Chapter 18

Lynn and Mija sat on the front porch conversing about nothing and everything. Remising about their past deeds and life in general. It was a sunny day with a cool breeze.

"How long were you married?" Lynn asked listening to Mija talk about her husband who passed away ten years prior.

"Forty-one years," Mija said. "We married when I was seventeen."

"Did you have any children?" Lynn asked interested.

Mija didn't say anything for a moment, "We tried but...I got pregnant four times and each time lost the baby. It just wasn't meant for me to have children I guess." She didn't sound bitter or upset about. She sounded like she excepted it.

"Didn't mean to bring it up," Lynn tried to smooth things over.

Mija waved her hand, "Oh don't fret about it child. The last one was over thirty years ago and I've excepted it." She sighed. "Anyway, Paul died ten years ago from a massive heart attack and I've been living on this ranch ever since. That is until Sheldon came along."

"How'd you two meet?"

"Through Lucas, his father and Paul were friends. When Lucas took Sheldon under his wing so do speak, he told him about the ranch and naturally Sheldon wanted to check it out and here we are," Mija explained.

"So he's just been hiding out up here these last four years?"

Mija nodded, "Ever since Sheldon lost his eyes...he's been a different person. Personally, I think he wanted to come up here and die alone. But it's just like I told him. He survived his torture for a reason he wasn't done yet."

"What do you mean?" Lynn asked curiously.

"With life, everyone has a purpose in life. Whether it be to save someone else and die or be someone else's puppet. That's what life is, purpose. Without purpose there would be no point in living..." Mija explained.

"So you believe in fate...destiny," Lynn asked.

"I believe that everyone is here for a reason. If you want to call it destiny or fate go right ahead it all means the same thing," Mija summed up.

Lynn sat and pondered her words for a moment. Could it be fate she asked herself. "Mija?"

"Hmm?"

Lynn paused for a moment, "I think I've found a purpose here."

Mija stopped her weaving and looked at Lynn. "You mean here or with Sheldon?" she asked bluntly.

Lynn picked at her fingers with a sigh then met her gaze again. "I don't know," she said in defeat. "He makes me feel things I've never felt before and..."

"You're afraid of getting hurt," Mija offered.

Lynn shook her head, "No...I'm afraid of hurting him."

"Why, what makes you think you're going to hurt him?"

Lynn rested her elbows on her knees and clasped her hands together. "I've got this problem with comprehending someone actually caring for me...deeply anyway. It's something I've never been able to understand let alone except."

Mija put down her basket, "So if Sheldon were to tell you he cares for you, or loves you...you wouldn't believe him?"

Lynn looked at her sadly, "He scares me sometimes. Not like frightened scared but...good scared you know what I mean. I just..."

"...you know what your real problem is?" Mija interrupted. "It's not that you can't comprehend someone loving you. You can't comprehend showing undying love for them back which is why you can't see why they would love you."

Lynn just stared at her.

"You know Sheldon cares deeply for you and you're scared that you can't return that care because of your own insecurities," Mija translated. "Just as there is purpose in life darlin'...there is also risk with that. If you don't take risk, then you don't really live at all." Mija picked her basket up and started to weave again.

Lynn just smiled in amazement as she watched her begin to weave. Mija always had a way of making her feel better about anything. She was like the mother or grandmother she missed so dearly.

"When did Sheldon say he was coming back from town?" Mija interrupted her thoughts.

"It's about a thirty minute ride on horseback and he'd probably be at least an hour in town so about two to three hours at most," Lynn said.

They were startled when the horses in the barn started to make a lot of racket and crying.

"What the hell?" Lynn stood from her chair. "What are they getting so upset for?" she said mainly to herself as she stepped off the porch and started walking to the barn.

Mija continued weaving but glanced up once in a while as she walked to the barn.

"Hey guys what's wrong in here huh?" Lynn asked talking to the horses as she came around the front of the barn. She opened the main doors and walked inside. "You guys okay?" she asked petting the first horse in his stable. "What's the matter Mustang?" She looked around and spotted the back door of the barn was slightly open. She rolled her eyes, "It's just the wind opening the door you guys. No need to freak out." She walked over to it and shut it.

