Chapter Eight

Stacey’s eyes fluttered open. At first her vision was blurred and she could only see colors and vague shapes. After a few moments and a few more determined blinks the colors turned into vivid shapes which turned into people.
“Welcome back, Ms. Montgomery. Thought we lost you there for a moment.” A sweet smiling nurse gently pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. I’ll send in your fiancé.” Before she could protest that she had no desire at all to see that slimy disgusting man, the nurse and the rest of the hospital staff vacated the room.
Stacey tried to sit herself up and got a little dizzy. She placed her hand on her head and closed her eyes. With her eyes closed she heard rushed footsteps that seemed to stop at the doorway to her room. “Stacey?” At the sound of his voice she opened her eyes and had tears forming already. She looked up to see none other than Ricky standing in her doorway.
He ran to her side and began to kiss her forehead and tears were flowing from his eyes. His face was wrought with worry and relief all in one. And what seemed to be the first time in years she could see the true and honest love he had for her in his eyes. He sat in the chair at her bedside and held her hand gingerly kissing it and placing it on his cheek.
It took Stacey a moment before she had the composure to speak. “Ricky,” she paused. “There’s something I need to tell you.” He looked into her eyes with sadness dwelling in them and said, “There’s something I need to tell you as well.”

* * * * * *

Marie didn’t know Chazz very well but she had never seen him angry before. And this wasn’t just anger, this was pure rage. He was breathing heavily and pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting room. Occasionally, he’d bring his fists up towards his shoulders as if trying to keep himself from swinging at the next passerby. She cleared her throat, “Um, Chazz?”
“What!?” He snapped at her. Realizing his tone and who he had directed it towards he calmed down a bit and asked again. “I’m sorry. What is it Marie?”
She stood up and walked up to him. “Look I know that Chad is the worst person in the world and all of us have some reason or another to want him dead, but we have to think about the two women that he ultimately put in the hospital.” She looked at all the friends that were taking up the entire waiting room and he followed suit.
“Baby,” Irene got up and followed Marie’s lead. “I know you’re super mad that Chad lied to you about Sam, but you can’t be wasting your energy on being mad when she’s in that hospital bed dying and your almost sister in law is in a coma. We have to stick together and stay here with them.”
Chazz was a bit confused, “I am here. I’ve been here for hours and I was the first one to get here when we got news that Samantha was still…” He choked back tears and you could tell from his jaw line that he was clenching his teeth. “That she was still alive but dying.”
“Nahh, nigga,” David piped in this time, “Your body is here but your mind is where ever Chad is and that mind of yours is beating him till he’s the one in the hospital.”
Chazz looked around at everyone agreeing with David’s remark. He let out a long breath and slowly sat in the chair that was closest to him. “You’re right. I might have been here since I got the call about her being shot, but I haven’t been focused on her at all. Or Stacey.”
For a few moments there was silence. But those moments were short lasted when they heard Ricky screaming for a nurse to come into room 326 and help Stacey. Marie was the first one up and running to the room. She saw the sheer panic on Ricky’s face. “What is it? What happened?” The monitors that Stacey was hooked up to were beeping and going crazy.
“I-I-I don’t know.” He stammered to get himself under control. “One minute she was steady and perfectly fine and the next minute she was crashing and started to do convulsions.” They all watched helplessly as the nurses and medics ran into the room and began to try and bring their beloved friend back to life. It must have been pretty bad because after a few moments one of the nurses closed the door and shut the blinds.
“She can’t die.” Ricky’s eyes were streaming tears. “How can God do this to me?” Now he was angry. “First my son is kidnapped and I find out that it was by the same damned man that the woman I’m in love with is marrying and now the woman that I should be marrying is in there fighting for her life! And where is that man that supposedly loves her, huh? Where!? I’ll tell you where, he’s hiding from the law because he stole the supposed ‘love of his life’s’ baby boy right from under her nose. I’m the one that’s been here for her, I’m the one that’s been by her side every second she’s been in the hospital. I’M THE ONE THAT LOVES HER!” He turned and kicked a gurney that had been out in the hallway and turned to rest his fists on the wall and hang his head between his shoulders.
“Bro, we’re all keeping hope-” Skeet was cut short.
“Hope?” Ricky lifted his head and looked at Skeet. “What’s hope? I lost that almost a year ago, when one stupid and ignorant mistake cost me the only woman I’ve ever cared about.” With that last statement he turned and stormed down the hospital corridor.
“Someone follow him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.” Marie couldn’t believe that after everything that he’d been holding in, he picked now of all times to blow up and storm off. Stacey needed him here. She knew just how horrible he’d feel if she did die and he wasn’t by her side when it happened.
“I’m on it.” Chazz took off in a jog to catch up with Ricky.
“Ohh, I should probably follow them to make sure that neither of them plot Chad’s murder and carry it out within the hour.” Jose started to follow the two men but was cut short when the nurse opened the door and all the medical team dispursed.
The nurse looked around and asked, “Where’s her fiancé? I need to speak with him.”
Everyone made some noise resembling a scoff at the mention of Chad. “He’s not here, last I heard the police were after him.” Marie spoke to the nurse. “Is she alright? Can I see her?” before the nurse could answer Chazz and Ricky turned the corner of the hall where they had disappeared. The nurse made a bee line for Ricky, “Sir, your fiancé is stable and doing well. She’s awake and I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“But I’m not-” he was about to correct her mistake on not being her fiancé when Brandi stepped in. “He’s not quite sure he’s emotionally ready for that yet. No worries,” she nudged him closer to the door. “We’ll make sure he gets over that quickly.” She almost threw him into the hospital room.

* * * * * *

His heart was racing as he pulled into a gas station about 100 miles outside of Phoenix. Chad knew that the cops were after him, and by now that low life grease monkey gang had already put out an amber alert for Michael and put him at the top of the most wanted list. He turned and saw that the almost 6 month old was fast asleep in his car seat and for the first time in the entire kidnapping he felt a pang of guilt rush right to his gut and immediately felt nauseous.
Quickly and quietly he got out of his car and rested his hands on the door frame to get a grip on his emotions. He’d come this far, there was no way he was going to back out now when he was so close to getting this kid out of his life for ever.
‘But you won’t have Stacey.’ His thoughts were ringing loud in his ears as though someone were actually standing behind him whispering in his ear. He whirled around so fast expecting to see that smart ass little spic standing behind him with a smug look on his face. But no one was there. ‘She’ll never want you after she finds out about what you did.’ That voice was taunting him.
“Get a hold of yourself Chad.” He tapped his cheeks and rubbed his face to try and get a hold of himself. “You’re starting to go out of your mind, just get the gas and get going.” With that he turned to the gas pump with his credit card, only to find that this little Podunk gas station didn’t have gas pumps with credit card slots. “Juuust great.” He turned to the car and debated about going inside or trying to troupe it out to the next major station. There was no way he was going to get the baby out of the car and risk being recognized.
‘Don’t tell me you’re just going to leave him in the car alone?’ This time it was Stacey’s voice he heard in his mind. And this time he actually threw up at the wave of guilt and shame that washed over him. ‘What if he was kidnapped? FOR REAL this time.’ He felt hot tears form in the corners of his eyes as he imagined some sick minded psychopath stealing that baby and killing him or torturing him. He felt another wave of guilt and shame and once again he threw up. ‘How could you do this to me Chad? I thought you loved me, but you never did… Did you?’ With that last thought in his mind he completely broke down and wiped his mouth and got into the drivers seat of his car.
He didn’t know how long he was there. Half an hour? Two hours? At one point Michael woke up and Chad, for the first time in little Michael’s life, fed him a bottle and held him in a warm loving embrace. And for the first time in Chad’s life, he prayed. Along with praying, he cried for the first time in almost 6 months.

* * * * * *

“God, I know it’s been a while, and I know I should have called you sooner, but I really need Your help with this one.” He prayed with his hands clenched tightly together and elbows resting on his desk in his office. “There’s one twisted mind out there with an innocent baby boy and only You know what his intentions are. I’ve caught a lot of sick minded people out there and put them behind bars, Lord, but this one is a different breed. Had his future wife’s son kidnapped by his own sister and blackmailed her to keep quiet about it when everyone thought his sister was already dead. Then when she wants to fess up shoots her in cold blood. What’s really messed up, Father, is that this woman who’s engaged to this wicked man, has a loving kind hearted man that loves her but just can’t see it. Lord, please,” The sheriff got out of his chair and onto his knees and lifted his hands into the air. “Please, help me.”

* * * * * *

Her feet were swift and she ran effectively through the trees hardly making a sound. Finally she’d escaped and there was no way she would return to that good for nothing hell hole of a house. Barely sixteen and with nothing more than twenty bucks and the clothes on her back, Laihla, wasn’t going to go back to a home where her mom was a drunk and her dad was physically abusive.
Today was the day that she’d finally got away. Escaped from the little broken and run down trailer of a home that was barely big enough for two rooms. A room for her parents and a room for her and her step brothers and sisters. All together there were five kids. Laihla was the oldest and the only one who was ever physically hit. She knew why too, it was all because her step dad thought that she was tainted. Being half black that asshole thought that she was a good for nothing piece of crap and her so called mother never did a thing to stop it because she was always drinking her life away.
Her feet kept carrying her as she stole an occasional glance behind her. She was a good long distance from her house and knew that no one was following her. No one cared when she stormed out of the house screaming she was running away and never coming back. She slowed to a jog and stopped to catch her breath.
The only other thing she had with her aside from the twenty dollar bill in her jeans pocket and the sweater she was wearing, was the ring on a chain around her neck. It wasn’t worth anything, more of a trinket rather than an actual piece of jewelry, but it was the last thing she had of her real dad. It was the ring that he had given her mom when they were dating back in high school. Before he died, he gave it to her on the chain to remember him.
In the distance she could hear a car, which meant she was close to the highway. She followed where the sound came from and sure enough, she was right. Being sure to stay in the trees she looked down both ways of the road. To her left there was a small gas station. Hopefully she’d be able to get a bottle of water and something to eat for cheap and keep going until she hit the next town. She didn’t know what her plan was and didn’t want to think about where she was going to sleep or where she was going to end up, all she knew was that she needed to get away.
Being careful to wait until there were no cars on the high way she crossed the asphalt and casually walked up to the station. Billy’s Pit Stop was the name on the sign with a faded picture of a red racer and a gas pump by it. “Dammit.” She ran the words together and stopped walking to put her hands on her hips and think. “This is going to be juuust perfect.”
She hadn’t thought that she’d gone this far, but this was the gas station her dad’s brother worked at. He came into town and saw her from time to time, but always bragged that if ever she went on a road trip with her high school friends they needed to load up on snacks at his place because it was “The cheapest for miles around.”
“Well,” she mumbled. “Here goes nothin’.”

