Second Chances (127 page)

Brian wheeled around with Sarah still clutched in his arms.  Suddenly aware of her exposed appearance, he wrapped the robe tightly around her and cinched the belt once more at her waist.  “Sam!  Oh, I’m sorry.  I forgot all about you,” he said sheepishly.

The man’s eyes crinkled as he spoke.  “That’s okay, son.  I can understand why you would be distracted.”  He nodded at Sarah, fiddling with his toothpick.  Then he turned his attention to Evan, who now sat crumpled on the side of the bed.  “As for you, Mr. Winters, we’re going to head downstairs to await the police.”

Evan’s head snapped up at the mention of the authorities.  For a moment he truly looked scared, then his demeanor suddenly changed and he smirked.  “My father owns the police.  And we have a phenomenal attorney.”

Grabbing his upper arm, Sam led him from the room.  “Well, that’s good because you’re going to need one.  And while we walk downstairs and let this lovely woman get dressed I’m going to start enumerating the charges you will no doubt be facing.  You don’t have to say anything.  It’s just a little something I like to do to cheer myself up when a bad guy finally comes to justice.” 

Snarling, Evan let himself be pulled from the room.  He paused momentarily at the door to address Sarah once more.  “Who do you think the police will believe: me or you?”  He asked cockily, hoping to intimidate her.

Without hesitation, she responded confidently, “Me.  Definitely me,” and watched with satisfaction while his smile faded.  Sarah leaned heavily into Brian then, the lack of sustenance and intense emotions having finally taken their toll.

“Let’s get you dressed,” Brian said quietly more than a little concerned for Sarah‘s well-being.  “Then we’ll get you some food and let you lie down.”  He studied her demeanor for a moment.  “Do you think you need to go to the hospital?”  He asked, suddenly realizing that medical care might be required.

“No,” she said quietly.  She tried to smile as she spoke, “I just have one request.”

“Anything for you, my love,” he said as he snuggled her close.  Now that he was finally near her again he didn’t know how he would ever let her go.

“Get me out of this room,” she begged.

Without speaking, Brian swung her up into his arms, carried her to the nearest unlocked bedroom and laid her gently upon the bed.  He quickly crossed the room to close and lock the door.  With a broad smile he returned to her side where he stared at her for a few moments.  She had the same glow his sisters had during their pregnancies.  Her breasts were threatening to spill out of her bra, they had grown so significantly fuller.  Her hair was longer, the ends in need of a trim.  And her body had lost the muscle definition that she had always maintained effortlessly from carrying on with her everyday routines.  None of it mattered. 

Brian wouldn’t have thought her any less lovely had her hair fallen out in patches and her body gained one hundred pounds.  He saw straight through to her heart, the heart that beat for him and ached to hold Chloe once more. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered,” he said quietly.  “God, I’ve missed you.  I love you,” he murmured against her temple while he laid a hand low on her abdomen.  Just under his palm he felt the slightest flutter and he truly believed he might just burst from sheer joy.

Despite her protest, the police insisted she go to the hospital and receive a clean bill of health before they could even consider taking her statement.  In disgust, Sarah had anticipated a lengthy wait in the ER when she really just wanted some alone time with Brian.  To her surprise, she discovered that being brought to the hospital by the police helped expedite the process significantly.  Using all of her charm and feminine wiles, she even managed to convince the detective to question her while she waited. 

The result was that by early evening, Sarah and Brian had finished giving statements to the police and checked into a nearby hotel.  They ordered an enormous amount of food, since Sarah wanted everything.  “Eating is so much more enjoyable when I know I’m not going to be drugged,” she commented as she filled her mouth with a large scoop of chocolate mousse.

Brian shuddered as he was once again reminded of what she had endured during their time apart.  “We need to get you to an obstetrician as soon as we get back.”  She nodded happily, the towel turban wobbling on her head and completely at ease in her bathrobe this time.  “And we need to decide when you are feeling up to going back to work.  Or maybe you want to be a stay at home mom.”  He was bubbling over with ideas.  She rubbed his leg to calm him down.  “Oh, and much has changed since you were taken,” he said seriously.  He knew they had to discuss what had happened with Chloe and her house, but he was reluctant to spoil her mood and add to the pain she had already suffered.  Was it too much to ask that they get a few undisturbed minutes to enjoy each other’s company?

Thankfully, she, too, seemed reluctant to think about what she had missed.  “Not tonight,” Sarah said shaking her head.  All she wanted was to relax and enjoy her time with him before she returned home tomorrow to reclaim her life.  “We called my mom and Chloe.  I had an amazing soak in the tub.”  She paused and smiled at him broadly.   “Thanks for the help.” 

He nodded and blushed at the reminder of how badly he had behaved when she really just needed to relax.  It wasn’t even about the sex.  He had just felt this overwhelming need to be close to her, to breathe her in, to feel her wrapped around him in every manner possible.  

“Now I’m getting to eat whatever I want.”  She sighed, a sound of pure bliss.  “The only thing I want to do after that is curl up in your arms and fall asleep.”  She moved closer to him.  “I haven’t slept well in two months.”

“Me neither,” he admitted, while sporting dark circles to attest to his honesty.

“Everything else will work itself out in the morning,” Sarah remarked calmly and with unhesitating certainty.  She was amazingly upbeat considering what she had gone through.

“In the morning,” he said while he nodded, although in the back of his mind he felt a nagging concern that he was making a grave mistake.

Their plane touched down in Burlington early in the afternoon.  And though the plan was to keep her return low-key, the press was there, along with faculty from the college and a good portion of the student body.  Sarah frowned slightly; bothered by the absence of the people she most wanted to see.  She scanned the crowd, hoping against all hope to spot a glimpse of her daughter.  She closed her eyes, no longer trusting them, and instead tuned into her feelings, seeking Chloe. 

