Chapter Six
Setting a vase of flowers on top of the white linen table cloth Michaela stepped back to admire her work. Smiling she turned to the stove and removed a kettle of boiling water. Pouring the steaming liquid into her mug, she placed her tea bag inside and then dumped in her sugar and honey. "Mmm..." she closed her eyes breathing in the calming scent.
She entered the living room giving it a once over happy to see the newly painted walls turned out as she hoped. The teal was welcoming and calm at the same time giving it a homey feel. Walking out the back door Michaela's eyes scanned her back yard and for the first time she noticed an apple tree sitting on the edges of her property and her neighbors. Setting down her mug she made her way over to the tree. "These would be excellent for an apple pie."
Looking up Michaela started to pick the apples from the tree and placing them in her apron. The shiny red apples gleamed in the setting sun as Michaela contemplated how many she should take.
"You know people get arrested for stealing in this town," a voice came from behind her.
Turing around Michaela's breath caught in her throat. "They were on the ground. They're all damaged and bruised."
Picking up an apple from her apron he looked at it then turned it around. "Bruised?"
"Okay, well, maybe not that one," she looked down.
"They all, ah, look pretty good to me," he smiled.
"It's just a few apples to bake a pie."
"A pie," his eye lit up. "Well why didn't you say so? Maybe we can make a deal, I love pie."
"I don't make deals," Michaela let all the apples fall from her apron. Turning she walked up on lawn and into the house. Letting the screen door slam behind her Michaela sat down at her kitchen table. Biting her bottom lip she felt bad for snapping at the man, she had just been so jumpy lately and she didn't know who she could trust and who she couldn't yet. Suddenly a knock at her back door broke her from her thoughts.
"You forgot these," the man from outside held an arm full apples. "It's a shame to let them all rot. I heard they're great for baking pies."
Rolling her eyes Michaela shook her head.
"Look, I'm sorry for scaring you," he said sincerely.
"I'm sorry," Michaela stood up. "Come in."
Setting the apples down on the counter the man turned to Michaela. "Hi," he smiled. "My names Sully."
"Hello," she shook his out stretched hand.
"I hadn't realized anyone moved in," he commented.
"I just moved in on Tuesday, it was such a great deal I couldn't pass it up," she smiled looking around.
Shaking his head he smiled at her. "So tell me something. What's your name? Where you from?"
"So many questions," she moved back to the table.
"It's only two."
"I don't mean to be rude but it's late for me. Maybe we could do this some other time," Michaela feigned a yawn.
"I'm sorry but," he paused a smile playing on this lips. "I'm not free till tomorrow night. I'm making pot roast for dinner and it'd go great with apple pie."
"I'm sure it would," she didn't flinch.
"Look," he held his hands up. "Don't say anything. I'll set two places, eight o'clock. If you don't show, well I'll be eating pot roast for a week."
"It's no big deal right?"
"Right."
"Okay, well good night," she ushered him to the door.
"Good night."
Letting out a breath Michaela settled into bed. Staring at the ceiling she knew that tomorrow she had to call her family. The only thing she regretted about her plan was making her family believe she was dead. But hopefully after she told them the entire story they would in time come to understand it was absolutely necessary. She had hoped they'd come out and visit her. See the life she was making for herself. Turning to her side she thought back to the night she escaped and how her plans changed her life.
The rain was pouring down on the roof of her car coating the windshield in a blurry mass. Gripping the steering wheel she moved her face inches from the glass trying to see the road. Michaela could feel the hot tears falling from her eyes and the stinging sensation clinging in the back of her nose. "Please let me get out of here," she prayed aloud. "Please!"
Driving down the twisting ravine Michaela's car reach the speed of eight-three before she realized how fast she was going. But at the same time she looked down at her speedometer lightening crashed down ahead splitting a limb from the large willow tree dropping it in the middle of the road. Quickly looking up Michaela swerved out of the way but not before her car crash into the guard rail and stopping just mere inches from the edge of the ravine where it plunges to the waters below.
Not moving Michaela's eyes grew wide and her breathing drew shallow. Looking to the side Michaela noticed that the front of her car was just tipping over the edge. Slowly she opened her driver side door, moving one foot at a time and not making any unnecessary movements, exited. Quickly she opened the back door and drew out her bag. Looking at the car her tears began a new. She realized she just cheated death, or God just gave her another chance. Shaking and wet she moved under a tree. Then suddenly an idea came to her.