* * * * * *

Ricky stared at Stacey with disbelief. “Wait, you mean to tell me that while you were in a coma, you talked with God and he personally showed you Chazz and Chad’s conversation in the hospital room?”
“For the third time,” Stacey was starting to get agitated. “YES.” Why was this piece of information so hard to take in? It’s not like Stacey was a compulsive liar.
Ricky got up from his seat by her bedside and began to pace around. “I don’t believe it. You had to have just heard the conversation while you were unconscious and retained that information. There’s no way you saw God. It’s impossible.”
Exasperated she let out a grumble. “You’re being so incredibly difficult right now.”
“Me?! How am I being difficult? I told you virtually the same thing you told me, but I heard it from the woman who actually did it. The one who physically took our son from his bed and kidnapped him. You’re expecting me to believe some fairy tale fantasy about how God came to you in a dream while you were knocked out. I can’t do that.” Towards the end of his rant he began to mock her words. And that hurt her.
She looked away from him and started to get a lump in her throat as if she was going to cry. When she went to open her mouth to speak, no words came out, so she closed her mouth and laid back down in her bed.
It wasn’t until a few tears were hitting her hands that she realized she was crying. “There’s never been anything that you’ve never trusted me about before.” That’s all she could muster up to say.
Ricky looked down at his feet and had a look of regret for what he had said written all over his face. How could he have been so insensitive? Stacey had been through enough as it was and then to add him fighting with her about how real her coma talk with God had been was just a bit unnecessary. Fiddling his fingers together he walked to the other side of the bed and knelt to look Stacey in the eye.
“Regardless of if I believe if you’ve actually spoken with God or not, I still believe the truth in what you said happened between Chad and Chazz in here a few days ago.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Wiping away her tears he added, “You’ve always been more spiritual than I have, so the thought of you talking with God kinda freaks me out a little.” He smiled. Boy, she sure loved that gorgeous smile.
She smiled back and him and leaned up a bit to grab his hand and lace her fingers through his. “Regardless of how less spiritual you’ve been than me, I still believe that you don’t entirely think that I’m making this up. You know I’ve never lied to you.”
“True.” With a smirk he gave her a kiss. A on the mouth no doubt about it kiss. It wasn’t a long one, or an incredibly passionate one. Just a kiss on the lips, but still, when his lips separated from hers and he backed away from her face to get a good look at her, it was like the very breath she had just been breathing was being taken away with him. “Breathtaking.” Was all he said.
“You have no idea.”

* * * * * *

Knowing that Stacey was awake and waiting until her lover boy came out of the room so they could actually go talk to her was a slow and painful wait for each and every one of the friends that were waiting down the hall from room 326.
“Gawwwwd!” Meg rolled her head back onto her shoulders. “Does anyone else know the precise number of little popcorn bumps on the ceiling? ‘Cause if we have to wait here any longer I’m going to start counting out loud.”
There was a chuckle here and there amongst her friends. “I hear ya,” Ernie was rubbing his temples. “I love Stace and all, but being here all the time is killin me.”
“Ya, why are we always here?” Skeet asked. “I mean I can understand Chazz, Marie and Ricky being here 24/7 but the rest of us have work and stuff.”
“I hear that.” Rudy was a little on the quiet side. “My boss didn’t want me to take today off. I’ve been avoiding his calls all morning.”
As the guys went back and forth about how they didn’t need to be there and how Marie, Chazz and Ricky should hold it all together Marie couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and almost shouted at them, “You know what? If that’s how you feel. Fine. Get the hell out and we’ll text you with details on how my best friend is doing.” She put a special emphasis on ‘my best friend’ to get the point across that they weren’t exactly being true friends to Stacey. “You can sit there and bitch and moan all you want about how me, Chazz and your brother and friend can hold it all together when Stacey’s concerned, but what about us, huh?” She looked each and every one of them in the eye. “If you guys can’t stand to sit around to see if your friend is going to live or die or if you can’t wait another minute to get the hell out of this place because you have somewhere better to be when our friend’s life is completely falling apart then by all means, spare me the dramatics and just get up and LEAVE.” With that she turned around walked back to her chair and sat down staring at them until they said something.
All the girls were finding places to look that weren’t in anyone else’s eye path. Most of the guys just kept their mouths shut and looked at the floor. Amidst the silence someone’s phone started jingling a default ringer as Rudy pulled out a cell phone and looked at the caller ID. “It’s my boss…” He was barely audible until he answered it. “Hello?” His boss started speaking on the other side. “Um, no I’m not going to be able to come in today either.” Silence. “Because it’s my brother and his woman. They’re family and I can’t just abandon them.” He paused as he listened to his boss more likely than not rant and rave about how it doesn’t matter and how he should be at work. “Look, if you’re giving me an ultimatum between my family and my job, you should already know the answer.” Instead of waiting for a reply from his boss he hung up his phone and shoved it angrily in his pocket.
When he looked up and met Marie’s eyes, she looked surprised and almost impressed. He sighed. “You were right. He’s family and so is she. Without loved ones in our lives, life doesn’t really hold that much meaning. Plus, we have to remember what’s important in life. People or money? When we choose our careers over family, ultimately we’re choosing money.” He looked at her kind of sheepishly before looking back down at his hands in his lap.
“Thanks.” Marie smiled at him and he glanced at her and gave a half smile back. “I’m sorry I blew up on you guys. I’m just really worried about everything that’s been going on.”
“We all are.” Brandi stated simply.

* * * * * *

Laihla noticed the incredibly expensive Cadillac Escalade that was parked at a gas pump. ‘Wow.’ She thought, ‘who ever owns that thing must be hella rich.’ She walked passed the four gas pumps and up the creaky wooden little porch to the screen door that was unlocked and creaked loudly as she opened it.
Looking to the left there was no one behind the counter and as she scanned the small insides of the store she saw no sign of her uncle anywhere. She proceeded to walk back to the refrigerated section that held the beverages and found the cheapest big bottle of water they had and walked down an aisle or two grabbing a bag of beef jerky and a bag of Doritos.
Standing at the counter placing her items down and about to reach in her pocket she heard the creaky door open and looked to see a short racially mixed man and what must have been his son about 6 or 7 months old walk in. He gave a very lousy and obviously forced smile to her and walked to the back of the store. As she looked around to try and figure out where her uncle was she noticed there was a rifle and a hand gun behind the counter.
‘Maybe you should take the pistol to keep safe at night.’ She couldn’t help but think that it was a good idea. She looked to the back of the store and saw that the man with the baby was trying to figure out how to grab two bottles of water while holding a baby all at the same time without losing balance so she figured he was too preoccupied to notice what she was about to do. Right as she was about to reach over the counter a man’s booming voice came from outside the front door.
“Now that better not be my little niece trying to steal money from the cash register I see.” Laihla jumped and felt her heart pounding through her chest.
“Holy hell, Uncle Billy, way to give a teenage girl her first heart attack.” She rested her hand on her chest as she tried to catch her breath. Her uncle opened the screen door with another loud creak and waltzed right up to her and gave her a huge hug. “And by the way I wasn’t about to take money from the register.” She laughed uneasily. If only he knew what she was really trying to do.
“What brings you all the way up here, baby girl? That momma o’ yours still not doin’ too well ain’t she.” A sadness came over his face as he looked at the ring on a chain around her neck. “All of us miss yo’ daddy sumthin’ terrible, baby girl. You know you’s a spittin’ image of ‘im right?”
Her cheeks burned as she looked away from her uncle that looked incredibly too much like her dad as well. “Ya, I know.”
“So what was ya doin’ then?”
“Huh?” She gave him a befuddled look.
“When I caught ya reachin’ over the counter. What was ya reachin’ fo’?”
‘Your hand gun.’ Her thoughts rang. “Oh, I was looking to see if you still had that little dingy thing to get your attention if you weren’t up here. You know that bell like thing for customers to ring if you aren’t at the regisiter?”
“Oh I been got rid of that piece of junk for a while now. It’s ding wasn’t so dingy anymore if ya know what I mean.” Her uncle had to be the most innocent grown man that she’d ever known. She smiled at him and swiped her long brown hair behind her ear. Looking at her merchandise and adding in her head she said, “So I owe you around 5 or 6 bucks right Uncle Billy?” Looking up she was surprised to see an almost angry look on his face where just moments ago he was being his adorably happy self. “Uncle Billy? What’s the matter?” She swiped the hair on the other side of her face behind her other ear and noticed his eyes going back and forth between each side of her face.
“Oh, no…” she whispered as she realized why he was looking so angry. Quickly she pulled the hair out from behind her ears and covered the sides of her face, wincing at the pain that seared through her cheeks.
“That man o’ your momma’s been hittin’ you ag’in?” His face was very serious and his fists were clenched tight. At her silence and not looking him in the eye Billy asked his niece a second time, “I asked if yo’ momma’s man been hittin’ you ag’in baby girl, and please don’t lie to me.”
With a lump in her throat she was barely able to get the word out. “Yes.” She looked away out the door and felt tears start to form but blinked them away quickly. When she turned back to face her uncle she noticed from the corner of her eye that the man with the baby was patiently waiting to be rung out, though his fingers couldn’t quite hold all of what he was holding. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She grabbed his things from him and helped him place them on the counter forgetting that her stuff was there as well. “Here you go ahead and ring him out Uncle Billy ok? We’ll talk more later.”
Almost like a light switch her uncle went from angry to pleasant again. “Hello, sir. Did you find er’thing you was lookin’ fo’?”
Chad’s voice was a bit shakey, “Uhm, yea, I did. Can I also get 70 dollars on pump number 2?”
“Oh, that pump’s been broke for ‘bout 6 months now. Gotta wriggle the pump handle to get the gas to start.”
The look on Chad’s face must have been a sight to see because Billy let out a laugh and told him, “Don’t look too upset, sir. I’ll jus’ have to go out there and wriggle it fo’ ya. Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.”
“Oh, well, thanks.” Chad felt a little relieved. “How much do I owe you?”
“Well, there’s 70 dollars of gas and ‘bout…” he mentally added all the items on the counter. “26 dollars of goodies ya got here. It’d be 96 even.”
“Hmm.” Chad was a bit surprised. “96 even huh? How often does that happen?” He smiled and handed Billy a hundred dollar bill.
“All the time.” Laihla answered for her uncle. “Uncle Billy doesn’t believe in change so everything in the store is evenly priced and already taxed so it’s always an even total.”
“No kiddin’.” Chad was handed back his 4 dollars change and shoved it in his pants pocket.
“Laihla, you mind baggin’ this up fo’ me and bringin’ it out to the car so I can show mister here how to get gas outta pump 2?” Uncle Billy was already walking out from behind the counter and around to the door.
“Sure, Uncle Billy, I’ll be right out.” She watched as he and the nameless man and his son walked out the door that was incredibly too loud and towards the shiny silver SUV. Walking around to the other side of the counter she found a paper bag and began to place everything into it absent mindedly. ‘Hmm,’ she wondered ‘I wonder if he could give me a ride somewhere.’ After placing all the items in the bag she looked down at the hand gun she’d tried to grab earlier and picked it up carefully. Putting the safety lock on she shoved it in her sweater pocket and grabbed the bag of goodies to take out to the man who would one way or another, take her where she wanted to go.

