Page 125 of Ozzie

Why the hell would I want to spend any more time with her? “No thanks. That’s not necessary.”

A car drives down the road a little too fast. She turns. “That’s my husband. He wanted to say something to you too.”

Why? I scream in my head. I could just walk away, but something tells me he’ll follow me until he says whatever it is he has to say.

Mr. Williams double parks and gets out of the car.

“You can’t double park here,” I tell him.

“I’ll only be a minute,” he says as he walks up to me.

In a flash, his hand comes out and goes to my neck. I feel a prick.

Jumping back, I rub my neck. “What the hell did you do?” My legs become weak.

“I gave you something to relax you.” He picks me up as Patsy opens the back door. He puts me inside, and then they get in the car.

I stare out the window at my home a couple houses down. There’s no way Durango would have seen me, even if he had been looking out the window. And he wouldn’t be looking out the window because I told him I was walking more laps.

But someone must have seen something. Please!

“Why?” I manage to get out. Everything feels heavy. Just like it did with John. They used the same drug? He learned it from his parents?

“We’ll explain when we get there,” Patsy says.

I try to ask where, but I can’t. When I wake up, I’m tied to a chair in a hotel room. The room has one king bed, a television that’s turned on, and two suitcases sitting by the door. I try but am unable to turn to see behind me. My legs are bound to the desk.

“She’s awake,” Patsy says from behind me.

“Why am I here?” I ask.

She steps in front of me. “Doesn’t she look beautiful?”

Tom comes into view. “You did a good job.”

What the hell are they talking about?

There’s a knock at the door. Tom goes to answer it, and in walks another man I don’t recognize. He’s dressed as a minister. That’s when I glance down and realize I’m not in the clothes I was wearing but in something white. A white dress. A fancy dress.

Oh no.

“What am I wearing?” I ask.

“A wedding dress, dear,” Patsy says.

There’s another knock on the door. Tom opens the door, and in walks John.

“Wait, you’re in prison,” I slur out. My tongue still feels a little thick.

“I got out on bail. Isn’t that great news?”

He’s wearing a suit.

“You never wear a suit.”

He bends down and takes my hand in his. “Not usually, but of course, I’m wearing one on our wedding day.”

I shake my head as it all comes together. “Wait, I don’t want to marry you. You can’t make me marry you against my will.” I turn my gaze to the minister. “I’m not okay with this.”

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