Chapter Five
We climb out of the shower, towel off, and get dressed – neither of us is looking at the other and an awkward silence hangs in the air between us. We've been best friends for years and we just had sex. Pretty intense and incredible sex, but sex nonetheless. I haven't had time to sit back and ponder the ramifications or what it all means, but I don't really feel compelled to – something that surprises me.
“I don't regret it, you know,” I say, finally breaking the silence between us.
He looks over at me, really meeting my eyes for the first time. “No?”
I shake my head and give him a smile. “No,” I say. “Not in the least.”
“Good, because neither do I,” he says. “But, what does –”
“What does it mean?”
He looks at me, a strange little smile playing upon his lips. “Yeah, I guess so.”
I walk over and place a soft little kiss on his lips. “I don't know right now,” I admit. “But, I think between the two of us, we'll figure it out. I mean – assuming you want to figure it out.”
He gives me a warm and genuine smile, which makes me feel a thousand times better about the situation instantaneously.
“Of course, I do,” he says.
“Good,” I reply. “Then finish getting dressed and let's get something to eat. I'm ravenous.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
A few minutes later, I'm in the kitchen, drinking a glass of cold water, when my phone rings. I glance at the display and furrow my brow, seeing that it's Melinda. A sudden jolt of fear shoots through me knowing that she wouldn't call me unless there is something wrong.
“Melinda?” I answer the phone. “Is everything okay?”
She's crying, on the verge of hysteria – and trying to speak at the same time – and I'm having trouble trying to understand her.
“Slow down, Melinda,” I say. “I can't –”
I hear the muffled sound of the phone being passed and the anxiety inside of me ratchets up a few levels. The adrenaline is surging through me and I'm suddenly terrified. A moment later, I hear Melinda's husband, Aaron, on the line. And what he tells me sends a powerful wave of fear crashing down over me.
I click off the line, my hand trembling so hard, it took me a few tries to actually disconnect the call. I stare out the window at the darkness beyond, seeing the white foam of the waves breaking against the shoreline glowing in the silvery moonlight.
“Veronica?” Caleb's voice is soft. “What's wrong?”
I look over at him and open my mouth to speak – only to find that no words will come out. I just stare at him, wide-eyed and unable to form a single word. He steps forward quickly and takes my hand, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I look up at him, tears spilling down my cheeks and a dark rage boiling up inside of me.
“Veronica,” he says. “What's going on?”
“Glenn,” I say. “He took Justin.”
Caleb looks back at me, his eyes wide. “He did what?”
“He apparently followed me to Melinda's place,” I said, fighting off a wave of hysteria. “He just held Melinda and her husband at gunpoint and took Justin.”
“Oh, Jesus,” he said. “We have to call the cops.”
I shake my head. “He said if he sees cops, he's going to kill my son,” I say. “What am I going to do, Caleb?”
As if answering my question, my cell phone rings. I look at the display and don't recognize the number. I quickly connect the call, putting it on speaker so Caleb can hear.
“Glenn?” I say, my voice thick with emotion.
“I was gonna take him and disappear,” he says. “But he won't stop cryin' for you.”
“Bring him home, Glenn. Please.”
“Here's what's gonna happen,” he says. “You listenin'?”
“Yes,” I say quickly. “What? What do you want?”
“The three of us – you, me, and the kid,” Glenn says. “We're gonna disappear. We're gonna be a family again.”
“Please, Glenn,” I say. “Just bring him back home and I'll –”
“You ain't listenin', Veronica,” he snaps. “That's always been your problem. You run that fuckin' mouth of yours and you don't listen. So, shut up and listen.”
“Fine,” I say, wiping the tears off my cheeks. “What do you want?”
“I want you to meet me at the head of the pier,” he says. “And the three of us are gonna go somewhere and start a new life together.”
I look at Caleb and he nods, encouraging me to agree. My stomach is in knots and I feel like I'm going to throw up.
“Fine, okay,” I say. “Just don't hurt my son.”
“Our son,” he says. “Justin is our son.”
I bite back the taste of bile in my throat. “O – our son.”
“Good girl,” he says. “Be there tomorrow at noon. Not a minute later. And if I see a single cop or that prick of a boyfriend you got, Justin and I are gonna disappear forever. You got me?”
“Y – yes, fine.”
The line goes dead and I'm left staring at the phone, so much adrenaline running through me that I'm trembling. Caleb puts a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. I look up at him and see an expression of pure compassion on his face.
“It's going to be okay, Veronica,” he says. “Nothing is going to happen to Justin. I swear it. Let me make a couple of calls and then let's go get your son back.”
I throw my arms around him and give him a tight hug, hoping against all hope that he's right.