Chapter Eighteen

 

Her first day of teaching art at the Boys and Girls Club was off to a great start. She’d arrived early, thanks to getting her car back from Rusty’s last week.

 

Her multiple weekly visits to her mother were going better. It seemed to her that her mother’s mental condition had stabilized at the Hotel. She’d even gained back a little of the weight she’d lost before Allison had arrived home. Her mother still sometimes forgot who she was, but Ally was learning to deal with these times.

 

Now as she looked over the dozen kids of various ages that were all engrossed in their art projects, she smiled at the thought of her and Iian having children. He really would be a great father.

 

He’d voiced his concerns about not being able to hear if the baby was crying, but then they had gone online and found a baby monitor for the deaf.

 

He could carry it around like a pager and it would vibrate like his cell phone. They had spent hours hunched over his laptop looking at other baby devices, toys and clothes. Even buying a few things for Lilly, Sara, and Matthew. It had been such fun that she could hardly wait for their marriage.

 

She’d shipped her art to New York where Ric was working with the project for a special auction that would benefit the foundation. She and Iian were going to fly there and attend the special event the following month.

 

Looking around the large room that housed her art class, she noticed that Tommy and Susie were there today. Both of the children had changed a lot. Tommy no longer drew violent scenes and Susie’s drawings were of flowers and other animals. No monsters in sight.

 

While she enjoyed seeing most of her regular students in the class, and there were a few new faces of older kids. Most of the children attending her classes were at the club for the whole day of summer camp. Only a few were there just for her class, such as the Williams’ children.

 

Brenda their mother, came and picked them up shortly after class was over. Allison could see a slight change in her as well. She’d only seen her a few times since graduation. Gone was the bouncy cheerleader; instead she saw a woman who was frail, thin, and looked like she needed a few pounds and hours of good sleep.

 

Today, however, Brenda looked a little more like her old self. She had gotten her hair done and it appeared that she was taking better care of her outward appearance. She could tell that some of the woman’s confidence was coming back.

 

Allison remembered when Megan had arrived in town, she had looked and acted a lot like Brenda had. It was hard to imagine a man would treat a woman so terribly.

 

Then she thought of Iian; he would never lift a finger to anyone. She didn’t think there was an ounce of temper in the man. Thinking about it, she couldn’t even remember him ever being mad.

 

Smiling about his good friendly nature, she walked out to her car. She heard a noise to her left and then she noticed Susie crouched down next to a dark car. Dropping her bags, she ran over to the child. Tears were streaming down the little girls face, her hands and knees were cut as if she’d fallen down.

 

“Susie, are you alright? Where’s your mother?” She looked around. Then she saw the truck. Grabbing the little girl up, she was poised to run, when Kevin interrupted.

“Give me my daughter, you bitch.” Turning around slowly, she saw Kevin standing with one hand on Brenda’s arm and the other holding his son by the shoulder.

 

Susie squirmed in her arms and whispered. “I don’t want to go with the bad man. Mommy said I wouldn’t have to go with him anymore.”

 

“Shh, I won’t let you go with him.” She comforted the child.

“Susie, come with daddy.”

 

The little girl shook her head no.

 

Then he screamed, “Get over here!”

 

“Kevin, you’re drunk. Just let us go and we can talk about this,” Brenda tried to reason with him.

 

Allison saw him swaying and realized his eyes were somewhat unfocused, so she started to back up towards her bag and her cell phone.

 

“Shut up!” He yanked on Brenda’s arm and the woman was quiet. “Give me my girl. It’s all your fault! If you had learned to mind your own god-damned business, I wouldn’t have had to hide away like some outlaw. Do you know that Robert has a warrant out for my arrest? I didn’t do a damned thing. This is all your fault,” he repeated and turned back towards her.

 

She watched Tommy squirm under his father’s big hands and was relieved to see that, upon focusing his attention on her again, Kevin released the little boy’s shoulder. She was even more relieved when the boy took off behind the cars quickly. She silently prayed that he was smart enough to run inside and get help. All she had to do now was stall Kevin from trying to leave or worse.

 

“Why don’t we go inside and we can…”

 

“Just shut up! I’ve never laid a hand on my children. Brenda,” he yanked his wife’s arm so hard that she cried out. “You tell her. You tell them all, that I’ve never laid a finger on my kids.”

 

Brenda agreed quickly by nodding her head and Allison watched as tears started to fall down her cheeks.

 

“Hitting your wife isn’t acceptable either.” Allison saw the truth.

 

“I may have slapped her around when I was drunk, but I never raised a hand to my kids. I’ve lost my wife and kids all because of you. You had to go and ruin everything, you should learn to keep to your own damn business.” He was swaying and she noticed he was trying to pull Brenda towards his truck.

 

Stall him, Allison thought. Stall him.

