Page 116 of Secrets That Bind Us
"I know," I wink and walk away. I stop by the coat rack, find my small sweater, and slip it on, then step out into the brisk, early-December air.
My breath fogs as I walk to Mama's house (that I have yet to put on the market), when I notice a small flicker of light in the living room window. A sense of dread I can't shake fills me the closer I get, like the house itself is calling to me tohurry up.I walk a little faster, then into an almost full sprint in my heels. It hasn’t rained since we moved into Dean’s house, so thankfully my heels aren’t sticking into mud. I reach the side porch, pull the screen door open, shove the door in, and I call out to her.
"Savannah, honey?" and stop dead in my tracks– the scent of something oily hits my nostrils. But it’s the sight before me that takes my breath away.
"Mommy," she sniffs, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I forgot my necklace. I was just trying to find it. I’m sorry.”
I shush her, reaching for her carefully, letting my feet slowly stride forward. "Hey, Savannah honey. You're okay." I stare at what looks to be Micah's disfigured ghost. But he's not a ghost. He'salive, looking like my nightmares.
And he's holding a gun to my daughter's head.
He grins, looking creepier in the flames of the flickering candles placed everywhere. "Long time no see, Ver. I was just catching up with Savbear here." He pets her, the butt of the gun touching her small face, then he yanks her head back.
Savannah can't help it. She cries out and wets herself– a large puddle on the floor. But Micah laughs, the sound of it sending shivers down my spine. "Still a scared little thing, isn't she?"
“Mommy!”
I hold back my tears, doing my best to remain as calm as possible. "Let her go. Whatever you're thinking about doing, she's innocent. Let her go. She's just a child."
He shakes his head, "No, Ver, I don't think I will. See, it all started with her, didn't it? And you will end with her. When they find her daddy's alive and her mama's dead, they'll give her to me. I'll have full reign of the money again."
"Her daddyisalive, Micah."
He growls. "But he ain't the one on the birth certificate."
Neither is he, but I don't tell him that. I have to remain calm.
"Then itisme you want. Let her go, Micah. Savannah, honey.” I speak softly to her, trying to get her attention so she can calm down. “Let her go, Micah. I'll go with you– just please.Pleaselet my daughter go.Please. Just... just let me hug her goodbye. Okay? And I'll go with you." I can't help myself; tears spill at the thought that this is the last time I'll ever see my baby girl. My son... oh God. I didn't even kiss him goodbye. And Dean...
I never got to write our story.
He shoves her toward me, and I wrap my daughter in the fiercest hug, making it a good one.
"Mommy, no!" she wails.
"Hey, shh. Shh, sweetheart. It's okay. You... you go to Mommy's room okay? You get in the closet, you cover your ears, and you don't come out– no matter what you hear, okay? Alright?" I sniff. "I love you. I havealwaysloved you. You are the best kind of rainy day– the kind that comes after a drought. You are going to be incredible. You are going to be thebestbig sister Noah will ever have. You’re gonna go to school for your art. And Mommy will watch over you forever. Never doubt my love for you, Savvy. It'll all be okay," I soothe with a trembling voice. “Okay? And I’m sorry, Savvy. I’m so sorry. Always remember this was none of your fault. Okay? I love you.”
She nods with me, tears streaming down her face. “I love you, Mommy.” Her little arms hug me tighter, and I give her a squeeze, putting all my love into it so she can take it with her when I go.
"Ahh! Hurry up!" My once-dead husband bellows with a rough gargle that makes him choke.
“I love you more. To Jupiter and back and every sunflower you ever see.” With one last kiss to her forehead, I let my baby girl go. “Run.” Savannahruns to my room, and I hear a door slam just as Micah rushes toward me. Yanking me by the hair, he shoves me down, and I'm now kneeling in front of him– gun at my temple.
"Years, Verity. I've been waiting years for this."
"How did you do it?" I have to ask. "You fooled us all. But something went wrong if your face looks like that." I'm an idiot. He puts the barrel of the gun to the back of my head and thumbs downs the hammer. Oh my God. I’m not going to have an open casket.
I can feel his malicious grin, then points to his face. "Oh,this? How nice of you to ask. This is real, Ver. I mean, I had a few surgeries– ended up shelling out for a prosthetic mask so I could go out. Then I lived off the grid here for a while. I plotted on how to get back at your precious Dean. Imagine my surprise when I heard voices and it's my wife and kids."
"Ex-wife." I remind him– and regret it immediately.
He pistol-whips the back of my skull and I fall to the ground, but he yanks me back up by the hair on the top of my head. I whimper, wincing at the pain. "Now's not the time to be smart. Is it?"
"You're right. Please, come on. What do you want? More money? I can get you more money. Just leave us alone. Please."
"It's too late for that, Verity!" He screams, his melted face close to mine, and I can smell his rancid breath. "I saw everything! You fucked him. You fucked him. You said you love him. I heard everything– and you broke my heart! You told me Noah wasn't his! You swore it! You lied, you lied, youlied! Always a fucking liar! I knew you were coming back to him. I was good to you. I raised your fucking ungrateful rotten kids!" He screams roughly, as though it hurts him to talk. Every word he says, he yanks my hair harder, my scalp burning. "And because of that... you have to go. But it's okay. I'll put you in the walls like you did your daddy, and then I'll burn this fucking house to the ground. They’ll never find your body."
"Micah, Micah, listen to me, okay? Listen. They need me. I'm their mommy. Kids need their mommy. Please don't do this." I beg.
