JESSICA
This place is huge. I suddenly feel sad for the cabin. It was cozy and cute. This place looks like it should be on the cover of a magazine. Then when we pull up in front of the house, there are a ton of people. Kids, adults. Everyone. This can’t all be family. It’s too many to be just family.
Luke is at my car door, opening it for me. I don’t know what all I am supposed to do. When I step out, a couple of the women come over from the steps. The oldest of the group scoops me up in her arms. “Oh, you poor dear.” I kind of awkwardly pat her back.
“I hope you don’t mind my dog.”
She pulls back and looks in the car. “Oh, he is a big one ain’t he.” She looks over my shoulder. “Justin there is a dog.”
Instead another woman groans. “Don’t let Caden see it. He has been begging for a dog.”
A boy about ten runs forward. “A dog.”
Another boy in his teens steps forward. “Can we take it out back? I’ve never had a dog either.”
One of the ladies next to me gasps. “Joey.”
He shrugs. “Well, it’s true. I thought maybe William would have one, because he is a cop, but he doesn’t.”
William laughs. “You are moving out soon anyway. What would you do with a dog?”
The boy just shrugs. “Doesn’t change the fact that I have never had one.”
I move so that I can get Reeko out. “He is really gentle. I know he is big, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. I swear he won’t be trouble. He’s housebroken and everything.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Let the boys take him out back to play and we can get you settled.”
“Um, ok.” Reeko is thrilled and just runs off with the boys. He doesn’t even have his leash on.
Luke comes to my side. “This is my mom Laura.” He points to the other women. “This is my sisters, Isabelle and Jasmine. These are my sister-in-laws Megan and Hannah. And this is Mia, William’s girlfriend.”
William speaks up. “I proposed. So not just a girlfriend anymore.”
Luke looks at him confused. “When did you do that?”
“Right before you called me. Thanks for that by the way.”
Mia shushes him. “Oh, it was either going to be family or work. I’m used to it.”
Luke takes my arm and starts leading me towards the men. As soon as we are standing in front of the older gentleman I can see where the bickering starts. He looks at Luke with disappointment. “What did you get yourself involved in? Not only you, but the family.” I can hear the judgment. I can see what Luke was worried about. I’m not sure if I like this guy. Luke really stood up for me and I don’t like to think of people putting him down for it.
I speak up because it is my fault. “This is my fault. Luke is only trying to help me.”
Luke shakes his head. “Apparently I was supposed to stand there and watch that guy slap you around.”
Laura comes up. “James, really? That is enough. This isn’t the time or the place for this. Luke did what was right. Now leave him alone. This woman needs help.”
I start trying to take a step back but Luke puts his hand on my back. “Maybe I should just leave. I am causing way too many problems.”
Luke looks at me. “You can’t keep running. You know he will find you again. You need to stop running. If we have to leave here I will find another place.”
James grunts. “You don’t need to leave. Let’s all get in the house. It’s starting to get late. There is still school tomorrow for those boys and a couple of teachers.”
A guy chuckles. “Well, true, but I doubt the students would notice if Issy and I slept through a class or two.”
Isabelle puts her hand on her hip. “Speak for yourself. Just because your students sleep through your subject doesn’t mean that they sleep through mine.”
He smiles. “Come on, you love math.”
She laughs. “I hate math.”
Luke steers me to the other men. “These are my brothers, Justin and David. My brother-in-law, Alex.”
I nod to them all. “I am sorry about all this trouble. I really don’t want to be a bother to you all.”
David shakes his head. “It’s not like you asked this guy to stalk you to the ends of the earth. It will be over soon. William is a good cop, he’ll have this guy behind bars in no time.”
William sighs. “Putting him in jail isn’t the problem, it’s keeping him there. Apparently he has reach. Dex called on the way down. He is already working on getting bail. He called in some favors. I don’t know who they are from, but they are a big deal whoever they are.”
Laura gives me a sad smile. “We will work it out. Let’s get settled. Have you two eaten?”
Luke shakes his head. “No, the shoot out kind of killed the dinner mood.”
Mia slaps William’s chest. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t want to worry you over nothing. I wasn’t shot this time.”
Laura rolls her eyes. “Thank God. I don’t think I have slept a full night since the last time you were shot.”
William nods towards Luke. “He was the one more beat up than me. He had to hold off two men until I got there. One was really big.”
I feel even worse. I guess Luke can tell. “It wasn’t a big deal. Let’s just eat and get a good night’s sleep. He isn’t finding you tonight.” He hugs my shoulder and I feel a little better. I like that I feel comforted with Luke, but it is scary too. Am I just repeating past mistakes? Although looking around at Luke’s family, I don’t think so. They may not think as highly of him as they should, but none of them are bad people. They all care for him very deeply.
Luke keeps his arm around my shoulder all the way to the kitchen. Laura makes us both something quick to eat. “You two must be exhausted. I can’t imagine what you have been through Jessica.” She is talking to me while she bustles around the kitchen. She looks just like a caring mother. “You better believe that William will make sure that man stays behind bars. He is very good at his job. I don’t like his job, but he is good at it. He will do whatever it takes to stop this man.”
I can’t help but feel shame. These people barely know me and they are all so busy trying to comfort me. To help me when it seemed like no one else would. I was close to giving up. I look up at Luke, this man protected me when I felt like I was going to die in the clutches of my evil captor. But Luke was there to make it better. To save me.
“I just wish I knew how he keeps finding me.”
Luke looks down at me. “We will figure it out. You will have your life back.”
“I don’t think I have a life to go back to anymore. It’s been so long.”
His smile is gentle and comforting. “Then start a new one. One where you are incharge of your own life. You’ll have a chance to do what you want.”
“Do you really think so?”
He nods. “I know so.”