She knew without a shadow of a doubt that no matter what Jack would come looking for her, and most likely find her, unless he had a reason not to. She watched her car teeter back and forth as the wind blew. And that's when she knew. If she could make Jack think she died, he would have no reason to look and come after her. She could run off, start a new life, far away, without him.
The idea delighted her but the only draw back would be her family. Of course within time she would have to contact them, they didn't deserve to go through her death, but she knew deep down she had to do it. She knew her family and in time they would forgive her. Standing up she looked around before finding a large rock just at the corner of the ravine. Picking it up she walked over to her car, and taking a deep breath she looked inside and as quickly as she could she threw the rock to the front of the driver side floor making it land on top of the accelerator. Moving back she watched the car wheels quickly spin and lurch over the edge of the ravine. She watched as if fell, hitting each jarring rock on the way down and finally land at the bottom just mere feet from the river.
Her hand gripped her chest and she felt the cold metal pendant around her neck. Yanking it from her neckline she walked to the edges of the ravine and threw it over the edge. Just that simple movement made Michaela feel so much better. Taking a branch she covered all of her foot prints and began to walk the mile and a half to the bottom of the ravine. When she reached the bottom the rain had stopped. She walked directly to the bus station and bought a ticket to the furthest town it could take her, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
"I'm finally free," she grinned. "I'm free." Turning over Michaela fell into a deep even sleep for the first night in over four years.
The sun peered through Michaela's lace curtains reflecting a bright glow on her face. Turning to her side she yawned, stretching her arms above her head. Catching a glance at her alarm clock it read, eleven-thirty. "Oh, my goodness," she was amazed. "I don't think I've ever slept so late."
Taking a deep breath she reached for the phone. Last night she promised herself that she would call her family as soon as she awoken. It had been over a week since she ran away and it was her mother's seventy-fifth birthday. It was time to call home. Calculating the time in Boston she knew it would be one-thirty. Sitting up in bed she picked up her phone and dialed her parents number. After three rings the phone picked up.
"Hello, Quinn Residence," Rebecca answered.
"Rebecca," Michaela whispered.
Hearing a gasp at the other end she was soon greeted by silence. For a moment neither spoke.
"It's Michaela."
"What? Who is this?" Rebecca snapped. "I don't find this funny."
"Rebecca it's…it's me," Michaela's eyes filled with tears. "It's me."
"M-michaela?"
"Rebecca," she cried. "Oh Rebecca," Michaela's emotions began to take over.
Rebecca's face turned white and her hand covered her mouth as she sat down. "Oh, my God," she said aloud. "Michaela." The door to the kitchen swung open and Maureen walked in. Picking up a platter of food she turned to look at her sister.
"Rebecca," Maureen walked over to her. "What is it? You look like you seen a ghost."
"Oh, my God. How? Michaela," she cried into the phone.
"What?" Maureen dropped the platter on the counter. "Who are you talking to?"
Michaela could hear her sisters' conversation on the phone and knew they were both in shock. "Rebecca you have to listen to me. This is important, is Jack at the house? Is he there?"
"It's Michaela," Rebecca held the phone up a tear gliding down her cheek. "It's Michaela."
"What?" she said in disbelief, taking the phone from her sister. "I don't know who you think you are or what you think your doing," Maureen shouted in the phone. "But my sister is dead!"
"Maureen," Michaela spoke. "It's me. Listen, you have to believe me." Maureen stood in shock there was no doubt about it, that was her sisters' voice.
"Michaela," tears instantly made their way to her eyes. "Oh my God, Michaela."
"Is Jack there?" Michaela asked again.
"No," Maureen answered. "He didn't want to come. Michaela where are you? What happened we thought you were dead. We went to your funeral. Michaela!"
"I…I had to leave, Maureen."
"It was Jack wasn't it. Are you okay? Are you hurt. Oh, my God, are you in the hospital?"
"I'm fine. I'm...I'm in Colorado, she was hesitant.
"Colorado? What are you doing there?" Maureen was mystified.
"Starting over," she smiled.
"We know about Jack, Michaela. That's why you went away, wasn't it?" she cut to the point.
"Who…who told you? Rebecca?" She frowned wondering if her parents knew about Jack as well. "Did you tell mother and father?"
"No, we didn't want to say anything, just on that chance that we were wrong. Don't be mad at Rebecca. Besides we figured most of the stuff on our own. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm okay. I was actually hoping that you could all come out here. So we could all talk about things, together, in person." Michaela knew she was asking a lot and she didn't know if she could actually handle her whole family coming out to see her, but she couldn't bear telling them over the phone.
