Melinda hurried through her shower to get ready to meet her friends at Duke's Deli. This was the new place in town and they wanted to be some of the first people to try it out. Melinda's friend, Della, was a food critic for a smalltime magazine in town. She always liked for them to be with her when she was working. Her father had created the magazine and discovered that Della had a knack for good food. Melinda had just started going out a little since her ordeal.
Melinda had been kidnapped eight months ago. He was a police officer and had been stalking her for weeks before he finally took her. She was leaving her home one morning when a police car pulled up. The officer told her that something had happened to her mother and he needed to take her to the hospital where she was. Melinda trusted police officers and never suspected that this one was a dirty cop. She ended up being kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin in the woods. He tortured her and taunted her until she thought she was going to die. He would always dress in his uniform and make her do perverted things for him. He raped her and gave her drugs that made her hallucinate. He used those drugs to control her and make her do the things he wanted.
Melinda recalled how she got away. She had finally decided it was time to pray, something her mother had always told her was important. She had never placed a lot of importance because of her father. They were divorced and she had moved in with him for a while. He was wild and crazy, letting her do whatever she wanted, so she had gotten out of church and lost her faith. When she moved back with her mother, she still had a hard time with faith. She had another ordeal she was dealing with. She watched her own father blow his head off. That took her years to get over, but she was doing well when she was kidnapped. Now, as she began dressing, she wondered if she was ready to go out.
The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was her best friend, Della. "Hey, girl, are you getting ready?"
"Listen, Della, I don't know if I am ready for this yet," She sounded like a lost child. "I mean, I have not been out since...you know."
"Come on, Melinda," Della encouraged her. "We have talked about this for a couple of weeks now. You have been cooped up in that house for two months now. I know your counselor told you it is time, so come on, girl, we can do this."
"You can do this," She agreed. "But, I don't think I am ready."
"You just gotta' come," She would not give up. "Me and Tim will be there by your side all the way. And Ken is going to be there, too. It is time you saw him. He has been so patient."
"That is another thing," She shifted the phone to her other ear. "I am not so sure if I want to see any guys just yet."
"He completely understands," She continued. "I mean, I know no one can really relate to what happened to you, but we want to try. We want to be there for you. Let us try, girl, please."
"Okay," She finally agreed. Della had a way of convincing her most of the time. She had some really devoted friends who had stuck by her through everything. They never gave up on her. They would come over almost everyday and give her the support she needed. She had thought she would go crazy after her ordeal, but her friends and family kept her going. She gave a lot of the credit to God. Actually, she owed her survival to God and she knew without him she would have never got out alive.
She began thinking of the day she escaped again. Her mind was so vivid that it almost made her tremble. Officer Gomez had left for work, making sure he chained her to the bed like he always did. She was weak from his beatings and drugs, but somehow after kneeling by the bed and praying, she managed to get away. She had found a straight pin that must have fallen on the floor. She did not want her mind to think of what he did with those, so she cleared her throat and focused on her big teddy bear that Ken had sent her in the hospital. After finding the pin, she began working with it, trying to pick the lock. She knew she had to hurry because he would manage to sneak back to the cabin and check on her several times a day. She was shocked when she heard a click and the shackles around her legs fell off. Now, she had to figure out how to get out of the cabin. He had it locked up tight.
This remote cabin had bars on the windows and doors. She had decided that the straight pin had gotten her out of the shackles, so maybe they could get her out of the door, as well. She had prayed, fervently, again. With tears running down her face, she managed to unlock the door with no problem, but the bars were her challenge. Luckily, she was thin enough to reach through and attempt to pick the lock. It was a good thing it was a large pin. She bent it so she could reach around and turn it in the lock. To her total amazement, it worked. She was free. The next problem she faced was figuring out where she was. It turned out to be a familiar place. She could not believe where she actually was. It was an old hunting camp that her oldest brother had taken her once. It was deserted now because someone bought it and closed the camp. Now, she figured out who had bought it. It was Officer Gomez.
She made it to an emergency phone on the side of the highway. She told the dispatcher who she was and they knew right away that she had been missing. She explained that he could come back any minute. They had highway patrol cars there in a matter of minutes. She was smart enough to know that she could not call the local police. She was glad that it was the highway patrol that showed up. When she explained to the dispatcher that it was a local cop that had kidnapped her, the dispatcher did not announce it on the radio. She directed her call specifically to certain officers. She did not want to take a chance on the local cop hearing the call.
She was rescued by a handsome highway patrol policeman. She was very weak and decided it would be better to hide in the bushes until they arrived. When he arrived first, he found her passed out in the shrubs on the side of the highway. He carried her to his car and placed her in the backseat. She barely caught a glimpse of his handsome face and slipped into unconsciousness again. She was placed in a secluded room after they examined her and found that she had been raped and tortured. It took a few surgeries to correct some of the damage that he had done. The police put out a fake call for him and were waiting for him when he arrived. He never suspected that he was about to be arrested. The trial was set for December, which was months away. Melinda did not look forward to that day at all.
She finally shifted her thoughts to getting dressed. She wanted to look nice her first night out of the house. She decided on some black jeans and a sheer red shirt with a sleek red undershirt. She wore her hair down and natural. She took her time on her make-up and made sure everything looked perfect. As she sat in front of her mirror, she bit her lip, choking back tears. She wished she could stop thinking about Officer Gomez, but it was almost impossible. She was so glad he was being held without bond.
She heard the door and knew her mother had arrived home from work. She glanced out into the hallway. She knew the first place her mother always checked was her bedroom. She had become overprotective since her ordeal. She loved her mother very much and they had drawn even closer since her dad died and even more so since her encounter with Officer Gomez.
"Hey, baby," Her mother kissed her on the cheek. "You look beautiful. Are you okay?"
"Sure, mom," She tried to smile. Her mother knew she was not exactly okay.
