Adventure of a Lifetime
Safe In Your Arms
The doorbell rang on Monday afternoon. Christian was at work, much against his will. He had wanted to stay at home but the police told them to carry on as normal.
'If you sit around worrying the people who took you daughter will see you as vulnerable.' The policeman had said. So Christian had left for work and said he would be back at 4. It was now ten minutes to.
Satine went to open the door. DC Tothes was standing behind it. He was the policeman in charge of the case. 'Hello, Richard.' Satine held the door open for him. DC Tothes insisted on them calling him by his first name and they insisted on him calling them by their first names.
'Hello, Satine.' Richard stepped into the hall.
'Christian isn't back from work yet but you can wait if you want.'
'I've actually come to see you.'
'Would you come into the study then?' Satine indicated the room to the left of the door. 'Ginnie, can we have some tea please?' She asked the passing maid. Richard settled himself into a chair and Satine sat on the couch. 'What is it you want to talk to me about?'
'Ashleigh wasn't your first pregnancy was she?'
'No. I became pregnant by my boyfriend when I was 17.'
'What happened there?'
'My mother didn't approve and pushed me down the stairs. Subsequently I lost the baby.' Satine avoided making eye contact with Richard. Talking about it bought back memories and also made her think that she was going to lose another child.
'I know this is difficult for you, Satine but I do need to know. What was your boyfriend called?'
'Nick Simons.'
'What was his reaction to the baby?'
'He was absolutely thrilled. He'd always wanted a baby. He appeared to be more happy than me and because I didn't talk about it he thought I didn't want it that much. When I had the miscarriage he thought I was glad about it.'
'Were you?'
'No!' Satine said indignantly. 'Of course not.'
'I'm sorry, Satine.'
'What happened then?'
'We split up and he went away. I don't think he ever really....' Satine stopped and her face paled. 'Oh....'
'What? What is it?'
'The last thing he said to me was "I'll see you at the docks" .'
'What's the significance of that?'
'The message Ms Giles was given was "Tell Satine I'll see her at the docks". He has her I know he has.' Satine bought her hands up to her face. 'This can't be happening.' She moaned.
At that moment the door opened and then slammed shut. Christian walked in whistling.
'Hello.' He kissed his wife's cheek and then noticed her face. 'What's wrong?'
'We think we know who has your daughter and where she may be.'
'Why aren't we out there then?' Christian started heading towards the door.
'Because we've only just worked it out. I'm going to go now.' He set down his tea and began to stand up.
'No.' Satine spoke up. The two men turned around.
'Satine, honey,' Christian knelt down in front of her, picked up her hand and began rubbing it, 'this could be our chance to get Ashleigh back.'
'The thing is, though, it's not about Ashleigh. It's about me. That is the only reason he's doing this. To get back at me. So I think I should be the one to go.'
'Satine, I really do not recommend that.' Richard began. Satine looked at him.
'Why not? You don't know Nick, I do.'
'All right, all right.' Richard finally gave in, holding up his hands. 'But I'm coming with you.'
'So am I.' Christian added hastily. He needed to protect his wife from this monster who took their daughter.
***
The journey to the docks was a short one. When they arrived it was packed with people, goods and ships. Christian held Satine's hand as they looked up and down.
'There are hundreds of docks.' He moaned. 'How will we ever find the right one?' Satine looked up and down. He had never said which dock he would be at. The numbers were painted on the side. Slowly Satine looked at them. She reached the end when the number 2 jumped out at her.
'That one, number 2.' She pointed.
'How do you know?' Richard asked, looking at it very closely, thinking that Nick could be seen.
'It's his favourite number.' Satine stated as they began to walk towards it. 'There are two years between us, he reckons that the best age of our child would be 2 and it was on the 2 February that he left me. Also his favourite boat is docked outside.' The three looked at the cargo boat, The Paris, moored outside.
It wasn't quite as busy as the other docks. In fact there were only a few people milling around. A man was seated on the concrete edge, his feet dangling over the edge. He looked up at the boat next to him, it's bow impressively high above him.
