Chapter Twenty-Two
Bailey
Liam pulled his truck into the small police station parking lot. It took over an hour to get there with the roads so bad outside of town, but once we hit the main roads, things looked clear.
My hand shook as I opened the door, and my knees nearly buckled as I stepped out onto the pavement of the parking lot.
Liam immediately rushed to me, holding me in his arms as we walked inside.
Sheriff Michaels. I immediately recognized him from the talks he gave to my students. He was a large man, round and cheerful with a long white beard and bright blue eyes.
He stood from his chair, leaned over his desk to get a good look as we walked in the door, and his mouth nearly hit the floor. “Bailey?” he asked.
I nodded, tears instantly falling from my eyes.
He rushed past his desk, gripped my arm, and guided me to the seat next to his. “Do you want some coffee, some hot cocoa, something to eat?” he fumbled over me desperately.
“No, I’m fine,” I assured him, taking the seat and wiping my eyes with a tissue I grabbed from atop his desk.
“We’d searched everywhere for you,” he told me, his eyes still wide with disbelief and shock.
“Thank you,” he said, directing his glance to Liam.
“Not a problem,” he replied without much emotion.
“I didn’t think this young man would find you out there. I figured we’d be searching for two people when the snow cleared,” Sheriff Michaels gasped.
He pushed his hand over his mouth and sat down in the chair beside me, leaning back and just staring at me like I was a ghost.
“How did you end up in the woods?” he asked.
I really wasn’t in the mood for questions, but I knew they were unavoidable.
“I was hiking. They said it would be clear that day,” I explained.
He sighed, removing his hand from his mouth. “Yes, that storm came out of nowhere,” he agreed.
“How do you know this man, Liam, is it?” Sheriff asked, motioning towards Liam who stood behind my chair.
“The man who found me, they were SEAL brothers. He was the only one he could get in contact with, but then we lost service,” I explained.
Sheriff Michaels nodded as I spoke, seemingly surprised by my every word.
“How’s my dad?” I questioned.
“He’s doing good, just worried about you,” he noted.
Relief rushed over my body like a warm blanket. I just wanted to get out of there and get to him.
“Can we do this later? I just really want to get home,” I sighed.
“Sure-yes, of course,” he fumbled.
“Do you have your car, or do you need a ride?” he asked.
“My car’s at the bottom of the mountain. It’s probably frozen, and I know it won’t make it through the roads we travelled to get here,” I stated.
“I’ll take her home,” Liam spoke up, his hands gripping at my shoulders.
I hadn’t realized just how tense I’d been until his strong hands started to squeeze at the muscles in my shoulders and neck. The motion quickly soothed my anxiety and had me ready to go.
“Thank you,” I turned to look at the man who helped get me home.
“We’ll stop by the house later to get a report,” Sheriff Michaels stated.
I nodded, scooted out of my chair, and extended my hand to the Sheriff for a quick shake. Instead, he pulled me in for a large bear hug against his squishy belly and inside of his thick arms.
I melted in his arms, not realizing just how much I’d missed being back in civilization until that very moment. I pulled free, noticing the tear drop falling from the man’s left eye.
“We’re really glad you’re home safe,” he breathed.
Liam took my hand and led me out the front doors as tears rolled down my face. In the truck, I showed him which way to go, surprised at how easily I remembered everything as we passed it. When we pulled up in front of the little green house with white rockers on the front porch, I started bawling.
Liam’s strong arms surrounded me, pulling me into his chest as I sniffled. I quickly wiped away my tears, cleaning my cheeks as quickly as they were wetted, and calmed myself down enough to pull loose.
“You want me to go in with you?” he asked.
“No, I’ll be fine. There’s a key under the mat,” I assured him.
I wanted to tell him to let Xander know how much I missed him already, and that I truly cared for him, that I loved him. Instead, I thanked him and slid out of the truck. He waited by the curb while I walked up the sidewalk that had been neatly cleared and salted by one of the neighbors.
The spare key was under the mat right where I left it, making me wonder who, if anyone, had taken care of my dad all this time. I pushed the key into the lock, and then turned it until I heard the click.
The smell of vanilla candles, my dad’s favorite, filled the small front room. It was dark, quiet, and a little eerie as I turned to wave at Liam, and then took my first steps inside.
“Dad?” I called out.
My heart raced at the lack of response. I walked towards my dad’s bedroom slowly, hoping that I wouldn’t find him gone, or worse, there and passed on to the better place, as he called it.
He was there, wearing striped pajamas with the covers pushed onto the floor. He didn’t move, causing me to gasp as I took a step closer. I fought back tears as I reached towards him, resting my hand on his shoulder. It was cold, but the covers were on the floor, and the ceiling fan was spinning on high. I said a small prayer before saying his name again, hopeful for a response this time.
“Bailey?” he mumbled, his voice so weak. He turned from his side to his back, his eyes wide and wet as they stared at me. “Is it really you?” he asked.
“It’s really me. I’m so sorry,” I sobbed, gushing with an overwhelming feeling of guilt.
He took my hand and held it tightly against his chest. I stared down at it, the same wrinkled, aged hand with spots that had been in my dream.
“You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m so glad you’re safe. Are you okay?” he gushed.
I nodded, wiping away my fallen tears with my free hand.
“Someone said you were trapped in the storm with a mountain man,” he gasped.
I giggled at hearing Xander referred to that way.
“I was,” I smiled.