"See, no need..." she was cut off when someone covered her mouth and wrapped their other arm around her forcing her away from the door. She tried to scream but to no avail. She struggled with the person and finally stomped them in the toe and was released. She ran for the barn entrance and pushed the doors open and ran for the house.

"Mija!" she screamed as she ran across the yard.

Mija jumped dropping her basket and looked up to see Lynn running for her life as a man exited the barn and started to run after her.

"Mija get in the house!" Lynn screamed as she looked back to see the man catching up.

Mija quickly stood and ran into the house. "I'll teach that son of a bitch to come onto my property," she said grabbing the shotgun off the rack in the living room. She rummaged through the drawer for the shells. She looked out the window in time to see the man tackle Lynn and pin her to the ground.

"There is no need to fight Ms. Connors," the man said as he yanked her to her feet. "You're coming with me. Mr. DeMarco would like to see you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she growled spitting in his face.

He backhanded her to the ground and kicked her in the gut. "Fucking bitch, I oughta kill you right now instead of taking you back to Mexico," he spat out.

She grabbed her stomach and spit out blood. She looked up at the assailant. "Tell DeMarco to go fuck himself," she said in pain.

The man shook his head and pulled out a knife. "As you wish milady..." He grabbed her up and put the knife to her throat when she grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back knocking it out of his hand. He head butted her in the face knocking her back a few feet.

"Oh Jesus..." she breathed touching her forehead as a throbbing pain started.

The man grabbed the knife off the ground and started for her when a gunshot rang through the air.

"Take one more step and I'll blow your balls off," Mija had the shotgun aimed on the man. "Drop the knife and put your hands up."

The man looked between Lynn and Mija and dropped the knife putting his hands up.

"Kick it to me," Lynn instructed spitting out more blood.

He kicked it to her and she grabbed it up quickly walking to him and putting the knife to his throat. "Get down on your knees," she ordered.

He hesitantly dropped to his knees and looked up to see Mija headed their way with the gun still aimed.

"I want answers," Lynn said.

The man laughed, "You may as well kill me...cause I'm not gonna tell you anything."

"Oh yeah, well how about this scenario. If you don't tell me what I want to know you die a slow painful horrible death, but if you do tell me I'll make it quick and painless. Either way you're gonna die..." she offered putting all his cards out on the table.

He regarded her for a moment, "What do you want to know? Even if I do get away I'm a dead man."

"What does DeMarco want with me?"

He rolled his eyes in frustration, "You're a loose end that needs to be taken care of."

"You're lying, if that were the case he would've just had me killed and gone about his business. You came to take me...why?" she insisted.

"Look lady..."

"...tell me!" she yelled cutting his neck slightly.

He gasped in pain, "Okay okay okay...he thinks you know a man he's been hunting for."

"What man?"

He shook his head, "I don't know his name I swear just that...your friend that was killed at the gas station somehow knew him."

"I want a name," she said dangerously.

"I already told I don't know his name," he insisted.

Lynn tilted her head and regarded him for a moment, "Stand up." She kept the knife against his throat as he stood on shaky legs. "What sort of supposed business did Vickie have with this man?" she asked lowly.

"Look...all I know is it wasn't really business. Maybe family business but that's it that's all I know," he swore.

Lynn looked to Mija who still had the shotgun trained.

"We should kill this bastard now," Mija said.

Lynn looked back at the man, "Anybody know you're here?"

He shook his head vigorously, "No, I was gonna just check the place out, learn what everyone's schedule was...then call in the Calvary."

Lynn dropped the knife from his throat and took two steps back. That's when all the pain came back and hit her. She stumbled slightly and Mija faltered on her aim and the man lunged at her. He was on her before she could get a shot off.

"No!" Lynn screamed pulling him off her. "Get off of her!" They fell to the ground and a wrestling match ensued. They rolled around fighting for the knife as Mija tried to crawl to the shotgun.

Lynn struggled with the much stronger man. She was tough but she was still a woman and he was much bigger than her. The knife fell to the ground beside them and they both grabbed for it. The man was able to get to it quicker and reared back to stab her with it when a loud shot sounded and he landed on top of her. She breathed a sigh of relief and pushed him off of her.

"Lynn!" Mija dropped the gun and ran to her.

"I'm alright," Lynn just laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes as she fell unconscious.