"Honey, I know this is difficult for you," She placed her arms around her from behind. "But, the doctor thinks it is time for you to get out. You have not left the house in over two months."
"I know, mom," She sighed. "I am just nervous."
"Well, my darling," She squeezed her tighter. "You are going to have a great time. I just know it. You have the greatest friends I have ever seen. They have been here almost everyday helping you get through all of this."
"So have you," She stood up and hugged her again. "You are the greatest mom ever."
She saw her mother's lips trembling. She knew she was going to cry. Her mother turned away for a moment excusing herself. She said something quietly to herself and Melinda knew exactly what she was saying. Once again, she was blaming herself. She had blamed herself for her dad's suicide and the fact that she witnessed it and now she blamed herself for the ordeal with Gomez. She pulled her mom to her and wrapped her arms around her. "Mom, these things that happened....none of them are your fault. How can you even think that they are. It was my fault for getting mad over some silly rules and going to live with dad. I was the one who believed that officer, and you were at work. You had to go to work, mom. None of this is your fault."
"I should have been here," She sniffed. "I went in early to finish some work and I kept thinking I should be here with you. You had asked me to help you with your college math and I told you I would, but I forgot and left early."
"Mom, please stop this," She cried. "Everyone forgets things. It is not your fault!"
"Okay," She sighed, heavily. "I am sorry. I am ruining your night out. You go and have a good time. Are you meeting them there or is Della picking you up?"
"Well, I am driving to Della's house," She began explaining. "Then, from there, we are taking my car. Della's car is in the shop."
"Okay, well remember not to stop along the way by yourself....." She was interrupted.
"Mom, stop!" She shook her head. "I know the drill."
She kissed her mom on the cheek and got her approval on how she looked and turned off her bedroom light, making sure her night light was still on. She had not been able to be in the dark since her ordeal. She said goodbye and hugged her mom once more before going out into the garage to get her car. Her mother stood in the doorway to watch her get in the car. As the garage door opened, she yelled out that she loved her and she replied the same to her. She backed out and hit the remote to close the garage.
Della was waiting for her on the steps of her own house. She knew her mom had called her. She was waving and jumping up and down, being silly. They hugged and went inside her house. Ken and Tim were already there, sitting at the kitchen bar. They were drinking sodas and laughing when she came through the door. Ken stood up and she walked over to hug him. She was glad she did not have any bad feelings being around them. She felt good about it and told them so. The guys were going in Ken's car and she was to take her car with Della in tow. They giggled like two teenagers. Her thoughts were finally off of her ordeal. She was ready to have a good time.
They arrived at the new deli with high expectations. It was no ordinary deli. They had a wide variety of meals to choose from, as well. They ordered their food and waited. Della was making her usual notes on service and quality. She winked across the table at Melinda as she took her first bite. Melinda knew it was heavenly before she even tried it. Della signaled a thumbs up to her. She made sure the owner did not see her. They all knew who she was. She knew they were falling all over themselves making sure the service was perfect. She smiled to herself watching her critic friend enjoying being catered to. She knew Della did not just eat up the food, but she loved being treated special. The good thing about being with her was that she was treated special, too.
Melinda was enjoying herself far more than she ever expected. She thought this night was perfect and that nothing could go wrong. As they finished their meal, they decided to try a dessert, as well. She was ordering hers when the two police officers entered the deli. She did not see them at first. Della had spotted them, but never gave it a second thought. As Melinda turned to hand the dessert menu to her waiter, she caught a glimpse of the officers walking down the aisle and heading past her table. No one even expected what happened next.
Melinda began to shake and cry profusely. She slid under the table and passed out after almost convulsively shaking. Her body was covered in sweat as Della and Ken tried to help her up. She was unconscious. The waiter brought over a cold washcloth and a bowl of ice water. They began wiping her face and Ken picked her up and placed her back in the booth, laying her across it, her head resting against Della. The two officers had come over, showing their concern and asking if they could help. This was not a good idea. When her eyes opened, the first thing she saw was one of the police officers. She began to shake and slide down under the table again. She was making a whimpering sound and sweat began rolling down her face again. The officer got on his radio and called for an ambulance.
Della finally realized why she was freaking out. She mentioned it to the two officers and they walked away. They understood perfectly after she explained who she was. One of the officers had a lot of compassion and wanted to make sure she was okay, but he knew he could not get very close to her. He slipped Della his phone number and asked her to please let him know how she is later.
They rushed Melinda to the hospital where her mother and doctor were waiting for her. They called in her counselor after finding out from Della exactly what happened. After speaking to Melinda, the counselor came and spoke with her mom, Mindy. "Miss Crane?"
"Yes, I am Miss Crane," Mindy walked toward her daughter's counselor. He was a Christian counselor from their church and it had been agreed that he would keep her mother informed. They both sat down on one of the couches in the waiting room. He hesitated for a few minutes as everyone settled and found a seat. "It's okay, Rick, they are a part of this family, too."
"Okay," He took a deep breath. "I do not know if you have ever heard of policophobia. You will not find it in the dictionary, but that is because it is not well-known. It is a fear of police officers. This means that no matter what color the uniform, your daughter will be afraid if it is a policeman, but sometimes women officers are able to approach someone with this phobia it seems. Perhaps it is because it was a male police officer that abused them."
"You are telling me that my daughter may never be able to face a policeman again?" She asked, a concerned look on her face. "Is there anything that you can do?"
"Well, now that we know it exists," He began, "It helps us identify the problem and work on it through counseling. She has never shown signs of this before?"
"No, but then she has not left the house since it happed except when she goes to your office," Her mother felt helpless. "I guess she just has not faced any policemen since that whole ordeal."
"Didn't they question her afterwards?" He asked.
"You know, as a matter of fact," She continued. "It was a detective, he had no uniform."
"That would explain why it has not shown up until now,"He went on. "She did tell me that she had to turn the channel every time a cop show came on. Did you happen to notice that?"
