I'm sorry if this story is offensive, or if it makes anyone uncomfortable. It was not my intention.
Nothing is mine. Just the idea.
The ballroom was filled with hundreds of the wealthiest figures in the world. Annually, NASA threw a large benefit to raise money for not only the space program, but for children's space camp as well.
"Oh Master! Look at all these people!" Jeannie exclaimed clinging to her husband's hand excitedly. "Can we dance now? Oh no let's go watch the band…or we could do the silent auction! What about-" Major Nelson put his hand on his wife's arm.
"Calm down sweetheart, we'll get to everything." He soothed leading her to their table. This was the young couple's first time attending such an affair as a man and wife. Jeannie was dressed in a white shimmering spaghetti strap gown, with a flowing train. Her long blonde hair was left down and slightly wavy-because that's how her husband liked it. Anthony had on a simple black tux. Even though it was a Black and White Ball, they seemed to stand out amongst the crowd.
Jeannie smiled and sat in the chair her husband pulled out for her. "There are so many people here." She observed as she gazed around the room excitedly. "Are the Bellows coming?" Tony laughed and nodded.
"Yes, I believe they are. They should be at this table as well if I'm not mistaken." He kissed the side of her head. "And Roger's bringing his girl of the month too." Jeannie giggled and took a tiny sip of her water.
"Jeannie! Darling you look gorgeous!" General Schaeffer's wife exclaimed as she approached the table.
"Oh, thank you Mrs. Schaeffer." Jeannie stood up and hugged the older woman nervously. "You look lovely." She gestured the woman's beaded black gown.
"Thank you dear. I hope to see you at the Officer's Wives Banquet next Wednesday."
"Of course ma'am."
"Call me Madelyn! I'm not your superior officer. Leave the formalities to our husbands."
The two shared a laugh before bidding adieu. "You don't need to act so nervous you know." Tony said quietly as she sat back down. "Everyone adores you! Sometimes I think they like you more than they like me."
"Don't be ridiculous darling." Jeannie chuckled.
/
After about an hour and a half of dancing, Anthony Nelson was ready to pass out. Sometimes his 2,000-year-old wife really surprised him with her incessant stamina. "Sweetie, I'm sweating up a storm here." The worn astronaut whispered as the relaxed into a slow dance.
"I can tell." Jeannie giggled as she poked his sides. "After this dance, we can stop. I love this song."
"You love every song."
"I love this one the most."
Tony smirked and rested his head on top of hers. "I love you." He murmured over the music.
"I love you." She replied with a huge smile.
As the song drew to an end, Anthony held her tighter to him and kissed her forehead before pulling back. "I'm going to get us something to drink, any requests?"
"I'll have what you are having." She replied with a smile.
"Bourbon?"
"…Fine…"
"I'll get you a Shirley Temple." He chuckled giving her a quick kiss before heading towards the bar. "Meet me at the table."
/
"Major Nelson!" Dr. Bellows exclaimed, approaching the Major. "How are you?"
"I'm just fine sir, and you?" Tony said, accepting the drinks from the bartender.
"Good, good. Uh-Amanda went to our table, she's been dying to see Jeannie all day." The doctor chuckled, "Women care more about what each other's wearing than what they're wearing." Tony nodded in agreement before hurrying back over towards the table.
"I don't see Amanda anywhere…" Dr. Bellows observed looking around, "Or Jeannie, perhaps they're looking at the auction items." Tony looked over in that direction anxiously, but didn't see his wife.
"No sir, I told her to meet me here." He immediately began fidgeting. "She must be somewhere around here."
"Relax Major, I'm sure she's around, just sit back and enjoy the party." The commanding officer practically ordered. Tony was about to ignore him, but thought better of it before sitting down hesitantly.
"I'm sorry sir, it's just so easy for someone to get lost in here."
"I understand that major, but Jeannie is a grown woman, she can handle walking around a room on her own."
"Absolutely sir."
"Alfred!" Amanda Bellows exclaimed appearing from the crowd in a long black gown. "Thank goodness! There you are! I got a little turned around when I was trying to find the table." She sat in the seat next to her husband and kissed his cheek.
"Did you see Jeannie?" Tony asked before the doctor could say anything.
"Oh, no I didn't!" Amanda replied looking back towards the dance floor, "I was looking forward to seeing her too. Where is she?"
Tony sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Some…where…I'll go find her…be right back ma'am, sir." He hurried off towards the bathroom area. "Jeannie!" He called once he was in the privacy of the restroom corridor. "Jeannie! Where are you?" After a moment, when he got no reply, he started to head back out onto the dance floor when a large man rushed out of the ladies room and nearly knocked him over.
"Whoa! Sorry man! Wrong door." The stranger chuckled and patted the astronauts back apologetically.
