This is the sequel to my story If I Kissed You.
~*~o~*~
"What could I possibly do to help?" Nora asked Todd.
"John told me that Marty came to stay with you during her memory loss after he had rescued her from Victor. Did she say anything that might lead us to where he may have taken her? A location? A place where they might have gone?" Todd questioned.
"No, she didn't. She was very upset at the time. Very confused. It was a terrible time for her," Nora replied. "She didn't go into a lot of details about her time with him."
"Damn!" Todd cursed.
"Wait! There was one thing..." Nora suddenly remembered.
"What?" Todd cried out with renewed hope.
"Marty was keeping a journal during her time with him. I don't know what she did with it, but I saw her with it a time or two. She wrote daily entries into the journal while she was living with Victor and had amnesia."
Todd frowned because he knew nothing about the journal. What had Marty done with it? Was it packed up in a box in the closet somewhere back at the cottage? Would the journal be able to provide some sort of clue as to where Victor may have taken Marty?
"Thank you, Nora. You may have just helped me find Marty," Todd said to her sincerely.
"I hope you do find her and that she's alright," Nora stated. "How's the baby?"
"She's doing well, but she needs her mother," Todd answered. "I gotta get back to Summer Rose now. Thanks again."
Nora watched him go; flabbergasted. Todd must be completely desparate if he had come to her for help. She just shook her head. For the sake of the baby, Nora hoped that Todd did find Marty very soon.
~*~o~*~
That evening after supper, Victor and Marty settled down with a children's movie in front to the big screen T.V. set with Julius. The little boy sat between Marty and Victor, hugging his brown teddy bear. "I like this movie," Julius said as he looked at Marty. "Do you like it, too?"
"It's a good movie," Marty agreed.
"How about some popcorn?" Victor said as he handed Julius and Marty a huge bowl of the buttered treat. Victor had also set chilled sodas and a juice box for Julius upon the coffee table.
Julius munched on the popcorn as he continued to watch the movie. Every now and then, he would reach over and take a sip of his juice box. When he got tired, he leaned his little head against Marty and started falling asleep. Looking at the child with tenderness, Marty took him into her arms. Staring at his sleepy little face, she wished he was hers. She loved Summer Rose so much, and she had all those precious years with her son Cole before he got sent away to prison, but even so, she wanted this little boy to be her son with Victor. As the little boy fell asleep in her embrace, Marty just held him close. She then placed her gaze upon Victor.
"I want him to be ours," Marty stated.
"He is," Victor responded as he looked deeply into her eyes.
"We should really put him to bed now. It's been a long day for him," Victor spoke.
Victor reached for Julius, taking him from Marty's arms. She followed him into the nursery so they could tuck Julius into bed. Victor placed Julius into the toddler bed and made sure he had his favorite bear right beside him. He tucked the blankets around the child, then kissed his little cheek.
"Mommy," Julius whispered in his sleep.
Marty's heart turned over when she watched Victor tuck in Julius, and she nearly cried when she heard him say "Mommy." After they left the nursery, Marty said to Victor, "We need to talk. You need to tell me everything... and leave nothing out."
"I will, but you need to get stronger first. You need to get some rest, Marty," Victor insisted.
"You promised me we would talk after Julius went to bed," Marty said with a frown.
"I will tell you everything... but the time is not right now. You're still weak. You need to get some sleep."
When Marty continued to protest, Victor picked Marty up into his arms and carried her to bed. "I really hate you sometimes," she mumbled as he tucked her into bed just as he had done with Julius.
She thought she saw a hint of a smile on his face just before he kissed her cheek exactly as he had kissed Julius's. "Good night, Marty," he said in a whisper.
He started to go, but she held on tightly to his hand. "Don't go," she whispered. "Stay with me tonight."
He looked at her questioningly. "Please... stay here and hold me," she said as she moved over for him to join her.
Victor stripped down to his sweatpants and then crawled into bed next to Marty. Cuddling up in his arms, Marty fell asleep. "How will I ever tell you the truth?" Victor whispered as he held Marty so close in his arms.
~*~o~*~
Three days had passed and Todd was tearing the cottage apart trying to find Marty's journal. There were poopy diapers and numerous bottles of baby formula everywhere. The baby was fussy, and Todd was lacking sleep. He hadn't bathed or shaved in at least a couple of days. "I gotta find that journal," he said as he went through boxes and boxes of Marty's personal items she had stored in various closets around the house.
Todd was tossing stuff out of a box when the doorbell rang. He went to answer it in bare feet, the baby propped up against his shoulder. "Hey, Shorty," Todd said when he opened the door.
"Dad, you look like hell," Starr said as she reached for her newborn baby sister.
"And I feel like hell," Todd responded.
"Dad, let me look out for my baby sister. You go take a shower and get a little rest," Starr offered.
"I can't. I gotta find Marty," Todd insisted.
"You need to take care of yourself first... then together, we can search for Marty," Starr promised.
"Come on, Dad. You smell bad," Starr said as she crinkled her nose.
"Thanks, Shorty," he said as he ruffled her hair. "I guess I really could use a shower and a shave. Keep an eye on Ladybug here; she's a handful."
"Is that the nickname you gave her?"
"Yeah. Shorty, Peanut, and now little Ladybug," Todd said with a smile.
"It's cute, Dad," Starr said with a smile. Starr cuddled her beautiful baby sister as Todd took off toward the bathroom for his shower. As she looked around the cottage, she saw all the bottles and dirty diapers. She knew she really had her work cut out for her to make sure her dad didn't kill himself trying to be Super-Daddy to her infant sister, plus look for Marty who had been kidnapped in the process.
She sat down in the rocking chair holding the baby but realized she had just sat down on a half-eaten sandwich. "Ohhh Dad," she spoke with an exasperated sigh.