"Yes, I asked her why she did not want to watch her show," She recalled. "She use to love cops, but as soon as she would hear the song or know it was coming on, she turned it."
They talked a little longer and then went in to see her. She was sitting up now and smiling. She told him she wanted out of there. Her mother and the counselor insisted that she stay a couple of days for observation, but she kept on until she convinced them that she would be better off at home. Her mother made sure that there were no cops around when she took her home. Ken stayed in the hallway and looked ahead of them as they brought her out. He kept moving ahead and checking until they made it to the car. She was very quiet as her mother drove her home. Her friends were to see her the next day. Her mother instructed them to go home.
Melinda had several nightmares that night about her ordeal. Her mother ended up crawling in bed with her and sleeping with her the rest of the night. She slept more soundly with her by her side. She woke up a couple of more times, finally sitting up and reading a book. She looked down at her mother, lovingly. She wondered if she would ever be able to go back to college and work. She knew it was going to be a while before she tried.
Morning came and Melinda jumped up and got in the shower and dressed nicely. She hoped this would keep her mother from making her go to extra sessions with the counselor. She knew after the incident last night, her mother was probably going to suggest more sessions. She knew she had a choice for now, but if the counselor ordered her to go, she probably would have to in able to avoid being committed into an institution for observation. She wondered if he would do something like that. This was why her mother had gotten somebody from church. She wanted to avoid something like that.
Sometimes Melinda thought she needed to put away, was how she would put it. She was so tired of the nightmares and the fears. She could not stand the dark and she hated being alone. Now, she had this phobia of policemen. How could you survive in the world being afraid of cops? Cops were everywhere. About the time she was thinking this, the doorbell rang. She slowly approached the door, peeping through the peephole. It was a very handsome man, but she did know him. She asked who it was. He said his name, but did not explain why he was there. Her mother finally walked past her and opened the door.
"Oh, hello," She said, politely. "What brings you here today? Did want to talk to my daughter?"
"No-mam," He answered. "I just was concerned and wanted to know how she is."
Melinda appeared from behind the wall. She had no idea who he was, but she guessed that her mother knew him. "Hello, do I know you?"
"Yes," He hesitated. "From the hospital." He stared past her at her mother. Mindy nodded. She knew why he was not telling her that he was a cop.
His face looked familiar to her, but she assumed he had been one of the attendants at the hospital. She invited him to come in and have a seat. They started talking and it was as though they had known each other forever. They had so much in common, it seemed. He did have to avoid the subject of the hospital. He did not want to lie to her. He managed to avoid that subject, but left her curious as to why he did. He ended up asking her if he could take her to lunch, but she declined. He walked into the kitchen where her mother was and did not return for a long time. She fell asleep on the couch waiting for him. He woke her up, gently, telling her that lunch was served.
"What?" She was half asleep when he said this. "Did you say lunch?"
"Yes, I have prepared a very nutritious meal for us," He held his hand out for her to take. "Come, dear lady and join us."
He was being humorous. She smiled and took his hand. He helped her up and led her into the dining room. The table was set very creatively. She wondered whether he had put this together or her mother. Her mother soon entered the room, all smiles. "Peter did all of this," Her mother answered her question. "He is quite a chef. And he can set one elegant table, don't you think?"
"No doubt," She agreed. She turned to her mother and whispered. "Mother, how did I meet Peter?"
"Uh, you don't remember?" She seemed nervous. "You know, he told you he saw you at the hospital."
"Why do both of you keep mincing words?" She asked, glancing at the doorway of the kitchen to see if Peter was coming yet. "Mother, I am no dummy. Both of you seem to be avoiding how we actually met. Is there something I missed?"
"Ah, here is the chef," Her mother conveniently changed the subject as Peter walked in. Melinda gave her a dirty look. She could not figure out why her mother was acting like she had known this man for years.
'Had her mother forgotten Ken?' She asked herself. "Everything looks nice." She sat down as he pulled the chair out for her. He then pulled the chair out for her mother. He sat there as if he was waiting for something. Her mother looked over at him and smiled.
"Would you like to say grace?" She asked. He nodded and proceeded to say a blessing over the food. They all said "amen". "This really looks great, doesn't it, Melinda?"
"Sure does," She smiled. They ate and talked for a while. Melinda still felt like they were keeping something from her. She wanted to bring it up, but she could tell her mother did not want to talk about it. She really was starting to like Peter, but she wondered about Ken. She knew her mother had always loved him, but she had been avoiding talking about him since he was up at the hospital.
After Peter left, she told her mother she needed to talk to her. Her mother sat down on the couch with her and waited. Melinda asked her why she was pushing her toward Peter and why she had not mentioned Ken in a while. She hesitated to tell her.
"Honey, the night you freaked out.....well, Ken said some things."
"What kind of things?" She felt a sinking feeling inside. Ken and her had been seeing each other for years. They were friends for a long time and then decided they needed to go to a new level about two years ago. She waited for her mother to explain.
"Well, he blew up in the waiting room and said he could not deal with your stuff anymore," She said, placing her arm around her. "He said he could not wait for you to come together. Della thinks he met someone else and wants to end it with you so he can move on. She says there has been some girl he has been hanging around. It started after you were kidnapped and did not come home right away. You were gone for almost six months. He gave up hope after the first month. I never gave up, baby."
"I know, mom," She felt uncomfortable. "I knew he was not acting like himself. He did it because he felt obligated. He really did not want to be out with me at all. Dang him! Why couldn't he be man enough to tell me himself?"
"Well, the truth is, he did not have time to," She reminded her. "You all ate and talked and then you freaked out."
