Chapter Thirty
Six weeks later
Chelsea waited until the garage door closed all the way before she got out of the car. Since her ordeal, she hated being exposed to any open spaces where someone could sneak in and attack her, especially at night. Her therapist had told her that the nightmares and paranoid feelings would dissipate in time, and she already felt better since she’d started intensive therapy three times a week.
Her schedule was full with therapy, GED classes, and her job at Street’s Hope, helping other women and children who were the victims of sex trafficking. At first she didn’t think she could do it, but she found that the women there helped her as much as she helped them.
Chelsea still felt out of sorts at home even though her mother and Peter tried to treat her as if nothing had happened. When she’d told her mother about Aunt Sandy and Uncle Dave, she refused to believe that her beloved sister had done such a horrendous thing to Chelsea, so she put all the blame on Dave. Her mom blamed him for getting Sandy into drugs, putting them into horrible debt, and forcing her sister to go along with him in selling Chelsea. It was incredible that her mom couldn’t see the truth, but Chelsea supposed her mother needed to believe that Sandy was also a victim and that Dave was the master manipulator in order to keep her life in balance.
However, Chelsea knew the truth, and when the police had come over to question her, she hadn’t been surprised that Sandy and Dave had sold at least four other women over the years. The police had found a lot of incriminating evidence when they’d conducted a search of their home.
It seemed that Aunt Sandy and Uncle Dave had disappeared. The police thought they may have changed their identities and slipped into Canada or Mexico. Her mom thought they went to Australia since Sandy had always wanted to go there, but Chelsea suspected that Paco and his buddies had made sure they’d never destroy another person’s life again. She really didn’t want to think too much about it; she was just happy that she’d never have to see them again.
Being away from Paco got harder as time went on. Sometimes, she thought her heart would literally break from sadness or her eyes would run out of tears. She missed him terribly and loved him more than ever. Each time they spoke on the phone, he’d tell her that he loved her, but he never asked her to come back to Alina. Whenever their call would end, loneliness filled her, and the ache of him not wanting her was unbearable at times.
She walked into the kitchen, grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and an iced tea from the fridge, and then headed up to her room to start her online class. She hoped to take the GED test at the end of the next month. After changing into sweats and a fleece top, she settled down on the desk chair and switched on the computer. Thirty minutes into her class, her phone rang and an adrenaline rush flooded her body when she saw Paco’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Paco,” she said, propping her elbows on the desk.
“Hey, babe. Whatcha doing?”
“Studying.”
“How was work?”
“Good. I’ve been working on getting sponsors to donate money so the women can go to tattoo parlors and have their branding removed. I remember how liberating it felt when you made that happen for me.” She took a large gulp of iced tea. “I miss you so much. Sometimes, I think I’ll go crazy if I spend another day, another minute, or another second without you.”
A long pause. “I feel the same way. You’ve gotten into my blood, and my heart and soul, woman.”
She wanted to scream out, “Then why are we apart?” but she knew that he’d been right about giving her some space to get her life back on track. In her mind, the GED represented a huge milestone because once she had it, she could apply to colleges and jobs. Passing the test and therapy are the necessary steps I have to take in order to make my life more normal.
“Did your sister move to Alina?”
“Yeah. A bunch of the brothers and I helped her move a few days ago. She’s already settling in real good, and I’m enjoying being a full time uncle.” He chuckled.
His voice washed over her and inside her, sending shivers along her spine. How I miss him! “That’s good. Are you still going to club parties?” Are you fucking anyone? I can’t ask him that, but I want to know. I need to know. Each time we talk, I want to ask him.
“It’s all the same—like it’s been for years. What about you? Last time we talked you said you were thinking about going out with your friends. Have you gone out with them?”
“A couple of times. It wasn’t that much fun. All my old friends treat me like I’m some attraction at a freak show, and I’m so busy right now that I don’t have much time to make any new friends. It’s okay, but I wish I was with you.”
A long sigh. “Me too. I miss your kisses, your soft skin, and the way we fuck.”
“This totally sucks. Are you with anybody?” I couldn’t help it. I have to know.
“Yeah—you. If you’re asking if I’m fucking anyone, the answer is no. I hope it’s the same for you.”
“It totally is. I don’t want anyone but you. I love you. Nothing has changed.”
“Not for me either.”
A soft rap on the door made her jump. “Hang on,” she said to Paco as she padded over and opened it. Her mother smiled at her. “Hey, Mom.”
“I just came up to tell you dinner is ready. I picked something up from Luigi’s.”
She pointed to her phone. “I’ll be down in a sec.”
“Okay. Don’t be too long or the food will be cold.” Her mother turned away and walked down the hall.
“Sorry about that,” she said as she stood by the window watching the snowflakes twirl and spin in the evening air.
“No worries. I’ll let you have your dinner. I gotta get over to Kendra’s. I promised to take her and the boys to Woodhouse Pizza.”
“I wish I was with you,” she whispered.
“Me too. I love you, babe.”
“I love you. Bye.”
Emptiness filled all the nooks and crannies inside her, shutting out the light, pushing her down, choking her. She turned off the computer, switched off the lamp, and lay on the bed, tugging the covers over her head. Shrouded in silence and darkness, she let the memories of Paco fill her mind and ease her pain.
I miss you too much. If you asked me to come back, I’d be there in a heartbeat. Oh… Paco.