Page 49 of Abigail
Moving closer to the glowing fire, Jenkins peers through the surround foliage. Todd is sitting on a folding camping chair staring into the fire. He appears to be alone, but they know that the man helping him should be close by. Jenkins searches the clearing, noticing a tent on the other side of the fire. A snore sounds from the tent, drawing Todd’s attention and a frown. So there’s where the buddy is, sleeping in the tent. Static in his ear, Jenkins draws back to listen to his men radio they are in position. Time to get this over with once and for all.
Jenkins looks back at the clearing again. Todd is on his feet. A rifle in his hand. No one else needs to get hurt this night, so Jenkins moves toward his son. His flack vest in place, helmet on his head, he throws up a silent prayer that he can talk his son down. He wants to be able to take him into custody without bloodshed but knows that likely won’t be possible. Taking a final deep breath in, Jenkins steps out of hiding and into the light around the fire.
“Well, well, well,” Todd drawls. “If it isn’t dear old dad. I thought the dickhead fucking Abigail would be the one to come for me, but I guess he doesn’t have the balls for it.” Todd’s face contorts into a sneer.
“I asked him to give me time,” Jenkins replies. “Time to bring you in alive. He won’t be so accommodating, son.”
“Don’t fucking call me son,” Todd bellows. The rifle still held firmly to his shoulder, the barrel pointing at Jenkins. “I stopped being your son a long fucking time ago. The day mom died by your hands.”
“Todd, you know I had nothing to do with your mother’s death,” Jenkins says in a calm soothing voice, not wanting to trigger Todd further by replying in anger. “It was an accident.” Jenkins spouts the same lie he’s been telling his sons for years. Todd laughs, but there’s no humor in it.
“Fucking liar,” Todd states, glaring at him. “I found mom that day. I read her letter. I was the anonymous caller who called 911. She didn’t fall down the stairs like you told us. She hung herself from your bedroom window. I knew something was wrong with her that morning, but she wouldn’t let me stay home from school. So the first chance I got, I snuck out of school and walked home. I saw her hanging out the window. I ran in the house and up the stairs, but it was too late. She was already getting cold.” Todd pauses, tears streaming down his face. He seems unaware of them. Jenkins stares at his son in horror. He’d never known Todd had found her or seen all of that. No wonder he’s messed up in the head. Jenkins’ head jerks up as Todd continues.
“I…I wasn’t strong enough to pull her back inside,” his voice cracks. His eyes staring off as if unseeing, but Jenkins knows his son was back at their old house many years ago. “I had to leave her hanging there, swinging in the wind. I found her letter laying on the bed, and I read it. I needed to know why she would leave us. I could read between the lines. She was lonely and scared. The voices in her head just became too much. She wasn’t strong enough to keep them at bay like I can. She needed you to be at home!” Todd shouts. “She needed you,Dad!” he sneers as he says the word. “You knew she was sick, but yet you left anyway. You knew what was going to happen. Didn’t you?”
“No, son, I didn’t know she would do that.” Jenkins’ voice thick with emotion and unshed tears. “I never would have left if I’d realized how bad she’d gotten.” Todd took a step toward him.
“Lies!” he yells. “I heard you arguing before you left. Shebeggedyou not to go, but the Navy always came first. Still does, doesn’t it?” Jenkins drops his head. He’s lived with his decision for years. He’s forgiven himself, but it had taken many, many years and Marla’s love and understanding to get him there. His son, however, would never forgive him. A part of Jenkins can understand how Todd feels the way he does, but it doesn’t excuse his actions and behaviors regarding Abigail and Ellie.
“Todd, I know you don’t believe me, but I loved your mother very much,” Jenkins begins. He can see his men edging closer to Todd from behind. He just needs to keep him talking until they can subdue him. “A large part of me died along with her, but I had to keep going for you and Dean.”
“That’s a damn lie,” Todd calls out. “You only cared about the Navy and finding another woman to warm your bed when you were at home. If memory serves, you weren’t there very much. I guess that’s because you couldn’t stand to be around me. Mom always said I took after her side of the family. Guess seeing me, at least, made you feel some remorse for what happened to her.”
“Yes, you’re right about that,” Jenkins admits. “I did have a hard time looking at you or Dean. I could see her in both of you, and it did hurt. I failed her. Let her down when she needed me. I’m truly sorry about it, but I can’t take it back. I can’t bring her back, but Todd, she wouldn’t have wanted this for you.”
“Don’t talk to me about what she would have wanted!” Todd shouts again. “You didn’t know her like I did. I was with her all the time. She tried very hard to not let you see her struggle, but because like her letter said, ‘you would never understand what it was like to be her’ just like you can’t understand me. Now do what you came for or get the fuck out of here.” Todd glares at his father as the older man makes eye contact with Olson who’s just behind Todd. The almost imperceptible nod is all the warning Todd has before Olson and his men descend on him.
