CHAPTER 18
Ashlyn
I run through the door a sweaty panting mess. Running is therapeutic for me and I’m glad I haven’t had to give it up just yet. It’s getting close though. I’m as big as a house and I’ve had to shorten my three-mile run to a mile. As I’m shutting the door I hear my phone ringing.
I smile when I look at the screen. “Hey babe.”
“How are my girls?” He must have just woken up; his voice is all sorts of deep and raspy. Completely sexy.
“We’re good, just got back from our run. How’s everything going for you? I caught you on Fallon last night. I can’t believe he got you to drive around on that cooler.” I laugh.
Josh is gone with Zander doing the media circuit for their big wins. All of this is new for him. He told me he’s barely been acknowledged in the celebrity world until now. His win against Matt Kingsley really made a name for himself and put him on the grid.
He groans. “How embarrassing was it? My back still hurts from the crash.”
Zander, Josh and the host all raced around on scooters made of coolers. Zander lost control at the end and took the other two out. They all ended up on the ground laughing, the race forgotten. It was hilarious.
“Do you want me to lie?” I laugh.
“Never Hellcat. So it looks like we’ll be taking off tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to get back home, I’ve slept for shit.”
“Me too.”
“You know I love you.”
“I love you too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
We hang up and I remember to shoot off a text to Savvy saying we’re still on for shopping tomorrow morning. I sit on the couch with coffee in hand. Caffeine is a must this morning because I really did sleep horribly last night. I didn’t realize without Josh here I’d sleep so poorly. I’m just about to turn on the TV when there’s a knock at the door. I place my mug on the coffee table before going to see who would be here this early. When I open the door, I’m surprised to see that lady from the bar. The Laura Ingalls clone that oozed creepiness. Why the hell is she here and most importantly, how does she know where I live?
“Can I help you?” I ask politely.
“Yes dear, you can come with me.” She pulls a gun from her purse and aims it at me.
“What the hell?” I turn trying to shield my baby.
“Get your shoes on, I’m taking you home. I saw your boyfriend on TV yesterday. He’s a handsome man, but he’s not right for you. Sin is written all over his forehead.”
Does she not realize that killing another human being is also a sin? I grab my shoes and sit on the couch to slide them on. My heart is pounding out of my chest.
“Ashlyn, lets hurry. We have a long trip ahead of us, we have to leave right now.”
“Is it money? Are you holding me ransom to get money out of Zander or Josh? If that’s the case, I’ll give you money. Please, I’m pregnant, don’t do this.”
“That’s why you need to come with me. Don’t make me ask again.” She’s polite but you can tell there’s a bite to her words that’s telling me to comply.
I get up and realize that nobody is going to know anything. As I make my way around the couch I move so my belly bumps the lamp, knocking it over. I play it off as clumsiness.
“Sorry, I forget how big I am these days.” I lift up my shaking hands so she knows it wasn’t meant in a threatening manner.
“Not big at all. We’ll fatten you up when we get home. Now get in the car.”
She keeps the gun trained on me as I get into the passenger seat of her, what the hell is this? A smart car? No, it has a back seat. Well whatever it is, it’s freaking small. I’m surprised I’m even able to fit myself through the door. She steps away for a minute and returns with rope in hand.
“Please don’t tie me up. I’ll listen, I won’t fight.”
“Hands.” She commands me.
After wrapping my wrists together and tying them to the door, she gets in the driver’s seat. As we’re pulling out of the drive way I can’t stop the tears. Who the hell steals a pregnant woman? I just pray that Josh or Savvy figures out I’m gone before it’s too late.
*****
I survey around me to see if there’s anything I can use if the situation arises that I can break free.
“Where’re we going?” I ask.
“Home dear. Where you should have been from the start. They’re excited their daughter is finally returning.”
“The hell you say? Specifics, give me specifics woman!”
“You’ll know about everything when we get there. We have one stop to make on the way, but we should be there in about two days if we limit our stops during the day.”
“TWO DAYS! Please just let me go, drop me off on the side of the road or something. I won’t tell anyone anything! I’m in my third trimester and I need to be at home near my doctor.”
“I’m very aware that your due date is fast approaching. Why do you think I seized the opportunity now? We couldn’t have you delivering the baby before you were in the compound.”
Compound? Again, what the hell is going on? This lady is looney tunes and I need to do what I can to get us out of this situation. Looking over at…wait I don’t even know her name.
“Lady what’s your handle?”
“Pardon me?”
“Your name.”
“Gwendolyn dear, but you may also call me mom.”
“Why would I call you mom? Are you into some weird lesbian shit because I’ll tell you right now, there is no way in hell I’m going down that path. The thought of going down town makes me want to vomit.” I stare out the window and cringe inwardly.
“Watch your language young lady.”