Chapter Seven

Marie and Ricky had been silent in the car the whole ride to Stacey’s house. Everything was such a huge mess, but at least Chad was finally going to get what was coming to him. Not only had those two airheaded girls heard the woman with Nicholas mention his last name, but Stacey’s doctor had heard Chazz and Chad arguing and heard plain as day Chad admit that he had Nicko kidnapped from his own home not even a week after Stacey and the baby had moved their essentials into the house so they could start sleeping there.
Marie glanced over at Ricky and he was obviously furious. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white and his mouth was pursed into a thin line. And his eyes never left the road in front of him. “Ricky, I… I’m sorry about Nicko, you know we all love him and want him home. But I know you’re plotting how to kill Chad and that’s just not right.” Marie felt completely helpless.
Ricky shook his head, “That bastard, setting up that whole investigation just to keep the eyes off of him.” He leaned back in the driver’s seat and rested his elbow on the door while resting the side of his head on his hand. “When Stacey finds out about this, I won’t have to try and kill him she’ll do that all on her own.”
“How is she?” Marie still couldn’t believe that her best friend of over five years was in a coma and had been for three days now.
Ricky let out a sigh as he pulled into the neighborhood they were heading to. “The doctor said there’s no change. She’s non-responsive to everything and anything, even me.” His voice went quiet with the last two words. How could they have such a strong connection but he couldn’t get her to twitch a finger, flicker her eyes, say something, move something, anything?
“It’s not you Ricky, it’s how these things work. Stuff like that only happens in the movies, or soap operas. This is real life and we just have to pray that God will wake her up; he’s the only one that can get to her now.”
They pulled up to the curb and got out of the car. The garage was left open with a beat up red Honda Accord parked inside and the front door was cracked open. Ricky motioned for Marie to stay behind him as they walked through the open garage and entered into the hall just in front of the stairway that wound upstairs. He looked left and saw the main living room with the couches and tons of boxes just the way they’d left it a few days ago.
He glanced to his right and saw the cracked front door and more boxes lining the long hallway in between. Stepping to his left he slowly walked into the kitchen and saw more boxes and no one in sight. From there he wound around and checked the formal dining room, the front room and the office downstairs before heading up the stairs to check the other rooms.
The whole time Marie was following closely on his heels waiting for someone to jump out and attack them. She may be tough but she could still be startled and she hated surprises like that more than knowing what might happen to her and Ricky if the culprit was still in the house.
Once they reached the top of the stairs, they veered to the right and checked the master bedroom and then the laundry room. The only shut door was the door that had been shut for almost three weeks now. They glanced at each other and as he reached out to turn the knob he could hear a voice on the other side. Both of them leaned closer to the door to try and hear.
It was a woman’s voice, gentle and shaking as if she was crying. “God forgive me. I’ve lost my way and I don’t know who else to turn to or where else to go. I can’t do this anymore; I can’t keep this secret anymore. Please help me God, I have no one in my life to help me out of this mess that I got myself into.” She stopped speaking and just cried for a moment. “I was so desperate for money, so desperate to take the easy way out that I ended up taking the hardest way I could have to get out of my debt and out of that disgusting apartment I wasn’t safe in. Every night I slept with that baby in my arms because I couldn’t bear to think of anything happening to him… What have I done? What have I done?!” From there she burst into sobs and it was obvious she wasn’t going to be giving out any more information.
Ricky turned the doorknob and stepped into the room with Marie following suit. The woman had been leaning over the crib and whipped around and was scared to death that there had actually been someone in the house and now they were in the room with her now. “Who are you?” She asked breathlessly.
Marie stepped in front of Ricky and confronted this mystery woman, “We could ask you the same thing. What are you doing in our friend’s house? And a better question is what are you doing in this particular room?”
Samantha looked towards the ground. “I was praying… I didn’t think anyone was going to be here.” She continued to stare at the floor.
“You still didn’t say who you are and why you’re here.” Marie took another step forward ready to pounce but Ricky pulled her back.
“Marie, I think we need to hear her out. She’s obviously upset about whatever it is that she’s done.” He looked at her. “You know where my son is don’t you?” She looked at him and nodded looking back down at the floor. “Where is he?” Ricky walked up to her and put his hands on her upper arms. “Where is my son?” She looked at him with tear filled eyes.
“He has him. I don’t know where, but he’s going to put him on a plane with a couple that think they’re adopting a baby boy named Joshua.” She started to cry again. “I tried to tell him it was wrong, I wanted out, I wanted to bring him home to Stacey and beg for her to forgive me, but he… he stopped me. I couldn’t fight him and then he pulled a gun out on me.”
Ricky looked into her eyes, “What happened to Nicholas? Is Nicholas alright?” She nodded and started looking a bit pale. She started to sway on her feet and fell with Ricky catching her before she hit the floor. He finally noticed that she was holding a hand on her stomach. There was blood starting to ooze between her fingers and her body started lurching. Ricky’s eyes widened as he realized what happened. “He shot you?”
“Yea, I was hoping to find Stacey home by now, but she must still be in the hospital.” From the confused looks on both Ricky and Marie’s faces she realized that they don’t know how she knew anything about Stacey being in the hospital. “Chad told me.” She groaned.
Turning to Marie, Ricky raised his voice. “Call an ambulance!” Immediately Marie flipped open her cell phone and dialed the police. As she rambled on to the police about the situation at hand Ricky kept his attention on the woman dying in his arms.
“I’m so sorry.” She fought to get out as more tears fell down her cheeks. “I should have never agreed to it.”
Ricky could read the guilt on her face. “I forgive you. Everything’s going to be ok. I promise… What’s your name?”
She smiled and replied, “Samantha. Samantha DeLonge.” She closed her eyes, and died in his arms.

* * * * * *

Stacey was a little surprised. “What exactly are you referring to, Father?” He took her hand, and pulled her off the couch.
“Come and walk with me.” He led them to the back door and held it open for her to pass through first. Stacey was greeted by the gentle warmth coming from the sun and stepping onto the cool cushioned grass beneath her bare feet. She took a deep breath in of all the wonderful smelling flowers, grass, water and dirt. As she opened her eyes she smiled when she saw that God was smiling at her reaction to the outside.
“Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on, Father?” Stacey asked as they began to walk to the right side of the small lake that lay before them. God looked out over the fields, “Patience, is a virtue. Remember that my dear.”
Blushing with embarrassment she apologized. “Sorry… I guess I’m just eager to know why God wants to talk with me. I have to admit that I’m a little nervous.”
“No need to be nervous, Stacey, you’re safe with me.” They turned from the bank of the water and began to walk through a field of wild daisies. “And there’s no need to worry about your son either, he’s happy and healthy. I say to you that he will be back in your arms soon enough.”
She smiled. “I knew I could trust you to make sure everything worked out. It’s just so hard not to worry sometimes. Especially when I’m not here.” She let out a soft laugh. “But I suppose that’s what heaven does to you isn’t it?”
“It is, child, it is. Now, the matter at hand that I need to speak with you about.” He stopped and looked her right in the eyes. “Your fiancé. He isn’t a nice man, I’ve tried to help him, but every time he refuses. There’s nothing I can do anymore and I’m afraid he’s almost at the end of the road.” His face softened and he looked sad. “Hard as I try, I can’t save those who don’t want to be saved.”
“I’ve always known that Chad wasn’t that great of a man, but I honestly didn’t think he was bad either. He provides for me, I can’t deny him what he really wants.”
“Wrong, Stacey. That is so very wrong. You have someone that loves and cares about you so very much but you keep choosing to stay in a relationship where he doesn’t even care about your son.”
“He tries… sometimes.”
“Let me show you something.” With a whoosh of air around her all of the sudden Stacey found herself in her hospital room looking at her body in the bed and Ricky’s head resting on their held hands.
“What’re we doing here?” She asked God, he simply motioned for her to watch.
“Things keep going wrong.” Ricky said.
“You’re telling me.” Stacey turned to see Chad standing in the doorway with a disgusting smirk on his face. “What’re you doing here you piece of shit?” He started to walk towards Ricky.
“Hey! Don’t you talk to him like that!” Stacey ran to either side of Ricky and Chad’s face off.
“I asked you a question, man, don’t you speak English?” Chad pressed so close to Ricky their faces were barely an inch apart. “Don’t test me, prick, I won’t hesitate to hit you.”
“The hell you will, Chad!” Stacey felt helpless that he couldn’t hear or see her.
“Dude,” Ricky laughed. “You need a tic tac.” At that comment Stacey let out a chuckle. Right as it seemed Chad was going to punch Ricky right in the Jaw Chazz came to the rescue.
“Everything ok in here?”
“Chazz!” Chad walked over to him. “What’re you doing here brother? Damn, what happened to you, you look nasty.” He grimaced at the look of his brother. “You look like one of them.”
“Oh he did not just say that!” Stacey turned to God and he pointed to have her keep watching the scene unfolding in front of her.
“Now what, exactly, is that supposed to mean, Chad?” Chazz folded his arms and walked in front of Ricky and greeted him. “You alright, man?”
“Ya. I’m cool.” Which he obviously wasn’t.
“Hey man, give me a minute with my brother real fast?” Chazz asked. Ricky nodded and as he left the room rammed into Chad’s shoulder.
“That asshole’s days are numbered, I swear.”
“So are yours Chad, once I get out of a coma.” Stacey walked towards Chazz as he sat down next to her bed.
“What’s up, bro? I thought you were in Cali working on the investigation?” As Chazz sat and started talking to Stacey’s bedside Stacey sat next to him watching him closely. “Hey girl, it’s Chazz. I’ve been working like crazy trying to find Nicko for you-”
“His name is Michael.”
“His name is Nicholas, no matter how hard you try and change it!” Stacey was fuming at Chad but turned her attention back to Chazz as he continued to talk to her. “You know I love that little guy. He’s so smart and so damn cute… He looks like his daddy.”
“Michael doesn’t look anything like that dead beat!” Stacey was shocked at how fast Chad’s brother flew up and got in his face.
“You think you’re so slick don’t you? You think that just because you’re Chief of the mission that you can say and do whatever the hell you want. Well I’ve got news for you, brother, your luck has just run out.” Then he turned and sat back at Stacey’s hospital bed.
“What, my dear brother, are you talking about?”
“Everyone knew you had something to do with the disappearance of Nicholas. Even Stacey. Only difference is that Stacey actually believed you didn’t because you have this ‘fake’ investigation going on.”
She threw her head around and walked right up to Chad. “Fake? The investigation is fake?!”
“You thought you had it all worked out. You just made one little mistake and now Jethro is headed to the head council to prove your guilt. All we needed was one, minor, clue. We knew if we could come up with just a single piece of evidence against you that the head council would demote you and put you on probation if not have you exiled from the corporation. But just as Pops and I were losing hope on finding a loophole or anything tying you to Nicko’s disappearance something popped up on our GPS screen. And you’ll never guess what we saw.”
Stacey’s hands curled up into fists. “It was you?! YOU had my precious baby boy taken from his bed?! I’m going to kill you!” She went to throw her hands around his neck but as she did she found herself back in the field of daisies with God right behind her. “Take me back!” she started yelling at him. “Take me back so I can kill that son of a bitch for taking my son!” She couldn’t hold in her tears anymore so she just let them flow freely as all the emotion she had been trying to hide she ran up to God and grabbed his shirt.
“Let me go back, let me go!” She could hardly stand but God wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. And just let her cry. “Why? God, why would he do something like this?”
God brushed the tears from her face and placed the palm of his hand on her cheek. “You’re so trusting, Stacey, so much so that you can’t see when something so dark and sinister is standing right in front of you.” As more tears fell from her cheeks she bit her lip and shook her head. “Why couldn’t I see it before?”
“You didn’t want to.”
“So where is he? Where’s my baby?”
“With Chad’s sister. Samantha.”
Stacey gave a look of confusion. “Chad doesn’t have a sister… well he did but she died a few years ago.” She looked into the Father’s eyes and knew she was mistaken.
“She didn’t die years ago Stacey, but she will be dying tonight.”
She was bewildered. “How can you just know all of this and let it all happen?”
“I don’t let anything happen. People have free will and I can’t make them do things that they don’t want to. Just how I couldn’t make you see that your fiancé was an evil man until I showed you he was.”
“This just doesn’t make sense. Why would she agree to something like that?”
“She lost her job and was living in a bad apartment in a bad area of town, she became desperate to get out and when she asked Chad for help, he blackmailed her into kidnapping your son in order to get what she wanted. When she found it was too much for her to handle, she begged for my forgiveness. And she shall have it.”
She shook her head. “He never told me any of that. Why didn’t she call me or even Chazz?”
“Chad threatened to kill her if she tried to communicate to anyone outside of him. Chazz had no idea his sister was still out there until she activated your sons GPS that’s in his silver bracelet that you had on him.”
“But how would she know about that? I thought only Chad and I knew about that.”
“Samantha is a very bright woman. And that bracelet Chad gave to you before he knew that Nicholas wasn’t his, what did he say when he gave it to you?”
Her mind flashed back to when she had a very swollen belly and a different Chad standing in front of her. “Here I have something for you, baby. Close your eyes.”
She did as she was told with a grin on her face. Chad placed a little black velvet box in her hand as she opened her eyes and opened the box to see a little silver bracelet with the inscription ‘little miracle’ on the flat band of the bracelet.
“Oh, hun, it’s beautiful! But what’s this little black bump under here?” She flipped the bracelet to discover a black bump about the size of a pea.
“It’s a GPS. Our parents bought one for each of our kids before they passed away. All my siblings got one too.” He smiled and kissed her.
“All? You only have Chazz remember?” She laughed.
“Right, just Chazz.” He agreed and suddenly Stacey was back in the field once more.
Shocked she looked at God with the question in her eyes. “Yes, child,” he answered. “He knew even then that she wasn’t dead. And only Chazz, Samantha and Chad knew of the device.”
“So she turned it on on purpose then?”
God nodded. “She wanted to do the right thing, and knew that her brother that was good would be watching for it. I love you, my child.” He kissed her gently on the forehead. “But our time is up, three days is long enough to be in a coma.”
“Three days?! But there’s still so much I need to ask you about. How am I going to know where to find Nicholas?” Suddenly it seemed like a storm was swarming around her and steadily pulling her farther and farther from the sweet warm man that she felt safe with. “No! God, please just let me stay a little while longer, I’m not ready to face everything yet!”
He was already gone. And the storm was so loud she couldn’t bear it and covered her ears with her hands. “Clear!” She heard a woman yell and felt a painful jolt in her chest. “Clear!” She heard again. “Clear!”

