Unexpected Love (16 page)

Forty

On Thursday, Maggie came over and they spent the afternoon making cookies.  Maggie remarked, “in the event of last week’s news, the children might be more nervous, but this should help.”

“I bet it will.  Sean and I went to the museum downtown and a movie.  Have you ever been to the museum?”

“Yes, when Walter and I were newlyweds.  It was fun.  Did you two like it?”

Taylor thought about holding his hand during the movie and in the museum.  She had really enjoyed the museum.  There was a display of an entire city made out of Popsicle sticks.  It had so much detail, she was really astounded at it. There were even some stick people.  One real life-sized waxed figure she stood next to was so tall she commented about how small it made her feel. 

Sean had said, “Me too.” 

There was a collection of various butterflies, a bunch of different and unique dolls, paper craft displays, and a mummy.  Sean peered at the mummy, “Hope I don’t look like that when I get old.”

Taylor laughed, “As if.  Besides, he’s hundreds of years old.”

She glanced over at Sean.  “Have you ever been here before?”

“No.”

She suppressed a big smile.  It was nice they were experiencing it for the first time together.  They had to stand to watch a short movie, so Sean wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.  He made her feel strong and secure.  And she liked feeling him against her back.  It seemed so natural. 

When they walked into a separate room, the furniture was on the ceiling and on the walls.  The floor slanted to the left side.  It was dizzying.  They were laughing as they stumbled through.  She lost her balance and Sean caught her and held her tight as they made their way across the crooked room. 

She said to Maggie, “Yes.”  She did not tell Maggie any details, especially about the quick kisses Sean had given her before the movie started, behind her ear during the movie and when he had caught her in the museum.  She thought about the goose bumps he had given her.  He had noticed.  She saw him look at her arms and smile. 

They stopped to eat a light lunch.  She grinned, “I’m glad we have a waiter this time.”

He had laughed and squeezed her hand.  They went to a science fiction movie and then walked around the mall.  When they passed the lingerie store, he saw some red lacey underwear and glanced sideways quickly over at her.  She refused to look at him but felt heat in her face.  He saw her reaction and decided it would be better to keep quiet.

Then Sean had taken her to the most amazing steak place ever.  The steak was slowly cooked on an open fire and the waitress had warned them that dinner would take about two hours.  It was the most delicious, juiciest steak she could ever had imagined and it was worth every minute of the wait. 

Of course, it helped that she and Sean spent the entire time talking and laughing.  Food was served throughout the evening to keep them from getting too hungry.  Bread, salad, and appetizer. 

When they had gotten home, it was late but after he had followed her upstairs, she told him how much she had enjoyed the day and the dinner and kissed him.  He had kissed her back and they stood there gazing at each other before Sean cleared his throat and said good night. 

She asked Maggie if she had ever been to the steak place and she had exclaimed yes and what a wonderful place it was.

Maggie had a big grin on her face so Taylor asked her why she was smiling.

“Oh, just thinking.”

Taylor queried her again but she was evasive.  They got out everything they needed to bake and went to work.

Sean walked in to the smell of freshly baked cookies.  Taylor and Maggie were arranging the baked goods on two big platters that Maggie had brought with her.

Sean walked up behind Taylor, leaned over her shoulder and stole a cookie.  “Hmm, these are good.”

Taylor playfully poked him with her elbow, “Stay out of them.”  She pointed to a plate of cookies on the counter, “Those are for you to take to work for everyone.”  She emphasized the word everyone.

Sean shook his head and loudly whispered in her ear, “I might eat them all before they get there.”  Taylor rolled her eyes and Maggie laughed.

Taylor pushed him on the chest, “Out of the kitchen, mister.”  He pretended to resist but finally left.

Maggie eyed her, “You two seem to be getting along really well.”

Taylor could feel her face get hot, “He’s just being nice.”

Maggie let out an umm-hmm and said nothing else.

After Maggie left, they watched some TV.  During a commercial Sean kissed her passionately.  He couldn’t help himself.  He just really needed to kiss her.  He was walking on dangerous ground, he knew.  He was close to losing what little control he had left.

She melted in his arms.  Their lips locked again and he pulled her closer.  She softy moaned as they kissed, his tongue was running over her lips and she felt like she was being consumed by fire.  He bent his head and kissed her neck, his hand started to slide up under her shirt.  He wanted to feel her soft skin, but he caught himself and stopped.  She put her hands on his face and put her forehead on his.  They were both breathing heavily.

Sean felt like he was playing with fire.  He couldn’t stop kissing her because he wanted to so badly, but he had to control his body and emotions to not take it too far.  It was turning out to be far harder than he had imagined.   The shadow of her mother loomed over her and she needed to trust him.