'Nick.' His name was gently called by an angel. He closed his eyes, remembering the last time he heard that voice. A smile would come to Satine's lips and she would wrap her arms around him and kiss him gently. Now her kisses were given to 'him'. How he loathed that man, taking away the woman he was supposed to be with. Ashleigh was supposed to be his child, not another mans. He turned around and saw her standing there. She looked even more beautiful than he could remember.
'Satine...' He began, then he saw Christian standing next to her, his arm around her waist. 'What's he doing here?' He asked angrily.
'Relax. He's going.' Satine turned to Christian and they began whispering in low voices. Finally Christian placed a kiss on her forehead and let her go. He slowly walked back to where Richard was waiting, watching Nick the whole time. 'Where is she?' She asked, stepping closer to him.
'She's fine.' Nick said abruptly.
'Why did you take her, Nick?' Satine asked evenly and calmly.
'Because she's not his!' He said, pointing at Christian. 'She's mine. She's mine!' He sat down on the ground, sobbing. Satine crouched next to him.
'Nick, she isn't our baby. Our baby died a long time ago. She's mine and Christian's.'
'But she should be mine!'
'Why?' Satine asked quietly.
'Because...because it was unfair that our baby was taken. I always thought that your first child would be my first child.'
'That's what I thought when I was pregnant but I think the miscarriage was a wake up call that we weren't meant to be together.' Satine said gently. Nick looked at her angrily, his eyes flashing. 'Tell me, honestly, is it me you've missed or having a girlfriend?'
'Having a girlfriend.' Nick admitted after a while. 'I thought it was you but now I've realised it isn't. I'm sorry I took her I was just so angry when I saw you with him. I thought that if I took her I could convince her I was her father and not him.' He couldn't bring himself to mention Christian's name.
'Did you?'
'No. She just kept talking about you, him and her sister. She's a bright girl you should be proud.'
'I am.' Satine turned to see Richard and Christian walking towards them.
'I didn't hurt her, Satine. I would never hurt her.'
'I know you wouldn't.' Satine told him. Christian's arms wrapped around her, holding her protectively whilst Richard handcuffed Nick.
'Honey, are you ok?' Christian asked, looking deep into her eyes.
'Fine. I wasn't really scared of him.'
'I was so afraid something was going to happen to you.'
'I'd never hurt Satine.' Nick spoke up. Christian turned and looked at him without expression. He would never feel anything for the man who took his daughter. 'Or your daughter. I suppose you want to know where she is.'
'Yes please.' Christian managed to say this quietly without screaming at him for taking her.
'She's in there.' He said, nodding towards a run down shed that used to be used to store small cargo.
Christian didn't wait for permission from Richard he ran up and when the door wouldn't open he kicked it in with his foot. It made a loud noise as it hit the wall. Christian looked around. It was dark, the only source of light came from where one of the windows wasn't boarded up. Sitting in the middle of the floor was Ashleigh. Her knees were drawn up, her face buried in them and her hands over her ears. She was rocking herself back and forth. Tentatively, Christian walked over and gently touched her arm. Ashleigh freaked. She let out a scream and ran to a corner, cowering away, sobbing.
'Ashie, it's ok, it's me.' Christian said reassuringly, using his nickname for her. She looked around uncertainly, her eyes wet with tears.
'Daddy?' Christian nodded, smiling gently. He held his arms out. Ashleigh looked at him for a few moments before running to him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. His shirt was getting wet as she sobbed, clinging onto him for dear life. He could feel his own tears streaming down his face.
Satine stepped cautiously into the room. She had wanted to go in there at first, just in case.... She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ashleigh safe in Christian's arms. Ashleigh looked up when she heard footsteps at the door.
'Mama!' She cried out. If there was one thing that was going to make her let go of her Daddy it was her Mama. She pushed her way out of Christian's embrace and hurled herself into her mother's. Satine wept happy tears as she rocked Ashleigh.
'My baby.' She murmured softly. 'My precious baby.'
'I'm sorry, Mama.' Ashleigh wailed.
'It's ok, I'm not cross. I'm just glad you are safe.'
'So am I.' Christian had come over to join them. He wrapped his arms around them both, hugging them tightly. He never wanted to let them go.