Chapter Six

The doctor was looking over the results of Stacey Montgomery’s lab work and it wasn’t good. Flipping through a few more pages he came to the blood work. “Damn.” He said under his breath. Rubbing his chin and mouth he closed the folder and headed to room 326 where he had left Stacey and what he thought was her boyfriend.
As the doctor approached the door he could hear raised voices, two males that sounded identically alike, arguing with each other. “Admit it, you hated Nicholas from the moment you saw the results from your secret DNA test! You’d do anything to get rid of any blemishes that make you and Stacey look like anything but the perfect family.” The first man was angry but still being calm.
“Alright fine, you want me to say it, I will! It’s not like you’re going to rat me out, and even if you do or have proof there’s no way that the head council would ever cross me. I founded this corporation and there’s no way they’d go against me. But if it’ll settle your little pathetic brain to hear me say it then fine. I did it.” The second man laughed “I had that bastard son of his kidnapped from his own bed, and gave the culprit their own key so no one would know how it happened.”
The doctor was in shock. Something really serious and illegal was going on in that room, but regardless he needed to find the patient’s boyfriend or a family member to tell them what’s going on with the patient. Whatever was going on in the room either one of the men should be able to direct him to a family member. He opened the door and saw a short, darker man holding his fist close to a tall, lighter man’s face.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, gentleman. But I need to find this young woman’s boyfriend that was in here earlier.”
“That spic is not her man!” The short one dropped his arms from the tall one and obviously had a temper and could easily tell that he was the one who had committed the crime. “I’m her fiancé, tell me what’s going on.”
“Oh, well, my apologies sir.” The doctor walked farther into the room and looked at the poor beautiful woman in the bed. He felt for her, having to deal with a crazy man as a partner in life and not even knowing just how evil he is. “Well there’s no permanent damage. A few scrapes, a couple bruises, and three cracked ribs.” He flipped through some paperwork, “Now when she arrived her-, I mean the man that was in here earlier, said she was three or four months pregnant.”
Chad nodded. “That’s right, how’s the baby?” Chazz stared at his brother in total shock. “You got her pregnant only a couple months after she had Nicholas? Why would you do that?” Chad gave Chazz a look of annoyance and looked back at the doctor waiting for his reply.
“I’m sorry, sir, but she lost the baby. There was too much trauma to the fetus, and she just wasn’t far enough along for us to save it.” He exchanged looks between the two men, the tall one’s disgust was very apparent on his face, the short one seemed to have frozen in time. “I’m sorry sir, but your wife’s not pregnant anymore.” With that he turned and left the room closing the door behind him.
As the doctor walked quickly away in search for the policeman that was here a few moments ago he could hear the two men start to argue once more. ‘Dear Lord, where ever that child is, please let him be ok. That woman deserves her son, and she deserves to be away from that monster.’ After his prayer he spotted the officer talking with two young girls. “Excuse me officer!” He turned towards the doctor. “But I think there’s something I should tell you about a conversation I just heard coming from room 326.”

* * * * * *

All the way across town in Central Phoenix a woman was fixing food over the stove in a tiny studio apartment that only a crack head or meth addict would ever feel comfortable living in. As she stirred the sauce for her spaghetti she shuddered. “I can’t wait till I get my damn money so I can get out of this hell hole.” She turned off the stove and poured the sauce into a bowl. Carefully she drained the pasta and placed that in a bigger bowl. As she started to set the table for two, there was a knock on the door, she froze and waited.
“It’s me bitch, open the damn door it’s hotter than hell out here!” The male’s voice was loud and mean. “Ugh… Great, the devil made it.” She mumbled under her breath as she unlocked three different locks and unbolted the door. As she opened it he stormed in and pushed her out of the way. “Hello to you too, boss.” She checked to make sure no one was watching from outside and then shut the door relocking the locks and turning the dead bolt.
“What crap are we eating tonight?” Chad flopped on the little love seat and flung his feet on the coffee table. The woman walked over and picked his feet up off of the coffee table and dropped them to the ground. “Keep your dirty shoes off of my furniture.” She stated as she walked a few feet back to the ‘kitchen’ and opened a drawer grabbing two serving utensils and placing one in the spaghetti bowl and one in the sauce bowl. Just then the oven beeped and she took garlic bread from the oven and carefully placed each slice in a bread basket.
“Where’s the boy?” He asked unconcerned. It almost sickened her how much he didn’t care about anyone in his life. In a way she was thankful she got the job, because this way she knows that baby is taken care of and won’t starve or be mistreated. “He’s in his crib two feet in front of you. You can get him out and play with him if you want; he needs to wake up from his nap about now anyway.”
He laughed, “I don’t want anything to do with that dead beat’s kid. Besides, we need to skip straight to the end of this. Chazz knows I’m behind this, and some nosey doctor almost got me arrested today. I had to high tail it out of there before any of those low life’s heard that they were looking for me. Any one of those dumb mechanic drones and their trashy women would gladly sell me out.”
‘So would I.’ She thought. There were so many times she had Stacey’s number dialed and ready to push send but could never get up the nerve. What was she supposed to say? ‘Hi, I kidnapped your son, but I’m tired of this game and don’t want to get arrested, want him back now?’ Right like that was going to keep her from going to jail.
Just then Nicholas started to whine for his bottle and dinner. “Well seeing as how you want nothing to do with him, come eat while I feed him.” The lady walked to the crib and lifted the beautiful light brown baby with chubby cheeks and chocolate brown eyes from the baby bed. When Nicholas saw Chad sitting on the couch he smiled and laughed at him. For a split second it made him feel the undeniable guilt and weight of the situation, but just for a second till he realized how much the baby looked like Ricky.
“Damn that man. He ruined Stacey for me.” The woman paused to give him a look and continued making the baby boy his dinner. “You know if you’re really that unhappy, I don’t know why you’re marrying her.”
He rolled his eyes as he piled spaghetti on his plate and drowned it in sauce. “I loved her once, Samantha, till I found out that she lied about ‘our son’ truly being our son. I’m telling you, once I got those test results back saying Michael wasn’t my son I went on a witch hunt trying to find who was. But in reality it wasn’t hard to figure out or guess. After all she gave ‘my son’ that low life’s last name.”
Samantha slammed the bottle down on the countertop. “Stop talking about them like that. They aren’t low life’s they’re people just like you and me, and just like baby boy here.” She looked down at the baby in his high chair and as always he smiled at her and laughed. Samantha smiled, and thought about how she couldn’t wait to have her own kids one day, well, that was if she wouldn’t get thrown into prison for kidnapping.
“Listen, Sam, the people with the money make the rules. Right now, I have the money, once you get yours then you can make your own rules.” He shoved a huge bite of spaghetti right into his mouth and didn’t even have manner enough to eat like a gentleman at her table, but instead ate like a pig who hadn’t eaten in two whole days.
“If this thing is almost over, then I’ll have my money soon enough.”

* * * * * *

Stacey opened her eyes and squinted at the brightness around her. Everything was silent for a few moments till she heard a man’s voice coming from another room. Slowly she sat up and looked around. ‘Where am I?’ she wondered.
As she scanned across the room it reminded her of something from the country. The bed was roomy but not huge, with a beautiful quilted blanket draped over her. The floor was hardwood, it seemed to be a mahogany or something similarly dark. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness and moved to the armoire across from her bed next to a matching dresser, both made of beautiful birch wood. There was a vintage vanity to her left and a small nightstand with a few books to her right.
Stacey threw off her quilt and padded to the window. She drew in a breath of surprise when she looked out of the paned window. What she was rolling green hills with fields of flowers sprinkled around as far as she could see. Through the middle of it all was a crystal clear river that stopped into a small lake close to the house.
She didn’t see a soul, no fences, no sign of civilization, nothing but beautiful landscape, clear blue sky with bright white clouds and a beaming sun that seemed nearly white.
Once again she heard a man’s muffled voice. Soft and gentle and she couldn’t help but feel at ease. Slowly she turned from the window and walked towards the door. Reaching out her hand she touched the knob but pulled her hand back, nervous to see what was on the other side. She had no clue where she was or how long she’d been here or who was taking care of her. But yet she felt like she was home, the sadness that she had been feeling for over a week had completely disappeared. She remembered Nicholas, loved him dearly, but somehow just knew she didn’t need to worry.
Finally she reached out and turned the knob. The door opened and she found herself in a quaint little hallway with two other doors off either side of the hallway and it wrapped around to the right in front of her. Step by step she walked to the end of the hall. She realized as she walked that she was wearing a beautiful white islet lace dress. It was a halter dress and had a silky smooth white sash just under her breast line and tied in the back.
Barefoot she stepped down the single step into a small living room that was definitely decorated country living style. Simple but beautiful all at once. There was a single sofa in front of her facing to her left towards a wonderfully made brick fire place. And there, sitting in the middle of the sofa sipping from a coffee mug and reading a newspaper, was the man she kept hearing.
“Excuse me?” The man slightly tilted his left ear in her direction as if waiting for her to say something else. “Um. I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you and where am I?” The man folded up his paper and set down his coffee cup on the small wooden table in front of him.
“Are you thirsty, Stacey? You’ve been resting for quite a while now.” The man began to walk towards the open kitchen about ten feet away. Took the kettle off of the stove and poured a black liquid into another mug, picked up a clear jar holding a white liquid assumable to be milk and scooped three spoonfuls of sugar from a tin next to the stove and stirred it for her. The entire time facing most of his back to her.
“Uh, a little, I suppose. How do you know how I like my coffee?” She walked toward the sofa and sat on the end closest to her waiting for the man to turn around. He seemed so familiar and so kind. Who was this mystery Samaritan?
As the man turned she finally got a good look at his face. It was older and well worn, a man that seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders but somehow found a way to keep laughing and enjoying his surroundings. His eyes were a beautiful blue and his hair was starting to turn grey from the deep brown it used to be. His hands seemed to be hands of a hard worker as if he’d worked all his life and had given his all every day he worked. He was a very sweet old man from what it seemed. But she had never seen him before.
The man handed her the mug full of coffee and said, “I know a lot more about you than you think Stacey. I’ve watched you grow from the moment you were created, and knew you before you were even thought of on earth.”
She stopped mid-sip of her steamy drink and stared at him. ‘Is he serious?’ She thought. ‘He doesn’t look like a crazy killer. And I sure don’t feel scared. But he can’t really be who he’s saying he is… can he?’
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but we are long over due for a heart to heart. You never spend any time with me anymore.” He leaned over and lifted his cup from the table and took a couple sips before setting it back down and turning towards her. “Stacey, this place, is a part of heaven. And I, as you have gathered correctly, am God.” He stopped and waited for her reaction.
Stacey stared down into her tan colored delicious smelling coffee. ‘I must be dreaming; this can’t be real… Unless-’ “Am I dead?” she asked as she looked up at this elderly man with a new fear in her eyes.
He simply smiled at her. “No, my dear, you’re simply in a coma. You took quite the fall and are in Banner Estrella’s ICU. I decided to use this opportunity to have a talk with you that is much anticipated by me, and much needed for you.”
Inch by inch she lowered her coffee till her arms rested on her knees as both of her hands cradled the mug holding the warm liquid she couldn’t seem to drink anymore. He reached over and rested the palm of his hand on her wrist. “Don’t be afraid, you’re not crazy, this is really happening Stacey.”
She looked into his eyes, and almost like a movie was playing on the screen she could see everything that he had endured for mankind. “So I’m in a coma?”
“Yes.” He answered removing his hand from her wrist allowing her to set her coffee down on the table in front of her.
“Well, what do we need to talk about… God? Is that what I call you, or should I call you something else?” She smiled sheepishly. “I’ve never talked to you before and I’m not sure.” She slightly shrugged her shoulders.
He let out a quiet laugh. “Call me Father, it’s more personal.”
“Well, um, Father…” she giggled to herself feeling a bit foolish for being so nervous. “What would you like to talk with me about?”
“The evil you keep over looking in your life.”

