Page 10 of If You Love Me

Ten years, I’d tried plotting every escape possible, only for it to all come back to the same damn conclusion: I was stuck, and I was going to die here.

Swiping the tears away from my face, I turned on the shower and stepped in. I stood under the water allowing it to penetrate my scalp and flow down the length of my body. My once short bob had grown out, and my hair hung down my back in long coils. My nails had grown out. My body, once a solid hundred and twenty pounds, was probably more at a buck fifty now. I’d gained weight, but I’d also been working out to battle the depression I’d slipped into.

When I looked in the mirror, I saw nothing of my former self. I barely knew who I was anymore. My thoughts drifted to Tyrion. If he saw me now, he’d hardly recognize me. In some alternative world where I managed to escape, I wondered if he would welcome me home.

Had he moved on?

Had he looked for me?

Had he given up hope?

I wondered about my baby. She would be ten now. I wondered what she looked like. Whose personality did she have? Was she a good student? Did she play any sports or extracurricular activities? Did Tyrion tell her about me, or was I just a ghost in our home? Then I wondered about my parents. Were they still alive? I knew my disappearance tore them up. We’d always been a close family, especially me and my mother. I prayed to God every night that the people I loved were okay in my absence.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Evenie,” I said aloud. “Pull it together.”

I shook the thoughts from my head and finished up in the shower. Once out, I towel dried and left the bathroom to get dressed. Just as I had pulled on my socks. I heard the steel door unlock and pop open. No doubt it was Leon coming down with my breakfast. I could time him at this point.

I waited for a moment when he didn’t immediately come down. From my position, it sounded like he was gasping for air. Then came a crash that had me springing to my feet. Suddenly, everything went silent. I stood there, waiting to see what would happen.

Nothing.

Sliding my feet into my slippers, I slowly ascended the stairs. The sight of Leon’s body on the floor caused me to gasp. He lay motionless, the spilled breakfast splattered around him. I pushed the door open and stooped to check a pulse. It was faint but still there.

Run, bitch!my inner voice yelled.

I grabbed the cell phone from his pocket and made a break for the front door. There were so many locks on it that it took me a minute to get them all off. I grabbed the keys and his wallet from the bowl beside the door, praying that one of them went to whatever he drove. I took one last look back at Leon, who wasstill on the floor, before opening the front door and stepping onto the porch.

The bright morning sun hurt my eyes.

I hadn’t seen outside in so long. The air was fresh, a huge change from the stuffy basement. There was a slight chill in the atmosphere, causing me to shudder. Quickly, I descended the front steps. I didn’t have time to pussyfoot around about the scenery. Running over to the old pickup truck, I fumbled with the keys until I could find the one that opened the door. Jumping inside, I put the key in the ignition.

An excited squeal left my lips when the engine turned over with ease. I put the truck in reverse and backed up to the road. With one last look at the place that had been my prison for ten years, I floored the gas pedal and took off down the dirt road.

4

Tyrion

“Daddy… Daddy, wake up.”

I felt myself being shaken awake. My eyes fluttered open, and I rolled over to see the face of my beautiful baby girl.

“What time is it, Summer?”

“Six thirty.”

“Shit!”

“Oooo! You said a bad word.”

“I’m sorry, love. Daddy overslept.”

I sat up and tossed my legs over the side of the bed. I smiled at the fact that she’d gotten herself up and dressed. It was now two weeks into the school year, and I was proud to say she had adjusted to her new schedule. To prepare her, I’d implemented bedtime three weeks before her first day. I always made sure to set her alarm clock, just in case I slept through mine. Pulling her to me, I officially greeted her with a hug and kisses to her cheeks.

“Did you sleep good?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes. I dreamed about Mommy last night. I dreamed I finally got to meet her.”

My heart broke for her. I knew how badly she wanted to know her mother, and it killed me that I couldn’t give her more than my memories of her.

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