"It's alright…" Tony eyed him suspiciously. "Men's room is right over there." He pointed at the door on the far end of the hallway.
"Ah! Thanks!" The man hurried over to the men's room and disappeared behind the swinging door. Anthony sighed and scanned the ballroom frantically for his small wife.
His quest was, again, cut short when he heard a noise from the ladies room. At first he dismissed it as nothing, but after a moment he realized it was someone crying. And he recognized those cries in an instant. Without a moment's thought, the Major turned and barged through the door. "Jeannie!" He exclaimed, "Jeannie!" He kicked open every stall until he noticed a familiar pair of shoes under the handicap stall. Tony shoved the door open to see his beloved wife curled up on the floor. He couldn't possibly have been prepared at the sight before him.
Her wrists were bound behind her back, and her ankles were tied to the pipes under the sink. Along with that, she was blindfolded and gagged with pieces of grungy cloth.
"Oh…Jeannie! Oh…god…" The distraught astronaut collapsed next to his wife and ripped the gag out of her mouth. "Speak to me sweetie! What happened?" He removed the blindfold and brushed her hair out of her face. It was then that he noticed the blood coming out of her nose and mouth.
"He…followed me…he…" She choked on her own tears as her husband untied her wrists. "Anthony…" Once she was free, she threw herself into his open arms. "I couldn't blink…he blindfolded me first…he knew…he knew…"
Tony held onto her in shock. Someone attacked her? Someone had the nerve to hurt his wife. Suddenly he remembered the large man he ran into in the corridor. He went to stand up but Jeannie only clung to him tighter. "No! No! Don't leave me!"
"Darling! The man who did this is right out-" He trailed off when she began to sob harder. "Okay…Okay…I'm here…you're safe." He whispered kissing her temple. "I'm just going to take off my jacket okay?" The shaking woman nodded and loosened her grip so he could pull back and remove his suit jacket and wrap it around her frame.
He felt around her midsection for internal injuries, and was distressed when she winced at the pressure on her ribs. "Okay sweetheart, I'm going to pick you up and carry you out okay?"
"There are so many people…"
"I don't care, I'm getting you to the hospital."
"Dr…Mrs. Bellows…" She choked.
"Oh, good thinking…" He began to stand up, "Can you walk as far as the hall? I'll get their attention." She nodded and let him help her to her feet. He made sure she was steady, before wrapping his arm around her and leading her out of the bathroom. "Hang on to me okay?"
"Yes Master." She wrapped her bruised arms around his midsection. They approached the archway to the corridor. Tony peeked out and spotted Dr. Bellows about thirty feet away. He leaned his wife against the wall and kept a hand on her midsection so he could wave the Colonel over. "Dr. Bellows! Can I see you for a moment."
Dr. Bellows excused himself from the group of Generals he was talking to and made his way over to the frantic man. "Major what's the-?" He stopped when he saw the week woman on the other side of the wall. "Dear lord! What happened?"
"She's been attacked sir…I saw the man who did it go into the men's room…" Before Tony could finish, Dr. Bellows darted back towards the ballroom to get the attention of the security guards.
"Anthony…I don't feel very well…" Jeannie whimpered as she began to slide down the wall. Tony caught her quickly and cradled her in his arms.
"Stay with me baby! Don't go to sleep!" He ordered, moving away from the archway so the officers could run through and barge into the men's bathroom. By now, a lot of the party had congregated around them.
"Major Nel-Oh my goodness…Jeannie!" Amanda shrieked pushing through the crowd. "What happened to her?" She took Jeannie's wounded hand in hers.
"I don't know…" Tony sighed not wanting to think about it. "Is there any way you guys can get us to the hospital?" He rested his head on top of Jeannie's in a desperate attempt to keep her awake.
"Of course dear…follow me…Alfred! Come on!" She shouted grabbing her husband's arm and yanking him away from the crowd around the bathroom door.
"Please sir, I don't want Jeannie near that man when they get him out of there!" Tony begged, letting Mrs. Bellows lead them through the crowd. The doctor nodded and immediately began to follow them.
They made it out to the parking lot just as the police were arriving. "Anthony…" Jeannie whimpered, struggling to keep her eyes open.
"It's okay sweetie." Anthony said as he swiftly set her in the car before climbing in next to her. "I'm just going to buckle you up…" But when she winced, he stopped buckling her in. "Just…hold on tight okay?" She nodded shakily and buried her face into is shoulder.
"Major Nelson!" Dr. Bellows exclaimed when he opened the driver's side door. "The police want to speak to Jeannie."
"They can talk to her after she sees a doctor." Amanda whispered, as she shut her door. "Now let's go!"
As they pulled away, Tony could see the police putting a large man in the back of their squad car.