* * * * * *

Once again the doctor was searching for the short man that was unfortunately Stacey Montgomery’s future husband. ‘That poor lovely woman, how could she not see what kind of man he really was?’ He sighed and once more walked through the door of room 326. This time it wasn’t the two arguing men he came upon but the nice young man he had originally thought was the patient’s boyfriend to begin with. His fingers were entwined with hers and his other hand rested on the back of her hand he was holding. His forehead was on top of all three hands and the doctor could hear that he was praying and sobbing at the same time.
“God, please,” Ricky prayed. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’m begging you to take me instead of her. She’s a good woman, and needs to be here for our son when he finally shows up. I know he will. I can feel it. Please, God, please. She needs to be here. If not for me, then definitely for our son and her friends. They’d all be lost with out her here to be with them and care for them… Please… Please…” He became silent and his breathing was steady as if he had fallen asleep.
The doctor cleared his throat and Ricky raised his head and almost jumped from his chair when he saw it was the doctor. “Doc, how is she? Please tell me she’s going to be okay?”
“Well, I, uh…” This man obviously cared so much more about her than her actual fiancé. Something just didn’t seem right in this twisted triangle. “Legally I’m not supposed to discuss important matters with anyone other than family…” He explained gently, but he could tell he might as well have taken a scalpel and carved that young man’s heart right out of his chest and that would have been less painful than him hearing the sentence that the doctor had just said.
“Oh…” Ricky tried to keep it together. “I understand, it’s ok, really…” He sat back down and placed his hands in the same position they were a few moments ago and simply stared at her with obvious love in his eyes.
The doctor just couldn’t take it. “She’s slipping into a coma, son. I’m so sorry.” Ricky looked to the doctor and then looked back at Stacey and gave the top of her hand a few kisses. “Is there anything that can be done, doc?” He turned to the doctor with hope written on his face.
“Pray.” He simply stated and turned from the room.

Chapter Five

“C’mon Stace, stay with me.” Ricky was holding Stacey in his arms and trying to wake her up by gently smacking either side of her face. “Don’t leave me Stace! I need you!” His eyes started to water as he pulled her closer and started to rock back and forth with her limp body in his arms. He pushed her body away from her just enough to see her face. There were scratches and a bruise already starting to form on her right cheek bone from where she hit the asphalt. Somehow she’d gashed her head open at her hairline a few inches above her right ear.
“God, please…” He started praying and looking up towards the heavens. “I know that I’ve been denying what I need to do, for my son and for the woman I love. But don’t punish her for what I’ve done!” A few more sobs came out as he paused to catch his breath. He bit his bottom lip and tried to hold it in, but without success. “Please don’t take her from me. I need her in my life. Without her around, I would have gone insane when our son was kidnapped. I need her… God, please… I need her.” His sobs quieted as he just held her and rocked her in his arms.
After what seemed like years he heard footsteps and sirens behind him. “Oh my God, Stacey!” Meg ran over and knelt next to Stacey and Ricky. She put a hand on the side of Ricky’s shoulder and tears started to form in her eyes. “What happened?!” More voices and more footsteps.
The next to arrive was Marie and Travis with Irene and Chazz tailing closely behind. “Dear God! What happened?! Did she get hit by a car?” Brandi was kneeling down next to Meg and Marie and Irene joined them and the guys started to form a circle around the two of them.
“Ricky, bro, what happened?” Rudy was the first one to shake Ricky from the trance he seemed to be in. “What?” Was all he could muster from his vocal cords to his mouth. Marie put both hands on Ricky’s shoulders, “Ricky, what happened to Stacey?” Everyone was silent as they waited for the story to begin.
“We were at the park sitting on the swings, talking about being back in high school again.” He started. “Why?” Jose laughed, then realizing it wasn’t the time he cleared his throat and listened. “She was talking about those girls on the playground and how they liked me…” He was staring off into space as if he was reliving everything that had happened.
“Oh! That’s us, that’s us!” Mary shouted. “Shut up Mary! He’s telling what happened!” Kate yelled at her friend. Everyone looked at the two of them and turned back to Ricky.
“She put her head down because she seemed to be getting a head ache. Next thing I know she’s up on her feet running after a lady putting her kid in the car. She was screaming saying it was Michael… I mean Nicholas. She kept saying a mother knows her baby’s cry, but she was stressed from today.” He paused as everyone turned to look at each other. “She took off running after the lady’s beat up red car. And fell to the ground hard when she couldn’t catch her breath.”
Irene’s eyebrows furrowed together. “That doesn’t make sense. Stace can run two miles before getting completely winded, she used to make fun of me for only being able to run half a mile and needing to stop when we’d go to the gym before.”
“Ya,” Brandi agreed. “The only time she couldn’t keep up with anyone was when…” Everyone looked at each other in shock. “Oh HELL no!” Junior was the first to open his mouth. “Don’t tell me that asshole got her pregnant right after she had little Nicko! Who the hell does that?! She just had a baby and you’re going to make her have another one?! That’s wrong, man. Just wrong.”
Marie was staring at Ricky because he wasn’t surprised by the conclusion everyone had come to. “Did she tell you that? That she was pregnant, I mean.” Ricky looked up into her eyes and slightly nodded and looked back down at the limp body in his arms. “She hasn’t taken a test, but she’s convinced she’s three or four months along.”

* * * * * *

Chad was sitting in the rocking chair in Michael’s nursery staring at the blanket that was staring right back at him. Those letters arranged in that god-awful last name that seemed to taunt him, chanting that he was losing Stacey. That what he was doing would eventually become uncovered and that she would never forgive him, leave him and probably kill him. Or worse, marry that son of a bitch and make him live long enough to watch it happen.
Chad started to rock the chair and turned his attention out the window. First he was looking at the stars, bringing back a memory of when Stacey had surprised him with a moonlight dinner for his birthday the year before. His eyes slowly drifted down to the street when his eyes landed on something he wished he’d never have to see again. The chair stopped rocking and he couldn’t believe his eyes. He got up and went to the window. The figure waved. ‘Fuck.’ He thought to himself. ‘No, no, no, no! This is going to screw everything up!’
He started to storm from the room but turned back and ripped the blanket off the wall and started ripping at it and ripping at it until he was satisfied about his work. Dropping the remains to the ground he stomped from the room and hurried downstairs to fix this mistake that shouldn’t even be here. Oh, and to get rid of the woman in the red beat up car.

* * * * * *

Beep. Beep. Beep. The heart monitor from the hospital was steady. Stacey lay unconscious in the bed with a tube in her nose and her head freshly bandaged. Ricky couldn’t take his eyes off of her. ‘This is all his fault.’ He thought to himself. ‘If that bastard hadn’t gotten her pregnant on purpose she wouldn’t be here right now.’ He shook his head as he placed his forehead in his hands and put his elbows on his knees.
He didn’t need to look up to know that someone had just entered the doorway. He just couldn’t tell who it was. “Things keep going wrong.” He said to see who replied.
“You’re telling me.” He froze as he realized who was standing in the doorway. ‘No, he wouldn’t have the nerve to show up after what happened today.’ He looked up and saw to his amazement that Chad, indeed, was standing in the doorway; leaning on the frame acting like he was high ruler of everyone that ever entered his presence. “What the hell are you doing here, you piece of shit?” Chad started to enter the room as Ricky got to his feet and stood his ground. “I asked you a question, man, don’t you speak English?” Ricky kept silent as Chad continued to try and harass him.
Chad walked up and got so close to him that their noses almost touched. “Don’t test me, prick. I won’t hesitate to hit you.” Ricky smirked and replied with a chuckle, “Dude, you need a tic tac.” Just as Chad started to move his arm like he was going to punch Ricky with a right hook, a voice interrupted them. “Everything ok in here?” Chad turned on his heel to see his own flesh and blood standing before him.
“Chazz!” He smiled and walked toward him shaking his hand and giving his brother a hug. “What are you doing here, brother?” He laughed taking a step back and looking at his brother. “Damn what happened to you, you look nasty.” Chad was commenting on all the grease on his brothers shirt. And noticed the grease under his brothers fingernails and grime on his hands. “You look like one of them.” He nodded his head to Ricky, turned and winked at him.
“Now what, exactly, is that supposed to mean, Chad?” Chazz folded his arms across his chest and walked into the room. He shook Ricky’s hand ending it with a fist pound. “You alright, man?” He asked patting his hand on Ricky’s shoulder.
Ricky stared across the room at Chad, “Ya, I’m cool.” Chad nodded his head as if he approved of his answer. “Hey, man, give me a minute with my brother real fast?” Ricky nodded but never took his eyes off Chad. As he walked out of the room he purposefully rammed into Chad’s shoulder and shut the door behind him.
“That asshole’s days are numbered, I swear.” He mumbled under his breath. Turning to his brother he smiled and sauntered over to him. “What’s up, bro? I thought you were in Cali working on the investigation?” Chad’s smile disappeared when Chazz simply sat down next to Stacey and started talking to her.
“Hey girl, it’s Chazz.” He reached for her hand and placed it in both of his, caressing her wrist every now and again. “I’ve been working like crazy trying to find Nicko for you-” “His name, is Michael.” Chad interrupted. Chazz shook his head but continued talking to her. “You know I love that little guy. He’s so smart and so damn cute… He looks like his daddy.” “Michael doesn’t look anything like that dead beat!” Chazz had had enough, he stood up and got right in Chad’s face.
“You think you’re so slick don’t you? You think that just because you’re Chief of the mission that you can say and do whatever the hell you want. Well I’ve got news for you, brother, your luck has just run out.” Chazz backed off and sat back in the chair at Stacey’s bedside.
Chad laughed and rolled his head on his shoulders. “What, my dear brother, are you talking about?” Chazz kept his eyes steady on Stacey’s face and didn’t turn to face his evil twin, literally, standing right behind him. “Everyone knew you had something to do with the disappearance of Nicholas. Even Stacey.” Chad’s smile disappeared as he became uneasy. “Only difference is that Stacey actually believed you didn’t because you have this ‘fake’ investigation going on.” He paused as he moved a stray hair out of Stacey’s face and behind her ear.
“You thought you had it all worked out. You just made one little mistake and now Jethro is headed to the head council to prove your guilt. All we needed was one, minor, clue. We knew if we could come up with just a single piece of evidence against you that the head council would demote you and put you on probation if not have you exiled from the corporation. But just as Pops and I were losing hope on finding a loophole or anything tying you to Nicko’s disappearance something popped up on our GPS screen.” Chazz finally turned to look Chad in the eyes. “And you’ll never guess what we saw.”