Calm, that’s a strange word to use in this situation but it fits. There’s not one ounce of concern in her voice after kidnapping a pregnant lady.
“Your parents tried to warn me. They said the outside world would corrupt you to the point of no return but I stood up for you, told them all that we can make you see our ways again. Rule one, no swearing dear, ever.”
“My parents? My mom and dad are drug addicts, what are you trying to say? You know what, screw this. Fuck you and your cult. You’re not changing anything about me and we are certainly not going to make our way back to your crazy headquarters. I’ve seen a lot of A&E documentaries on this shit.”
“Dear, swearing.” She scolds me. “A cult? We most certainly are not and you need refrain from saying that word in the presence of Mr. Caldwell. He would not be amused and possibly kick you out.”
“You aren’t hearing me, I don’t even want to be there. Of course I’d want to be kicked out!”
“Without your baby girl?”
Fear sets in along with a numbness that spreads throughout my body. What do they have planned for me when we get there? Is this one of those groups that marry an 80-year-old man off to a bunch of young girls? Will they try to marry my baby off once she’s born?
We turn off the highway and make our way into a small town. It’s the middle of the night, what could we possibly be doing? She pulls the car up to a rundown house and cuts the engine.
“Well I’d warn you to stay here, but you aren’t going anywhere.”
She gets out walking calmly up to the front door, heading inside without knocking. Hmmm, she must know the people that live here. I look around the car and try to find something that can get me out of this rope. She must’ve been a sailor because it’s not budging. I try to pull against the handle to break it but it’s no use, all I’m accomplishing is killing my wrists.
A door slams and I look out the window to see Gwen is dragging some poor girl to the car kicking and screaming. It looks like she has a fist full of her hair. Scrappy thing for such a fruit cake.
The back door opens and the girl is thrown across the seat.
“Go away mom! I’m not going back, you can’t make me!” Her voice is full of panic.
“Now you know where I stand on your language young lady. Don’t make me speak to you about it again.”
“I’m 20, FUCK YOU!”
WHACK! Holy shit she just back handed her daughter! I look back and panic when I notice she’s out cold. Surely a smack to the face wouldn’t knock somebody out, maybe she hit her head on something. Sure enough, I see blood trickling through the top of her hair.
“Let this be a warning to you Ashlyn, don’t mess with me dear.”
“Yes mam.”
I turn back around in my seat and hope that girl’s okay. At least I have an ally now, we can hopefully work together to get out of this situation. She clearly ran away from this brand of crazy.
When she gets back in the car I get my first good look at her. Up until this point I didn’t get a chance to catalog her into my brain. I saw her at the restaurant before but why would I think I’d be seeing her again? She’s wearing this old style little house on the prairie dress that has a hideous floral pattern on it. Don’t even get me started on her footwear, it looks like she’s wearing franken-boots and her hair is up and tucked under some sort of bonnet. She looks like she could be Amish.
“Um, Gwen, I have to use the ladies room.”
“No problem I have a bedpan in the trunk.”
“What? No way am I peeing in this car with both of you in here!”
“Then you can just pee your pants Ashlyn. Take your pick.” She looks at me with a creepy smile on her face.
“Can you at least loosen the rope so I can use my hands? There is no way you’re getting near my vag.”
“Of course, just remember that I have a gun.” She exits the car. Just a few short moments later she returns to the front seat with the bed pan.
“You do your business while I tie up my insolent daughter in the back seat.” She reaches over and unties my ropes easily enough. I watch to see if there is a trick I can pick up on.
She exits the car and starts moving her daughter around. Trying to maneuver proves to be difficult. We’re in a clown car and I’m almost nine months pregnant. It’s hard, but I get the job done like a pro thankfully not peeing on myself. I look around and find a napkin and hand sanitizer in the center console.
“Do you want me to dump it?”
“I’ll get it don’t worry about it.”
As soon as she’s done, we’re back on the road. My bladder is empty and the girl in the back seat has her hands tied up to one of the handles in the ceiling. It looks incredibly uncomfortable and the poor things gonna have a bad case of pins and needles. Gwen however didn’t tie my hands back up. I need to figure out how to use this to my advantage. Discreetly, I look around again. It’s way too dark to see anything so I’ll have to wait until morning.
“Dear, you’re going to love it where I’m taking you. Especially Mr. Caldwell. I don’t want to give too much away, but when you were little you two were inseparable. When you guys get married you’ll take your rightful spot next to him like it was always meant to be.”
“Marriage…what the hell are you talking about? I’m not marrying anybody!”
Placing her hand on my leg she gives it a little pat. “Don’t worry, all in good time.”
What the heck is going on? How are my parents, people I haven’t seen since I was four, involved in all of this? There are so many what ifs that I need to figure out.