By Sunday afternoon, it seemed clear that I would have to remove Isabella from school. I couldn’t risk leaving her there all day when her father could come swooping down at any minute to take her away from me.
My stomach turned at the thought, but it was a very real fear. I couldn’t dismiss it.
When I dared turn my phone on for a little while after dinner that night, since leaving it on only meant having to hear Connor’s texts coming through one after another, I called my mom. She needed to know what was up, if only because it would affect her over time.
“What do you mean you’re not sending Isabella to school anymore? Did something happen there?”
“No, Mom. Not there. Promise me you won’t freak out when I tell you what’s been going on. Okay?” I pulled my feet up onto the couch while Isabella worked on a puzzle I’d spread across the living room floor. I smiled when I saw the way she poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth when she concentrated. I knew the puzzle would keep her busy enough that she wouldn’t listen in on the conversation.
“Oh, Jesus, Ellie. I thought we talked about this, you and me. About not keeping things from me anymore. After all the time you never told me about Connor…”
I closed my eyes, sighing. “I know, Mom. But you don’t understand how hard it is. I never wanted to worry you, just like I don’t want to worry you now. I don’t know. Maybe I’m stubborn. Maybe it’s really hard for me to admit when I need help. I always want to solve my problems on my own, without bothering you. You have enough to deal with.”
“Never too much that I can’t help you when you need it. Please, honey. It’s better to tell me now than it is to hold it all inside and tell me later. Like when you called to say you had moved into a new apartment without even telling me you were going to leave your husband.” There was no missing the accusation in her voice, as though I had hurt her in some way by not making her privy to my plans. Like she felt slighted. It amazed me that she could take it personally.
“Connor’s been calling and texting for almost a week—ever since last Monday, after he came into the diner.”
“Ellie! You didn’t say anything?”
“Mom, we just talked about this. I mean, he’s only calling and texting. No big deal.”
“All right. What else?”
“Well…I haven’t been to work since then.”
“And you say no big deal? Ellie. What do they think about this?”
“Jimmy understands. I mean, he was there when Connor came in. He knows what I’m up against. He would never fire me. Sandy and the other girls have been covering my shifts. Sandy even showed up here the other day with groceries. She knew I didn’t want to take the time to leave the apartment and walk around the store. She wouldn’t let me pay her back for them.” Again, I reminded myself to do something nice for her as soon as my situation turned around. If anybody ever deserved it, it was Sandy.
“That’s good of them. I’m glad you have good people in your corner.” Her voice changed. “What about Isabella? I guess this is why you haven’t needed me all week?”
“Yeah, I was lying when I told you I kept her home because she didn’t feel well. I kept her home because I’m afraid to send her to school.” I cupped my hand around the phone, speaking low. “I’m pulling her from the school.”
“Oh, honey. Do you think this is a good idea for her? She’s already been through so much. Her whole little world has shattered, you know? Away from her father, her home. Now her friends?”
My jaw clenched and my nostrils flared as I breathed heavily. “You make it sound like this is all my fault. Like I decided to get up one day and ruin my kid’s life.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just think you have to take her into consideration.”
I let out a short, barking laugh. “What do you think I’ve been doing all this time? The reason I can’t send her to school is that I’m scared to death Connor’s going to show up and take her from me. I can’t let that happen.”
“Ellie, do you think he would stoop so low as to kidnap her? I mean, he doesn’t know where she goes to school.”
“You always underestimated him,” I said, laughing bitterly. “Like he can’t find her in a heartbeat. Like he couldn’t call up one of his friends in the Department of Education. Like he couldn’t show up there, tell them he’s her father and watch as she ran to him. She misses him, Mom. She would go in a heartbeat. And nobody would stop him from taking her because Isabella would tell them he was her daddy.” I laughed again. “Like I haven’t stayed up late at night just thinking about this over and over.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to underestimate him. I guess if anybody knows what he’s capable of, it’s you. And you’re sure that’s what he’s after?”
“Mom, if I read some of these texts out to you, it would chill you to the bone. He talks about how he’s going to take his daughter from me no matter what. I won’t be able to do anything about it. I don’t have to wonder too hard about what that could possibly mean. I’m pretty sure he wants to kill me.”
“Ellie! Don’t even say that.”
I shrugged. “It’s true. If it were between me and her, he’d kill me to get to her. I really believe he’s that obsessed. If only you could have heard the hatred in his voice in the only voicemail I listened to. I deleted the rest—I couldn’t bring myself to listen to another word of it. Believe me. He sounded capable of just about anything. He hates me now.”
“Oh, honey. What do you need from me? I mean anything. I’ll do anything at all to help you.”
I smiled. “I appreciate that. Maybe visit tomorrow? I know Isabella would like that—she needs to see another face beside mine.”
“I will. What about him, though? What are you going to do about him? You can’t lock yourself in your apartment forever.”
I looked at Isabella, playing happily on the floor. “I don’t know. I really don’t. One day at a time, right?”