This was where she got her own boldness. Her mother rarely kept things from her. She felt like she was now. She wanted to ask her about Peter and why he came over today like he was family. She had no idea how many hours her mother had spent talking to him in the waiting room that night. He had really seemed concerned and it bothered him when Ken lit out on her. He wanted to help and asked if he could come by and check on her. He ended up calling her mom and suggesting that she let him fix lunch. Her mom explained all of this to her.
"Why did he care so much?" She asked. "I barely know him."
"He is just a sweet guy, I guess," Her mother stood up and stretched. "I am headed downtown for a few hours."
"Mom!" She cried. "You are going to leave me by myself?"
"Well, not exactly," She stated. "Peter is coming back. He had an errand to run and then he promised me he would sit with you."
"We don't know this guy," She stated. "I am not staying here alone with him."
"I checked up on him," Her mother stated. "Trust me, honey, I would not leave you with anybody I could not trust."
Weeks passed and Melinda decided it was time to go out. Her counselor informed her that she had to try. She had been seeing him three times a week now. She had to try some time. Peter was going to take her out to dinner. She found herself in front of the mirror feeling that same way she felt when she planned to meet Della. In fact, Della and Tim were meeting them at the local Chinese place in town.
Peter called and said he was going to be late. He asked her if it would be okay if Della and Tim picked her up and he met them there. She understood and agreed to his plan. She was kind of glad she would get to talk to them alone. She wanted to find out how Ken was doing. Della informed her that Ken had moved away with his new flame. She was in some kind of government office campaign and he wanted to follow her. Melinda felt bad that she would not see him anymore, but she was happy for him.
There were sirens as they pulled up to the Chinese place. This made her skin crawl and she would not get out of the car. Della begged her, but she felt like her legs were made of cement. She could not bring herself to open the back door. Tim got in the back with her and tried to talk to her, but she was too scared to exit the car.
Peter finally arrived and Della told him what was going on. He looked a little out of sorts and told Della that he just left a bad scene. In fact, he was almost shot. She patted him on the back and told him to talk to Melinda. "Hey, baby, you okay?" He took her hand.
She could not speak at first. She turned toward him, realizing that it was Peter and leaned against him as if she was exhausted. He stroked her hair and turned her face toward his. He was kind and gentle as always. He seemed to understand how she was feeling. He told their friends to go on inside and order. They would join them in a little while. He held Melinda and talked to her until she finally felt better. He had a special knack for that. He finally talked her into going in. They had a booth way in the back where Melinda could not encounter any policemen.
Melinda asked Peter why he never talked about his work at the hospital. Della stared at him hard, shaking her head when Melinda was not looking. As she looked past him, she spotted a police officer going into the men's room. She pulled Melinda's face toward her and told her to look right at her. Melinda started to turn around but she grabbed her again. "Just look at me, girl."
Unfortunately, the officer knew Peter and started over to his table when he came out of the men's room. Peter met him half-way and led him away from their table. He explained to him what was going on. He understood right away, but wondered how she was handling dating a policeman. Peter had to tell him that she did not know. "Man, you are treading on thin ice," His friend warned. "You better tell her soon or it is as good as a lie."
Peter knew his friend was right. He also had a lot of friends and they were all wondering why he had not hung out with them with his new lady. Peter could not tell everyone his story. He had a secret reason for caring so much. He just never knew that he would end up falling in love with her. He took a deep breath and went back to the table.
"What happened?" Melinda asked when he returned. "You walked off so quickly and Della latched onto me like a wildcat."
"I am sorry," He decided to tell her some of it even though Della was making faces. "Listen, baby, it was a policeman. I did not want you to see him. I kept him from coming closer so you would not freak out."
"Oh, I see," She was a little nervous, but felt better knowing that Peter was there protecting her. She finally relaxed and enjoyed her date. Everything went well the rest of the evening. They went to a movie and down by the beach afterwards. Peter was a big romantic and she loved that about him. They sat on a blanket looking at the stars. He was a very good kisser, too. He held her in his arms until she fell asleep. He called her mother to let her know that they were okay. She even talked to Della and Tim who was sitting on another blanket just a few feet away.
Melinda woke up in Peter's arms. They were both lying on the blanket. She jumped up to her feet after looking at her watch. Peter calmed her down and told her that he and Della had already spoken to her mother and she knew she was okay. Melinda was relieved. They finally decided it was time to head out. As they walked up the steps to the parking lot, a police car pulled up. Melinda hit the pavement. She curled into a fetal position and cried. Peter walked over, quickly to the two officers and explained what was going on. They understood and pulled away as fast as they could. He went back to where Tim and Della were trying to comfort Melinda. He pulled her in his arms and held her close.
After about twenty minutes, she came out of it. She realized it was Peter who was holding her and she felt so much safer. She told him how sorry she was. She did not blame him if he took off and never came back. Peter informed her that he was not going anywhere. They walked to the car and drove off. Every time one of them spotted a cop car, they would distract her until the cop was gone. Luckily, there were only a few on the way home. Melinda was so embarrassed that her friends had to take care of her like this. She wanted to hide in a hole somewhere.
Her friends all agreed that it was not a problem protecting her. They told her that was what friends are for. Della reassured her that it was no trouble and she would always be there for her. She was amazed how her friends had come through for her. There were others who had been calling her, as well. They made it clear that nothing was going to make them stop being friends with her. Her whole church supported her even though she had not been there in a long time. The pastor had been by at least once a week since the ordeal. He would call her several times a month, too. Some of the Young Adult Class came by to see her almost every week. She was really touched by so many caring people.
The next few days went well. She was counting the days until the trial and every time she marked off another day, she got a little more nervous. She had taken up writing and painting to pass the time, but she still did her studies on the Internet. She was doing okay, but her grades had fallen since she was kidnapped. She use to be a straight A student, but now she was lucky to push a high C. Her mother told her that she needed to study more, but she had really gotten into painting. She was real good at it, too. Some of her paintings reflected her mood and this worried her mother.
