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Chapter 18

Larry settled himself into a chair in the conference room.

Maurice was leaning against the door and he was on his phone. He had the volume turned down but his fingers were flying over the keys. Looking up now and then he went back to the level he was presently on. He sighed as he got the bad news of his failure to reach the next level. While he had been originally reticent to download the game, it was almost addictive. If Ranger ever found out, well, it wouldn't be pretty. The line-up at the mats with phones in hand was a sobering thought and he among others was thinking of the consequences. Well, maybe just one more try and then he'd erase the app. He'd be safe, right?

Larry took a shuddering breath and from memory he pressed the buttons calling his wife's cell. He mentally counted the rings; one, two, three. At four he remembered that the voice mail would kick in and he was trying to format what he wanted to say.

There was a connection and a breathless voice almost shouted, 'Hello'.

Larry let out a breath. "Nancy, its Larry."

Nancy took a quick breath. She had been running all day getting her errands done on her day off and had just come in the door with the kids. They were already in the kitchen grabbing a snack and she was standing in the front hallway getting ready to take off her shoes. Her phone had disappeared into the bottom of the bag and she'd barely caught the call before it went to voicemail. It could be something or someone important.

She stopped. "Larry?"

He nodded and then spoke. "Hi, honey. I'm calling to wish you a Happy Birthday."

Nancy took a shuddered breath then almost whispered.

"Are you calling from your house? Can your mom hear you and if so, hang up so you don't get into trouble."

Larry smiled to himself. She knew what he had been going through, and even on this special day she was worrying about him.

"Honey, I'm in a safe place and you'll never guess where mother is right now."

Nancy could hear the laughter in his voice.

"Oh, please, do-tell."

Larry began to talk. "Sweetie, I'll tell you everything, but not all of it is funny."

He began.

"Mother saw a picture of a woman in Trenton, New Jersey as she was checking the obits of a relative who had passed there. It looked an awful lot like Michelle. Remember her? She was going out with Chuck and wound up pregnant, had the baby and both she and the baby disappeared. Well, mom sent for a bunch of different newspaper articles and decided that she was enough of a resemblance to her that she sent me to Trenton to see if I could see her."

He paused. "I came by bus and she signed me into a motel. Just by accident I came upon a situation and found her being cared for by some emergency personnel. There was some blood on a gauze pad that was not picked up and I checked to see if anyone was watching then grabbed it and brought it back home. Mom pulled some hair from Chuck's hairbrush and got some lab to check if they were related. It turns out they are."

He paused and visibly cleared his throat.

"Here's where I'm embarrassed. Mom ordered that I go and try to talk to her. She gave me a bunch of stuff to have delivered to where she works and lives. It was some pictures, tapes and notes. She slipped in some handcuffs and shackles in my carry-all and I have a bad feeling that she was getting this lady back home, by whatever means she dreamed up. Honey, I had only a few options, but kidnapping was not one that I would have done. I'm so afraid of her but that I would never have even attempted. I didn't know but some of the guys from the company where she works at are retired military dudes with super security training. They captured me when I followed this lady who really does look like Michelle to the hospital where she was visiting a relative."

Nancy put her hand to her mouth. Was he hurt, was he in jail, was he going to disappear, never to be heard from again? Was this his last phone call before they erased him from Mother Earth?

Larry spoke again.

"Yeah, they grabbed me and brought me to this super-secret building. I was held in some kind of interrogation room but they actually turned out to be kind. I guess she's the wife of the owner of a really well-known security business and they really didn't appreciate me scaring her. I'm staying in a secure room right now, but it sounds like they are thinking of moving me into one of their apartments until they figure out what's going on and what to do with me. I'll still be watched and I have a guard with me whenever I leave my room, but, Nancy, I feel safe, safer than I've felt in a long time. Technically they're holding me, but I think they are holding me and at the same time protecting me from my own mother."

He paused again.

"They're looking after me and I've never eaten so well. They took me to their doctor and he changed some of my medications because I wasn't looking after myself. I haven't felt so good in years. I lost a couple of pounds this week from the diet they have me on. No more junk food and bargain basement tv dinners."

Nancy stayed silent. She could hear the kids heading out of the kitchen toward the living room with the television. She put her hand over the phone and shouted. "Time to do your homework before supper, boys. I have a surprise for you, but homework first."

The boys grumbled. "Awww, Mom!"

"Get moving boys!"

Larry could hear them chasing each other up the stairs, and the doors slamming shut.

Nancy spoke. "Larry, the boys are doing so much better after we left town. They are happy with their new place at my mothers, they are doing really well in school and their teachers are really pleased how well they are coping. Mother, while the house is pretty crowded right now, is loving seeing the boys grow up near her."