 

Iian was in the middle of an early dinner rush when he received a text from Bob Andrews, the director of the boys and girls club. Iian had talked to Bob about keeping an eye on Allison while she was there for her summer classes. Bob’s message said that Kevin had Allison cornered in the parking lot and that he’d called Robert.

 

Thinking of nothing but Ally and fear for her safety, had him running from the restaurant’s back entrance and jumping on his bike, praying that he’d make it in time.

 

“Did you start the fire in my house? Did you hit my mother over the head and leave her for dead.”

 

He stepped back as if it had been a physical blow.

 

“I… I just went there to talk to her. To convince her to get you to leave my family alone. The damned woman wasn’t making any sense. Then she threaten to call the cops and I grabbed her arm and she fell. I just grabbed her arm. I swear she fell and hit her head on one of those damn candle sticks. I thought she was dead. Then I had to start the fire to cover my tracks.”

 

“Oh, Kevin!” Brenda said beside him. She tried to pull out of his grip, but he tightened it.

 

“I noticed your car that day in Edgeview. You’d cost me my family. So, I just pulled out my hunting knife and used it on your tires so you could pay. You cost me my family! Then I saw you leaving Walmart. I thought I would just nudge you off the road. Scare you a bit.”

 

He chuckled. “I ended up with a flat tire myself thanks to that crazy driving of yours. That’s why I never let Brenda drive my truck. Can’t trust a woman behind a wheel.”

 

Allison heard it then, she knew the sound of Iian’s motorcycle anywhere. Keep him talking, she told herself, so he wouldn’t hear it.

 

“I swear I never wanted to hurt your mother. I would never hurt my kids. I just want them back. I miss my boy so much.” He turned to look down at where Tommy was, but he’d been long gone. “Tommy!” Kevin shouted. “Get back here boy! We’re going to go camping.” He tried to make it sound fun. “You, your mom, and your sisters and I are going to take a fun trip,” he yelled out to the empty parking lot.

 

Iian’s bike came to a stop just between them. She watched as Iian slowly pulled his leg over the bike and took his helmet off.

 

“How’s it going Kevin?” Iian asked in a calm voice.

 

“Get the hell out of my way Iian!” Kevin screamed. “You’ve always been a thorn in my side. I just want to grab my kids and wife and take a little trip.”

 

He watched as Allison backed up to her car and quickly place the little girl inside. She was standing with her keys in her hand, sheltered the little girl’s view from anything that might happen. She looked ready for a fight with her legs spread wide, she had a warrior look about her. She was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her before.

 

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Iian said in a calm voice and took a step towards Kevin. “Let Brenda go and I’ll let you off easy.” He was calculating how drunk Kevin was. He’d seen him falling down drunk, this was just a small step up from there.

 

Kevin tried to pull Brenda back towards the truck, putting Brenda between him and Iian. Iian knew that he couldn’t let Kevin get to the truck, he was too drunk to drive. But Kevin stumbled in the process of pulling them towards the vehicle, which gave Iian a perfect opening. In that instant, Iian was on the man. His fist had moved so quickly, Kevin didn’t have a chance to defend himself. It had done exactly what Iian hoped it would, Kevin’s hands automatically went to his face, releasing Brenda.

 

Brenda scurried back a few steps out of her husband’s reach. Her face was pale and she looked shocked, her hands went to her mouth as she screamed when Kevin tried to swing at Iian. But Iian’s fist smashed into him again, this time taking Kevin to his knees. Just then Iian looked over as Robert’s cruiser drove up and parked right behind his bike.

 

Iian stood over Kevin “I told you I’d let you off easy.” Iian hauled Kevin up and waited for Robert to take him off his hands.

 

“Are you okay?” Robert asked him.

 

“I’m fine,” he looked over and watched Brenda rushed to Megan’s car and take Susie in her arms. Just then Tommy came running out with Bob, the boy went into his mother’s waiting arms as well.

 

“Is everyone alright?” Robert called over to the group.

 

“Yes, I think we’re fine,” Allison said and signed, smiling down at the family. She looked up at Robert and said, “He admitted to everything, running me off the road, slashing my tires, attacking my mother and starting the fire.”

 

“Damn it, Robert! I just wanted to see my kids. There’s no harm in that,” Kevin was saying as Robert lead him to the car, blood flowed from his nose and lips.

 

“Kevin, you’re under arrest,” Robert said and proceeded to give him his rights.

 

Iian walked over to Allison. “Are you okay?” he signed. He’d been so scared since getting the text message. Fear of losing her, images raced through his mind. He’d never been this scared in his life. He knew that his life would have no meaning with out her in it.

 

“Yes, thank you.” She went into his waiting arms. He noticed she was shaking and realized he was shaking as well. Bending his head down, he took her mouth for a kiss that would be etched in his memory for the rest of his life.