Stealing Grace (15 page)

“Ok, ok. Breakfast?” she said pulling herself up from the pillow and trying to make her way to the edge of the bed.

He grabbed her and pulled her back pinning her arms above her head to the mattress.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he said before kissing her.

Morning breath. Morning breath! Oh Whatever
!
She let him kiss her until he was satisfied. Finally he loosened his grip and with one final soft kiss, helped pull her from the bed.

She ran to the shower. They had to go into the office this morning. They hurried through a quick breakfast of cereal and coffee. She made Alex a mug to take with him and one for herself since they’d stayed up so late, and they were out the door with her giggling at he swatted her bottom with his briefcase.

They didn’t get far. On the end of the porch was Pam. Sitting on the swing. Dirty and ragged with a blackening eye and cheek.

“Pam!” Elena yelled as she rushed to her, kneeling beside her. “What happened?”

“Howard m-made me sleep outside,” she stammered.

“What? Why?”

“He was angry after you left. He said I was smiling at Alex. I memorized your address from some mail at our place, just in case I ever needed help. I was afraid to run. Howard lives so far into town.”

“Pam, you’ve got to go home, straighten this out. Howard will be even more furious when he realizes you’re gone.”

“Come on, we’ll take you.” Alex was helping Pam up and to the truck.

They pulled into her driveway and when he stopped, he told Pam to wait in the truck for a minute. He went inside for a few minutes, then returned and helped Pam from the truck. After she was inside, he trotted back to his open door and climbed inside. Elena didn’t ask what was said, she was sure she didn’t want to know.

* * *

Later at the office, Alex told Elena the whole situation without any prompting. That he told Howard he was being ridiculous, especially since Howard had been staring at Elena all night. Adultery was not allowed in the community, not outright.

He told Howard if he wanted it to work he better start trying a little harder. He would check up on him when we had dinner with them again Friday night.
Mmmm. Not again. Though it would be nice to check on Pam
.

They left after lunch to do some shopping. Elena got a little makeup, shampoo and lotion. Alex just liked watching her fret about how much everything cost.

The next couple of days passed quickly. Alex seemed distracted but Elena just thought he had work stuff on his mind.

Alex grabbed the mail from the box after work and worked on the computer for a while. Elena tried to pick back up in The Oath, the book she had started before, but was having trouble concentrating. She glanced down at her toenails.
Pedicure. Pronto
.
She laughed to herself. Yeah, like there was a nail salon in the community.

She eyed Alex, he was shooting back and forth from web pages, mouse zooming across the screen and the clicking of the keys being punched on the keyboard filled the silence, then flying furiously over documents and papers. She wondered what he was doing.

Finally he turned to look at her, his face stiff and waiting, serious with intent.

“Elena, I’ve got an idea. I’m not sure how to work it all out but I’ve got to do something. Just hear me out.” He steepled his hands in front of him. “What if I give your bus ticket to someone else? What if we help them escape? What if we took them individually and in secret and got them out of here? But how long could it last before we got caught? They would just put themselves on the wife list again. No, that won’t work,” Alex said, seeming to be talking to himself more than her.

“Alex, what are you saying?”

“I can’t just sit here and let this happen anymore. Every time I see Pam or Amy, I think of my mom, I think of you. I’ve got to do something. I told you I’ve been saving. I’ve got the funds for it and everyone thinks you’re so wonderful and things are great here so I’m hoping they won’t be suspicious of us.”

“You said they would hurt or kill anyone who betrayed them.”

“El, this can work. This is my purpose. We’ve just got to work together some plan where we can help but not get caught, so we can keep helping.”

“It’s a good plan, babe.” She moved to kneel before him, her arms on his legs. “But we can’t just keep taking water from a bucket under a running faucet. I’m with you, you know that, but we’ll have to come up with some long term plan to shut it down all together.”

So, this is what he’d been stewing over the past couple days. She was so proud of him just for thinking it, even if they couldn’t actually carry it out, but also scared. You didn’t mess with these men and get away with it.

“You’re right. We’ll find the hole.”

* * *

A week later, she had seen a birthday card in the pile of mail. How come he hadn’t told her, she wondered. She guessed that couldn’t have come up easily. ‘Hey, let’s smuggle the girls away from the crazy men, putting ourselves in danger. Oh and by the way, it’s my birthday. Let’s celebrate.’

Yeah, she understood.

She wondered if he had anything planned, with his parents maybe. She still had not met them. She was ok with that. The thought of seeing his mom who had been tortured for 29 years made her shudder. What do you say to a person like that?

She was almost done making her grandmas chili when he peeked around the corner.

“Hey,” he said smelling the chili and walking over to peer into the pot.

“Hey, it’s about done. Hope you’re hungry.” She cooked the chili today because of the strong smell. She had quickly whipped up a batch of blueberry cupcakes and didn’t want him to smell them and give it away. It seemed to be working. “Why don’t you go have a seat and I’ll bring you a bowl.”

He did what she asked. She pulled a cupcake out of the cooled oven. Removed the wrapper and topped it with Cool Whip and a cherry. There was no way of getting candles without him seeing so, she just made do.

She rounded the corner smiling, wearing the new dress he had picked out for her, with her apron over it.

“Happy Birthday, baby.”

He laughed surprised, covering his heart in a fake heart attack.

“How did you know?”

“I have my ways...ok, I saw the birthday card you left on top of the mail on the desk.”

He looked up at her as she set it in front of him.

“Nobody has ever made me a birthday treat before.”

“What? You’re kidding me? Your mom never...?”

“My dad doesn’t like sweets, therefore no sweets in the house.”