Forty-one

Maggie came over late Friday morning and they ate an early lunch before heading for the school.  Taylor was looking forward to it.  She liked kids and last experience with the van had not been good.  Her mind flickered over the car accident and the children.  Sean had been supportive and she knew he was right but she still felt guilty sometimes. 

When they were driving to the school, Maggie asked Taylor, “Honey, I’m nosey I know, but has Sean kissed you yet?”

Taylor blushed.  Maggie nodded, “About time.  I’ve noticed a difference in him.  He seems more relaxed and happy.  He smiles more too.”

She was still contemplating Maggie’s remarks when they parked in front of the school. She suddenly realized she might be ready.  Despite her mother and her own misgivings. 

The big question was how to go about it and when.  Tonight?  Maybe she could get those steamy dreams she had of him making love to her come true.  She got goose bumps just thinking about it.  Or should she wait until she was sure the timing was right?  Until she was stronger.  Her mother’s words popped into her head.  She sighed inwardly, life was so complicated.  Tonight might be the perfect time.  She got warm all over just thinking about it.  But what if he didn’t want it?  She was assuming he wanted to do more than kiss her.  What if she was wrong?  And should she really?  She did not want a short affair with him. 

What did she want?  Was it possible even if she wanted it?  She had really thought if love ever found her it would be by accident and so not very likely.  Not true, one of a kind, forever love.

Taylor followed Maggie into the school, carrying a platter of cookies while Maggie carried the other one.  She was wearing jeans and a V-neck white pullover sweater.  Even with the sweater she was still cold.  The weather had turned much colder over the past two days.  She hated wearing a coat, so she had opted for the soft, warm cashmere instead and left the coat in the car.  She had left her hair down and it cascaded to her shoulders and fell onto the soft white sweater. 

Upon entering, they were greeted by a Security Guard and the Principle.  When they got inside, warm air encompassed them and Taylor smiled at the wonderful heat.

Maggie nodded a greeting to the Principle.  She introduced Taylor as her friend who helped her with the baking. 

The Principle was a tall dark skinned man in his mid-forties.  “Thank you for doing this.  I really appreciate this since things were so tense.  Let me show you to the classrooms.”

He led them down the hall and waved to the first classroom.  Then he stepped back with a smile and left.

Taylor looked at Maggie with a little concern, “Why do they still have Security Guards if the guy is gone?”

“Oh, I’m not sure but I think they have a contract that hasn’t ended and they figured it would make the kids more secure until a little time passed.”

Just before they got to the doorway, Maggie whispered, “Take that plate to the next classroom on the right and I will be in there in a couple of minutes.  The teachers know we are coming with cookies but the kids don’t.”

Taylor went to the classroom door and waited in the doorway until the full figured, pretty young teacher saw her and gestured her in.

“Guess what class?  We have a special treat today.  Homemade cookies.”  The kids cheered, which made Taylor smile. They started squirming in their seats, waiting for a chance to get some cookies.

The teacher asked, “What do we say?”

The kids answered in unison, “Thank you.”

She put the platter on the teacher’s desk and took the wrap off the cookies.  She could hear the kids eagerly trying to see the cookies from their seats and the excited chatter. 

The teacher asked them, “Do you want to know what kind of cookies there are?”

The kids said yes with happy shouts.

Taylor smiled at them, “Well, you have chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, and sugar cookies.  I hope at least one of those is your favorite.”

The kids started yelling out their favorites. 

The teacher held up a small container of milk.  “We have milk to go with the cookies too.”

The kids cheered.  Taylor helped the teacher put the milk out on the desk next to the cookies, while the children excitedly chattered and wiggled in their seats.  The teacher also put out a pile of napkins.

“We’ll go one row at time so we don’t bump into each other.  There are plenty of cookies here so everyone can have their favorites.”

All of a sudden there was dead silence.  Taylor looked over at the teacher.  Had she told them to be quiet?  She hadn’t heard her say anything about it.  The teacher had a strange look on her face.

Taylor turned in the direction of her stare.  There was a brawny man in the door, clenched fists, gun stuck down in his belt, his face twisted and red.  Taylor took a step back.  Is that the man who was harassing his ex-wife?  He looked more like a wild animal about to attack than a man.

Taylor noticed as she glanced around quickly that everyone, kids and teacher looked scared.

The man looked wildly around and said harshly, “Karen, come here.” 

Now that was a scary tone.  She couldn’t blame the little girl with blonde pigtails and wide scared eyes for very slowly standing up from her desk in the back.  She reminded Taylor of a slightly older version of Beth.

The teacher pleaded, “Please, leave her alone.  She’s just a child.  She’s not respon-“

She was cut off by his cruel voice, “Shut up.  I’m taking my daughter.”

