Stealing Grace (18 page)

“We hadn’t planned to...in fact. Your wife was to the next one on our list. Our list of women to help escape.”

Alex, laid it out for him, no holding back now. He had forgotten about Elena pretending to sleep, had she heard the whole thing? Before Roger could speak himself out of his stunned silence Alex walked over and rubbed her arm.

She looked up at him and she was crying. He knew why and smiled at her. She wiped the tears as he helped lift her up from the couch. He wasn’t sure if she felt comfortable with Roger, though he could tell she was happy.

“Are you ok to-” he whispered and nodded towards Roger.

She smiled and nodded. He walked her over to where he had been standing in front of Roger.

“Roger, I’d like you to meet my wife, for real, Elena,” Alex said and Elena looked up at Roger.

His face was full of shame and guilt. His brow drawn together and he refused to meet her gaze. She knew what he was thinking about.

“I’m afraid we’ve already met. I’m so, so sorry.” His voice broke and he couldn’t even finish before he was rubbing his hands up and down his face furiously, remembering and trying to forget his hand swiftly smacking across her face.

Instinctively she reached over to hug him. He hesitated and then put his arms around her. She knew he was sorry, and was sincere, she had heard everything. Heard the conviction in his voice about his love for Amy and how he couldn’t live like this anymore. There would always be room for forgiveness when someone truly deserved it.

“Elena, I’m so sorry. You’ll never know how badly I want to take back what I did to you. Please forgive me.”

“It’s ok, I understand. Alex has told me so much about this place. You are just as much a prisoner as any of these women, if not more so. At least they know the truth. How would you know if no one told you? You’ve been stuck in your bubble all these years. All of the men in the town are.”

He looked up as she let go and stepped back with Alex.

“But Alex knew,” he countered.

“I have a theory about that. You see, there’s always a reason for everything, even when we don’t see it, or understand it. I needed Alex, and he needed me for this plan to work. I know it.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said as if he was pleading for forgiveness.

“I know you are, and I forgive you.”

Alex escorted Elena back to the couch and sat beside her, pulling her into his lap and wrapping the blanket around her, knowing she still didn’t feel great.

He told Roger the whole plan, answering question after question, getting more ecstatic by the minute. Roger seemed interested, he wanted to be involved.

“It’s so strange,” Roger said with an enlightened look on his face.” I don’t feel like I’m drifting along anymore. I feel like...like I have a purpose now.”

Alex and Elena looked at each other and laughed. Roger wasn’t sure what they were laughing about but didn’t care. They all laughed together.

* * *

Alex ordered the pizza and got the money ready by the door. He had ordered enough for four. Roger and Amy were coming over tonight, now the cat was out of the bag it seemed appropriate to celebrate.

This was Elena’s idea of course. Alex knew she was still feeling poorly but also knew she really wanted to see Amy so he allowed it though she was pale and weak. Roger had gone home to get Amy, but mentioned it might be a while as he said he had some “explaining and a lot of apologizing to do.”

Elena couldn’t keep the smile from her face, neither could Alex. They were sitting on the couch in each others arms, grinning ear to ear. Elena had jumped in a quick shower since they were having guest and was now warm, clean, dressed and feeling better than she had all day.

She snuggled her way up to Alex and began kissing his neck and the little spot under his ear where he was so sensitive. He chuckled, knowing what was up, but didn’t try to stop her despite her being ill. He was completely blissful. He lifted her up on his lap facing him, her legs around his sides. She kissed him so passionately on his warm lips, just as eager as hers. There was no way the plan couldn’t work now that they had help.

She began unbuttoning his shirt and he wrapped his arms around her waist tight, but before they could go on they heard a knock at the door.

Alex blew out a gush of air exasperatingly.
Uh! This always happens!
They looked at each other with wry annoyed grins before he put her gently back on the couch and buttoned his shirt before opening the door. Roger and Amy’s faces were positively glowing.
Are they holding hands? They are!

