Page 103 of Deliverance
When I had been in the penthouse, a year had felt like an eternity, but my first year on the outside had flown by. On Ric's days off, we spent time at the beach, checked out Malibu, Venice, and even went to Disneyland. My parents came out for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas, Ric, Vicky, and I had a secret get together with Quinn, Jackie, Zell, Frankie, and their twins.
When Zell had told me that she was pregnant, I had been shocked, and when she’d said it was with twins, I had been floored. I still pictured her as the innocent eight-year-old who lived in a tiny bedroom and painted a world she wanted to one day explore. I had never thought she would become a mother at the age of nineteen, but motherhood suited her and Frankie was perfect for her. He treated her like the princess she was, and I was happy for both of them. Frankie had proposed a few weeks ago, and while no date had been set, I knew that they would live happily ever after.
Zell's story about the night she ran away and how she found her mother tore my heart out. We both had stories to tell, but knowing that the people who had caused so much pain for all of us were fish food made it all worthwhile. It made me wonder if Frank had kept me around because I had been helping Jackie's daughter. We'd thought Zell was Saffron's, but no one had known he’d had Jackie in a cabin in the Catskills Mountains for eighteen years. Had he developed feelings for his captive and wanted the best for her daughter—well, the best she could have, being locked away. Had my suspicions been correct, and the last time he’d come to the penthouse for sex, he’d chosen someone else because I had been almost done teaching Zell? Had my time been almost up?
Ric and I still lived with Vicky. I didn't mind. I went from living with eight people plus a guard to living with two others. It was peaceful. It also helped that I got along with Vicky really well, and Vicky was dating, which gave Ric and me alone time when he wasn't working. I did realize that they never left me alone, and I appreciated it because I didn't think I would ever be able to be by myself—even during the day—even a year later.
I stayed in touch with the women through social media. I think we were all surviving because we knew Frank and Saffron were dead and couldn't hurt us again. The cops still had no leads, and I wasn't sure how long it took for a case to go cold, but I was hoping ours would. We'd already got justice for every victim over the years—at least that was how I felt.
My phone buzzed with a text while Vicky and I watched a court TV show.
Ric:Want to soak in the hot tub before dinner?
Me:Sure. What time will that be?
Ric:An hour or so depending on traffic.
Me:Okay.
Eighty minutes later, Ric walked through the door. He was hired to do special events for Cole Security, and he mainly guarded actors and actresses when they had an award show or something. It seemed that there was always something happening in Los Angeles.
"Hey." He kissed me as I sat on the couch. "Momma."
"Would you like to go with us?" I asked Vicky.
She and Ric shared a look, and then she said, "No, that's okay. I don't want to have to wash my hair tonight." I didn't want to tell her that she didn't have to get her hair wet in a hot tub because she always declined. I thought she did it to give us alone time, and I appreciated it, especially if the pool area was vacant.
"I'm going to go change. I'll be ready in five," Ric stated and started for our bedroom. We had the master bedroom while Vicky had the smaller one, and she had her own bathroom since no one else used the one in the hall except her.
I gathered some bottles of water and towels while Ric put on his suit. "We'll be back later, and then we can order takeout or something," Ric said to Vicky.
"Take your time. I had cheese and crackers not too long ago. I'm okay," she replied.
We stepped outside, and Ric took my hand, leading me toward the pool. "How was your day?" I asked.
"Client had an afternoon fundraiser she needed me to drive her to."
I snorted. "I swear you're like a chauffeur and not a bodyguard."
He chuckled. "I suppose I am, but I do carry a gun."
A registered gun at that. He made sure to do everything by the book and his new boss was all about that too. I met Jackson and Catherine at the holiday party for Cole Security. They were a lovely couple, and Cat showed me pictures of their kids.
"Are you and Ric planning on having children?"she'd asked.
I'd shrugged and looked across the room where he was chatting with Jackson and other guys from the Navy."Maybe one day. I would like to be married first."
"I understand that,"she'd said.
I was envious of her, Zell, and Krystal, who all had kids. I thought I would have at least one by the time I was thirty, but I was thirty-four, and Ric had yet to mention children. Did he want any? He was thirty-six and could have kids at any age. I, on the other hand, felt as though my eggs were shriveling up. If I didn't have a child before forty, would I ever?
I really liked Cat and wanted to know a little bit more about their relationship."How did Jackson propose?"I'd questioned.
She'd smiled wide."It was at a lighthouse in Virginia Beach."
"That sounds romantic."
"It was sweet and perfect."