The little girl, Karen, had slowly shuffled up to the front like her little feet were made of lead.  Her eyes were round and filling with tears.  Taylor saw the look on her face and again thought of little Beth and how she had been unable to save her.  She had to intervene.  If she stepped in front of the girl she could stop her from getting close enough to her angry father that he could grab her.  She stepped forward and blocked the girl’s reluctant steps.

Where were the Security Guards?  How did he get in here passed them?  Could she buy some time for help to get here?  If anyone knew they needed help.  He looked like he wanted to hurt someone or everyone.  His eyes were feral.  His gun was intimidating, but it still was in his belt.  Was that a good sign?  Was this stupid or brave?  She wasn’t sure.

She looked over at the teacher, who was frozen in place.  Not much help there, she thought.  It was so quiet in the class you could only hear the man’s heavy breathing and the soft sobs from Karen’s mouth. 

No one moved.  The angry man took a step towards Taylor. Even though the man scared her with his twisted almost inhuman face, Taylor put an arm behind her to keep the girl still.

“Don’t hear very well, do you?” he sneered.  He pulled the gun out of his belt.

Taylor thought briefly, it was one of those terrifying moments were time seemed to stand still and everything moved in slow motion.  She didn’t move.

The teacher sobbed and lunged towards Karen, who was slightly behind and to the left of Taylor.  Startled by the movement, the man pulled the trigger.  Taylor wasn’t sure where the bullet went, but the sound was deafening.

He screamed, “See what you made me do?  I’ll kill all of you if I have to.  Karen, come here.”  He said the last part with fury.

They all heard footsteps running down the hall, children screaming and crying, sounds of confusion and fear.  Everyone must have heard the shot.

The man kept hold of Taylor and turned his head.  “Karen, you are coming with me too.  Get over here.”

Karen stared at him with wide eyes and Taylor shook her head no at her.  She looked uncertainly between her father, Taylor, and the teacher who was holding her back.

It seemed like hours, although it could have been only a couple of minutes.  The man looked undecided or confused that his daughter was not responding as he had expected.  Taylor tried to pull away, but he tightened his choke hold around her neck and pressed the gun harder into her head.  She started to have a harder time breathing with his tight grasp. 

She tried to pry his arm loose.  Either that or get a crushed windpipe, she thought. 

He jerked his arm and said, “Stand still.”

They heard more shouting.

“Police.  Everyone stay where you are.  Get back into your rooms.”

The man let out an animal like sound and grabbed Taylor so fast she didn’t see it coming.  She had no time to get her balance before the man pulled her a few steps back.

She wished the teacher had not moved or he might not have shot wildly and she would not be locked in his vise like grip.  She wished she was stronger to fight him off.  She wished Sean was here.

She felt an odd burning on her left side, just above her jeans.  She dropped her eyes to look down and saw her sweater stained with blood.  It took a moment for it to sink in. 
She had been shot?
  Now that she realized it, it started to hurt.  A lot.

She felt the gun barrel push against her temple.  She bit her lip to keep from crying out.  She was sure it would make him all too happy to hear her whimper.  She almost laughed when she thought about being angry about the blood spreading on her good cashmere sweater.  How dumb was that?  She’s been shot and she’s thinking about her sweater.

He whispered in her ear, “I’m gonna enjoy killing you.” 

Taylor shuddered.  He was insane.  He had to be.  Taylor could feel herself start to shake.  Her legs were wobbly, but she was sure it was not from her weakness.  She was scared.  More than scared, she was terrified, but she refused to show it.  The creature who had shot her would like that.  She couldn’t think of him as a man.  He wasn’t human.

The room suddenly filled with four or five cops, guns pointed at the man.  Her head was down and at an angle because of the gun pressing into her face, but her eyes moved to the cops.  The SWAT team, at least that’s what it said on the vests they wore. 

She felt immediate relief.  Help had arrived.  It felt surreal, like something out of a movie or TV show.   It was happening to her but it seemed more like a dream.  Or more like a nightmare.

At first look she did not see him.  Then she realized Sean was standing in the front with another cop beside him.  The others were behind them.  Guns pointed at the man, faces calm.  She felt tremendous relief.  Sean would get her out of this if anyone could.  She wanted to tell him it wasn’t her fault, but she kept quiet.

Sean did not look at her; his focus was on the man.  He looked every inch like a hard, focused, ready to act cop.  If she hadn’t known him, she would have been intimidated.  Was the evil creature?  She doubted it.  He was not thinking like a sane person.

Did Sean even realize it was her? 
His face showed no signs of recognition.  She wanted to call out his name, but she kept silent.