair. “Who did this, Kev? And how did it happen?”
He takes hold of me, forcing me into a chair. “It was Freddie, Keanu.”
All the color leaches from my face, and my fists clench into balls at my side.
“We’d been planning a big operation, and today was D-day,” he continues. “We discovered a ton of evidence in Lawrence’s vacation home in Hawaii, and we were making several arrests, simultaneously, in different places across the States. Local FBI in Ohio were supposed to be keeping tabs on Freddie Holsworth in the run up to the op. We thought they were,” he says, his voice clipped. “Otherwise, I would’ve put you and Selena on alert, but I didn’t say anything as I thought we had it covered. And I didn’t want to worry either of you unnecessarily. But when they invaded his apartment today, it was clear he hadn’t been there for some time. That he’d run. Someone must have tipped him off.”
His jaw clenches. “We were on the way back to the office when we got that news. I was trying to figure out where Freddie might run to because he had to know there was no way he could escape, and Selena popped into my head.” His bloodshot eyes peer into mine. “I just got a terrible feeling, so I turned my car around instantly and headed for your place. I called Paul and Ray, but the calls didn’t connect because there’s no signal in the garage.” He sighs heavily. “I would’ve called you, but I was close to your place, and I didn’t want to worry you if my gut was wrong. I got to your condo five minutes later. Parked out front and ran around the back when I heard a shot go off.” Raw emotion radiates from his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Keanu. I was too fucking late. Selena was… She was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.” He scrubs a hand down his face. “Paul and Ray are both dead.”
“Jesus.” Selena will be devastated to hear that.
“I know. They were good men. They didn’t deserve that.”
“Please tell me you got that fucker?” Kent says, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I’m so cold. Frozen all over.
“I nailed that fucking bastard,” Kev says. “I pumped every round in my gun into that motherfucker. He’s not getting back up again. I’ll probably be suspended, but I couldn’t give two fucks.”
I grab onto my brother’s arm. “Thank you,” I croak. “My wife would be dead right now if it wasn’t for you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner,” he whispers.
“No, brother. You have nothing to be sorry for.” I hug him tight.
“She’s going to be okay, Keanu. She’s a survivor, and she loves you too much to leave you.”
“Kev is right,” Kent says. “She’s strong as fuck, and she’ll pull through.”
“Darling!” Mom barrels through the door, and I spy Dad in the background talking to a man in a charcoal-gray suit.
“Mom!” I almost collapse as I fall into my mother’s arms.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re here for you and Selena.”
“I can’t lose her, Mom,” I choke. “I will die without her.”
“I know, darling, but Selena is a fighter, and I just know she’s going to survive this.”
The rest of the family arrives except for Lana, Kalvin, and Keaton, who are all waiting to board planes, and soon, the room is full of people and noise, and it helps to distract my mind.
Sandrine is as distraught as me when she arrives, and we hold one another, doing our best to support each other, but it’s hard. Because I’m going fucking crazy here. Selena has been in surgery for three hours, and no one has told us a thing so far.
I hop up. “I need some fucking answers,” I say, storming toward the door just as a tall man with gray hair enters the room. He’s wearing a white coat, and he has a clipboard in his hand. “I’m looking for Selena Kennedy’s husband,” he says.
I step in front of him, and Sandrine joins me. “That’s me. And this is Selena’s mom. Is she okay?”
He extends his hand, and I shake it on autopilot. Then he shakes Sandrine’s hand. “I’m Doctor Fleming. I was a part of the surgical team who operated on your wife. Selena has lost a lot of blood, Mr. Kennedy, and she took a bullet to the shoulder. Thankfully, the bullet missed her major artery and the bone. It hit her muscle, and there was a little nerve damage, but we’ve repaired it. We gave her a blood transfusion during surgery, and she’s stable now. We’ll keep her in ICU overnight, and then, she’ll be moved to a private room for a few days, but she can go home after that. I see no reason why she won’t make a full recovery.”
“She’s going to be okay?” I stammer.
“She’s going to be just fine.” He pats my arm, his brow creasing a little. “I hope this isn’t inappropriate, but did this have anything to do with her planned interview?”
“The man who shot her was one of the men who abducted her as a child,” Sandrine says.
“And my best guess is he wanted to silence Selena,” Keven says, coming up on my other side. “He knew that the FBI had a warrant for his arrest and he was going to be tried for his crimes. I suspect he wanted to remove a key witness in the hope he might get off without her testimony.”
“My God.” The doctor shakes his head. “That’s horrific. As if Selena hasn’t suffered enough.” He shakes my hand again. “Your wife is an incredibly brave woman, Mr. Kennedy, and she has the admiration of every professional in this hospital. We hope, at some point, she is able to proceed with her televised interview, because her message is a powerful one.”
“I know my wife, and trust me, that interview will take place.”