She was doing so well that Della asked an art critic friend to come by and check out her paintings. They were due at five and it was already four-thirty. She was placing her paintings around the den to show them. The den seemed like the best place to show them. It had more of a museum look is what her mother said. She was right. Her mother had collected things from all over the world. It was quite the art gallery in itself.
The lady arrived right on time. She mostly loved her morbid paintings, which surprised her. Her mother hated them, but she felt like it was a way of expressing how she was feeling when she went through her nightmare.
"These are extraordinary," Mrs. Grimes stated. "I am very impressed. They say a person's art usually reflects their mood. I hope you are not this dismal, my darling. It would be tragic."
"Well, I went through something really awful,"Her voice changed a little, almost like a little girl's voice. She realized it and tried to correct it. She cleared her throat. "I am just reflecting back to that time. After all, it was only a few months ago."
"Oh, you poor dear," She placed her hand on her shoulder. "How would you like to present your work at our gallery on the fourteenth of this month. You would be perfect for the showing and I would love for you to speak to everyone about what your paintings mean to you."
"I would love to show my paintings...." She stopped. She began to shake. "I I don't know. I mean, if I could speak to everyone. Would I have to?"
"Well, if there is someone close to you that could do it for you," She thought for a minute. "Yes, that would be perfect. Your mother could do it if it is too hard for you."
Melinda was so excited. Her mother was busy doing work on the computer, so she did not hear until she told her later. They both were very excited and Della was so proud of her. She could not wait to tell Peter. She wondered if maybe she should surprise him that night and just take him there. That was what she decided to do. It was about the time she had this thought that her phone rang. It was Peter.
"Bad news, baby," He spoke, slowly, his voice cracking a little. "I have to go out of town for a week. My....um...grandmother passed away." Melinda could tell he was emotional about it. She wanted to comfort him like he had done her so many times. She told him to come over before he left, but he insisted that he had to hurry and pick his mother up. He apologized to her over and over. She said she understood, but she did not even get a chance to tell him her good news. 'Oh dang, if he is gone a week, my showing will the day he returns.' She thought to herself. She turned and told everyone about his grandmother. They all felt bad for him and wished they could be there for him, too. But, his mother seemed to be the only one that lived close and she was still about fifty miles away. He had to go by and pick her up on his way. His grandfather lived about seventy-five miles away, so he planned to go by and pick his mother up and then head straight there. His grandfather had been a very sick man lately and they needed to be there for him as soon as possible. They did not want to lose him, too.
Melinda began wondering why he never spoke of his family very much. She had never even met his parents. She shook the thought off and started planning her big day. Della wanted to help her, so she stayed all night. They did more girl talk than anything else. It was kind of like when they were in high school. Mindy even got in on it. They were laughing and giggling all night.
Peter made all the arrangements for his grandmother. His grandfather was in no shape to do it himself. Peter was the only one able to handle it since his mother was not dealing well with all that had happened with his father. With him out of the picture, his mother was like a helpless puppy. She depended on him for a lot, but he was trying to help her fend for herself more. This was one thing he knew she could not do.
After the funeral, there were a lot of other arrangements that he had to handle. The lawyers were making sure things were done in a timely manner. He had received a call from his Chief only moments ago and he needed him back by the fourteenth. He needed him to work the gallery as security. They only hired real police officers for that. There were too many priceless paintings and other items that needed protecting. He agreed to do the job and he knew that meant he was committed. The Chief did not like it when you canceled on him.
As he finished up the last of the details, he promised his mom he would come back and help her move her stuff in. She was moving in with her father to help take care of him. He had asked her to and she wanted to be there for him, anyway. Nothing was holding her back anymore.
Melinda was getting excited about her big day. She had not been able to talk to Peter very much. He had been so busy running around taking care of business for his grandfather. She understood, but she wished he could be there with her at her big art exhibit. This was a dream come true. Her nerves were about shot anticipating the next day. 'Tomorrow is the big day, well, the big night,' she thought to herself. 'What should I wear?'
"Hey, sweetie," Her mom put her arms around her. "Ready for the big night?"
"I do not know, mom," She sighed. "I am so nervous."
"Of course you are," She hugged her. "That is natural. You will do fine. Have you been taking those new meds the doctor gave you?"
"Yes, but I hate taking pills," She reminded her. "You know I do. I like to do the more natural approach to sickness and illness. Why can't I just start taking some kind of herb or vitamin to help me?"
"Oh, honey, you need to take them for now," She suggested. "You know herbs take longer to get you going in the right direction. You can do those after your big day. This way you will be prepared for just about anything. Counselor Rob says you are doing great this week. He thinks you may beat this thing. We will all be there by your side. Even your church friends will be coming by."
"Oh, don't remind me," She smiled. "I am already nervous enough." Melinda tried to call Peter, but he did not answer. She knew he was struggling. When she did get to talk to him for a few minutes, he sounded so tired. She wondered if she would get to see him soon. He told her he would only be gone for a week. Now, here the week should be ending. She shook it off and called Della. It was funny because she heard a phone ringing in the hall. It was Della, her true blue friend. She was already there to support her.
"Hey girl," She hugged her. "I know you are a nervous wreck, but we are going to be holding your hand the whole way. I promise."
"Della, what if...."
"No, no, no," She smiled, widely. "There are no "what ifs". You are going to be fine. Like Rob said, you are one strong lady and you can do this. It is going to be fine."
"I think I need more time," She started thinking too much. "I know I am not ready in case something happens, especially with Peter not here."
"Oh, he will probably show up," She reassured. "You know Peter. He would not let you down."
"Della, he does not know," She reminded her.
"Oh, well, that is okay," She continued. "He will know and he will be here."
"Do you know something I don't know?"
"No, I wish I did, but I don't," She gritted her teeth. "But, hey, I have a lot of faith."
