Over (29 page)

Luke laughed. "No, she's not, is she? Mom took
The Beast
in for a tune up and dropped me off here. Hope you can give me a ride."

"I'll have to think about that." Macy paused, pretending to consider it.

"Or I can walk home. No big deal. See ya around." He turned around and took a couple steps.

"Get back here." She grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Yes, Ma'am." Luke spun around and placed his lips on top of hers. He smelled of aftershave. "Mind if we make a quick stop first? I have to drop something off for my mom."

"Sure." Macy unlocked the doors of her car with the remote and then climbed in. "Where to?"

"Near the corner of Third and Russell."

She started the car. "What's over there?"

Luke smiled, looking as gorgeous as possible. "Nothing exciting until you get there."

Macy's breath caught. She never got tired of looking at him. She pulled out of the parking spot. "Did you guys finally get the last of the boxes unpacked?"

"Yeah. It's great to be in our own place now. Renting that small room until we got on our feet was stressful."

"When do I get to come over and cook you guys a meal?"

"As soon as you want. I know my mom won't mind."

"Now that she's working full time finally, I'm sure she'd love the help."

"And I wouldn't mind the company." He elbowed her in the arm.

Macy nudged Luke back. "Watch out. I'll make you cook."

Luke laughed. "Don't make threats you don't intend to keep."

They continued to tease each other as Macy navigated the heavy afternoon traffic. It was summer, but this part of town always seemed congested.

"Okay," said Macy. "We're on Russell Street, and Third is coming up. Where do I turn?"

"There's supposed to be a turn right after we pass Third. Go right."

When she pulled into the parking lot, she looked at the nondescript little building. "What is this place?"

"Oh, some kind of hall or something. Want to come in with me?" He batted his eyelashes.

Her heart skipped a beat. Even though he was teasing, she couldn't help adoring him. "Anything for a little extra time with you."

They got out and Luke took her hand and they walked in the front door. It was dim inside and looked set up for a party.

"What's going on?" Macy asked.

Luke turned the light on and nearly fifty people jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!"

Macy stared at them for a moment and then looked at Luke. "What's going on?" Macy repeated.

Zoey and Alex ran up to her, wrapping her in a hug.

"We love you, Macy," Zoey said.

"Thanks, but what's this for? It's not my birthday."

"It's the anniversary of your return home," Alex said. "I thought we should celebrate. Zoey's the one who thought we should surprise you."

"It worked." Macy clutched her heart.

Other guests swarmed Macy, hugging her and expressing their gratitude for her safe return a year earlier. Macy teared up as people shared about how worried they had been for her, spending hours searching or handing out fliers. Some of the people she barely knew.

Luke's mom, Caroline, wrapped her arms around Macy. "I can't thank you enough for everything you and your family has done for us. We really wouldn't have been able to get back on our feet without you guys."

"And I never would have gotten away from Chester without Luke."

Caroline shook her head. "I don't know how I ever fell for everything Jonah and the community taught."

Luke hugged his mom. "You were trying to get us off the streets, and they offered you that and more."

Tears shone in her eyes. "Thanks, Luke. If I could go back in time, I would do so much differently."

Other people came up to Macy, wanting to talk. Caroline squeezed her hand. "We'll talk later."

When Macy finally had some space, she sat down at a table to breathe. Zoey brought over a plate full of cake and other sweets. Alex and Luke followed, carrying what looked like cups of punch.

"Did we surprise you?" Zoey asked, smiling.

"My heart hasn't returned to its normal speed yet."

Zoey grinned. "Good. That's what we were going for."

Valerie came to the table and handed little Ariana to Zoey, and then gave Macy a huge hug. "You've always been like a second daughter to me. I was so relieved when you were found safe and sound." She turned to Zoey. "Can you hold Ari for a few minutes?"

"Of course." Zoey snuggled Ariana.

A girl walked to the table. It took Macy a minute to realize who she was.

"Heather! What are you doing here?" Macy jumped out of the chair and gave her a hug. "How are you? I heard your grandparents adopted you."

Luke grabbed a chair from another table and motioned for Heather to sit.

"They did," Heather said. "It's so much nicer living with them."

"I bet," Macy said. "Are you guys staying at the farm?"

"You didn't hear?" asked Heather.

Macy shook her head.

"After they found out what Dad used the barn for, they were so disgusted that Grandpa sold the animals and burned it down. They thought they could live in the house, but they couldn't. Grandma nearly had a nervous breakdown every time she looked where the barn used to be. So they sold their home of forty-five years and moved into our old house."

Macy thought about that for a minute. A sense of relief swept through her as she thought about the barn burning up. "And you get to school with your friends?"

Heather nodded. "It's weird though, knowing that Dad was there with you and his new wife."

Macy gave her a hug. "I'm so sorry for everything he's put you through."

"And I you. You didn't do anything—you're not even related to him. You really didn't deserve any of it."

"You don't either. At least I got to come home to my entire family, and I brought a boyfriend with me."

"And you got a niece!" Zoey said, holding Ariana up. "Sorry. Couldn't help overhearing. So, how are you fitting back into society after being in that loony bin?"

"Zoey," Macy hissed.

Heather laughed. "No, it's fine. I call it the nut house. Luckily my grandparents have been so helpful. I've been talking to one of their church counselors, and I'm in martial arts. That's helping me release a lot of energy and regain some self-esteem. Plus my friends come over for sleepovers, like, all the time. I'm less jumpy now. Not quite normal, but I think I'm getting there."