A short while later, I’m allowed to see her. She’s lying in bed, dressed in a pale blue hospital gown with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Bruises and cuts cover her beautiful face, but she looks peaceful as she sleeps. She’s hooked up to a monitor, and a drip feeds saline and medication into her arm.
I sit down on the chair by her bed, taking her hand in mine, relieved when it’s warm to the touch. I keep a hold of her hand as I wait for her to wake up.
Gentle fingers threading through my hair is the first thing I register when I wake up.
“Hey, baby.”
Her soft voice is like music to my ears, and I bolt upright, brushing sleep out of my eyes. “You’re awake.”
“I am.” She smiles.
“How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Can I get you water? Or you need more medication?”
She giggles, and my heart soars at the sound. “Relax, there, babe. I’m fine. The nurse already topped off my medication and helped me sip water while you played Sleeping Beauty on my lap.”
“Well, that’s embarrassing,” I mumble, lacing my fingers in hers.
“It was adorable and the best sight to wake up to,” she reassures me.
I lean in and kiss her, holding her face as our lips brush. Then, I rest my forehead gently against hers. “I thought I lost you baby, and it was the most painful few hours of my life.”
“I told you you’re stuck with me,” she says, caressing my cheek. “I’m going nowhere.”
“I love you, Sel.” I kiss her again.
“I love you, too. Forever and ever, Keanu.”
Epilogue
SELENA - SIX MONTHS LATER
We pull up to the entrance, and Keanu punches in the code. My eyes ghost over the newly erected sign as the gates open a
nd we drive through.
MOONLIGHT
Support. Survive. Thrive
“You know, you get this dreamy look in your eyes every time we pass that sign,” my husband teases. Keanu was the one who came up with the name for the sanctuary. It turns out my name is of Greek origin, and it means moon.
“I still can’t believe this is happening,” I admit. “That we’re building a sanctuary like I’ve always wanted to do.” I swivel in the passenger seat, the leather squelching. “It feels so incredible to be doing something good, and I wish I could click my fingers and all the work is done and it’s opening day.”
He grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips. “One day at a time, babe, and with everyone helping, that will become reality much quicker than you think.” He presses a kiss to my knuckles, and his touch sends the usual shivers skating all over my body.
Another thing I never thought I’d have is a regular, healthy sex life. There are still things I can’t attempt in bed, and Keanu is always careful to be loving and gentle, but it’s way more than I ever expected. I love making love to my husband, and my hands never stray far from some part of his body.
My EMDR therapy proved to be a huge turning point in my recovery. It’s helped lessen my PTSD symptoms and triggers, and it unlocked hidden trauma I’d buried deep. Confronting and dealing with those memories has been freeing, and it has transformed my life.
I will never forget what happened to me. But it doesn’t control me anymore. It doesn’t hold me back. And when I’m having a bad day, my husband’s arms are around me, comforting me and reminding me of how far I’ve traveled.
The love and support of his family has helped enormously too. “Have I told you how much I love your family?” I croon, knowing I’m probably driving him insane with how often I’m saying it recently. But it’s true. Not only have they welcomed me into the family with open arms, accepting me, flaws and all, but they are all actively involved in this project in a way I never expected.
“If I wasn’t so secure in your love, I might think you married me for my family.”
I reach over the console, kissing his cheek. “It was a package deal, babe.” I grin, and while I’m teasing, it’s still true.
I love my new family, and I’m glad we decided to buy a house in Wellesley in the end. It will take a good few years before the sanctuary is ready to be opened to the public, so it made sense to buy a place close to the fam. We still stay in the condo during the week, because it’s handier for college, but we stay at our new house from Friday to Monday, and I love our little slice of heaven. We’re planning on building apartments for all the family at the sanctuary so everyone will have their own space should they want to stay over any time.
Kalvin and Lana have just moved back to Wellesley now they have graduated UF. Lana gave birth to baby Hayley in early March, and Hewson turned four last month. Kal has secured a job with this trendy new architectural firm in town, and we’ve just agreed to terms with them. Kal is going to work with us on the project, and his firm will oversee the design and construction.
Alex and Brad’s mom are going to plan out the interior design. Keven is working with Morgan Security to ensure the sanctuary is safe and well protected, and he’s going to set up all the IT infrastructure. Cheryl is setting up a photography studio, and she’s going to teach a class one day a week. Rachel is going to teach a class on fashion design once a month, agreeing to jet in from New York, and she and Faye are going to also provide hair and makeup lessons. The men are all involved in the nine-hole golf course we are building on this massive site, and they are working on the layout of the state-of-the art gymnasium too.
When we are ready to start hiring, Faye is going to act as HR manager, helping us to recruit the most appropriate healthcare professionals in the business. And when we are operational, Kyler, Kent, and Keaton have offered to help with the running of the business and the finances.
Eva, Brad, and Kaden are helping us build our website and finalize our business plan and marketing strategy.