* * * * * *

The police officer sighed and wiped his brow. With his head down he spoke, “Now, tell me one more time what happened, but please, for the love of God, speak slowly, clearly and one at a time.” He looked up at the two young girls that seemed to be the next Mary-Kate and Ashley.
The two girls started talking on top of each other again and the officer rubbed his temples. “Hey!” The two stopped talking and looked hurt that he would yell at them. “I said ONE at a time.”
“We were sitting at the park minding our own business.” Mary started.
“Then that’s when the cute mechanic and his girlfriend Stacey came and sat on the swings.” Katie added. The two went back and forth each taking a sentence to tell the officer.
“Stacey put her head down, and said something that made her boyfriend look at us.” They giggled.
“Ya he was cute, Mary.”
“I know, right?”
“Anyway, all of the sudden she jumped off the swing and started looking around like a crazy woman.”
“That’s when she started yelling about a baby.”
“‘That sound, it’s my baby! I know his cry, he’s here somewhere!’”
“Then I saw something out of the corner of my eye and turned to see this lady with a stroller walking to a beat up red car, I think it was a chevy.”
“No idiot it was a Honda Accord. My brother has one.”
“Whatever, Katie. Anyway, we turn back and the guy is trying to hold back Stacey.”
“But she gets loose and starts running to the lady with the stroller and the baby.”
“That’s when we turn again but the lady had already put the stroller in the car and the baby too. She was just getting in the car when she stopped and looked right at Stacey.”
“Ya she was totally creepy. Had a weird hat with a veil on it that made her look like she didn’t have a face.”
“Totally creepy, Katie.”
“Well, the lady must have done something ‘cause when she pulled out and started driving off Stacey ran after her.”
“She ran and ran until she hit the ground.”
“That’s pretty much all we saw, officer.” The officer stared at the girls for a moment and raised an eyebrow. “What?” Katie and Mary said in unison. The officer chuckled, “Nothing girls, thanks for finally cooperating and giving me all the info you know.” He pulled two cards out of his front pocket and handed them each one. “If you remember anything else just give me a call, okay? Anything at all. It could be something you saw, something you heard, something you smelt, anything alright?”
The girls nodded as the officer started to walk away. “Wait!” Mary said with a start. “I do remember something else. I don’t think Stacey or that guy could hear because they were all the way on the other side of the playground, but the creepy lady said something and when I turned she was touching her ear like she had one of those ear pieces, yanno?”
“Oh ya!” Katie chimed in. “I remember that too, she said ‘Phase two complete Chief DeLonge.’”
The officer stared at the girls in shock. “Did you just say, DeLonge?”
“Yes!” They said, once again in perfect unison.

* * * * * *

Marie, Travis, Irene, Meg, Gerry, Brandi, JJ, Junior, Rudy, David, Skeet and Jose were all sitting in the waiting room at the hospital. All of them were thinking to themselves about what happened and wondering why Stacey just couldn’t catch a break to be happy no matter how much of a good person she was, or how badly she deserved and needed it.
“This is dumb.” Meg was the first to say anything, “How are we supposed to just sit here and wait? This is retarded we’re all practically family. Everything she has is sitting right here in this waiting room and we’re not allowed to see her just because our DNA doesn’t match.” She scoffed. “Stupid.”
“‘Member when we went to the river and Stace downed two whole bottles of Boone’s?” David laughed. “That shit was crazy, right man?” David looked at Rudy and Jose.
“Ya that was pretty crazy, nigga.” Everyone sort of chuckled and went back into silence.
“I remember last year when I went through that state of depression after my grandpa died.” Marie looked at the dull faded carpet. “I was so broken, and Stacey was the only thing that kept me going. If it wasn’t for her I would have starved myself to death and never slept.” Tears started to overflow, “I don’t know what I’ll do if something happens to her.” She put her hand on her chest almost as if to keep her heart from aching. “How can so much bad happen to such a good person? I can’t remember the last time that Stace was selfish even about her food or her money.”
Skeet shook his head, “She deserves so much more than that prick Chad can give her.”
“Aw, now that isn’t a nice thing to say, Skate.” Everyone looked up and saw who they believed to be the devil himself. “His name is Skeet, you jerk.” Marie stood up and got in his face. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Well why do you think, white trash? I’m here to see my fiancée.” He laughed as everyone jumped out of their chairs to keep Travis from fighting him. “Whoa, whoa. Hostility, you better be careful with that.” He said pointing to Travis; his eyes shifted back to Marie. “I’m going to go see my wife now.” With that said he turned and walked away.
“I’m going to kill him before the week is over.” Rudy said. “You and me both, nigga.” David added.

Chapter Four

He sat in front of the computer for hours trying to figure out how he could help. He clicked link after link never finding a way to get around it. The only way to get around the incredibly difficult situation was to go through with it. There was no other way. As remote the possibilities were he had to continue to try, for Stacey, and the baby. His eyes blurred as he thought of that tiny creature just coming into life; how could someone do something like this? How could anyone want to do this to a child, no to an infant, a mere baby? They couldn’t do anything themselves, they had to depend completely on an adult to make sure that they live another day.
Desperate with a new hope the elderly man sat in the lab frantically trying to figure out any possible way to get around the set rules that the Chief of the mission had lain down. It was sickening to think of that man in the ranking power. He was so high above them that they couldn’t do a damn thing about it even if they went to the head council. He had such an outrageous way of telling a lie that everyone had to believe it.
“I guess what Hitler said was right…” His voice trailed as he continued to search the screen in front of him for a way out.
“And what was that?” The younger man was leaning against the doorframe intently looking at the man of grey. The older man, for an instant, had a look of fear in his eyes until he realized who it was. Motioning his head to the computer, “Did you find anything yet?”
“Not a damn thing.” The older man shook his head with defeat, “There’s no way we’ll find anything in time. It’s already been a week that baby’s probably long gone by now.” Resting his elbows on the desk in front of him and putting his hands on his forehead to rest his eyes, the younger man put a blanket of comfort on the older man as his strong hands rested on his shoulders. The older man, despite himself, began to sob. Slow and steady at first with only the silent tears that were searing down his cheeks. Then it turned into a great lurching wail as he clenched to the young man’s shirt. The young man walked to the front of the sad old man and held him in his arms, a touching sight even for a criminal that had any heart at all.
“It’s alright Pops, we’ll find him.” There was a familiar determination to his voice, “We’ll find him dad, we’ll find them both.” As the young man held his elderly father, he noticed something flashing on the screen and could hardly believe his eyes.
“What was it that Hitler said again Pops?” His eyes didn’t move from the blinking screen.
Coming to his senses the young man’s father answered, “The bigger lie you tell the more that they’ll believe it.” There was a sudden smile on the young man’s face, his eyes still didn’t avert from the screen. The father noticed this, “Son, what on earth are you looking at? And what does Hitler’s quote have to do with-” He turned and saw what his son was impishly smiling at. He himself started to smile; he turned and patted his son on the shoulders. “I think we’ve found a hole my dear boy! I think we’ve found where Chad’s messed up!”