Melinda thought for a moment. That was what she needed. She needed to have more faith. She had prayed hard enough, but she knew she had doubts about herself more than anything or anyone. She wanted to have more confidence. She felt a little lost without Peter. She knew she had grown to depend on him. Now, she felt all alone even with her best friend by her side. She tried to call Peter again. Finally, he answered.
'Hey baby, sorry I could not get to the phone earlier," He sounded so tired. "Are you okay?"
"No, I need you here," She sounded like she might cry. "When are you coming back?"
"Tomorrow....but.."
"Oh really...great!" She felt better now. "I miss you so ...."
He interrupted her. "Baby, bad news though, I have to work my first night back," He explained. "Boss wants me there, so I have to be there."
"What?" Her heart dropped. She felt so alone now. "Please explain to him that I need you."
"It does not work that way, baby," He felt so bad now. "I am sorry. But, as soon as I get off work at twelve, I will head over if you want me to."
"Of course I do," She sighed, heavily. "But, I need to tell.....Peter? Are you there?"
"I am losing you, baby," He was practically yelling in the phone. "Baby? Can you hear me?"
He closed his cell phone. There was a big dip in the road and he always had problems in this area. He tried calling her back, but it would not even ring once. He arrived at his destination, so he had to leave the phone charging in his car. He decided to try one more time to call her. This time, he had no signal at all. He walked into the big office building. The lawyers were waiting for him.
The next morning came too soon for Melinda. She had not slept a wink. She was so tired that she just knew she would fall asleep right in the middle of her presentation. She went in the kitchen where her mom was preparing breakfast. She did not feel like eating, so she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. She offered to help her mom, but Della was already doing it, so they told her to rest. They both knew she had not slept. Her mother talked her into eating a little bit. She felt a little better after talking to them and then she took a little nap on the couch. She seemed to sleep better in the daytime.
After her nap, the truck arrived that would take her paintings to the gallery. Mrs. Grimes had made all the arrangements. She grew more excited after talking to Mrs. Grimes. She was really a nice lady and encouraged her a lot. She went over how the night would probably go. "You are to come in from the back office. I will introduce you to everybody and you can just say a few words. Like I told you, I plan on having your mom speak later on into the evening."
Everything was all set. They arrived at the back entrance early so that she could practice what she was going to say. She wanted to do a touch-up on her make-up. Her mother decided to wait until she arrived there to get dressed. They all went into the back office. It did not look like an office to them, but that was what she called it. It was equipped with a nice bathroom and even a shower. Mindy teased that she could have taken her shower there and felt even fresher.
"I should go and peek out there and see how many people showed up," Mindy started for the door.
"No, mom, do not leave me here alone!" She was starting to feel panicky. "Please, just stay here."
"Okay, honey," She moved her hair from her face. "Calm down."
She kept hoping Peter would call or come by. She thought maybe he would talk to someone or listen to his messages at home. She had finally left him a message on his answering machine at home. She gave up trying to call him on his cell phone.
The crowd was growing in the gallery. There were several famous artist and critics waiting to meet Melinda and admiring her work. It was strange how they seemed to like art that was tragic or morbid, but Mrs. Grimes already was getting offers on the paintings. She was excited and could not wait to introduce Melinda to everyone.
Peter showed up along with three other fellow officers to guard the art exhibit. They put Peter right in the center of the room. He was kind of glad. It was getting cold outside and hanging by the door with it opening and shutting would definitely be a cold place to work. He was okay on the job because he could move around, but just standing there did not get the circulation going. He wanted to get a glimpse of the paintings anyway. He loved art. In fact, he knew some of the people attending the exhibit.
"Well, hello, Peter, I see you are working the exhibit," Mr. Parker shook his hand. "I swear, boy, you look just like your mother."
"Thank-you," He was grateful for that. He did not want to be associated with his father at all. It was bad enough that most people knew that his dad was in prison awaiting trial. It was even worse that he had been a police officer. He hoped that no one associated him with his dad and what he did.
"Oh, no," Della ran right into Peter.
"Della?" He was shocked. "Art critic now, too?"
"Hell, no, but do you know who this exhibit is for?" She stared hard at him.
"No," He shook his head. "Come on, you don't mean that....I mean, she would have told me."
"She tried, but your phone kept losing signal," Della could not believe that this was happening. "I know she did not know cops were going to be here. And you? You? What are you going to tell her if she does see you? Peter, she does not even know you are a cop."
"We cannot let her come out here," He stated.
"Too late," Della spotted Mindy and Melinda coming down the back hallway. She knew it was too late to stop her with the crowd of people. She had never seen this gallery so full. She wondered if it was the publicity from Melinda's ordeal that brought them in. "I have got to try and catch her. You need to make yourself scarce."
"I cannot leave my post," He said, sternly. "We were given strict instructions. I am not even suppose to be socializing. I could get in a lot of trouble. You got to stop her."
"Peter...."She started to say something, but moved through the crowd toward her friend. She finally made it to Melinda, who was smiling and trying not to act nervous. Mindy had her arm around her daughter. Della whispered something into Mindy's ear.
"No secrets, Della," Melinda ordered. "What a crowd...I am so nervous."
Della was relieved that she had not noticed the police officers, especially Peter. The crowd was blocking her view for now, but once she stepped up on the platform, she would be able to see all of them, especially Peter.
"Oh, girl, me and momma has to have some secrets," She blew her breath out. "Listen, girl, we need to talk. Come back down the hall for a minute."
"Come on, come on, it is time," It was Mrs. Grimes. She was ready to introduce Melinda.
"Um, Mrs. Grimes, can I talk to you a minute?" Mindy took her to the side. "We have a serious problem." She explained to her about Melinda's phobia and about Peter. Mrs. Grimes stood there staring out into the crowd, yet taking in every word she was saying. She was steadily thinking of what she could do to pull this off.
"Okay, Mindy, this is where you come in," She started. "We already have a portrait of Melinda up there behind the platform. So, you just make your speech and we will leave out the introduction. I will have to make some excuse, so tell Della to take Melinda back into the office."