The doorbell rang on Monday afternoon. Christian was at work, much against his will. He had wanted to stay at home but the police told them to carry on as normal.
'If you sit around worrying the people who took you daughter will see you as vulnerable.' The policeman had said. So Christian had left for work and said he would be back at 4. It was now ten minutes to.
Satine went to open the door. DC Tothes was standing behind it. He was the policeman in charge of the case. 'Hello, Richard.' Satine held the door open for him. DC Tothes insisted on them calling him by his first name and they insisted on him calling them by their first names.
'Hello, Satine.' Richard stepped into the hall.
'Christian isn't back from work yet but you can wait if you want.'
'I've actually come to see you.'
'Would you come into the study then?' Satine indicated the room to the left of the door. 'Ginnie, can we have some tea please?' She asked the passing maid. Richard settled himself into a chair and Satine sat on the couch. 'What is it you want to talk to me about?'
'Ashleigh wasn't your first pregnancy was she?'
'No. I became pregnant by my boyfriend when I was 17.'
'What happened there?'
'My mother didn't approve and pushed me down the stairs. Subsequently I lost the baby.' Satine avoided making eye contact with Richard. Talking about it bought back memories and also made her think that she was going to lose another child.
'I know this is difficult for you, Satine but I do need to know. What was your boyfriend called?'
'Nick Simons.'
'What was his reaction to the baby?'
'He was absolutely thrilled. He'd always wanted a baby. He appeared to be more happy than me and because I didn't talk about it he thought I didn't want it that much. When I had the miscarriage he thought I was glad about it.'
'Were you?'
'No!' Satine said indignantly. 'Of course not.'
'I'm sorry, Satine.'
'What happened then?'
'We split up and he went away. I don't think he ever really....' Satine stopped and her face paled. 'Oh....'
'What? What is it?'
'The last thing he said to me was "I'll see you at the docks" .'
'What's the significance of that?'
'The message Ms Giles was given was "Tell Satine I'll see her at the docks". He has her I know he has.' Satine bought her hands up to her face. 'This can't be happening.' She moaned.
At that moment the door opened and then slammed shut. Christian walked in whistling.
'Hello.' He kissed his wife's cheek and then noticed her face. 'What's wrong?'
'We think we know who has your daughter and where she may be.'
'Why aren't we out there then?' Christian started heading towards the door.
'Because we've only just worked it out. I'm going to go now.' He set down his tea and began to stand up.
'No.' Satine spoke up. The two men turned around.
'Satine, honey,' Christian knelt down in front of her, picked up her hand and began rubbing it, 'this could be our chance to get Ashleigh back.'
'The thing is, though, it's not about Ashleigh. It's about me. That is the only reason he's doing this. To get back at me. So I think I should be the one to go.'
'Satine, I really do not recommend that.' Richard began. Satine looked at him.
'Why not? You don't know Nick, I do.'
'All right, all right.' Richard finally gave in, holding up his hands. 'But I'm coming with you.'
'So am I.' Christian added hastily. He needed to protect his wife from this monster who took their daughter.
***
The journey to the docks was a short one. When they arrived it was packed with people, goods and ships. Christian held Satine's hand as they looked up and down.
'There are hundreds of docks.' He moaned. 'How will we ever find the right one?' Satine looked up and down. He had never said which dock he would be at. The numbers were painted on the side. Slowly Satine looked at them. She reached the end when the number 2 jumped out at her.
'That one, number 2.' She pointed.
'How do you know?' Richard asked, looking at it very closely, thinking that Nick could be seen.
'It's his favourite number.' Satine stated as they began to walk towards it. 'There are two years between us, he reckons that the best age of our child would be 2 and it was on the 2 February that he left me. Also his favourite boat is docked outside.' The three looked at the cargo boat, The Paris, moored outside.
It wasn't quite as busy as the other docks. In fact there were only a few people milling around. A man was seated on the concrete edge, his feet dangling over the edge. He looked up at the boat next to him, it's bow impressively high above him.
