Chapter 36
Kat blinked and saw Amanda looking at her, "Why did you get in that car?" Kat blinked again her head was killing her. "Where's the guy and that bitch that hit me." Amanda looked, "No one is here and I've been trying to wake you up for 10 minutes. I don't know where we are, but we've got to go." Kat looked at Amanda's head, "Your head looks really bad Amanda." Amanda tried not to touch it, "I know, I found these in the bathroom. Help bandage it quick."
Kat got up and helped her as best she could. She knew it had to hurt, "Are you ok?" Amanda shook her head no, but stood up. She felt dizzy, but headed to the back door. She saw Kat look out the front, "Kat use your brain let's go out the back." Amanda looked at the front and back, no car. "We need to stay out of sight and get out of here. Kat, the guy that hit me, wasn't alone? You said a lady, what lady?"
They didn't have to go far, they followed the stream in the back downstream and they saw an older couple on the back porch. Kat said "He was with some lady. I don't know either of them." Amanda kept walking until she reached the couple, "We need help, do you have a phone?" Amanda looked back, because she could still see the house they left. Before the nice couple could answer, they heard a car and Amanda looked around and saw it was the car from earlier. "Can we hide here? We promise to tell you everything, but you have to get them to leave. They're kidnappers." They shook their head and told them to hurry.
The couple continued their coffee and acted perfectly normal, while Amanda and Kat climbed under the deck. "Hi folks! We're looking for our two girls, they got away from us and they don't know the woods." Thank God these older people were nice and not serial killers, like the kidnappers. "Sorry, we are just enjoying our coffee, haven't seen anything but birds." They saw blood on the man's shirt and that lady didn't belong in the wilderness.
Amanda saw, feet and legs step up on the deck and the lady spoke, "Can I leave my number and if you see them, you'll call us. My daughter hit head and may have a concussion." Amanda grabbed Kat's arm and froze. She pissed on herself right under the deck. Amanda backed up in the corner of the deck and curled in a ball.
The older man agreed, "Yes ma'am. I hope you find them soon, you can't let it get dark around here. When they left Kat tried to get her out and she wouldn't budge. "Amanda there gone, come on out." She asked the couple for a phone and a towel. "Amanda, they're calling someone for help." The couple explained to the police on the phone that the car was at the house, they could see it in the driveway.
They found out they were in New Hampshire hours away from the family they knew. The police surrounded the house and arrested the man and woman. Amanda wouldn't talk or move from that corner. EMT's tried to help her and she refused. It had been hours, Kat had a concussion, but refused to leave Amanda. "Where is she?" Kat heard a familiar voice, "Liv's here! I'll be back."
Amanda still didn't move. Liv was there, Peter waited with Noah only because Liv promised to FaceTime as soon as she found her. Liv hugged Kat, "I don't know what's wrong or what happened. Liv, she knew that lady, as soon as she heard her talk, she peed all over herself." Olivia was really concerned hearing what Kat said, "Go with the paramedics, you have a concussion and you need to be checked. Melinda is already at the hospital. I'm going to get her out."
Olivia looked under the deck and they gave her a flashlight, because it was getting dark. Amanda was frozen and terrified. "Baby, it's me. You don't have to be afraid anymore. They were arrested and they are in custody." Olivia touched her hand and it was so cold. "Amanda I won't let your mom anywhere near you." Amanda turned her head, "But you're my mom." Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, I am baby and I'm here and as soon as we get to the hospital, your dad wants me to FaceTime him. So let's get out of here."
Amanda started to move and crawled back, "She's gone I promise." Amanda looked down at her pants and cried, "Mom I peed all over myself." Olivia's heart broke for her, "Baby look Kat got you a towel to cover up. She and I are the only ones that know. Put it around you and we'll get you cleaned up. I promise." Olivia wrapped her up and she helped her on the stretcher. "Why do I have to lay on this?" Olivia looked at her, "Your really strong, but we're worried about your head. I'm coming with you."
Olivia told them about her accident and not to say anything. She called Melinda, "Hey Liv, I'm at the hospital with Fin. Kat has a concussion, but is ok. How's Amanda." Olivia smiled, "She's tough nails and we're on the way." She FaceTimed Peter not wanting to wait any longer. "I've got her babe, and she's ok. She's got a pretty nasty cut on her forehead, but she's good, awake, and talking. Amanda can you tell dad hi?" Amanda looked at the phone, "Hi dad! I knew something was wrong and I tried to do the right thing." He smiled, but his heart hurt for her knowing the truth, "I know baby and I'm so proud of you."
Once everything happened, the story became very clear. With help from the boys and the description, they were able to put the pieces together. Plus Kat was very smart, when everything started happening, she sent a text to Darius and slid her cellphone under the seat. They were able to track them. Amanda's real mother Beth Rollins, lost custody of Kim. She began abusing alcohol and Jim Rollins, who actually got his life together, won custody. Beth who was left with nothing, set out to make Amanda's happy life hell. She had been in New York for months and hooked up with a detective from the 24th precinct named Nate Kendall. They made a plan to kidnap Amanda, but Kat wasn't in the plan and he thought Amanda would go willingly.
