2 chapters left and I am officially the worst updater/author person….in the history of ever. So sorry.
Chapter 12: Boxing Match
6 months later
I lay in the bed rubbing circles on my swollen stomach. The boys must have known that we were going over to Brooke's today, as they were unusually hyper. I slowly pulled myself up and waddled over the dresser. I pulled out a pair of sweatpants and struggled to put them on. Sitting on the bed, I thought about how much I hated being this fat. The simplest of tasks became a production. Nathan had better steer clear or I am going to hanging him from the ceiling by his toes. I leaned further back on the bed, lifting my legs up slightly and propelled myself forward. It was the only way I knew to get out of bed without anyone's help. I waddled to closet and grabbed a maternity shirt from my vast collection. Brooke had gone on a designing spree prior to us getting to big for fear of her wearing floral prints and me wearing women's clothing. I have to admit the clothes were pretty amazing. They didn't hide the fact that I was nearly eight months pregnant, but who cares. I pulled the shirt down over my bulging mid-section and headed out the door.
Thank god Brooke only lived around the corner because driving was impossible and walking was downright painful. I heard some tires screech behind me and thought nothing of it, probably some teenager showing off. I turned the corner when someone put a bag over my head. I struggled as best as I could, feeling the black bag tighten around my neck. I clawed and kicked at my attacker. However, my increased weight and lack of stamina allowed my attacker to pull me toward a nearby vehicle so that he could push me in. He thrust me face down onto the car carpet. He grabbed my arms and twisted them back to tie them together. I screamed out of fright and pain, calling out to Nathan, begging him to come help me. The moment Nathan's name left my lips; my attacker wrapped his hands around my neck pressing tightly. I could feel his presence as he leaned closer to me, whispering in my ear, "My son can't help you now, Lucas."
Knowing it was Dan; I fought back harder, trying to get away. He pushed me further into the vehicle and slammed the door. He got in the front seat and turned the engine over. I tried to push my self up but gravity was not on my side in this situation.
"Let me go, Dan." I shouted through the cloth. He grabbed my hair through the black bag and slammed my head into the floor. He pulled my head up again and inadvertently tore the bag off my head again.
"Not a chance.
"What do you want?" I said tremors, defying my intention of coming off strong.
"You permanently removed from my son's life. I thought that by marrying someone he'd forget about you. But no, he had to marry that worthless friend of yours." Venom dripped off his every word.
"Nathan will keep looking for me. Even though you don't like it, he loves me." I said through gritted teeth. I'm guessing that he didn't appreciate that because he slammed his fist into my head. I could feel the car swerve because of it.
"I will make sure he forgets you and those demon spawn of yours. He will have Jamie and find someone new. A nice girl perhaps."
"Nathan loves me and these kids. They mean everything to him, and so do I. He will never forgive you for what you're going to do." I said breathing heavily into the thick carpet.
"Good nudge to get me to tell you my plan, Luke. First, I am going to lock you up somewhere far away, where you'll deliver the twins. I'll kill you and then parade the boys around town to Nathan. When he asks, I'll tell him that you left them on my doorstep with a note saying that you can't stand to look at them. That you hate Nathan and you see him in the boys."
"He won't believe you."
"I can be very persuasive, Lucas. I convinced your mom to open the diner, Deb to turn to pills, and Keith to sell his shop to me."
"How is it that you have an answer to everything?"
"Because I have spent the last year planning this. Since my first plan fell through, I had to have a plan B. I was just going to kill you but with the twins, they add a new little twist. I could always kill the twins, if that would make you happy."
"Leave my children, alone." I screamed, bouncing off my belly into a sitting position. I turned my back to the door and gripped the door handle. I yanked it open and fell out onto my back, rolling as Dan's car kept going down the street. Once I stopped, I looked to see if he was heading back this way. It didn't look as if he would, so I lay my head on the hard asphalt, trying to calm my rapid breathing and the pain shooting through my body. I heard someone scream my name but I was too tired to open my eyes. I felt people standing over me, whispering things I couldn't hear.
Then I heard nothing. No sound, no feeling, just nothing. I worked toward opening my eyes. But the light was too bright, almost like when you first wake up in the morning, only more intense. I moved my arms and felt trapped. I was trapped physically and mentally. I could feel myself start to panic, but I knew better. I had been in this situation before. It was another HCM attack. I centered my mind, focusing on the children who depended on me. I could feel my breathing slow down, my heart stopped racing and my muscles relaxed. It was working; now time to open my eyes. I flicked them open and found the room dimmer than before. I saw figures standing around me, but I still felt safe. I can't explain it but a sense of calm took over me when I saw the figures.
Once my eyes began to focus, I saw Chase and Brooke standing there both clearly upset. Brooke was sitting in the comfortable chair dozing off into a deep sleep. Chase was by my side, where Nathan should have been. Where was Nathan? I opened my mouth to speak but only a squeak came out. My mouth was unbelievably dry and it scratched my throat to try to make any sound. I made an unsuccessful attempt to sit up but at least I caught Chase's eye. He immediately perked up and helped me sit up. He was really quiet, maybe too quiet. He walked over to Brooke and gave her a couple taps while I reached for the nearby cup of ice water. I drained the cup as she came to life. Had she not been as extremely pregnant as I was she would have leapt across the room into my bed, with excitement. But she struggled and with Chase's help she waddled over the chair previously occupied by her husband.
"Hey Luke, you okay?" She asked her voice cracking.
"I feel like crap. How are they?" I asked looking down at my engorged midsection as I rubbed circles across it.
"Okay for now. They are going to keep checking just to make sure." Chase answered. "I've got to go find a little guy, he was worried about you. Be right back." He kissed Brooke on the forehead as he left in search of Jamie.
"What happened Luke?"
"Where's Nathan?" I asked deflecting the question. With Dan still out there I didn't want to do anything to further put my family in jeopardy.
"They took him downtown for questioning. The police said that they had witnesses say it was Nathan who threw you out of the car."
"What? No one threw me out of a car…"
"Yes, they did Lucas. Chase saw it with his own eyes. He was the one who brought you here."
"Brooke, you don't understand. I threw myself out of that car."
"Were you trying to have a miscarriage? How could you do that to your kids after everything you went through to have them?"
"Brooke, I was kidnapped. I was put in that car and I would have died had I not done what I did. These kids are my life. I would never do anything to hurt them."
"Who tried to kidnap you?"
"Don't worry. I have a feeling it won't happen again."
"Was it really Nathan?…Or was it…No!"
"If by "No" you mean Dan…yes. He said he wanted me out of Nathan's life and he meant it. He was going to wait until the twins were born to kill me. Then he was going to take the twins to Nathan telling him that I no longer wanted to see him."
"I'm so sorry Luke. I'm going to go give Nate a call. He should really be here."
"I'm here." Nathan said standing in the doorway looking crushed.
"I'll just leave you two." Brooke said as she snaked around Nathan to leave the room.
"Are you okay? I've heard some things, none of which I like."
"I'm okay, a little sore. The boys are fine. Not so jumpy anymore."
"You want to tell me what happened? Why I get a call saying you were thrown from a car and then the police take me in for questioning."
"I was kidnapped Nate. I did what I had to do to keep these little guys safe." I said rubbing my stomach and feeling kicks.
"I appreciate trying to save the boys, Luke. But we need to take care of you too."
"That would be easy if you're dad wasn't around."
"The cops will get him and then nothing will mess with our family." Nathan said, leaning closer to my hospital bed.
I placed my head against his chest, as comfortably as I could. "Promise?"
"Promise."