"Oh! Of course. We'll come Michaela. We'll come," she smiled.
"Let me talk to her," Rebecca spoke up. "Let me talk."
"Michaela, Rebecca wants to talk to you. Oh, Michaela, I'm so happy you're all right. Let me get everyone else, we're all here for Mothers birthday. Oh! Their all going to be so happy. Oh, Michaela!"
"Don't…Don't tell mother. I want to speak with her first."
"All right, all right. I'll be right back. Here's Rebecca," handing her the phone she smiled. "I'm going to get everyone."
"Michaela?" Rebecca whispered.
"Rebecca," Michaela smiled through her tears. "I'm sorry I scared you."
"No," Rebecca shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't help you. I'm sorry I didn't take you away from Jack. I'm sorry he hurt you."
"No, Rebecca. Don't. Please don't. It wasn't your fault. I didn't want you to know. I was ashamed. So…so ashamed." Looking out the window Michaela tried not to let her emotions get the better of her. She had tried to pretend her life was perfect around her family for the past four years she didn't know how to break down that wall and let the people she loved most in.
"We all would have helped you. We're your family."
"You don't know what Jack's capable of," Michaela shivered. "You can't let him know I'm alive, Rebecca. Nobody can let him know. You can't tell anyone. Do you understand? Not anyone. If you're going to come out here, it has to be done quietly, Jack can't know where you're going."
"Michaela, I'm scared for you. You're scaring me."
"No, no don't I'm fine. Rebecca I'm fine. And for the first time in four years I'm happy. Rebecca, I'm free and I'm happy."
"Oh Michaela," she closed her eye. "You're alive," she cried.
"Come on," Maureen held her mothers hand as everyone gathered in the kitchen.
"What's the meaning of this? Maureen, what's going on?" Elizabeth asked. "We were just about to have cake, Martha has it all set.
"Sit down," Maureen pointed to the high top chair next to Rebecca at the island. "This will be a lot better than cake."
Huffing Elizabeth sat down next to Rebecca. "Rebecca?" Elizabeth questioned seeing her daughters face for the first time. "Are you crying? What's wrong?"
Smiling Rebecca closed her eyes wiping away her tears. "Here," she handed her the phone.
Michaela took a deep breath. She was going to talk to her mother.
Elizabeth eyed Rebecca taking the phone from her. "Who is it?"
"Say hello," Maureen smiled.
"Hello," Elizabeth sighed.
"Mom," Michaela spoke low. "It's me."
At the mere sound of her voice Elizabeth's face turned ashen and she gripped the side of the island. "M-michaela?"
Gasps were heard around the kitchen. Josef pushed passed Claudette and John making his way next to Elizabeth. "What did you just say?"
"Michaela?" Tears instantly claimed Elizabeth's eyes as she looked at Rebecca as if begging for it to be true.
"Happy Birthday," Michaela cried out at the other end.
"Michaela?" Elizabeth said over again. "Darling?"
"What's going on here?" Josef demanded. "Is this some joke? He looked at Rebecca and Maureen.
"It's Michaela," Maureen spoke. "She's alive."
Immediately Josef sat down at the kitchen table, his hands beginning to shake. "Michaela's alive?" he said in disbelief.
"Michaela?" Marjorie placed her hand on her mothers shoulder.
"I'm okay mom," Michaela answered. "I'm in Colorado. I'm okay."
"Oh. Oh, Michaela," Elizabeth cried out. "Oh Michaela. I prayed. Every night, every single night I prayed. Oh God. Oh, thank you, God!"
"I'm sorry," Michaela began. "I'm sorry I put you through so much. But I had to get away. Please believe me. I'm so sorry," she began to cry again as well. Forgetting all about her earlier promises Michaela turned back into a little girl. A little girl that always craved her father's attention and he mothers approval.
"Hush," Elizabeth replied. "So you're all right? You're okay?"
"I'm…I'm fine," her voice shook. "How's father? Is he okay?"
"He's fine. He's right here." She turned to Josef flashing him the brightest smile he'd had ever seen.
"Did you call Jack?" Elizabeth realized. "He's going to be so happy. Oh, Michaela you have to call Jack!"
"No!" The Quinn sisters all yelled in unison causing both Elizabeth and Josef to jump.