Roger introduced Amy to Alex and they hugged, all informalities from now on. Amy rushed over to Elena and hugged her so tightly, holding her for a long time. They were both crying and murmuring to each other. Alex thought he saw Roger tearing up as well out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

Alex and Roger were on the computer, Alex was showing him some bus schedules, ect. Basically just showing off all his research. Elena and Amy sat at the table with their coffee cups.

“You saved my life,” Amy had said, more than once.

She told Elena quietly, that Roger had burst through the door, her thinking the worst, but he immediately started apologizing for everything, down on his knees, sobbing in front of her. He had hugged her waist and begged for forgiveness. It didn’t take her long to, she could see he was sincere, and had already started to see his soft side the past couple weeks anyway.

He then told her the whole story about Alex and Elena and the plan. She knew he had been at Alex’s and had no idea what had happened. Before she knew it they were kissing, for the first time and he said he was in love with her. He had never kissed her these whole months past that she had been with him.

She explained how when she stopped fighting and just tried to do things for him, it was hard to not start feeling something for him.

She was learning to like him, and he was learning to be nice to her, falling in love in the process, neither even knowing it.

They all turned at the knock on the door.

“Pizzas here.”

Alex jumped up and paid the boy, while Elena got plates down in the kitchen and brought them to the table. They all sat, husband beside wife, picking their slices.

“Should we say grace?” Elena asked quietly.

“Absolutely,” Roger agreed and glanced at Alex.

Alex nodded. They closed their eyes and Alex thanked God for the food, for finding true friends, forgiveness and real love. Amen.

* * *

Conversation was bubbly, it was strange, but in a good way, Elena thought. Roger and Amy couldn’t keep their eyes off each other. Elena couldn’t stop smiling and Alex couldn’t stop himself from rubbing her thigh under the table, no doubt thinking about their little interruption earlier.

Elena felt a world better. It was amazing what good news could do for the physical body.

Once they were done with the pizza, Alex took the boxes to the kitchen. Each couple found a spot on the couch and loveseat. Alex explained all the details of their plan for Monday morning. There wasn’t much Roger and Amy could do to help with this one. Alex told them about the hurricane that was headed their way and that he thought that would be a prime opportunity for the next girl, or maybe even two girls.

Roger could create a diversion at his shop, some broken windows or something and call a select few for help. The other girls could escape in the chaos. It would be a little more dangerous in the storm but, it would give them lots of cover from watching eyes.

After a bit, Roger and Amy seemed antsy to get home, feigning sleep deprivation. Elena smiled to herself, knowing exactly why they wanted to leave. She didn’t mind as she was eager for some alone time with Alex herself. As soon as they said their goodbyes and the guests were out the door, they instantaneously grabbed each other, beginning where they had left off.

Chapter 8

Monday morning they both woke eager. Not stressed, but excited. Things were going as planned so far. Alex called Howard with a time to meet at the office. Elena was getting ready to go and Alex framed her face, making her stop for a second.

“Be really careful, promise me. If something happens or doesn’t work out, you bail and we’ll try another time. Got me?”

“I promise if you promise.”

“I’ll be fine. This is really happening.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe it. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Be careful, baby, I mean it.”

“Promise,” she said and kissed him before grabbing his hat and placing it atop her head.

Elena now dressed in Alex’s getup started her walk to Pam, Alex left right after her. She felt much better today, maybe because of what was happening but for whatever reason she was grateful.

She sat in the brush and watched until she saw Howard jump in his truck. She ran to the door and knocked. Pam answered, sudden alarm on her face.

Elena knew this would be hard to sell and with so little time to do it, she pushed Pam through the door and slammed it shut behind her.

“Pam, just listen,” Elena began. Pam listened but only because she was so shocked she couldn’t speak. “I know this is hard to understand, so just be quiet and listen for a minute. I’m here to take you away. You’re going with me to my house where I’ll drive you to the city and put you on a bus. All the details have been worked out and everything’s fine.” Pam waited for her to finish and then started what Elena had been waiting for.

