Chapter 4: Mistakes Have a Way of Biting You in the Ass
Battered and torn
still I can see the light
tattered and worn
but I must kneel to fight
Friend of mine
what can't you spare
I know some times
it gets cold in there
When my legs no longer carry
and the warm wind chills my bones
I reach for Mother Mary
and I shall not walk alone
Ellone gives me a weird look and the women with Kiros and Ward stare at me, I suppose wondering who I am. Well, I guess it is kind of weird for me to ask them not to tell anyone they saw me, but do they have to look at me like that?
"You know, I got a call from Quistis a couple weeks ago. Seems she called Trabia to talk to you only to find out that you were on a no longer there, that you had resigned and disappeared off the face of the world. She was worried and wanted to know if I knew what was going on. You have them all in a panic, Selphie," Ellone says, looking me straight in the eye. I turn my head away, watching Sheena's retreating back. Okay, so maybe it was a little much for me to expect Elle to be as understanding as Sir Laguna. But damn it, she'll have to be understanding because I cannot have everyone knowing where I am, and I really don't want to have to move again. Besides, this town is perfect to raise Tessa in.
"Listen Elle, I'm sure they're worried about me because they're like that, but they're better off not knowing where I am and everything I'm doing. Trust me, they're all better off forgetting me, and I'm better off with them not knowing where I am."
"Why do you say that Sefie?" I glance around at all the people around us—Ward, Kiros, their wives, Sir Laguna, they're all tuned in to the conversation whether they want to be or not.
"Because. It's a really long story, Elle. What are y'all doing here anyway?"
"Don't think I'm going to drop this until I get an answer out of you, Selph." I'm not dumb enough to think that 'Big Sis' is going to give up before she knows exactly what is going on.
"We came to visit Raine, and Elle wanted to come back and visit the town. It really is a great place." Laguna responds, glancing between Elle and I. He's probably afraid we may start yelling at one another or something. It would never happen, simply because Ellone is so in control of herself all the time. I might yell at her, but she would simply speak calmly and quietly back to me.
"Yeah. Listen, I have to get going, I need to pick up Markus and Sarin and drop them off at Drex and Sheena's before it gets much later and I really am pretty exhausted—it's been a long day. If you want to talk, come by my house tomorrow. As a matter of fact, why don't you all come to my house for lunch tomorrow. This place is closed on Sundays and Sheena and Drex are going to Deling for the day and I'm babysitting, so I won't have any adult company. What do you say?"
"We'd be honored to. If the food is as good as it was tonight you couldn't keep me away with a sleep spell." I smile at Laguna's antics and give in to the fact that they'll learn a partial truth tomorrow when they come to my house. There is no way I would or could lie about Tessa to anybody. She's my little girl, my world.
Before they leave, I stop them all by asking, "Could you all not call me Selphie, either? The name is Sarah." They reluctantly agree, though I can see that Ellone does not like this at all. But she still gives me a hug before they leave and even Ward and Kiros smile at me.
I watch as they leave, then hurry around locking everything up and turning out lights before heading to the Leonard's to pick up Markus, Sarin, and Tessa. Mrs. Leonard is sitting up for me, Tessa in her arms. I smile as I walk in the shop and over to where she is.
"How long has she been asleep?" I whisper.
"For about an hour or so now. She'll probably wake up hungry about the time you get home. You picking up Markus and Sarin as well?"
"Yeah, I ordered Sheena home before she collapsed. What with the complications she already has, I refuse to add any more stress on top of that. I think she'll have her baby within the next two days, but she still refuses to take time off at work."
"Well, I'll be ready for another addition."
"Yeah…I just hope Sheena is okay afterwards. I don't know what I would do without her. She's my best friend. And Drex...I don't know if he could function without Sheena."
"Just think about the good things, darlin'. Don't dwell on what might happen or what has occurred in the past. Seize the here and now while your still young. Now, I'm sure Sheena will be just fine, she's a fighter." I smile at her and lean down to collect Tessa into my arms. I stare at the beautiful baby and duck my head to kiss her forehead before transferring her to the carrier. After that I pick up the baby bag and go to corral Sarin and Markus. Once I have them trotting in front of me I walk to their house—not on the way to mine, but I would walk five miles out of my way if it would help Sheena. Drex opens the door and smiles.
"Thanks Sarah. She really looked wiped out tonight, she didn't need to go all the way to the Leonard's to pick them up. I sent her straight to take a bath and go to bed when she got home. Although, I think she fell asleep in the bath." We both share a laugh over this, because it would not be the first time Sheena dozed off in the tub.