'Nick.' His name was gently called by an angel. He closed his eyes, remembering the last time he heard that voice. A smile would come to Satine's lips and she would wrap her arms around him and kiss him gently. Now her kisses were given to 'him'. How he loathed that man, taking away the woman he was supposed to be with. Ashleigh was supposed to be his child, not another mans. He turned around and saw her standing there. She looked even more beautiful than he could remember.
'Satine...' He began, then he saw Christian standing next to her, his arm around her waist. 'What's he doing here?' He asked angrily.
'Relax. He's going.' Satine turned to Christian and they began whispering in low voices. Finally Christian placed a kiss on her forehead and let her go. He slowly walked back to where Richard was waiting, watching Nick the whole time. 'Where is she?' She asked, stepping closer to him.
'She's fine.' Nick said abruptly.
'Why did you take her, Nick?' Satine asked evenly and calmly.
'Because she's not his!' He said, pointing at Christian. 'She's mine. She's mine!' He sat down on the ground, sobbing. Satine crouched next to him.
'Nick, she isn't our baby. Our baby died a long time ago. She's mine and Christian's.'
'But she should be mine!'
'Why?' Satine asked quietly.
'Because...because it was unfair that our baby was taken. I always thought that your first child would be my first child.'
'That's what I thought when I was pregnant but I think the miscarriage was a wake up call that we weren't meant to be together.' Satine said gently. Nick looked at her angrily, his eyes flashing. 'Tell me, honestly, is it me you've missed or having a girlfriend?'
'Having a girlfriend.' Nick admitted after a while. 'I thought it was you but now I've realised it isn't. I'm sorry I took her I was just so angry when I saw you with him. I thought that if I took her I could convince her I was her father and not him.' He couldn't bring himself to mention Christian's name.
'Did you?'
'No. She just kept talking about you, him and her sister. She's a bright girl you should be proud.'
'I am.' Satine turned to see Richard and Christian walking towards them.
'I didn't hurt her, Satine. I would never hurt her.'
'I know you wouldn't.' Satine told him. Christian's arms wrapped around her, holding her protectively whilst Richard handcuffed Nick.
'Honey, are you ok?' Christian asked, looking deep into her eyes.
'Fine. I wasn't really scared of him.'
'I was so afraid something was going to happen to you.'
'I'd never hurt Satine.' Nick spoke up. Christian turned and looked at him without expression. He would never feel anything for the man who took his daughter. 'Or your daughter. I suppose you want to know where she is.'
'Yes please.' Christian managed to say this quietly without screaming at him for taking her.
'She's in there.' He said, nodding towards a run down shed that used to be used to store small cargo.
Christian didn't wait for permission from Richard he ran up and when the door wouldn't open he kicked it in with his foot. It made a loud noise as it hit the wall. Christian looked around. It was dark, the only source of light came from where one of the windows wasn't boarded up. Sitting in the middle of the floor was Ashleigh. Her knees were drawn up, her face buried in them and her hands over her ears. She was rocking herself back and forth. Tentatively, Christian walked over and gently touched her arm. Ashleigh freaked. She let out a scream and ran to a corner, cowering away, sobbing.
'Ashie, it's ok, it's me.' Christian said reassuringly, using his nickname for her. She looked around uncertainly, her eyes wet with tears.
'Daddy?' Christian nodded, smiling gently. He held his arms out. Ashleigh looked at him for a few moments before running to him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. His shirt was getting wet as she sobbed, clinging onto him for dear life. He could feel his own tears streaming down his face.
Satine stepped cautiously into the room. She had wanted to go in there at first, just in case.... She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ashleigh safe in Christian's arms. Ashleigh looked up when she heard footsteps at the door.
'Mama!' She cried out. If there was one thing that was going to make her let go of her Daddy it was her Mama. She pushed her way out of Christian's embrace and hurled herself into her mother's. Satine wept happy tears as she rocked Ashleigh.
'My baby.' She murmured softly. 'My precious baby.'
'I'm sorry, Mama.' Ashleigh wailed.
'It's ok, I'm not cross. I'm just glad you are safe.'
'So am I.' Christian had come over to join them. He wrapped his arms around them both, hugging them tightly. He never wanted to let them go.