When they got to the hospital, Amanda wouldn't let go of Olivia. Doctors and nurses moved quickly around Amanda, "I need an IV kit." Olivia stayed with her the entire time. "Mom I don't want an IV, I want to go home." Olivia brushed her hair back, "I know, but you can't. I'm gonna stay with you though." She had a concussion, needed stitches, and was staying the night. Fin, Melinda, and Kat came into the room and Kat went to Amanda's bed, "We are going to the hotel, because it's late Amanda. They said you need to stay a couple of days." Melinda talked to Liv, while Fin and Kat kept her entertained, "We are going to the hotel. Peter called and is on the way. We got 2 extra rooms for him and Lucy, but they are coming here first."
It was almost midnight and Olivia was worried that Amanda wouldn't sleep and she barely ate her dinner. Olivia asked the nurse to get a sleep aid ready. "Amanda you can't watch TV with this concussion, I need you to close your eyes and sleep." Amanda shook her head, "I can't mom." She hit the nurse's button and the nurse came in. She explained that it was medicine to help her sleep, "No I don't want that!" Olivia knew if she could just get her to close her eyes she would go to sleep, but Amanda was known for nightmares anyway when something traumatic happened. "Ok Amanda, we'll wait. Move over and I'll hold you, but you need to close your eyes. If you are not asleep in 10 minutes, you're getting the medicine even if I have to hold you down. Olivia climbed in the hospital bed, held her tight, and she was asleep.
Not too long after that, Olivia saw the door open and in the hallway light she saw Peter, Lucy, and Noah. "Shhhhh." Peter smiled, "How is she doing?" Olivia whispered, "Traumatized. This is gonna be just like when we got her. "My poor baby." He looked at her forehead, "I'm gonna kill that guy." Olivia picked up Noah, "Babe he's gonna be a cop in jail. He won't make it long. Wait until he runs into someone that he put there." Olivia looked at her watch, "Go to the hotel and get some rest. I'll see y'all in the morning."
The next morning, everyone was there bright and early. Peter and Lucy went to the room with Noah, while everyone waited in the waiting room. Olivia fed Noah and held him while Peter took care of Amanda who thankfully was still asleep, "Will they release her today or tomorrow?" Olivia passed Noah to Lucy and walked to the bed, "I'm not sure, she's here for observation. I'll be glad to get her home." Amanda started to stretch, "Dad?" Peter smiled, "Hey look who's awake. Look who I brought with me!" Amanda looked at the couch, "Hi Lucy! Noah!" Everyone said "Shhhhh!" Amanda sat up, "Can I hold him?" Lucy carried him over, "Amanda I'm so sorry this wouldn't have happened if I had gone to the store myself." Olivia interrupted, "Don't Lucy, this is not yours or Amanda's fault."
Amanda looked at Olivia and tears were about to fall, "Did you tell him? Because you tell him everything." Peter looked scared and Olivia was confused, "Hey, did I tell him what?" Amanda spoke so softly, "You know under the deck." Olivia was hoping and praying with the concussion she didn't remember, "No because I told you only Kat and I knew and it can stay that way. Amanda you do know, we would never laugh at you." Amanda held Peter, she had been so clingy. The ER psychiatrist explained the behavior to Olivia. She also said it would likely continue, but she was hopeful that Amanda would be ok once the normal routine stabilized. "Dad I was so scared when she was there and I heard her." Peter assured her it was ok and tried to look to Olivia for clues. "I peed all over myself dad, because I couldn't help it. Everything calls me a baby. Now I really am."
Lucy sat on the other side of her bed, "Amanda, remember when I told you it was just me and my mom? Well I'm going to tell you something that I never told anyone." Amanda shook her head, "Well it's because my dad was a drunk and a drug addict, who beat my mom. She got hit all of the time and my mom took it, until one day he started beating me." Everyone in the room froze.
"My aunt who works for Peter is his sister. She knew what my mom and I went through and always was there for us. We couldn't stay with her, because he would find us, but she always gave us money for food, hotels, and groceries until my mom got on her feet." Everyone was shocked.
"One day she told me to go by the house and get money she left for me. I was a senior getting ready for prom and my mom just didn't have the money. She always hid it on top of the refrigerator, because she spoiled me. When I went into the house, I grabbed the money and I heard his voice, saying hello from upstairs."
Olivia knew where this story was going. I hid in the bedroom closet, because it had a tiny storage area. I climbed in scared to death. I heard him open the closet door." Amanda's face looked worried, "Did he find you and hurt you?" Lucy hung her head, "No Amanda he didn't, but I peed on myself in that closet and stayed there frozen for four long hours."
Amanda hugged Lucy, "My aunt came home and didn't even know I was there. I finally got enough strength to dial her from my cell and tell her where I was. It took a whole day to talk and tell my mom and aunt what happened." Olivia and Peter had no idea of things Lucy had been through. "So Amanda, you are not a baby and don't ever be ashamed. Tell whoever you want, but know you don't have to tell anyone anything."
Amanda had to stay another day. They wanted the swelling to go down so more and do a few more cognitive tests. Melinda, Fin, and Kat headed back the next day. Peter, Noah, and Lucy stayed the extra day. They released Amanda the next day and all of them headed home. Amanda was still having headaches, so that meant limited phone and TV. When the only thing a 15 year old can do is lay around thinking of all the bad things that happened in the last 72 hours, things were not ok.