“No! You can’t put yourself in danger that way. What about Alex? What if he finds out?”

“Pam, this is Alex’s idea. I’m here because of him. He’s not like Howard... Look we don’t have time to explain and you don’t have time to grab anything. Put your shoes on and let’s go, now.” Pam looked as if she would protest again and Elena held up her finger.

“Do you want to stay here?”

“No.”

“Then let’s go, no more questions,” Elena said forcefully to make her see this was real.

Pam threw on her tennis shoes quickly and followed Elena out the back door, into the woodsy area behind the houses. They ran, Pam keeping up with Elena. When they reached Alex’s truck parked in the garage they got in.

“Pam, lay down in the floor until we get out of town. I’ll let you know when.”

Once, they were out of community limits and on the open road, she explained in more detail about Alex and his convictions, about Roger and Amy, as much as she could in twenty minutes.

Pam had been crying the whole time, softly. She couldn’t believe this was actually happening. She was gonna be free. When the truck stopped in front of the bus station, Elena turned to Pam. She handed her the envelope with the $2000.00 and a jacket, and a ball cap she had stashed behind the seat.

Pam put them on and her eyes widened when she looked at the money. Elena just smiled her graceful smile.

“Pam, go, you deserve a real life. The ticket is open ended so anyone can use it. Book it for wherever you want to go. I don’t want to know where, so there can’t be any slip ups. I’ll wait until you’re on the bus and then I’ll race back for damage control. Everything is fine. I promise. Go.”

“Thank you. Thank you, Elena! You saved my life. I’ll never be able to repay you,” Pam said, tears streaming but she croaked it out.

“You just did. Go. Be careful, and don’t try to go back to your old home. They will look for you there.”

Elena was crying now too. They hugged quickly. Pam got out and rushed toward the ticket counter. She took one last glance toward Elena before taking a deep breath and stepping on the bus.

They had done it. They had actually pulled it off. Now she just had to do the finishing touches. She put the truck in drive and punched the gas. Home was twenty minutes away and she had twenty five left on their timeline.

* * *

It was raining and traffic down the long stretch of highway was creeping along. Seven minutes left and she crossed the city limit sign.
Ok, you can make it. Just calm down, you can make it.
Every light in town caught her on red.

Two minutes left.
Cutting it too close. Maybe, Alex will hold him off for a minute or two to give her extra time. Finally.
She pulled into the drive and her heart stopped.
Oh God. No!

Howard’s truck was parked in the driveway with no one in sight. They must be inside already, she thought. Well, there was no way back now. No way out. What should she do? Hide? Go in? Howard would see the truck had gotten here when he went to leave. Was he wondering where she was?

She turned off the truck in the garage, took off her disguise, took a deep breath, and reached for the door handle. She peeked as she opened the garage door into the house.

They were sitting in the den. She stepped inside quietly and carefully.

“Elena, come in here.” She slowly progressed toward them, rounding the corner. Alex looked calm, she thought. “So, Roger made it over to check the battery I see,” he said, looking her square in the eyes. “So you were able to go pick my prescription like I told you?”

“Um...yes, Roger left a few minutes ago, he replaced the battery, but they didn’t have your prescription. They said tomorrow,” she said in her most timid voice.

“Hmmm. Ok,” Alex said looking away, “well, put the keys back on the hook and go start some lunch.”

She did what he said without looking up again and sighed a breath of relief as soon as she was out of their sight. She leaned against the counter and just breathed deep, processing all that had happened.
Too close. This can’t happen next time.
She pulled the noodles and sauce out of the cupboard and started the water.

“You need to put a tighter leash on that girl of yours. I can’t believe you let her drive your truck. What if she had tried to leave?” Howard asked aghast.

“Please!” Alex shouted incredulously. “Howard, I told her I had GPS installed in the truck and she believed me. She’ll believe anything.” They both chuckled a little.

* * *