“Where is Alex’s dad? Can he help you?”
“You could say that I’m a very bad judge of character and only know how to pick losers. I was very naïve and allowed an incredibly sexy man to wine and dine me, whisper sexy things in my ear and take my virginity. When I woke up in the morning, he was gone. It was love at first sight for me and I don’t regret anything because I have Alex. I didn’t even know his last name or where he was from, so finding him six weeks after the fact was next to impossible.”
“Well, I definitely understand the power of a sexy man and I have to say I don’t regret anything either.”
John walks back in and leans down to give her a kiss then pulls her up.
“That’s good to know, Baby. We have an early morning ourselves so you two have a good night.”
Jen leans down to give me a hug then speaks quietly in my ear.
“Everything will work out, I promise. My life was turned upside down too, and I couldn’t be happier with the new path I’m on. Sometimes we just hit a few bumps in the road.”
They leave and I rush Alex through his soup, so we aren’t down here too long. I know Jerry is looking for me because he went into George’s and threatened everyone in the bar. I called Liz yesterday and told her we were stopping for a while, but I didn’t want to say where in case Jerry had people listening in or watching their place. Liz said he looked crazy and now she is glad I ran. Hopefully, my little detour into Alabama will throw him off our trail if he has picked up on one. “Come on little guy; it’s time for bed.”
At 9:00 a.m. someone softly knocks on my door. Looking through the peephole I see Jen from last night. She was so nice at dinner and it was great to have an adult to talk to, so I open the door.
“Hey, can I come in?”
Opening the door wider, she accepts the invitation just as Alex comes barreling toward her and plows into her legs.
“Well hello, Big Guy. What are you up to this morning?”
“Hiding fum Daddy.”
‘I’m sorry, I really shouldn’t mumble to myself when he’s around. I forget that he repeats everything I say and many things I don’t. The daddy hits comment stems from what he’s seen and I feel horrible that he witnessed it. I should have left sooner, but I had no place to go where Jerry wouldn’t follow.” Jen and I talk about everything adults vent about for an hour. She confesses that her real name is Serenity, Ren for short, and they are avoiding people too. Her husband’s name is Derek and now I like him much better. Another knock at the door has Ren moving to open it and find her husband on the other side.
“Baby, can we talk out here in the hall?”
Derek seems like such a dominant man, and when he glances my way, I can’t help but cast my eyes down. Everyone has always said my eyes are too expressive, and I don’t need him reading into my situation more than the black eye shows. Ren puts Alex down and he runs to me as she walks out and shuts the door. She is only gone for a few minutes before she knocks lightly then walks back in.
“It’s okay. He’s not mad; he was just worried.”
She tells me about Jerry being here, but that Marge steered him away. Also, that Derek has paid for me stay at the B&B for two weeks until I can figure out where we’re going.
“He has left five thousand dollars with Marge to help you and Alex, and when we open The Safe House in Boston, we want you to come stay there and help us run it.”
Tears are running down my face for many reasons. Jerry is too close for my comfort, but now we have to lie low. He is probably watching every road, in and out of town, just waiting to see if I really am here and will make my escape soon. What brought him to the B&B? I don’t park my car in plain sight; it’s actually in Marge’s garage. I don’t go out, so people don’t see us to identify us. What led him here? He must have accessed my bank account and saw the charge of the B&B.
I also cry for new friendships and caring people. I am a stranger to them, but they have willingly stuck their necks out for me, even though they seem to be in a bind too.
“I have savings and I can’t take your money. I am in this mess because I took Jerry’s offer of a helping hand. Not that your money is bad, it’s just too much.”
“Consider it a loan then. When you come to Boston, you can work it off.”
We cry some more and hug goodbye. I know I will see her again, hopefully under better circumstances. I still plan on heading to Florida, but Boston sounds like a nice place too.
Chapter Ten
Loss:
*the fact or process of losing something or someone. *a person or thing that is badly missed when lost. *the feeling of grief after losing someone or something of value.
~Savage~
Damn Derek for sending me on this piddly ass errand of babysitting. I have already searched this podunk town two other times and came up empty-handed. After a few thousand dollars in search costs, he is going to learn the same way I did. If this woman doesn’t want to be found, no amount of searching will make a difference. No amount of money you spend in trying to find someone you lost will get results. But, here I am again, back at this B&B, searching for Ren’s friend and her little boy. They didn’t even have