"She will be so disappointed," She frowned. "She was getting so excited about being introduced."
"I know," She sighed. "Listen, there will be other exhibits, I am sure."
Mrs. Grimes was a very kind and understanding lady. She was surprised at how she figured out what to do so quickly. Mindy passed the message onto Della, who ushered Melinda back to the back. She had no idea what was going on and she did not want to make her panic. She turned back to say something to her mother and spotted just Peter's head in the crowd. She had not seen the uniform yet. He spotted her at the same time she spotted him. She pulled away from Della and started in the other direction. Mindy turned about the same time and spotted her headed for Peter. "Oh, no!"
As Melinda approached him, her eyes widened as his badge came into full view. She started to tremble, but she focused on his face. He had an apologetic look on his face and he was shaking his head, begging her forgiveness before she ever came close to him. He could tell she was shaking and he knew it would be better if he backed away, so he slowly backed away from her. Mindy practically leaped to her side along with Della. When they got to her, she was mumbling and crying. "Why, Peter, why?" She continued to back away and they helped her to the office. By then, her legs were like Jelly and they were practically carrying her. Della told Mindy she could take care of her and would call someone if she needed to, but that she needed to get out there and do her speech. Mindy did not want to leave her daughter's side, but she knew this was important for her.
Della sat on the floor with Melinda. She had not made it to the sofa. She had slid to the floor and was just sitting there crying. She was not as bad as the last time. She kept saying, "Why, why?"
"Melinda, listen to me," Della tried to explain. "He did not want to..."
"No," She put her shivering hand up. "You knew? How could you all lie to me like this?"
"Look at you," Della reminded her. "You are doing better."
"Better?" She almost screamed. "You are suppose to be my best friend and you were in on this....and mom...was mom in on this, too. Of course she was. She had to be."
"Melinda," She tried to put her arm around her, but she pulled away. "I love you and..."
"No, no, just hush," She pushed her away again. "A cop! I got to get out of here!"
Melinda jumped up and ran out the door before Della could stop her. She tried jumping up, but her heels slipped on the tile floor. She finally managed to get up, but Melinda was gone. She heard the car engine and saw her car pulling out of the parking space. She ran back to where Mindy was still talking and walked up to Peter. She whispered to him that Melinda had left by herself. Peter decided that Melinda was more important to him than even his job. He walked out the front door and down the road to where his car was parked. He pulled out, squealing his tires and almost hitting the car in front of him. He wanted to catch up with her, but traffic was bad. He knew which way she was going, so he made his way down the side road to try and catch up.
A call came on his cell phone. He wasn't going to answer it, but it was his mother, so he decided he better see if she was okay. "Peter, I just got a weird call from your father."
"What?" He almost ran a red light. He finally decided to use his lights and siren to get through the traffic faster. "Mother, what are you talking about? Father cannot use the phone."
"Well, he did," She stated, firmly. "And it said a number I do not recognize, but I know it is not jail."
"Oh, no, how can this happen now?" He said, angrily. "Mother, what did he say?"
"He said he was coming home," She explained. "I tried to tell him he did not have a home with me anymore, but it was like he was in another world. He said the problems would be solved and he was coming home."
"Oh, shoot!" He hit his gas. "Gotta go, mother!" He could only think of one way his dad might think he would be free of his crime. That would be if Melinda was dead. He rushed down Main Street hoping the side street was clearer. He turned left and then right, almost scraping against the bridge. He was so nervous now. He picked his cell phone up and tried to call Melinda, but she would not answer to him. He called Della and she did not answer. He tried Mindy's cell phone and finally someone answered. It was Della. She had Mindy's phone in the office with her. He told her everything. She gasped and started to cry.
"You have to get to her!" She cried. "I am going out there and interrupt her speech."
"Good idea," His voice was trembling. "I don't care how you do it, borrow a car or find a car, but head that way. And I ....." he stopped abruptly, looking down at his car radio. It was ripped out. He felt the cold metal against his neck.
"Drop the phone, son," It was his father. "Now!"
Della heard him over the phone and she felt like her throat dropped into her stomach. "Peter, oh, no, I will call the police."
The phone dropped to the floor, but he did not hang it up. Della could still hear them talking. She took her own phone and turned it back on. She called 911 and told them what was going on. At least now the police were aware. She ran out into the gallery and Mindy was just saying thank-you and about to step down. She grabbed her and told her what was going on. They told Mrs. Grimes and she gave them her car keys. "Go on, take it, get out of here. And God bless....."
Melinda finally arrived home. The traffic had been terrible and she took a longer way, but less traffic. She realized that she was alone. She had her key ready right away. She turned it in the lock and opened the door, locking it immediately behind her. She was glad her mom always left a light on. She turned on more lights and sat down on the sofa. She stared at the front door for a few minutes. Maybe her mom would hurry home. She did not like being alone at all.
"Pull into the driveway with your lights off, boy!" His father ordered him to pull into Melinda's driveway. "You think I don't still have connections? I found out what you up to, you traitor!"
"You are crazy, father!" He started to turn back and his father smacked him in the face with the gun. He felt the blood trickling down his face. He was dizzy for a moment, but regained his senses right away. "Go ahead, father, kill your only son! You can't stoop much lower than you already have!"
"Shut-up," He cursed him, words that Peter hated. "You are going to die right along side your little lover girl."
"I won't let you hurt her!" He yelled. "He decided he did not care about his life, but he loved Melinda and he was not putting her through this. He laid on the horn with his right hand, startling his father, giving him enough time to open the door and roll out. He rolled under the car and then watched to see if his father stepped out. He did not. He scooted behind the garage, hoping he was not seen. He looked toward the car just as his father was sliding out and onto the ground.
He made his way to the side door, hoping Melinda had heard the horn. He reached in his pocket and rang the house phone. "Melinda, hide...."
