Luke

It’s the night of my big date with a woman that I know nothing about. I don’t even know her name. I was just told she’d be wearing a red dress and where I would be meeting her. We are going to a small fancy Italian place called Antonio’s. Apparently, she’s always wanted to go there, so I was told I had to take her there. I get the feeling this woman is more than a client to Delilah, and I’m happy that she feels like she can trust me with a friend.

I walk into the restaurant, tugging at my tie. I opted for a dark blue dress shirt with nice dark wash jeans. I threw the light purple tie on last minute, but now am regretting my decision. I feel like I’m being strangled. I walk up to the hostess and give her my last name for the reservation. She’s eying me pretty hard and it’s obvious she wants me, but I ignore her. I’m here to hopefully meet the love of my life. She informs me my party is already here and waiting for me.

As we walk to the table, I see her back first. Her honey blonde hair is down in waves and it’s long. Long enough I can wrap my hands in it and pull if I wanted to. She has one shoulder deep red dress on. If the front of her looks as good as the back, I’m fucked. I may owe Delilah a big bonus if this works out.

I walk around the table and when I see her I know who she is in an instant. It’s the little girl who haunts my dreams at night, only now she’s all grown up. “Whisper,” I say.

She looks up at me when I say her name and freezes. It’s like she’s seen a ghost. She gets up from the table. “This is going to work out I’m sorry. I knew this was a big mistake. Goodbye Luke,” she whispers as she runs out the door.

I start to run after her when the hostess steps in front of me. “What are you going to do with a child? You need a real woman, I get off in an hour if you wanna have some fun,” she drawls at me.

“No, and I’m going to have your job for what you just said. I need to find my date, excuse me,” I say as I run out of the restaurant and after the girl who belongs to me.

I get outside and look around. I see a flash of red and I take off after her. I have to get to her and make her mine. Last time I saw her was when CPS was taking her away from me. If I could’ve, I would’ve kept her with me always. She belongs with me, and now I intend to keep her forever.

By the time I’ve caught up, she’s hailing a cab and jumping in. I get to the door just as the car starts to pull away. I pull my phone out to call Nathan. He’ll know what to do. I can’t lose her again.

“Nathan, it was her. Whisper is the girl Delilah set me up with. She took one look at me and took off. I have to find her, she belongs with me. She’s it, man,” I say in a rush, hoping he can understand me.

“Wait, the girl you rescued five years ago? That Whisper? Shit man, I know you always had a connection to her. I’ll talk to Levi and see if she will give me her address. Give me five and I’ll text you what I get,” he says as he hangs up.

I walk dejectedly back to my truck. I have to find her, I just have to. When she was younger, she needed protection from this cruel world and I wanted to give her that. Now, she’s grown into a beautiful young woman and I am seeing her in a whole new light. She’s made to be with me forever. To be my best friend, a partner in crime, lover, mother of my children, and so much more. I have to find her.

My phone dings with a text from Nathan. Thankfully, Levi pulled through and got me her current address. As soon as I see it, I’m not liking the area she’s living in. It’s chock full of drug users, dealers, pimps, and prostitutes. We’ve made several busts there. I put my truck in gear and head out to find my woman.

I get to her apartment complex, and just as I suspected there are several drug deals going on. I hate that she lives here. I get out of my truck and head to her apartment. The walls are yellow from all the smoking and other shit that goes on here. I’m pretty sure that several of these assholes recognize me, but I can’t be worried about that right now. I get to her door and knock. I knock a few more times when I realize she’s not home. She has no peephole which is completely unsafe for my woman.

I walk back to my truck, memories flooding me like an old-time movie reel. It’s then that I know where she went and hop in my truck to go to the one place I know she has to be.