“Alex. That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. Even I got birthday cake. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, this is great. Thank you.” He got up and hugged her, his arms wrapped tight around her waist.

She kissed him and things quickly made a turn. His grip tightened as he deepened the kiss. He picked her up and gently set her up on the table edge, pushing his papers to the side, letting them flutter to the floor. She was leaning back, his lips on her neck, his hand pushing her dress up her thigh…when the phone rang.

He grunted in frustration and gave her a look. She tried not to giggle at his expression, and failed, as he lifted her back up and set her on the floor. He walked over to pick up the old off white receiver.

“Hey, Mom.”

Mom? He said Mom
.
Elena was listening intently.

“Thanks...I did get it actually...Yeah...she’s...she’s great...Really?...Um, Ok. Well...Yeah, sure I guess...Ok, be there in an hour.” He hung up and looked at her apologetically. “Do you think that chili would make a good lunch tomorrow? They want us to come over for supper. I’m sorry. My dads really spur of the moment.”

“It’s ok. Yeah, the longer it sets the better it is actually. So, I’m going to meet your parents then, huh? Hmmm.” She tried to look calm, but inside she was freaking.

Big time.

“El, you dazzle everyone you meet. It’ll be ok. I know for a fact my mom will love you. I wouldn’t concern yourself with whether my dad likes you or not.” He was already sitting back at the table, smiling. “Before we go though, I’m going to eat my treat, I sure won’t get one at my parents house.”

* * *

“El? You ready, babe?” he said in the nicest tone possible to tell someone they’re taking too long.

“Yeah, just a sec,” she called.

She loved it when he called her El.

One last glance in the mirror and she was coming down the hall. She knew she was freaking but couldn’t stop herself. Her hands were shaking. He saw her distress and grabbed her face to pull her close.

“It’s ok. It’s not like meeting normal parents I’m sure. They don’t exactly have a choice, seeing as how we’re already married and all,” he smiled smugly and playfully.

He was right.

She took a deep breath, kissed him quickly and grabbed her favorite sweater of his out of the closet as they headed out the door.

“How should I act? Should I act happy around your mom? Is she expecting me to be...a certain way?” Elena’s endless questions poured out at him as they drove.

“Um...I don’t think so. Mom’s pretty...chill. I wouldn’t go into detail with her but just...be yourself. Just don’t speak to dad and you’ll be fine.”

He was pulling into their drive now. She was stiff with fear, scared to death of the stories about his dad. Worried she wouldn’t be able to keep her composure around his mom. He put his hand on hers and squeezed, looking at her green eyes with his blue ones.

“Let’s go,” was the only thing left for him to say.

Alex’s dad met them at the door. He looked past Elena and shook hands silently with Alex. She was use to this behavior and didn’t think twice about it as she stepped in through the open door. The table was already set and the house was immaculate. Very old fashioned and earthy, but Elena was sure that was Alex’s dads idea. There was an antlered buck head hanging over the entertainment center and a tasseled cowboy bear hide blanket thrown over the loveseat.

Alex introduced Elena to his father and he waved her off, dismissing her without another word.

Alex motioned for Elena to follow him to the kitchen.

“Mom,” he called, when she turned she beamed at him, he introduced her. “Mom, this is Elena. Elena, this is my mother, Rachel.”

She was a small woman, a bit shorter than Elena.

She was wearing a cotton dress and apron with daisies on it. She reminded Elena more of her grandma than her mother. Her hair was brown, but graying and pulled back in a disheveled bun and her eyes were full of twenty nine years of worry and anguish. She crossed the kitchen towards Elena.

“Well, let me look at you.” She took Elena’s arms and stretched them out to get a better look. “Well, you are a pretty young thing aren’t you.” Elena smiled shyly not knowing what else to do.

“Nice to meet you,” Elena said.

“You too, though I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances.”

She then turned and walked back to the stove and resumed her stirring.

Alex looked at Elena, squeezed her hand and headed for the living room. Elena had no parent experience, even though these weren’t normal circumstances. She walked over and asked what she could do. Rachel said to grab some glasses and fill them with ice. She did and soon they both were getting everything on the table and taking their seats beside the men.

Alex’s dad dug in first waiting for no one or nothing. Rachel had prepared lasagna. No salt, probably the way Alex’s dad liked it. Dinner was quiet except for Alex asking questions about things, general conversation, taking turns between his dad and mom. She only spoke in response to a question and then resumed looking at her very interesting plate.

After dinner, Alex’s dad motioned for Rachel to grab something on the bakers rack behind her, then handed Alex a small wrapped package. He opened it and inside was a key. His dad proceeded to tell him that the old boat in back that Alex rode as a kid was now his.

“It needs lots of work and the motor doesn’t run anymore but, you’re good with your hands. It’ll give you something to do,” his father said gruffly and curtly.

“Thanks, dad,” Alex said still looking down at the key, he seemed to be grinning tight lipped.

The second he was done with his gift, Rachel was up and clearing the table. Elena jumped up to help and gathered all the glasses. That waitressing job in Tennessee when she was seventeen was paying off now more than ever.

She headed to the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher while Rachel put leftovers in containers. When she turned she was surprised to see that she was so close. She looked sad and weary as she spoke quickly and quietly.

“Elena, how is my son?”

“He’s fine,” Elena answered not fully understanding where she was going with the question.

“No. No, I mean....how is he with you?”

“Oh, um, fine. Everything’s fine.”

“Elena, please, I’m not a member of this community and you have nothing to fear from me. I tried my best with him, with what I had to work with. I just want to know if he’s...if he’s like his father.”