He said this quickly, hoping she would respond. There was no response at first. "Peter....what are you doing?'
"Melinda, I don't have time to explain," He hurried. " That man that hurt you is outside. He will try to come in. I am at the back door. Let me in!"
"I cannot do that," Her voice was trembling. "How do you know he is here?"
"Melinda, don't you trust me?" He pleaded. "You have to let me in," He ordered. "I want to protect you. Please....please.."
She whispered that she was in the basement. She could hear someone in the house. He told her that it was that man, the one who hurt her. He had gotten away. He instructed her to hide somewhere. She was frozen and could not answer. She had spotted his father, in uniform, standing on the stairs. She was hid behind the hot water heater, but if he turned the light on, he would see her. The light from the kitchen was shining on the steps just enough for her to see him. He knew this. He knew that his uniform would do the trick.. She began stammering so that Peter could not understand her. He started picking the lock on the back door as he tried to get her to answer. He took off his shirt and held it against the glass and smashed it as quietly as he could. He reached in the door and opened the lock.
He did not hear her anymore. His heart sank and he felt as if he would stop breathing. He stayed low and snuck into the house. He slowly made his way toward the kitchen. As he got closer, he heard a sound like someone scuffling a little. He knew it was his father probably carrying Melinda up the stairs. 'Oh, God please don't let him hurt her.' He prayed to himself. He slid down the wall and on the floor close to the doorway of the kitchen. He then thought about the other door. 'What if he took her out the other door?'
"You are worthless," He cursed, calling her a dirty name. Peter heard his father say this to Melinda. He was right around the corner from him. He closed his eyes briefly, holding his breath for a moment. He moved as close to the corner of the door as he could without being seen or heard. He saw his father through the crack of the door and kept moving, slowly. He saw that he had the gun to her head and knew it was not going to be easy. He thought hard about his next move and he knew he had no choice. If he made it out the other door, he would be gone with Melinda. He could not let that happen.
He hoped he was determining to the exact moment he was by the doorway. He waited a few more seconds and shoved the door as hard as he could. He heard his father go flying and knew that both of them hit the floor, but he quickly rounded the corner and landed on top of his father. Melinda was lying close to him. He knew he had no time. He looked down and Melinda had the gun. She was aiming toward his father and then back to him. She was freaking out. He wished now that he had kept his shirt off.
Melinda kept staring at the badges in front of her. She aimed the gun at one and then the other. Peter's father started to stand up, but she screamed at him. "Don't you dare move!"
"My dear, now....don't..."
"Shut your mouth!" She aimed the gun and then pointed it at Peter when he moved. "You, too. Both of you! So, you are together in this?"
"No, Melinda," Peter begged her to listen. "Please listen to me. I love you..."
"Shut it," She yelled, aiming the gun back at his father. She kept looking from one to the other over and over. Peter saw that his father was slowly rising. He warned her, but she just kept aiming the gun.
"Baby...please," He stood still, but he knew he would risk getting shot to stop his father from jumping Melinda. "Watch him! He is getting up."
"Did he tell you that he is my son?" His father grinned, widely. "Well, did he?"
"Oh my God, your son?" She shook her head. "Is that true, Peter?"
"Yes, but it is not like that," He started moving a little toward his father. "You have to give me the gun, Melinda." He knew he better not reach for his own gun too quickly. He wanted to live, but he knew he would die to save her.
All of a sudden, his father made a move. He made a move at the same time. He grabbed his father and slung him to the floor. He was expecting to be shot, but nothing happened. His father kicked him hard and he almost went down. He tried to hit his father again, but before he could reach for his own gun, his father already had a knife. A shot rang out, entering the chest with such force that it knocked him back. He laid there, barely breathing, gasping and choking.
Peter kicked the other gun away from his father's side. He looked back at Melinda. She was sobbing and had dropped the gun after shooting his father. She slid to the floor and cried. He slowly walked over and kicked the gun away. He put his own gun back in the holster. "Baby?"
"I knew..." She trembled. "I knew you couldn't hurt me." She fell into his arms, feeling his cold badge against her face. She stared at it for a moment. He noticed her looking at it and used one arm to pull his shirt off and tossed it across the room. "Is that better?"
"It doesn't matter," She said. "All that matters is that it is you."
He smiled down at her and held her tighter. He could hear sirens roaring and cars skidding into place outside. He hollered out to the officer that was the first to appear. He saw Della and Mindy making their way toward them. His father took his last breath and died. He felt sorry that his father was so evil. He felt even more sorry because he knew where he was going.
There was no need for a trial now. The crazy man that had almost ruined her life was dead. Peter explained to her why he decided to get involved at first. He knew his father. He knew how smart he was. He worried that he would return somehow and hurt her again. That was one reason he decided to get involved. Then, he fell in love with her. He knew they were meant to be, even under the terrible circumstances, he just knew.
Even after everything that happened, the exhibit went well. Her paintings brought in over one million dollars. That is not bad for a first exhibit. After that, Melinda wrote a book that sold over two million copies in the first two months. She was rich. She did not care so much about being rich to buy things, but she started a shelter for battered women and a new campaign against sexual crimes. Peter remained on the police force and became Chief of Police within five years. Mindy ended up marrying a cop, too. It was a friend of Peter's. Della and Tim got married the following year and they all spent a lot of time together. Peter and Melinda grew even closer and married within six months. In fact, Melinda is pregnant with their first child after only three months of marriage. They are very excited about being parents and Mindy is actually looking forward to being a grandma.
Melinda still had nightmares, but she awoke to her knight in shining armor and that made everything right. It took her years to ever get to a point where she could socialize with Peter's fellow police officers. Peter still dresses at work and parks his police car down the road, but they manage and Peter knows that one day Melinda will trust his uniform. She knew she trusted him and that was all that mattered to the both of them.