Todd tries to turn, but Olson and a couple of other large men have already taken control of him. The rifle is jerked from his hand by one of the hired guns while Olson grabs his other arm, pinning it behind his back. At the same time, another man has grabbed the arm that had the rifle and has it behind Todd’s back in a flash. Once his arms are secured with cuffs, Olson swipes Todd’s feet out from under him causing him to fall to his knees. His feet are quickly cuffed and chained together. Jenkins sighs in relief. That went almost too easy.
As the thought crossed Jenkins’ mind, Todd’s buddy emerges from the tent with guns blazing. He has a semi-automatic rifle in his hands. ‘Pop, pop, pop.’ The man fires three shots before Jenkins raises his pistol and shoots the man between his eyes. The man drops like a fly. Jenkins turns to check on his men, only to see Todd being eased to the ground. Olson has his hands plastered over Todd’s chest. Blood flows out around his hands, soaking Todd’s clothes and onto the ground.
Jenkins runs to his son’s side. Todd looks up at him, coughing up blood as he tries to speak. “Don’t try to talk, son,” Jenkins pleads. “Help is coming. Just hold on.” Todd’s face is getting pale. It’s as if Jenkins can see the life fading from his son.
“I…I’m going to see mom,” Todd sputters, blood rolls out of the corner of his mouth. His face becomes serene as he stares up into the night sky. His body suddenly relaxes, as he exhales, a smile on his face. Jenkins lowers his head, tears blurring his vision. His tortured son has left this world.
CHAPTERFORTY-FIVE
Six months later…
Abigail wakes with a start. Sunlight is streaming through a gap in the drapes at the window. Sitting up she grabs her phone to see the time.Shit!She’s overslept. Ellie’s late for school. She’s never slept through her alarm like that before. Looking at her phone, she notices the alarm isn’t even on. Jumping from the bed, she hurries to the bathroom to take care of business before she has to wake Ellie, her mind racing a mile a minute.
Ellie is usually an early riser. Abigail wonders why the child hasn’t already been in her room looking for her. Robert and Tank have been gone for three weeks on a mission, and Ellie usually sneaks into Abigail’s room and climbs into bed with her when Robert’s away. She’s done it more since the car accident. She’s even climbed in between her and Robert several times after waking from a nightmare about that day. Robert is great with her as he’s always been. Snuggling her in between them, soothing her fears.
After Todd’s death, they’d sat Ellie down and explained her father to her as best you can explain to a five-year-old. Abi knows she’ll have questions as she grows older, and that’s okay. They’ve gotten her into a therapist, and she’s seen a pediatric psychiatrist. With the risk of Ellie inheriting her father’s mental illness a real possibility, Abigail wants to be as proactive as she can be to recognize it as soon as possible. She doesn’t want her daughter to suffer the fate of her father and grandmother.
There’s been other serious changes in their lives as well. Abigail and Robert had gotten married in a small ceremony in the backyard of Hawk’s home, with all their friends gathered around them. Abigail hadn’t wanted a big affair, but Charlotte and the other ladies had insisted they have a big reception at their house afterward. It had been a fairytale day, to say the least.
Ellie had begun calling Robert ‘daddy’ not long after the wedding, which had both surprised and pleased them both. Robert had asked to adopt Ellie as his daughter. He wanted it to be official so he could list her on his benefits. Abigail had been thrilled, but also concerned about Admiral Jenkins and how he might feel about it. After she and Robert talked about it, they’d decided they’d wait a couple of years before bringing it up to the admiral. Afterall he’d just lost his son, and they wanted to be respectful of his grief. However, things changed when, Ellie had come home from school one day asking why her last name was different from her parents. The teachers had been discussing what parents were helping with an event at school, and Ellie had picked up on the fact that Abigail is now a Ford and Ellie is listed as Jenkins.
They’d gone to him and asked his permission. He’d gotten emotional, breaking Abigail’s heart. He said he’d be honored for Robert to be Ellie’s father. So they have a court date next week for the judge’s final ruling and signature. A formality really, but it makes everything legal. Sadness overcomes her as realizes that if Robert doesn’t get back soon, he’ll miss the court date, the moment he officially becomes Ellie’s father even though he’s been her father since the day they met.
Exiting the bathroom, Abigail heads over to the dresser to grab some clothes when she sees a piece of paper laying on top.Now, where did that come from?Picking it up, beginning to read, her face breaks into a huge smile.
Abi,
Tank and I are home, finally. I’ve taken Ellie to school. Tank has taken off to God knows where so we will have the house to ourselves when I get back. Go ahead and get naked for me. I want you in our bed, wet, and ready. I’ve missed you so much. Can’t wait to sink into your hot pussy. Now, go get ready for me. I’ll be back soon.
Love you always,
