It's really good to be back home. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice being in my hometown again, but there's something satisfying about being in your own home. When you become an adult, and buy your own place, you make the space yours. Everything inside from the colors you choose to paint your walls to the furniture you pick out, it becomes your comfort zone. After a hard day's work, you come home and you unwind. The only rules you have to live by are the ones you set for yourself. You don't have your parents telling you what you can and can't do. You don't have your boss from work breathing down your neck. If I don't want to vacuum my floors today, I have nobody telling me that I have to do it. It's more than that though, when I bought this house I thought about the future. This is where I want to live, to build a family and grow old here. After busting my ass all day at work, I wanted a place that is filled with love, four walls that are your structure and your purpose in life. That after a long day you have a home, a family, a reason for it all. That is why I wanted a home. Since meeting Kevin, I'm feeling like he might be part of my future too. My feelings for him are deep, and I would say I'm in love with him.
I've only been home for the last forty minutes. When I was in Denver, I only visited my family once and that was yesterday, to have an early Easter dinner. Between their schedules and mine, we were too busy to see each other more. My parents and I made plans for them to come here Memorial Day weekend. I'm looking forward to them seeing what I have accomplished. They've only been here once and that was when I still lived in an apartment complex. I've come a long way since then and I hope I make them proud.
I've already unpacked my suitcase and started laundry. Kevin has gone to the gym to meet up with Clint. He'll be here in a few hours, and I plan on making him dinner later. I have some work to get caught up on first. My boss Cynthia Cordell, wants me in the office at nine tomorrow morning to go over Kevin's campaign. I also have a meeting at one with Virginia Cooper to update her campaign that I did for her six months ago. Virginia has been a client of Glazed Marketing for years. She sent me some new photos that she would like added, and a few others she needs to be taken out. So, I need to put that together before Kevin gets here.
I've been in my office for over an hour. When I get up to stretch my back, my doorbell rings. I'm only expecting Kevin, but he knows he can just come in. I walked down the hall to answer my front door, and look through the peephole and I don’t see anyone. I open the door thinking I might have gotten a package. I jump back when Kevin's old coach appears from the side of my house. I try to reach for the door, but he was faster than me. He pulls a gun from under his jacket and points it at me. I put my hands up in the air to show that I will not fight him.
"You think you can take my fighter away from me? Everything was great until you came along, Eve. Now you need to fix this."
"I don't think holding a gun at me will fix this. You should put that away before you hurt someone."
"I don't think you are in the position to tell me what to do. Now step back away from the door."
I step back away from the door and he comes in and locks it behind him. He tells me to lead him to the kitchen. I try to grab my phone on the way but he saw me and takes it from me. When we get to the kitchen, he tells me to sit down and I do as I'm told. He opens a duffle bag that I didn't realize he had on his shoulder. He takes out some rope then ties me up. I look at the table when my phone rings. The call is from Helen O'Jida, my best friend Tracy's mom. I wish I could reach over and hit the green call button and scream for help, but the psycho coach has my hands tied behind my back. The only thing I can do is wait for Kevin to show up.
My phone rings again with another call from Helen. I wonder what it’s about. She doesn’t call me often and it’s unusual for her to call me twice within minutes. I hope nothing is wrong with Tracy. When I was home, she was unable to keep our dinner plans and didn’t really tell me why. This makes me worried for her.
Coach Jackass left me alone in the kitchen for a few minutes. He dragged a chair out to the other room with him. I have no idea what he is up to. When he returned, he sat down across the table from me. The gun is on the table and it points at me, but at least it’s not in his hand. He takes a flask out of his bag. When he goes to take a swig, it’s empty.
“Need a drink? I have whiskey in the cupboard above the refrigerator.”
He retrieves the bottle, opens it up and doesn’t bother with a glass. He wipes his mouth and says, “I’d offer you some, but I only drink with friends.”
“We could be friends.”
“It’s too late for that, Babydoll.”
My phone rings and Coach says, “Ahh, there’s my fighter. Let’s let him wonder where his precious girl is for a while, shall we?”
He picks up the bottle of whiskey and drinks. Every time Kevin calls or sends a text, he drinks more. I think to myself; drink up asshole, drink till you pass out. Next thing I hear, is someone pounding on my front door.
“Sounds like Lightning is here, but I would have thought he would have been faster. See, he needs me, and you are nothing but a distraction.”
Kevin calls my phone again and this time Coach picks up and says, “Leave us alone, Kevin. I’ll call you when I’m ready to talk. Until then, you sit out there on the cute porch and wait.” When he hangs my phone up, he powers it off.