Chapter 39

I watched as Maureen left following her instruction to lock the door behind her to ensure no one would find me. I was hiding away having my friends get me out of the mess I had created. I was always the one that came in and saved the day, not the other way around, but it had been happening a lot lately and I was sure they would start to resent this. Thus becoming a burden not an asset to my friends.

That was a role I never wanted to be. I was the rational one, I was the smart one. I was the one they can depend on. I was the responsible one and at this moment I didn't feel any of these things. I had let my feelings and emotions get the better of me and now; now my actions had consequences.

I bit my lip. Would they see that I wasn't the perfect person they all had expected me to be? That if they looked close enough they would see that it was an act. All through my life I made sure my image was perfect. That I was in control had no fear and could stand on my own.

I didn't want them to see the scared little girl that was buried deep inside of me. She was vulnerable; she did not know how to control her fear; she was not brave.

I slumped to the floor. Wrapping my arms around my knees up to my chest. How was I going to make this right? How was I going to show them that I was worthy of their friendship.

I was not a good friend.

I was wrong I should have never said what I did to Houston.

Maureen had pointed it out to me and we argued. The tone in Maureen's voice I'll never forget. I had never heard her yell at me, but I had deserved it.

The disappointed look she gave me I knew I had crossed a line. I was the problem. I was nothing but trouble. How much longer would she continue to be my friend? I knew I was on my last thread of rope with Maureen, she had always been my truth teller and I've pushed her to the brink even to the point that she took Houston's side in this. To say I was in shock would be an understatement.

No matter the reason or situation Maureen always was on my side. In school she had given him the nickname Cowboy Casanova. She had hated when he would show up and find other companionship even though he said he was there to see me. I accepted it. To me it was nothing new, my friend loved women but talking to Maureen and the others in my sorority made me realize that he was taking me for granted. I started to see him in a different light. That I should not wait for him that I should find someone that wanted to spend time with me. She was right I had to live my life and not wait till Houston decided to stop sowing his oats and see me as more than a friend.

I don't blame her for siding with him this time. I had lost control. I tried to back track what I had said but the damage was done. I might lose her but I'd become the biggest loser if Houston decided he had enough of my antics and decided he didn't want to help me get Jake back and not forgive me for saying what I did. I tried to smooth things over with Maureen but I knew I screwed up.

If I lost Jake and Star it would be my fault no one else.

I should have just turned myself in

Houston was in custody and I'm sure he blames me. Why would he try to save me after the way I treated him. I hope he didn't resist when they took him in not wanting him any more injured then he already was. I needed to get out. I needed to see if he was okay. I couldn't go see Jake. I was sure they had guards waiting for me to show up to take me into custody for harming their guard.

The look he gave me when I said he had lied to me. I wouldn't blame him if he said enough was enough and stop being my friend and my family.

My eyes start to get watery. I don't want to cry I can't not now I'll fall apart when I was alone and everyone was safe.

I'm startled as the doorknob starts to turn, while I was wallowing in my misery I had forgotten where I was. I get up and hide behind a linen bin hoping the guards aren't here to take me.

"Ms. Parsons?"

It sounded like the nurse that had helped Maureen help hide me.

"Are you still here? It's me, Aida the nurse that helped hide you."

I stood up. She smiled, "I thought you might have left. I wanted to check your injuries. Your friend said you have some cuts and I have an extra shirt and hoodie. If you want to change the one you have on looks like its seen better days. I look at the shirt, poor Andrew. I've destroyed two of his shirts. The streak of bad luck continues.

"Ms. Parsons?" I must have drifted off. "CJ please call me CJ and thanks for helping me out. I hate to be a bother."

She smiled, "You are not a bother, and you are only trying to help that little boy. I'm on your side and I don't think you and your friend will be in too much trouble. I've been hearing things. Your friend really let that weasel have it, but he really deserved what you did to him. Also I heard people want copies of the surveillance tape."

"I didn't mean to hurt him. It's hard to explain but I think I flashed back to what happened to me before, I'm sure you heard about my abduction right?" Who hadn't?

She came close and felt the lump on my head, "here's an ice pack I can't give you pain pills till someone checks you out. You have some scratches on your arms that I can bandage up and you will have some bruising around your upper arms and neck. Wow he really did manhandle you."

"Have you heard any news about Mr. Houston? I heard he was taken into custody?"

She shook her head. "This is all second hand information so some might be true and other is just gossip. He took down the guard, but the guard pulled a gun on Mr. Houston.

I gasped, "What! Oh no I need to get out of here is Houston alright was he hurt?"

If anything had happened to him I would never forgive myself. My last words to him could not have been said in anger.

"Hey CJ if he was hurt we would have treated him so him being in custody is kinda good news right? The guard is in trouble. He pulled a gun on him and endangered others on the floor."

I took a deep breath. "Oh course, you're right. It's just he has a bad habit of getting in trouble because of me and well when you said gun…"

She put her hand on my shoulder. "No need to explain. Okay let's get you cleaned up and wait for your friend to come back hopefully with good news."

I nodded.

She treated my scratches and cuts and I changed into a shirt and hoodie.

"Aida, is there a phone I can use to see if I can get in touch with my Uncle to see how Houston is doing."

She hesitated, "let me see what I can do. Wait here."

She left and I waited wondering when I would be able to leave.

She came back, "Okay, I'm going to take you to one of the empty rooms and there's a phone in it but you have to be quick okay?

I followed her to the empty room and she said she'd be outside and to make it fast.

I dialed Houston's car, Uncle Roy and Star should be on their way to the beach house. The phone rang and rang but went to voicemail. Maybe they were already there. I called the beach house and it was ringing. They weren't there and I was about to hang up when someone answered.