*********

The laughing and fun that everyone was having, continued well into the night. Once it was dark someone had run to the shed and pulled out the tiki torches. Against the night sky it was beautiful, no one was splashing as hard in the pool as they were earlier. Most everyone had adjourned to the hot tub to relax their muscles; there was Meg and Gerry along with Irene and Chazz in the hot tub, and Brandi and JJ with Marie and Travis inside watching an older movie, When a Stranger Calls. A thriller where the baby sitter of some children are stalked by an unknown source till the end of the movie, duh, otherwise it wouldn’t be a thriller!
The guys were dispersed among the hot tub, lounging in the pool, and watching the movie. Ricky and Stacey on the other hand had been out of sight for a while and no one bothered to see what they were doing, nor did they care. They didn’t want to mess up destiny and have their friends hurtling to their death just because they aren’t together, so everyone just went on, laying there and enjoying each other’s company.
In the hot tub Irene and Meg were talking seriously about shopping the next day at American Eagle and picking up some things from Abercrombie. Chazz, Gerry, and Jose on the other hand were, as their usual, talking about cars and how much they were looking forward to seeing Chazz’s new Ferrari, while Skeet just lay in the pool relaxing looking at the stars. Gliding towards the sliding glass door and going into the living room you’d see Brandi and JJ occupying one love seat and Marie and Travis occupying the other. With Junior, Rudy and David on the floor watching the movie like schoolgirls about to get dumped before prom. All the rooms were empty inside the house other than the living room where the movie was, outside in the back yard there was nowhere for them to hide… Where were Ricky and Stacey? If you guessed the front yard, congratulate yourselves… You’re wrong! Ha, sorry but they’re really on the street taking a walk. So I guess you were close if you guessed the front yard.
There they were, walking slowly under the cascading moonlight holding each other and each other’s hands softly. They walked together in equal steps that were coinciding with each other’s steps, and Stacey’s head was resting on Ricky’s shoulder. They were silently walking down the street heading to the nearby park, just wanting some fresh air.
“It’s really nice out tonight isn’t it?” Stacey’s voice was quiet, looking around her almost as, if she spoke too loudly the beauty of the night would shatter into a million pieces.
“Yea,” Ricky agreed looking at her and not up at the stars, “it really is beautiful isn’t it?”
She looked over at him and saw that he was staring at her. She smiled sheepishly and rubbed her hands together to give them something to do. She looked around her; there was nothing around the park other than a couple of young girls that looked no older than 14 sitting in the park giggling and more likely than not talking of boys and the future. There was nothing else surrounding the park other than an old run down red car. “I remember what that was like.” She said sitting on one of the swings and digging her toes into the sand to sway herself.
“Remember what what was like?” Ricky occupied the swing next to her and looked at her quizzically.
“Those girls over there,” She pointed out the young girls on the top of the playground near the tallest slide. “I remember what it was like to be that young and care-free.” There was a short pause and a small hint of regret in her voice, “I wish I could visit those days…” She breathed in the night air and closed her eyes. “If only for a day, I’d be happy to live as a child with no cares or responsibilities for just one day, I could play with Bianca Gonzales like the old days…” She trailed off before she finally whispered, “Just one day.”
Ricky watched her intently as she held her eyes closed tight. She was beautiful, this he knew, and he knew it well. She was gorgeous and he was lucky to have had a child with her if only for brief time. He had hoped, though, that Chad would have dissolved from the picture and it would have been him and Stacey. He moved his gaze from Stacey’s smooth face and looked over at the young girls that were giggling and looking in his direction, when their eyes met the girls giggled and looked away quickly. He smiled and laughed to himself.
“They like you.” She stated simply without even opening an eyelid.
Ricky was amazed and some what confused. “How could you possibly know that? You didn’t even see them look at me.”
“Didn’t have to,” she stated. “I was fourteen once, and whenever I saw an older guy at thee park I always tried to get their attention. Trust me,” she said opening her eyes, “you’ll be old news by next week.” She looked at him and smiled a gentle smile. She closed her eyes again, feeling a bit weak and nauseous.
“You ok Stace?” Ricky could sense that she wasn’t feeling alright.
She held her stomach, and felt a gross familiar nausea rush towards her. Quickly she turned the opposite way and threw up in the sand. After a moment another wave hit her and she threw up once more. Ricky’s firm hand was on her back, patiently waiting for her to be through. This wasn’t the first time she had felt like this.
Wiping her mouth with the edge of her towel that was wrapped around her waist from earlier she looked wearily at Ricky.
“What’s wrong? Did you catch something from swimming today?” Ricky’s concern was real, and it was appreciated. It wasn’t like the fake and over dramatic concern that Chad put on just to make Stacey feel more comfortable around him.
“The only way that I could have caught something from that pool is if Chad and I were in there a few months ago. Which I don’t need to tell you that we weren’t.” Her voice was suddenly quieted as she looked around once again. Her eyes went anywhere but to his face, she wouldn’t look at him, she couldn’t look at him.
He stayed silent for a moment contemplating what it could have meant. Suddenly his face dawned with understanding, “Stacey…” There was a long pause, “Have you taken any tests?”
“No need to, I know what it is, and I know how it feels. I’d guess it’s as far as three maybe four.” She continued to look anywhere but his eyes or face anywhere but that direction. There was a distant annoying sound that was starting to hurt her ears.
“Stace, you need to take one, it’s safer that way.” He touched her hand clenched to the metal rings holding up the swing. She flinched slightly at the sudden touch of familiarity. Her ears were ringing, that noise! Why wasn’t it stopping? It was really hurting her ears and she was starting to get a headache. A familiar headache. One that only came from one thing. Before she knew what she was doing she was frantically looking around.
“Stace, what’s the matter?” Ricky was incredibly concerned now.
She continued to look every where, but she didn’t see anything, “That sound, it’s my baby! I know his cry, he’s here somewhere.” And then she saw it, a short woman pushing a stroller and her eyes pushed past her light cardigan sweater, and zoomed in on the young face twisted into a wail from a baby that she had felt inside her womb for nine months.
“Stacey, it’s just someone’s baby that’s crying. Michael’s gone, there’s nothing more we can do. Please don’t make it harder on yourself.” She had started to walk towards the baby’s cry like a zombie in a world of the dead. He grabbed at her arm, she wrenched free.
She spun on her heels almost making him crash into her, “His name is Nicholas.” With that she tore from him and ran as fast as her legs would carry her across the park. The lady had already put the boy in the car seat and had put the stroller away; she was heading to the opposite side of the car when something that Stacey saw made her stop and almost trip over herself for stopping so quickly. The woman had frozen just as Stacey had, but Stacey was in terror. Sheer terror. What she saw would haunt her for years to come even when she had found happiness once more. For the woman had no face, well not that she could see. She hadn’t noticed before, that the woman was wearing a small vintage hat that formed to the crown of her head. Attached to the hat was a black veil making it impossible to see any facial feature that she would have.
Ricky had come up behind her and gently put his hands on her shoulders; she jumped from under them and screamed an unearthly scream which she still doesn’t know if it came from her, or the other woman. For Stacey found herself running after the beat up red car that screeched into the night. Frantically she searched for a license plate number, but there was none; there wasn’t even a license plate. Pumping herself harder she ran and ran after the car until she could breathe or run no more. Hitting the asphalt hard she started to fade out. The last thing she remembered was Ricky leaning over her with the two young girls behind him crying and talking fast into one of their cute little pink cell phones.
Ricky propped her up and tried to comfort her, “Stace just calm down, you’ll be ok, you had quite a fright.”
She tried to push her lips together to make a sound but nothing came, it was all in babbles. The only that could be understood was “I tried to get him back, I tried so hard, I ran fast, but they got away, they left, I ran, I ran, so familiar, it was so familiar and I ran, I ran, so familiar….” And then, her vision went black.

**********

Things were so relaxed at the house everyone was just sitting around eating, and talking as the movie was finishing. Marie pushed another dipped chip into her mouth and chewed smiling and trying not to laugh. “Travis shut up! You’re gonna make me spit my food out.”
Across from Marie, Travis had jumped up when he heard the My Humps song and was dancing around trying to imitate a hip hop dancer, turning out to look like he was doing the monkey. “I can’t help it, when I hear this song I just wanna dance!” He continued dancing as everyone else couldn’t hold it in and started to laugh uncontrollably. Travis got so into it that he pulled Marie up and tried to get her to dance the same idiotic way that he was. Didn’t work very well because she ended up elbowing him right in the face.
“Oh my gosh, baby I’m so sorry!” Marie held his face in her hands and tried to look at his face. “Are you ok?”
“Yea I’m fine,” He continued to smile and laugh. “Guess we just got a little carried away.” He kissed her on the lips and they smiled at each other.
Things started to get loud once more as a cell phone started ringing. It continued to ring and no one bothered to answer. For a few minutes things went on and then it started ringing again. “Hey!” Jose shouted over the noise. “Whose phone is this?” He held up a silver camera phone that was playing the theme song from Disney’s Cinderella.
Meg looked at him with a look of sheer annoyance, “its Stacey’s who else would have the Cinderella theme song as her ringer?”
Jose shrugged and handed the phone to Meg, “Maybe you should answer it.”
“Who is it?” She asked reaching for the phone. “Huh, I don’t know this number.” Flipping open the phone she spoke loudly into it, “Hullo?” There was a silence, “Hullo? Anyone there?” She motioned to Skeet to turn down the music.
There was a muffled noise that sounded like a voice, but she couldn’t make out what it said. “I’m sorry could you repeat that?” Meg had her finger in her ear trying hard to listen to the muffled voice.
Finally she heard the fuzzy voice on the other end, “Do you know where Stacey is?” The voice was calm and cold, almost like she didn’t care what she was saying.
“I’m sorry,” Meg replied, “she’s not in right now, can I ask whose calling?”
“Do you know what happened to Stacey?” The voice continued to grow colder.
“Excuse me?” Meg started to have a hint of worry to her tone. “What are you talking about? What happened to her?”
“Tell her if she wants to catch him, she’s out of luck.” And then there was a click and the line was dead. Meg slowly dropped the phone from her ear and closed the phone.
“Meg, babe, what’s wrong?” Brandi’s smile dropped from her face, “Meg you’re pale as a ghost, what happened? Who was that?” She rushed over to her and looked Meg in the face. She snapped her fingers in her face, “Meg!” Meg gave a jump, “Snap out of it, what happened?”
Meg tried to say something but she couldn’t, she felt faint, what happened to Stacey? What was wrong? Better yet, who was that that was on the phone? What did they want with Stacey? And who was she trying to catch? Meg put her hands on her forehead and lowered herself to the ground.
“Baby, what’s the matter? What’d they want?” Gerry was kneeling by her trying to get some information out of her.
“They…” She started, “They… they were asking about Stacey…”
Skeet cut her off, “Of course they were asking about her, it’s her phone.
“No.” She had her voice back, “They said something happened to her, they were asking me about it. And then they told me that if she wanted to catch him she was out of luck.” She was silent.
“Who’s ‘he’? Who was she catching?” Irene was confused along with everyone else.
“I don’t know.” Meg said quietly. “I don’t even know who that was.” Just then two young girls burst through the door.
“Someone call the police.” The blonde girl shouted.
“No, call the ambulance first.” The shorter blonde girl shouted louder.
Turning to the shorter blonde the first one yelled, “No Katie, they need to call the police in order to get the ambulance people here!”
“Mary, you have to get the ambulance first she might die!” Katie yelled back.
“But if you don’t call the cops then that scary lady will get away!” Mary screamed.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Jose yelled walking in between the young girls and holding his hands in front of their faces. “Hold it! First of all who are ya’ll? And what are you doing in my house?”
The girls started talking so fast and at the same time no one could understand them. “Shush!” Jose rolled his eyes, “What is this about?”
Mary took over, “It’s about Stacey! She’s hurt real bad.”
Katie continued, “And that scary lady did it!”
Everyone looked at each other before Jose asked the next question. “Where are they?”
“At the park!” They both shouted together in perfect unison. With that everyone got up and ran to the park.

Chapter Three

There wasn’t as much of a wait at Denny’s that everyone had thought there would be. It seemed strangely quiet, yet in a way kind of like a dream. Stacey remained still at the table everyone holding their menus quietly thinking to themselves. This couldn’t be happening, there’s no way that this is actually happening. First her one and only son; and now her fiancé. The world had a daydream affect, everything was moving slow, and it was almost like it was in a mist. She was starting to feel light headed when someone broke the air of stillness.
“So…” Marie started. “It’s a nice a day out.” She was trying to keep everyone’s mind off of the situations at hand. “Hey David, remember that one time when you got so drunk and so wasted that you passed out and got writing on your face? That was definitely a Kodak moment.” This time, she succeeded.
“Dude, nigga that was SO funny!” Rudy laughed a hardy laugh as the drinks were served. “Did you ever find out who that was?”
Everyone was laughing as each guy took a jab at who it could have been. Ricky laughed and had a glint to his eye, why hadn’t she seen it before? Now whenever she looked at him she saw Nicholas. Nicko that was. She had called him that whenever Chad wasn’t around, her baby boy Nicko. He had his daddy’s cheeks, and his nose, and his hair, she hadn’t noticed, but everyone else had. She had started to stream down tears. Ricky was now looking straight into her eyes, and almost a hint of guilt took him over. He broke the gaze and she followed suit. She cleared her throat, “When the waitress comes back, uh, just tell her that I want the usual.” With a sigh and a quick wipe of her tears she got up and went to the bathroom. Meg and Brandi exchanged looks as well as Irene and Marie. With the looks being exchanged, Meg finally got up and followed Stacey.
The rest of the table carried on trying not to think of anything negative, and trying to just make this a fun time. From the bathroom you could still hear the clattering of dishes, the laughter from customers, the tears from toddlers, and even the occasional curse of the total of the bill that a father had to pay. Although all of these sounds were still heard from the ladies room you couldn’t see Ricky’s likeness to his baby boy. And that was why she was standing with her head down over the sink, her arms stretched out clinging to the porcelain base as her strength. That was the way Meg found her when she walked in.
She walked up slowly not wanting to say anything at first. She could hear the snuffling and she could hear the thoughts of one of her very best friends. “I’m not leaving you know.” Sometimes it was amazing that Stacey and Meg and Brandi and sometimes even Irene could read each others minds. Meg and Stacey had been doing it the longest though. They used to have to at least look at each other in the eyes to know what the other one was thinking. Now it’s progressed, and all they needed to do was just feel exactly what the other one was feeling.
“I know.” It was a simple sentence that to anyone else would have seemed like she admitted it, but in reality she was saying, “Why?”.
“Because I’m you’re best friend doofus, why else would I be in a public bathroom trying to figure out what’s wrong, even though I’m pretty sure that I know what it is.”
Stacey wiped her tears and looked Meg in the face. Her face was solemn and layered thickly with questions. “So when were you gonna tell me?” Stacey looked her in the eye and knew what Meg was thinking. Her silence was asking “How did you know?”
Stacey answered with a smile, “Because I’m you’re best friend doofus, how else would I know?” Meg smiled for a moment uncomfortable, then answering.
“Is it noticeable? I mean… not even Gerry knows. I’m kind of nervous to tell him. Ya know?”
“Yea, I know. I was there once before but,” grimacing towards her friend, “I think, mine was just a tad bit more complicated then just telling my fiancé.”
“I know, I know, but how did you do it? I mean… I know how you did it, but how did you get the courage?”
“Well, to be honest, I never quite had it. I just did what had to be done, and that led me to more heartbreak than I will ever know.” There was a short silence and Stacey bounced right back up.
“But that’s where things are different with you, you’re with the one you love, and it was with the one you love. So no worries, yea?” Stacey’s voice said one thing but her eyes said another.
Rushing towards her with open arms Meg and Stacey embraced, “Babe, I know this is hard, all of it is.” Pulling Stacey to arms length so she could look her in the eyes. “But hey, you’ll pull through. You always have,” smiling a she devil smile with a hint a of a joke tucked in the corner. “And you always will, even if you don’t go about it the right way.” They both laughed which was something they both needed more than they could have guessed.
Just then Brandi burst through the door, “What are you two losers doing? This isn’t a sad convention you know,” She laughed. “No I’m just kidding our food’s ready.” Stacey walked out of the rest room first. “Hey Meg wait I have something to tell you. I wanted to tell you before I told Stacey.” Brandi was gleaming.
“Good,” Meg replied, “because I have something to tell you too.” They both looked at each other with a weird look.
“I’m having a baby!” Brandi burst at the same time Meg did. “You’re having a baby?” They were like robots saying the same thing at the same time. “I’m having a baby! Stop that!” They both laughed uncontrollably for a moment and then all of the sudden Meg stopped. “Gosh Brandi,” Meg started with a smile. “Just steal my thunder why don’t you.” And with that she fake stomped out of the room.
“But, I- I thought, ugh!” She laughed and followed Meg back out to the table and her delicious Grand Slam breakfast lunch with pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

