Stealing Grace (16 page)

She thought for just a moment and decided Rachel deserved to know. After all she’d been through, she just wanted to know if her son was a good person.

“Rachel,” she whispered quickly, “your son is amazing. He is so sweet and...gentle and has been nothing but gentlemanly with me since I got here. He hasn’t hurt me. Hasn’t made me do anything I didn’t want to.”

“And yet he still chose this life, though it’s not like he had much of a choice.” Rachel was crying now. She reached for Elena and hugged her tight. “Thank you, child.”

Elena wanted so badly to tell her everything, how good her son actually was but she felt a tug on her arm. She finally pulled enough from her embrace to see Alex and his dad standing with them. Alex looked confused as to his mothers’ upset but said nothing. They hugged and said their goodbyes. Alex murmured his thanks for the dinner and the gift.

It was raining now. They rushed to the truck and when Elena looked back, no one was watching them go.

Chapter 7

When they pulled into the driveway he asked what had happened with his mother. Elena told him the truth.

“I answered her question. I told her you had been a gentleman and hadn’t hurt me. That you were a good man.”

He understood now. She thought he was a monster like all the rest and now was relieved by Elena’s confession. He was grateful. His mother had tried so hard over the years to bring him up the best way she new how. He recognized that.

“Thank you, Elena, for giving her some peace.” He spoke softly and caressed her cheek.

She smiled shyly.

“She’s seems like a great lady, nothing like my mom. You’d think after all these years she’d be numb but, she cares about you so much. I feel bad for her,” she said looking out the window at the beads beating down on the glass.

He stepped out and ran to her side of the truck opening the door. It was pouring still and there was standing water everywhere. Elena stepped out...slipped, tripping him, they both fell right in the puddle beside the front tire.

They gasped and then laughed so hard they could barely get up. He helped her once he finally got to his feet. He shut the open door and pushed her easily against the side of the truck. Taking her face in his hands and pressing his body against her. He kissed her, so much more passionately than he ever had.

They were drenched and muddy but didn’t care. He was so thankful to her, for more than one reason. Elena had given him something he never expected.

She pulled her fingers through his side belt loops, crushing him to her, showing him how much she wanted him too. The wind was blowing and the rain had not let up. He was still kissing her, water dripping down their faces, washing away all the mud and dirt.

He lifted her up against the truck side and ravished her mouth with his. With not a care in the world, for the moment, he made love to his wife in the rain.

* * *

Alex asked Elena to make a grocery shopping list, as they would head into town that Saturday afternoon. They went shopping once a week. He liked her to make whatever she wanted for meals as he liked her cooking. She loved to cook and make new things and he loved to try new things so, it was perfect.

Elena was good at it too, often spicing up and tweaking her grandmother’s recipes. She was writing the list out, thinking of what to make tonight.
Alex loves my ziti
.
She liked the fact that he never complained, about anything. He was laid back and easy going for the most part. He loved her cooking and odd cleaning methods and often found it humorous.

She liked to have specific days for specific chores. She was definitely a list and schedule person. She had spotted him laughing at her before on more than one occasion, her trying to remember what day it was, for what chore.
Monday? Laundry? Or bathrooms?

She could be more lax but preferred to just have a plan. That’s why she was so worried about Alex’s plan. It really wasn’t a plan at all. It was an idea that seemed so far fetched to her and open and crazily unhinged. She didn’t see how they could actually carry it out.

She wanted to, desperately. Her heart ached for the girls. She just didn’t want to put them in any more danger by doing something shaky.

Alex, on the other hand, hadn’t stopped the wheels from turning, constantly thinking about it, plotting. He was set and determined that doing something was better than doing nothing. Elena admired that but couldn’t apply it to herself. She knew he was a good man, and she so loved him for it. It reminded her of something her Grandma used to say.
It’s amazing to see how the Big Man pulls goodness and grace from adversity. Grace...

She smiled at that thought and a hint of sadness hit her as she remembered her grandmother. She was glad she wasn’t here for this though. She would have never understood, and never stopped looking for her.
Another blessing in disguise.

She had received good news today though. Amy, the brunette, the first wife she met who’s married to Roger, had called her this morning and told her that things were so much better in their house.

She had done what Elena said, though fought it in the beginning. Once she gave in and committed to it, to just trying to be his wife - whatever than meant to him - it got better almost instantly. Roger was even being nicer to her. She said he even did the dishes for her the other day when she wasn’t feeling very well. This shocked the heck out of Elena, remembering him and his gruff ways and his hard hand.

Elena was so happy to hear this and surprised that Amy was allowed to use the phone.
Things must be going very well
.
Amy also told her that another wife who had had dinner with Elena already said things weren’t a lot easier but smoother in her house thanks to Elena’s advice. This was the most Elena could have asked for.

* * *

Alex left their home alone on occasion, to run small errands, not gone too long at one time. It was a little tedious trying to keep up appearances, but she understood. It was more important now than ever to pretend like she was adjusting to her new life. It actually wasn’t pretending at all. She’d had adjusted quite well to Alex.

She often wondered how all this had happened. He was her soul mate, if there was such a thing. He was funny, and liked to play and make her laugh. He was smart and down to earth. He liked to relax, read, listen to music, watch old movies. He was her ideal man.

Ideal husband.

Growing up back in Tennessee, she never really had any boyfriends or many friends for that matter. She was kind of a loner. Not in the same class as everyone else. There were no secrets in a small town. Everyone knew about her family, especially her parents, who felt no need to hide anything.