She took a breath and spoke again. "I got a promotion yesterday, a birthday present right there. I'm now in charge of my department and I love it. I'd gone to my supervisor and had suggested some better ways to do a few things and instead of reprimanding me, she embraced my ideas. I didn't know that they'd been watching me for just such a reason. I was really worried that I was going to be fired because of speaking up. "

Larry couldn't help but be proud of his wife. He had managed to get the three of them out of town and away before his mother could make them live with her. He had sacrificed his freedom and his life with his family so they could get away. A few days before they had to leave their rental he had presented them with bus tickets to Sheridan, Wyoming. Unbeknownst to Nancy, he'd spoken to her mother, explaining that with no jobs, they would be homeless in a few days. She had offered up her home immediately and was ready to welcome a floundering family a place to stay.

Before she could stop herself Nancy spoke. "I don't have much money, but would you like to get yourself here? There's lots of jobs here right now and I just know you could start to work soon. We have a number of painting companies and I'm hearing a number of them are hiring."

Larry couldn't speak, but neither could he hold back his tears. Maurice put his phone away and started to walk toward him, but he waved him back.

"Honey, you mean you still want me after all that we've been through?"

Nancy whispered into the phone. "Honey, you are my life and the fact that you arranged for us to get away from your mothers' evil influence says more to me than anything about how much you care about us."

He put his hand to his heart and softly whispered into the phone. "I've loved you for such a long time, Nancy. I loved you from the day that you asked if I was OK when I fell off my skateboard when I was fooling around. I love our boys and it's been literally killing me how much of their lives I'm not involved in."

Speaking quietly, they whispered loving words to each other.

Larry heard the boys racing down the stairs and his wife stopped them.

"Boys, Daddy's on the phone wishing me a Happy Birthday. Would you like to say hi?"

Both boys were nodding yes and Eddie grabbed the phone out of his moms' outstretched hand.

"I scored a goal in soccer camp and the coach says that if I keep on working hard, I'll be on the first team in the spring. I miss you Daddy."

Evan grabbed the phone out of Eddie's hand. "Dad, I'm taking Driver's Training and I'm going to take my exam next month. I'm on the Principals Honor Roll. I love science and want to be a doctor."

Nancy took the phone back.

"I just can't believe that we will be together again."

Larry looked down at the table then up at Maurice.

"I'll get back to you what's happening next. I have a feeling the next few days will be interesting with what Mother will be going through and my situation here."

He started again. "I love you, Nancy, and have for a long time."

Nancy sighed and whispered back. "I love you too, Larry. Can I call you back, or are you only able to call me?"

Larry spoke. "I'll phone you if I can and let you know what's going on. Bye sweetie, and have a Happy Birthday."

They both hung up. Larry stood up, walked to Maurice and handed him the phone. Maurice opened the door and they headed out and back to his room. Larry was tired from the stress of worrying what Nancy might have said, but excited that they wanted him to come and stay.

Walking down to the elevator, Maurice got a beep. He pulled his phone out and read the note.

"Change of plans, man. Ranger's ok'd putting you in an apartment on four."

The elevator arrived and instead of the basement, Maurice pressed the button to rise one floor. They stepped out and Bobby was standing by an open door.

He nodded for them to come through a doorway.

"This is your new camping spot, Larry. I should say that Ranger arranged it. Don't tell, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Stephanie pled your case to him and he agreed. The rules are that you are free to move around on this floor, and the gym on three. Your meals will still be delivered to your room. If you need one of us for whatever reason, the numbers are by the phone. Ella is 6, the control room is 5 and I am 4."

He looked at Larry and his expression was serious.

"Need I remind you that you are only one small step away from being put back in that other room? Your decision how to handle this is all on you, man."

Larry looked around. This was really nice and he had no plans to abuse the privilege.

"I won't cause trouble."

Bobby nodded and walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Larry waited for a very long minute, then cautiously turned the knob and opened the door. He poked his head out and noticed that there was nobody standing outside. He leaned back and closed the door.

Walking through the living area, there was a couch and a tv with a side table. He looked at the kitchen area and walked toward the cupboards, opening them one by one. There was an assortment of healthy cereals and a brew station with a carousal of pods to make his own beverage. He looked in the fridge and there was a fruit tray, and a vegetable tray sitting on one of the racks. He noticed a small carton of low fat milk and smiled. Ella had been sending some milk on his tray since he was craving dairy. She had also known of his love of milk in his coffee, something he had not had in some time since Mother only bought a granular creamer.

He closed the fridge door and headed down the short hallway. To the left was a bathroom with a shower. Larry noticed that his medications were in a small basket on the vanity by the sink along with his shaving kit and his travel bag. Fluffy bath and hand towels were sitting on the vanity. Turning to the right was a bedroom with a queen sized bed. It had been freshly made up and there was even an extra blanket at the foot of the bed.

He looked at the closet then walked over and opened the bi-fold door. Inside on hangers were the clothes he had brought with him all freshly laundered and hung in neat lines. His underwear was on a shelf to the side. His suitcase, minus the shackles and handcuffs was sitting on the floor of the closet in a corner.

Larry walked back down to the living area and sat on the couch, marvelling how his life had changed so much in the past few days.