A loud whistle attracted her attention.  Curious, she opened her eyes and turned in the direction Brian pointed.  Happily, she rushed down the plane steps. 

“Sarah,” he admonished, “be careful.  I don’t know what I’d do…
”  He paused.  After losing her for two months, his very nature cried out to keep her protected and near at all times.  Unfortunately, if he did so, he would be no better than the crazed young man who had taken her.  He sighed in frustration.

Immediately she slowed and turned to face him.  His normally calm visage was wrought with angst.  His brow was furrowed, his mouth turned downward in a frown.  Obviously he had suffered as much as she had during her captivity.  She took a deep breath.  After months of captivity, she yearned for nothing more than to taste all of the freedoms she had missed, but at what costs?  She couldn’t hurt Brian in the process. 

“You’re right.  I need to listen to you more.  I need to take fewer chances.  I will even admit that being overly independent has been part of my downfall, so I’ll give that up as well.”  She beamed at him more than willing to do whatever was necessary to placate him, took his arm, and together they met the Stratford limousine parked on the tarmac.

Anna, Chloe and Jamie crowded around her the minute she came close enough.  In her head she heard the familiar voice of Chloe. 
I love you I love you I love you,
she chanted.  Abruptly she stopped and turned toward her mother’s stomach.  “And I love you, too,” she said seriously.

“Chloe?”  Sarah asked, kneeling before her daughter.  Her brow furrowed momentarily as she pondered how her daughter knew.  Before she could ask her, Chloe managed to shock her once more.

“We’re all going to live with Brian now, right?”  She grabbed Brian’s hand.

Sarah was flabbergasted and didn’t know how to respond.  Maybe she
should
have been more willing to breach some of these uncomfortable subjects last night.  “I…well, we haven’t talked about it,” she mumbled.  She looked to Brian and noticed he was shaking his head.  Her eyebrows knit together as she was hit with a wave of disappointment.  Must be Brian wasn’t ready to live with them yet.  Maybe his feelings for her had changed while they were apart.  “Oh.” 

“I’m thinking my place is going to be too small.  We need to go house hunting,” he said squeezing Chloe’s hand.  He glanced at Sarah to check her reaction.

Smiling approvingly, Anna reminded Sarah, “You are more than welcome to stay with me in the meantime.  Somehow, I doubt that will happen though.” She gave a warm smile and knowing wink to Brian.

Sarah’s head was positively spinning and the highly emotionally charged atmosphere was taking its toll.  At the same time, the solution to their housing dilemma seemed obvious. 

“Why don’t we just kick Josh out of the farmhouse?”

Wincing, Brian could barely look at her.  Anna shook her head.  “You haven’t told her?”  They stared at each other, neither wanting to be the one to break her heart.  The farmhouse had been the realization of one of Sarah’s dreams.  She had always longed to have space to live and plant her gardens.  She had a bed of herbs just outside the kitchen door, a larger vegetable plot just beyond that.  She had been gradually but purposefully landscaping the front yard.  And what had once been a barren lifeless place had turned into a warm, lush home.

Even without powers, Jamie understood what was going on.  Knowing that she was the one person who could get away with saying virtually anything without having to apologize for a lack of tact and sensitivity, finally, it was she who broke the confusion. 

“Well, Josh moved Tessa in after you were abducted, with her baby, of course.  They kind of pushed you two out.  So, we packed your possessions and Chloe’s and took them to Brian’s.”

Immediately her jaw dropped in shock, then realizing how it must look, she snapped it shut and clenched it tightly.  Rage threatened to engulf her, followed by hurt; quickly she was rushing through the many stages of the grieving process with an audience.  Everything was happening too quickly for Sarah.  She had never been one of those swooning women, but suddenly, she felt weak. 

Since he noticed everything, Brian supported her elbow and helped her into the car.  “Rest a minute,” he said quietly.  Then to the remainder of the group he said, “Let’s go.  We’ll have a welcome home party at my place.”  It seemed silly, but he hoped secretly that the distraction might do her some good.  And, in all honesty, celebrating her return made it more real for him.  He needed desperately to feel alive again.  Her absence had left him feeling hollow and alone.  He had pushed nearly everyone and everything away.  It was time that he break down the barriers and let life back in.

They piled in and even before the door closed Brian
was on the cell phone inviting only a few important guests.  Taking his cue, Jamie began dialing her phone as well.  She called the bakery and ordered a cake and then phoned her favorite restaurant to throw together a buffet for twenty.  At last she called the liquor and wine warehouse to prepare a veritable mini bar.  Sarah sat in stunned silence as they made their way to the mill. 

She wasn’t surprised when she arrived and found her car still parked there where she left it in August.  “I’ve been starting it regularly so that it would be in working condition upon your return,” Brian said quietly when he noticed her attention was fixated on her vehicle.  “I even had it winterized.”  She nodded numbly and let him lead her into the loft.

Everyone was bustling around decorating and cleaning.  Catering trucks were unloading.  The activity and noise after so much quiet and solitude was a bit overwhelming.  Suddenly she didn’t know where she belonged.  All of the decisions she might have taken pleasure in making with Brian seemed to have been taken care of without her input.  She had been moved from her beloved farmhouse.  Chloe was expecting them to become a family.  And although she wanted that more than anything, she was completely off-balance.  It was all too much.  Sarah was consumed with a need to leave, take a breather.  She wanted a few minutes to figure everything out for herself.  Plus, there were things she needed to do.  Grabbing her keys off the counter, she snuck out to her car, wondering how long she had before she was missed.