“Did he hurt you? No one knew who he was. Said he might be a convict.” My dad’s eyes widened as he spoke.
“He didn’t hurt me. He was a very nice man who saved me,” I asserted.
My dad smiled, his eyes softened, and I could tell he was struggling to stay awake. His IV was dripping with what looked like a new bag, and I noticed his medication was all sorted on the dresser. Someone had been taking care of him, and from what I could tell, very good care of him.
“Get some rest, Dad. I love you,” I leaned down, kissing him on the cheek.
He patted my hand before releasing it, and then fell asleep before I took a step away from the hospital bed he slept in.
I walked into my room and stripped out of the clothes that Xander had given me to wear. I knew Dad would sleep for a while. Sleep is all he did. I took a quick shower, washing the smell of the woods from my body and hair, but also the scent of Xander, which I immediately missed.
I wrapped a towel tightly around my head like a turban and one around my body, and I heard something outside my door.
My heart raced as I leaned against my bedroom door, listening to the strange noises just outside. My dad was grumbling something I couldn’t understand, and then someone, a female, responded.
I turned the doorknob, slowly stepped out into the hall and heard Lila, my neighbor and best friend from school asking my dad who had been here to take the key from the mat.
“Bailey,” he mumbled.
“Bailey’s gone,” she whispered, rubbing the old man’s head.
I stepped into the room, cleared my throat, and watched as her eyes moved towards me.
“Bailey!” she screeched, rushing towards me with open arms.
She jumped up and down as she gripped me around the waist, pulling my own feet from the ground from her excitement.
“I wondered who took the key,” she sighed, releasing me and staring at me the same way Sheriff Michaels had.
“I left the door unlocked,” I smiled.
“I’m so glad they found you. When did you get back?” she beamed.
“Just long enough to get a shower. Have you been taking care of Dad?” I questioned.
She nodded.
I leaned in, hugging her again, squeezing her with all my appreciation. Tears rolled down my face as I pulled back, so grateful for my friend.
“Thank you, so much,” I gushed.
“It was nothing. You know I love Jack, and I wasn’t about to let anyone else step in,” she smirked, looking over her shoulder at the old man.
He was a handful—that much we both knew—but a lovable man with a huge heart. Anyone else, someone who didn’t know him, would just think he was a stubborn old fart. We both laughed as we obviously had the same thought run through our minds.
“How’s he been?” I asked, stepping out of the room where he couldn’t hear.
We sat down on the couch, and Lila told me how he’d had a few incidents and how his treatment didn’t seem to making any more progress.
“He’s refusing to have any more treatments,” she informed me.
My chest caved in, and my stomach rumbled.
“He can’t stop now,” I cried.
“He said it’s making him sick, and he’s gonna die anyway. He said he wants to have a few good days before he goes,” she explained.
That sounded like Dad. Yes, he was stubborn, but he was right. The treatments had made him sick, and if they weren’t working, I didn’t want to see him suffer more than necessary.
I nodded, wiping away my tears and fell back onto the cushion of the couch.
“So, where were you? Is it true a mountain man kidnapped you?” Lila questioned.
I giggled as I watched her eyes widen. This was seriously what people thought?
“I went hiking, and a storm hit. Xander found me on the path near his cabin,” I explained.
“Xander?” she quizzed.
“Yes. He moved out here a few months ago. He saved my life,” I added.
“Why is he living out there on the mountain all alone? Is he running from something?” she gasped.
Lila always did love a good rumor, even the ones she had to start herself.
“He’s a retired SEAL. He just likes his peace,” I smiled. A soft sigh rolled from my lips as I thought about Xander.
“What did you do in that cabin for two weeks?” Lila’s eyes widened even wider than before.
The curiosity in her expression was making me blush. We’d always told each other everything, but this, I wasn’t sure I wanted to divulge.
“Was he handsome?” she asked eagerly.
My cheeks burnt they were turning so red. “Yes,” I giggled.
Lila’s hand pushed over her lips as she gasped with excitement.
“So, you two?” she hinted.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I smiled politely, trying to hide my guilt.
“Okay, you can tell me about that later. But, seriously, how did he find you, and how did you get home?” she continued.
I filled her in on my accident and the fact I had no idea who I was. I neglected the part where I wanted to stay, feeling extreme guilt for leaving her to care for my father all that time.
“You had no memory?” she gasped.
I shook my head. “None,” I noted.
“When did you get it back?” she urged.
“This morning, actually,” I stated.
She was amazed at the details, about Xander, his friend, and how I’d lived there two weeks with no electricity or hot water. I was certain she would’ve exploded by day three without her cell phone, possibly even by day two.
“So Xander brought you back?” she went on.
“Only to the parking lot at the bottom of the mountain. Liam, his friend, brought me into the station and then home,” I reported.
“Why didn’t he?” she whined.
That was a question I wasn’t prepared to answer. I knew he didn’t bring me because I wanted him to stay with me, but I didn’t want her to know that. I felt foolish for falling so quickly for a man I barely knew.
“I’m really tired. Can we talk later?” I begged.
“Of course. I can only imagine what you’ve gone through. Jack ate about an hour ago, and his medication is all administered until bedtime. Do you want me to come back over and help?” she offered.
“No, thank you, you’ve done so much already. I’ll be fine,” I assured her and walked her to the door.
All the talk about Xander and my ordeal as Lila put it was making me sad. I missed the cabin and Xander, but I was glad to be home taking care of Dad, where I belonged.