"I know, she looked totally wiped. Tthat's why I made her come straight home. Anyway, Tessa and I need to get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow morning when you drop them off." He nods and waves as I turn to finish the walk to my house. Halfway to the house, Tessa wakes and gets fussy in her carrier so I have to stop and unbuckle her. I lightly bounce her and pace in circles around her carrier until she settles down again. However, every time I attempt to put her back in her carrier she gets cranky again, so I wind up carrying her with the carrier uncomfortable hooked over the crook of my elbow. The rest of the walk to the house is quiet, though. Sometimes Tessa just wants to be held by me, and I won't complain because I love holding her.
Once home I open the door and walk in. I forgot to lock the door this morning, but let it go because there really is no need to. The restaurant gets locked up in case a roamer wants to get in for food or money—after the fridge was emptied by a wanderer Sheena and I decided to get heavy duty bolt locks and an alarm system. I toss the keys into the tray on the table and walk into the living room, sitting the baby carrier on the couch while still cradling Tessa against my shoulder. Walking over to the side table and reaching up I try to turn on a light. Just as I'm about to turn the light on, though, I hear something fall and break upstairs. I think fast and grab Tessa's carrier, carrying it and her to the basement door. Opening the door just enough to get through I creep down the stairs and make my way through the stuff in the basement. I get to the back bedroom down here and place Tessa on the old bed. Then, I turn and rush out of the room, closing the door. I notice the key in the doorknob and I turn it, locking the door and tucking the key in my pocket.
I take a minute to catch my breath before creeping up the stairs from the basement. I begin going through everything I learned at Garden, trying to think of what to do. Unfortunately, most of what I was trained to do involved being the one breaking in, not the one defending their home. The basement comes up in the oversized pantry for the kitchen so I'm still hidden. It took me almost two weeks of living here before I found the basement, because I hadn't even know the house had a basement. I hear footsteps above me and I think of what room that is: The exercise room, which is also where my nunchaku happen to be, dang it. I close the basement door behind me and open the pantry door, also closing it. I begin to tiptoe across the kitchen before removing my shoes so I can move around without making so much noise. I don't hear footsteps anymore, so I have no idea where the person is. I sneak up the stairs and down towards the exercise room. Just as I get there something behind me breaks and I whip around to see what it is. A man about twice my size stands behind me, staring right at me through a mask. I can't see very well in the dark, but I see a telltale green light showing the man is wearing night vision goggles. I take a step back, readying myself to fight him. At this moment I wish I had taken Zell up on those lessons he had offered. While I am an ace with my nunchaku, I have room to improve on my hand to hand combat. Neither one of us moves for a moment, then I rush the man in black. Just as my leg is about to make contact with his face something drags me down and I feel someone trying to put a cloth over my mouth. I struggle, kicking out and making a painting fall off of the wall. I gather my strength and try to break free, but it's no use. The two figures who have melted into their surroundings have a tight hold on me.
I wait for them to think that I'm done, that I've given up. They loosen their grips on me and I kick out, dislodging their hands from my body. I take the opportunity and run for the stairs.
I don't even try to run down the steps; I jump over the railing and land with a thud and what I know can't be a good sound as I fall forward. My arm is screaming at me, but I just cradle it to my body and take off running again. I head for the back patio and throw the doors open after fiddling with the lock for a minute. My feet run towards Raine's grave because otherwise they could catch me by going out the front door. I figure, once there I can lose them and loop back to town. I know that Tessa is safe where she is because it took me a week after I moved into the house to find the door to the basement—it's pretty well hidden. Just as the tombstone comes into sight something grabs me around the ankles and I fall, screaming out as my already injured arm hits the ground again, underneath the full weight of my body.
It's the loudest scream I think I've ever heard myself make, and it echoes across the empty land. I scream again, hoping it will carry to town. A cloth is shoved over my mouth and nose and I taste a sharp chemical before falling unconscious. My last thought is that Sheena and Sir Laguna are both supposed to stop by tomorrow: they'll find Tessa. I feel tears fall down my cheeks at the thought of my little girl: she's crying.
Author's Notes: Wow, how long has it been now? Too long? Well, this is a short chapter because there is another already in the making that changes the story a lot (another view point)! Good news is that I can use BOTH arms to type now. I can't use the left arm for much else, but since typing only uses the hand I got permission to do it from the doctor! My surgery went fine, they repaired the bone and my PT is great—it finishes up soon (here at least) because I'm going to Japan with my mom. I'll continue PT there, and I'll be there most of the rest of summer. YAY! Don't worry though, I'll keep writing! The song is I Shall Not Walk Alone by Ben Harper. Genius.
Edited 11/23/08