Elena’s best friend was whoever was new in town. She always felt bad for the new kid.

Then, once they settled into whichever clique they had been accepted into, she was a loner again. Never fitting into the only town and people she had ever known. She graduated, barely. Smart but school definitely wasn’t her forte. She felt like a prisoner forced to dig ditches. She would have rather dug ditches that sit, hour after hour listening to someone say that if you didn’t learn why electrons orbited the nucleus of an atom, you would never go to college or get a job, and you would live in the streets with the rest of the high school drop outs.

She had always chuckled to herself at the mental picture and the atrocious exaggeration attached to it.

Alex on the other hand, had been great in school. He was home schooled, as all the kids are in the community. Loved to read then as well, and when he got into a subject he delved head first full speed, until he could learn no more about it. He had a few friends. The families hung out together on weekends sometimes.

What was normal and a big deal to outsiders wasn’t necessarily normal and grand to them. They led simple lives. From the outside it would look like a great place to raise a family; friendly neighbors, nice homes, nice families, nice community. It was the perfect facade. Alex didn’t feel much about anything when he was young. He didn’t understand that there was something outside this life.

When he got older his own conscience began to gnaw at him. He couldn’t put his finger on it but knew this wasn’t the way, the right way. He could only thank his mother for planting the seed somehow.

* * *

Alex stood at the door, watching her making her list. She hadn’t heard him come up. He loved watching her. She was open and real, never pretending to be someone else. She glanced up to the ceiling, closing her eyes, as if looking in her brain for something she was forgetting. He chuckled at her and she turned to look at him.

“Home already? I haven’t even started dinner yet,” she proclaimed, shoving the list to the side and heading for the kitchen. She stopped, turned and walked toward Alex. She kissed him running her hand through his hair. It was raining again and his jacket was wet. “I’m glad your home.”

“Well, I’m glad that you’re glad. Did you get done with everything on your list today?” He was fighting a smile.

“Of course, you know me.”

“Yes...I do.” He was certain he did.

The past few months had flown by. He did know her and she knew him. They were always honest with each other, open books. They had talked all about their past and families and mistakes and jobs. He didn’t understand why he deserved her but, she was perfect for him. If he had believed in a God, he would’ve thought He must’ve sent her to him, his angel full of grace. Grace for him and his community of monsters.

Elena was so great with the wives, he thought. She encouraged them and gave them hope. She steered clear of the husbands. He knew she was a key point to somehow ending all this. It’s the only thing that made sense. She was his inspiration, his muse.

* * *

Alex decided to take her to a movie in the city that night as a surprise. Movies weren’t a usual practice with the other men. Most stayed in the community and never went to the city unless they had to. If someone asked he would tell them the new Stallone had come out and he just couldn’t wait for it to come to video, and that Elena had hated every minute of it. He chuckled at that thought.

In reality, he was taking her to see the new Nicholas Sparks book made into a motion picture. He wasn’t sure what it was about, but he’d heard her say she liked him before and he’d gotten her a couple of his books to read and she seemed to fly through them.

It was late October and it would be cool and breezy, nice night for a walk. It would be then he would tell her that Pam would be their first escapee. He had it all planned out. This had to work.

This
would
work.

* * *

They were almost through with dinner. He complimented her on the last minute ziti dish. He decided now was a good time to let the cat out of the bag.

“El, I’ve got a surprise for you. How fast can you be ready?” He hadn’t been paying attention and time has slipped by him, the movie started in one hour.

It took twenty minutes to drive into the city.

“Really? Well...it depends on where we’re going.”
“The city....but it’s a surprise.”

“The city?” she asked confused. “But...can you do that?”

“I got it all covered, honey. Don’t worry. Now, could you hop your cute butt up and go get dressed?” he spouted bouncily as he pointed toward the bedroom. “Just throw on something casual.”

“Ok. Alright!” she said grinning and she ran to the bedroom, she knew exactly what to wear, and couldn’t wait for whatever he had planned.

* * *

When Alex told the teller what movie he wanted his tickets for, Elena grinned and leaned her head against his shoulder. They walked hand in hand into the theater. It was strange being able to be a completely normal couple. Not having to worry about who was watching. The chances of someone seeing them in the city, let alone a theater were laughable.

Still holding her hand he led her to seats in the middle, halfway up and halfway across.

As the movies started he put his arm around her and she leaned into him and began nibbling on the popcorn, holding some up for him to take from her fingers with his mouth. In reality, this was her first actual date. She wondered if he knew that.

“Thank you, Alex, I haven’t been to a movie in years.”

“Really? Me either. And you’re welcome, but you don’t have to thank me.”

“I know, but I want to. You know this is my first date. Funny, I had to get married before I could even get a real date.”

“It’s mine, too. What are you insinuating? That I can’t get a date?” he said laughing mockingly and she giggled too.

She decided to not wait another second to tell him the truth.

“I love you.”

He smiled widely and then pressed his head to hers, speaking huskily and quietly.

“I love you, too, El, more than you know.”

He wrapped an arm around her head, pulling her closer and kissed her as the lights went down, but he didn’t stop kissing her. The music and commercials began and he continued his slow torturous assault of deep kisses. Then he moved to her neck and Elena had to fist his shirt front for fear of falling over. He found her lips again and she couldn’t help but feel like a teenager.

“Mmmm, popcorn kisses,” he said smiling, she laughed out loud, getting a blatant ‘shut-up’ look from a man sitting alone beside them, which in turn made them both laugh even harder.