Eva and Kaden added to their family when their son Matthew entered the world a couple weeks after Christmas. They have their hands full, but they were still insistent on helping because that’s just the kind of selfless people they are.
I know we won’t have everyone’s time forever, because they all have their own goals and ambitions, and some of them have families, but it means so much to both of us that everyone is enthusiastic about the project and willing to help out in any way they can.
I think, for Cheryl and Eva, it’s especially important, because they were both previously involved with men who sex trafficked girls behind their backs.
James and Alex are our biggest donors and put up a whopping fifty percent of the setup costs. The rest of the family is contributing too, and we’ve also set up a donation hotline, which has a steady flow of funds coming in. Having important connections helps. We plan to apply for state funding once we are ready to open our doors, and we are hoping some of the new laws being proposed at the moment will be in place by the time we are fully functional.
My interview with 60 Minutes sparked international debate, and it thrust a spotlight over the huge problem that is global sex trafficking. Politicians are coming under enormous pressure to do more to stop it and to provide support for victims. Only time will tell if it’s had any meaningful impact.
“Which paper is this reporter with?” Keanu asks as we travel the rough driveway toward the worker trailers that were erected last week.
“She’s not with a paper,” I reply, bouncing around the place as Keanu navigates the bumpy driveway.
First thing on my list is to get a proper driveway built.
“She works with Polaris. That charity I told you about. They are excited for this project, and there are lots of ways we can work together for the greater good.” Mom is also in talks with them to bring her parent support group charity under their umbrella. “They want to do a big online piece about the sanctuary, so I said I’d meet her here to review the plans and show her the site.” I grab on to the sides of my seat as we go over a particularly bumpy patch. “Hopefully, it won’t take too long. I don’t want to be late for our dinner date with Kelly and Todd.”
“We’ve got plenty of time,” my husband says, swinging the car around the last bend. “Kal’s already here.” He jerks his head at his brother’s blacked-out Lincoln Navigator.
“Yeah, he said he would be here at four.”
Keanu puts the SUV in park, and we climb out, entering the main trailer.
“Sup, asshole.” Kal offers his brother his usual greeting, and they do the whole man hug thing.
“Hey, Selena.” Kal gives me a warm hug, steering me around to the long table. He points at the long white roll of paper with the extensive drawing. “I finally finished the first plan, and I’ve been dying for you to get here so I could run through it.”
“Hold that thought,” Keanu says, looking up at the camera in the corner of the room. “Our reporter has just arrived, and she needs to hear this too.”
We shoot the shit for a few minutes as we wait for Elena to arrive. After introductions and a quick explanation, Kal starts talking us through the design for the build. “The main border of the property will be fenced on all sides with high-tech security monitoring covering the entire perimeter.”
“We will also have round the clock security guards and security alarms on all the buildings,” I add. Elena nods, smiling for Kal to go on.
“The main facility will be in this building,” Kal continues, pointing at a giant building composed of glass, wood, and exposed stone. “This will house the therapy rooms, treatment rooms, recreational spaces, music room, drama room, art room, other training rooms, a couple of eating areas, the medical compound, etcetera.”
“We’re employing a full-time nurse and doctor, as well as trauma-informed psychologists, specialty therapists, and nutritionists, and we plan to provide complementary holistic treatments like acupuncture
, reiki, and so on,” I say.
He moves his finger to the other structure on the left-hand side. “This will be the school building, and over here,” he says, pointing at a large designated area out in front of the school, “will be the sports arena.”
“We will have facilities for basketball, football, hockey, golf, volleyball,” Keanu says, ticking them off his fingers. “And we are building a gymnasium. We plan to hire instructors to teach classes like yoga and dance.”
“And we’re building a pool,” I jump in.
“That will be here,” Kal adds, pointing to another part of the drawing.
“Wow. This is something else.” Elena’s eyes pop wide, and Keanu, Kal, and I share an excited look.
“That’s not all,” I add. “We are building student cabins too. We were going to go for dorm buildings, but I want residents to make this their home. To stay here for as long as they need to. And I wanted to give them someplace comfortable to unwind if they’ve had a bad day.”
“The accommodations will be housed over here,” Kal says, moving his finger to the very far left of the paper. “Each large cabin will house six different units, all equipped with a bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen-slash-dining room, and a small study.”
“They will also have gardens,” I confirm.
“We wanted the residential area to be separated from the main buildings,” Keanu explains, “so the clients can leave it behind every day and have a quiet place to relax. We’ll be running buses at regular hours to and from the main buildings, and we will have loaner cars and golf carts available too.”
“We’ll also provide bicycles for anyone who wants to bike it,” I supply.
“Will you be teaching any modeling classes?” Elena’s gaze flits between me and Keanu.
“No. Some of our family will be teaching dress design and providing makeup and hair lessons, but we have no plans to do anything else.”
Keanu slides his arm around my waist. “Modeling is in our past. This is our future.”
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