"I know how you feel," Macy said. "If I didn't have these guys," she looked at Alex, Zoey, and Luke, "I don't know what I'd do. Homeschooling helps, even though a lot of the girls who bullied me have apologized. I really don't want to go back."

Luke wrapped an arm around her. "She's making a lot of progress. When we first met up after she came home, she didn't want to go anywhere alone. Now she's fine with it." He kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah," Zoey agreed. "She was having these anxiety attacks for a while, and it totally didn't help that whenever she went somewhere some idiot reporter would jump out from nowhere and ask her a million questions."

Heather shook her head. "I can't even imagine. Yeah, I was having panic attacks too. They suck."

Macy and Heather exchanged a knowing look.

"We really should keep in touch," Macy said. "Maybe even have some sleepovers. I'd love to spend some more time with George and Ingrid, too. You'd have fun with my friends."

"Oh, definitely," Zoey said. "I know how to throw a party."

Macy shook her head, smiling. She turned back to Heather. "Can I get you anything? Some punch or cake?"

"You're the guest of honor, you shouldn't—"

"You should be, too. Let me get you something."

"If you insist. Thanks."

Macy got up and headed for the refreshment table. She could hear Zoey and Alex talking with Heather. Before Macy got to the table, she saw George and Ingrid at the far end of the room. She decided to thank them for everything they had done, even though they hadn't realized that Macy wasn't Heather.

Had they not been at the farmhouse when they were, Macy might not have had the strength to keep fighting. It also meant the world to Macy that Ingrid had taught her to cook from scratch.

Before she reached the table, Macy noticed her dad off to the side talking with a pretty, younger dark-haired lady. She looked somewhat familiar. Maybe she was a neighbor or his coworker.

Macy was curious and took the long way to George and Ingrid, passing by her dad. Neither he nor the lady appeared to notice her.

The lady looked upset. "I just wanted to let you know, Chad."

"Are you sure you need to? Why not make sure—?"

"No. I'm leaving right after the party. I can't tell anyone where I'm going. If what I discovered is true, it's not safe for me at home anymore."

"Why don't you take the evidence to the authorities?"

"I can't. Dean's a dangerous man. I need to start over. I just wanted you to know before I disappeared."

Macy's dad saw her standing there. He waved her away. Obviously he didn't want her hearing the conversation. Macy shrugged and walked away.

She went to George and Ingrid and gave them hugs. "Thank you so much for being kind to me. I know you didn't know who I was…but it meant everything to me. I've even taught my mom how to cook a couple things from scratch."

Ingrid's face scrunched up like she was going to cry. "I wish I would have known. There's no way we would have let you stay there if we knew you were ripped from your family. Looking back, I felt that something was off, but Chester had convinced us that you were acting strange because your mom took off. I feel like such a fool."

Macy gave her another hug. "Don't. He had a lot of people tricked. How's Heather doing, really?"

"Good," said George. "Like you, she has a lot to recover from, but she's handling it like a champ."

Macy smiled. "I'm glad she has you guys."

"Oh," said Ingrid, pulling out her large handbag, "before I forget. Is this yours?" She pulled out Macy's teddy bear. The one that had gotten her through some rough nights—when Chester wasn't hiding it from her. It must have somehow made its way from the community to the farmhouse.

Macy's eyes lit up. "My bear."

Ingrid handed it to her. "It was in Chester's things, but Heather had never seen it before. I thought it might be yours."

Macy hugged the bear and then talked with them for a few more minutes before she headed back to the table. Her parents joined them, and Macy looked around at everyone there. She was overwhelmed with how good things were. Everything was going to be okay. It really was.

Letter

Dear Chester,

I didn't think I would have the courage to write or send this letter, but here I am. It's been a year since we last saw each other, and you still haunt my dreams, but even that is lessening.

There were so many things I wanted to say (and scream) while I was with you. Mostly things that you already knew, but wouldn't let me say. I'm not Heather, never have been, and never will be. You know that as well as I do. The real Heather and I have become friends, actually. You lost her, and now you pretty much lost everything.

With more than two life sentences, you'll have a really long time to think about all the things you did to hurt so many people.

The only good that really came from you kidnapping and torturing me is that I got to meet Heather and Luke. Your daughter is doing well, but that's all I'm going to say. If you want to hear more about her, you'll have to hope she decides to ever talk to you again. It doesn't sound promising right now.

My counselor wanted me to write this letter. She didn't say I had to mail it, but I want to. You don't have to read it, I honestly don't care. I'm just glad for the chance to say what I need to. For a long time I hated you. Really hated you. Especially when you kidnapped me. But then I learned that it only ate away at me. My hate did nothing to you. I don't want to hate, so I'm letting it go.

But first, I have some questions for you. What makes you think you have the right to take someone from their family? Why do you think you're so special that you get to decide whether someone lives or dies? There's nothing special about you. You're a sick, sick man. I don't get it. Your parents are wonderful people. You had a beautiful family. Yet you gave it all up to control everyone.

I don't understand what could drive you to do all the things you did when you had everything in the world. But you know what? I'm done asking myself why. It would drive me crazy if I tried to make sense of it. There is no logic when it comes to you.

Actually, if you want to know the truth (and I doubt you do, because you hate the truth) I feel sorry for you. I've spent more time thinking about you than I care to admit. Go ahead and smirk. Think you've won. You haven't. I pity you, you poor excuse for a man.