* * * * * * *

“Don’t you think that we should ask Stacey about this before we go through with it?” The young man was not much into his twenties, a tall handsome man, his hair was black and slicked back. He wore an expensive pair of jeans and a plain white shirt that had South Pole written in curving letters across the front in a light tan. His dark green eyes were mesmerizing. His forehead was rippled with concern as he spoke with an older man over his shoulder in a laboratory. There were computers and electronic devices everywhere, there were green lights and red lights, deep beeps and high beeps, there were gizmos and gadgets. It was definitely a spy base, or at least something of the sort.
“It’s not her concern.” The elderly gentleman was scruffy and had a perfect voice matched to his face and stubble on his chin.
“Not her concern?!” The younger man burst, “But it’s her-”
“We have orders.” The elderly man spoke firmly and almost with a touch of remorse the second time he said it. “We have orders, and those orders must be carried out.” There was a short silence. “No matter what the cost.”
“Fine.” The younger man turned with a determination in his step, “Then you can count me out.” He paused at the door.
“You can’t just quit.” There was a tenderness in the elderly mans voice, he turned to face the young man. The young man turned back to the scruffy man, his grey hair was glistening under the fluorescent lighting. “You know as well as I do that you’ll be stripped of your title and your privileges before anything can be done.”
The young man’s muscles tightened under his tanned skin. “It’s not right.” He whispered quietly. “Isn’t there anything we can do? I mean if we could find just one loop hole, just one…” He trailed off.
“That’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, and it’s hopeless, Chad is a genius mad man. Maybe you could talk to him.” There was a long silence as the elderly man stared at the young man’s face contorted with pain and his eyes started drizzling with painful tears.
Through gritted teeth he said a simple sentence that would have shot through Chad’s heart had he heard it. “I stopped talking to that son of a bitch the night that he had this started.” Hm… maybe he should have heard it.

* * * * * * *

Lunch at Denny’s was something that everyone had needed. As everyone slowly started to finish their food, things seemed almost normal. Other than the fact that Chad wasn’t there and Ricky and Stacey had, at one point came to sit next to each other, were smiling and acting as if they’d been together the entire time. Nothing at this table seemed out of place. Nothing seemed to be bothering this great group of friends. At one point in the lunch JJ had called Brandi and been invited to lunch with them all. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. Stacey declared that it was all on her, which in reality meant that it was all on Chad, so no one argued.
As everyone left and Marie was once again escorted by her private body guards also known as her friends, Ricky and Stacey fell behind everyone else. Even though it was a warm day in April she was chilled completely and shivered. Ricky reached for her hand and she didn’t pull away. He looked into her eyes and in the silence they finally understood each other. Ricky wasn’t blamed for what had happened and neither was Stacey. Ricky had looked as though he wanted to say something but before he had the chance Irene called to Stacey, “Hey,” She motioned to the car while trying to balance Marie’s right side at the same time, “Do you mind opening the car? It would be easier than us breaking and entering.”
Stacey smiled and apologized, “Oops, sorry.” She hit the unlock button on her keys. She still held fast to Ricky’s hand, “I guess I should go drive everyone home huh?” She was really asking if they could all continue to be with each other for the day. There was no way she wanted to go back to that house yet.
“Why? We could all go for a swim at the house.” The house was the house where almost all the guys of California lived. Ok so that’s an exaggeration but Ricky, Rudy, Jose, David, Skeet, and now Junior and his son Junior Jr., yea I know it’s weird but hey what can I do?, were pretty much all the guys from Cali that you needed. “Hey!” Ricky shouted to everyone as they were standing around the cars about ready to get in. “To the house for a swim! And then we could have a barbecue tonight!”
Stacey laughed and rolled her eyes, “But we just ate, how can you think of food already?” His eyes gleamed as he said to her, “Simple, I’m a guy. It’s what I do.” They laughed as everyone decided that it was a great idea and that the girls would go rent some movies and buy some CD’s, and new bathing suits, while the guys went to get the food for the barbecue.

* * * * * * * *

“No no no baby no no no no don’t lie!” The girls were having a blast singing to an old Black Eyed Peas song from back in 2005. “Cause you know know know know yea you know know know know you gotta try!” The girls all laughed as they turned into the Walmart parking lot.
“We really need some new music,” Marie laughed as she got out of the car.
“Yea,” Brandi jumped out as well. “That stuffs from like forever ago.”
They all started to laugh once more. Stacey had taken over the responsibility of Marie while the others walked ahead to get a cart and to start their girl intuition for what they needed to make this barbecue a smash. They all walked in and headed towards the music section in electronics.
“Oh my gosh we should so do karaoke!” Brandi burst when she passed the karaoke CD’s. “And Stacey could give us a mini concert like old times!” Brandi saw the laughter in Stacey’s eyes and pleaded, “Oh come on Stacey, please? You know it’ll be fun.” When Brandi had no luck she looked down at the CD’s she had in her hands. If there could have been; there probably would have been a light bulb over her head, as a sparkle appeared in her eyes. “It’ll annoy the guys.” She looked hopeful at Stacey.
Stacey groaned, “Alright! Alright, I give, but only one CD.” Right after this sentence about six or seven Karaoke CD’s were thrown in the cart. Stacey gave an I-can’t-believe-this-look to no one that was looking. They all laughed and continued to throw CD after CD in the cart and then moved on to the movies. Everyone seemed to find something that was worth tossing in the cart for the honorable Chad to buy. Dramatic pause, right. They soon found themselves in the game part of the electronics and throwing games in as well. They got a manager to open the case and they just started pulling one game after another out and putting it in the cart. Stacey laughed, “Guys! We don’t even have a system for these things!”
Meg bent over and grabbed a box as well as Irene, “We do now,” Meg said with a grin. “And besides, it’s not like any of us are paying for it anyways.”
“Right,” Irene agreed. “Besides he owes to us.”
“Yea,” Now Brandi was in on it. “Especially Marie.”
“So just think of it as payback.” Marie smiled impishly.
Stacey just shook her head and laughed. Which just gave the girls all the more reason to keep throwing things into the cart, by the time they got to the swim suits each girl had thrown in a digital camera with a memory chip, DVD’s and CD’s with more than one copy, just in case one breaks, as Irene had pointed out, video games galore, controllers, a dance pad, and there was even someone that was going to ring up a big screen TV for the guys’ newer house. Not to mention the three new video game consoles they were getting and a hand held PSP with movies and games for each of them. Also, the absolutely necessary Ipod with accessories that they each grabbed. The girls also thought it necessary to stop by the shoe department and throw in every color flip-flop known to man kind, along with a few purses and “critical cosmetics”. And they had only been inside for half an hour!
When they reached the swim suits they thought that “just in case” one didn’t fit they should get two. Which, ended up turning into three, "just in case" the one that fit, because the other one didn’t, "got a stain on it". When Stacey was about to say they were ready to go pay the girls thought that they should check out the clothes. “Just in case” someone was thrown into the pool with all their clothes on. All the while Stacey was laughing and throwing in a thing or two that she had liked as well, although she didn’t go as crazy with the shopping spree as the other girls did she still found that she needed to stop them before they picked out clothes.
“Come on guys,” She said to them in an annoyed tone. “Don’t you think that wasting Chad’s money on all this other stuff at Walmart is enough?” She had made a point; all the girls put their selections back on the racks and started to walk with sad faces towards the now two carts that Stacey and Marie were manning. All that was said was from Meg, “Boo, you whore.”
There was a twinkle suddenly in Stacey’s eye, “There’s a reason that there’s an awesome clothing store next door!” With that they checked out and the bill was, well let’s just say, if Chad wasn’t paying, no one could afford it.
The girls continued their shopping spree at the small, but awesome clothing store next to Walmart, and again walked out with more than they intended. Each of them had well over ten new outfits including tops, bottoms, under wear, bras, shoes, jewelry, and purses. For each outfit, by the way, not just one of each. They laughed in the car as they sang along with the newest Pussycat Dolls album. When they got back to the house the guys were unloading all the food, which seemed like they had gone on a spree as well. It wasn’t the generic food either, it was all name brand.
Stacey seemed confused; her eyebrows were knitted into a puzzled look. “How’d you guys pay for all of that?” She suddenly had a wrenching pain in her heart. “Chad didn’t go with you guys did he?”
Ricky laughed, “No, but it was pretty damn close.” Ricky smiled at her as a familiar face appeared around the corner of the Land cruiser.
“Chazz,” Stacey gasped and rushed to hug him. “What are you doing here?”
Irene inched her way through all the bodies carrying heavy bags on the drive way. “Baby!” She threw herself upon him, and kissed him all over his face hardly scoring on his lips.
Chazz laughed, “I’m here because chief said that I should come see how things are going,” He smiled at Irene. “And because I wanted to see everyone.”
Chazz was Chad’s twin brother, although twin was hardly the relative term between the two of them. They were fraternal twins and looked nothing alike. Chad was short and dark showing his black roots, Chazz on the other hand was quite tall and tan with black hair. Chazz was always likeable by everyone, he was more of the laid back one and always seemed to have a handle on his brother, but he had nothing on Stacey when it came to his brother. Everyone brought their treasures inside and changed quickly into their bikinis and swim trunks. The stereo was moved outside as all the CD’s were placed in and put on shuffle. Good song after good song came on as everyone had fun in the sun. The guys playing water basketball and trying to drown each other, while all the couples including Chazz and Irene, JJ and Brandi, Meg and Gerry, Travis and Marie, he had arrived after a call was made and when he saw what happened to Marie him along with all the other guys, except for Chazz, made a pact to get back at him if it took everything they had, and lastly Ricky and Stacey were all flirting shamelessly. Everyone, it seemed, were completely focused, not only on having a kick ass time, but on Ricky and Stacey. They seemed so happy together that it just seemed right. It seemed like a perfect day in spring, everyone having fun, swimming, laughing, barbecuing, dancing, singing, laughing some more, eating, playing video games, laughing at how the guys lost to all the girls; even Meg, who by the way isn’t all that great at video games, and then more eating and laughing. Nothing could destroy this awesome day that started out so horrifying. Or so everyone thought.