"Casa Houston".

I smiled, "Will."

"CJ is that you? Oh my God are you okay? I heard what happened. Carol called me and then Pop showed up with Star and the food and I filled him in. He wasn't happy and was worried about you so are you safe?"

I swallowed hard trying to keep my voice calm, just having him asked if I was okay meant so much to me. It was good to know that someone still cared.

"CJ? Sunshine, are you still there, talk to me. Come on what's going on."

I whimpered. Just hearing his nickname for me took me back to the summers we used to spend together with Houston. He came up with the name saying that when I smiled it was like the sun was shining just for him and he knew it was going to be a good day.

"I'm fine, just a little banged up and still hiding and waiting to hear from Maureen. I called to see if you heard anything about Houston. I heard he got taken into custody, Will, do you know anything?"

"Sorry, the last call I got from Carol was telling me what had happened at the hospital. Pop went to the police station to see how much trouble Cuz is in and to box his ears in, his words exactly. I haven't heard anything else except Carol told me you took down some security guard that got a little too personal with you. I'm sure Too Mean is going to be happy that all that training came in handy."

I stood quiet. He was trying to make me feel better.

"Don't worry about us here we are going through the tapes as we speak, Chris is helping out and so was Star but the King of Dogs Mr. Beast was insisting on being taken out for a walk. She volunteered to take him out and said she was going to follow up on some leads."

That got my attention.

"How long has she been gone Will?"

I tried not to let the panic creep into my voice. If I knew Star she had gone back to the bar. The same Bar Carol and Maureen followed her too. She must have heard what had happened with me and losing Jake and she was going back to her old life.

If her stepfather was there or what if she was being taken advantage of by the men my sisters had seen her with earlier. Or worse what if she was lying to us and was afraid to tell us the truth and only telling us what we wanted to hear. All these thoughts started to race through my mind. I had to get out of here. I had lost one of my kids. I wasn't about to lose another one.

"What do you mean CJ? She left about an hour ago…" He covered the telephone but I could hear Chris in the background saying she had been gone over two hours.

My heart dropped. Even with Beast she was not strong enough to fend off these men.

"CJ she should be back soon, don't worry."

I had to get out of this hospital and over to the pier as quickly as I could.

"CJ? Talk to me about what's going on. Is she in danger? Should I go look for her? You're getting me worried even with Beast being a pain she should have been back."

I couldn't get him involved. I already had put enough of my friends in danger. This was my battle, my fight and I would not be a burden to them any longer.

I took a deep breath. I needed to sound calm I needed to sell it to Will that everything was okay.

"I'm sure everything is okay, she's probably following up on a lead or Beast is taking her for another swim in the ocean. I'm sure she'll be walking in any minute. So have you found anything on the tapes you guys have reviewed?"

I needed to steer him away from Star, I needed him to focus on the tapes. I couldn't have him going off to look for her.

"Yeah you're right, but Pop said I should keep an eye on her. He told me about what happened at your house and I'm happy she's decided to open up to us, I haven't said anything to her yet. But I want her to feel safe but we can't make her think we don't trust her right?"

Dammit I knew for sure she was at that bar now, she must have heard Uncle Roy and what was running through her head right now. I've made such a mess of everything. But I wouldn't have anyone else hurt her. I'd get her out of this mess and like I promised her I would keep her safe I'd send her away if I had to. This day was getting worse and worse. I was done running and I was done being a burden.

"Sunshine, are you still there?"

"I'm sorry yeah I thought I heard something outside, I need to get off but Will, thanks for being my friend and I know I don't say this enough but I really appreciate you being in my corner and just accepting me for me. I'm sorry for being such a burden. I wish I could take back everything that's happened today. If you talk to Houston tell him I'm sorry and my sisters too. "

"CJ are you okay? What's going on? Sunshine I'll go get you what floor are you on? We will figure out how to get you out without them taking you into custody. CJ? Sunshine, what's going on in that mind of yours? You can never be a burden to me or any of us. Me especially, you brought me back from the darkness you were my sunshine when I was gone all those years. You stayed with me when I was at my lowest point and even after all I did to keep you away, you wouldn't let me go a day without calling me and asking me how I was. You drive up every other weekend to just drop in and go hiking with me. I will never forget that."

Tears were running down my face. I couldn't answer him, I would break and I couldn't do that. I needed to go before I got them involved in my fight.

"Don't do anything CJ without Matt or your family. You don't have to carry this on your own. Please stay there I'm coming, don't move."

"Bye Will."

I hung up and went to the door. Aida was there and took me back to the storage closet. "I have to get back, will you be okay here alone."

I hugged her. "Thank you for everything. I really appreciate what you've done."

She looked at me, "No worries, your friends are meeting with the child advocate and Emma and Roxy I heard there was some yelling coming out of that room so we might have to move you so don't open the door to anyone except me okay?"

I nodded little did she know I was about to leave, I had done enough and it was time to take control back. I would take care of my mess I would deal with those animals that tried to take advantage of a little girl. I would do this on my own no more hiding.

Aida left and I waited a couple of minutes I pulled the hood of the sweatshirt over my head and started to walk out. I kept my head down and started down the stairs I didn't hear anyone and started to make my way downstairs.

I couldn't believe my luck when I made it all the way to the back entrance with no one spotting me. Maybe my luck had turned around. I walked towards the parking lot and saw my car. Carol must have driven it here. I went to it and prayed the lockbox key was still behind my back tire. I searched and sure enough it was there. I pulled it out and grabbed the key and opened the door. I looked around Carol's purse was there and my sunglasses I put them on and I checked my glove compartment and found my gun.

I turned on the car and headed for the pier.

"Hang on Star I'm on my way."