Induction

The sounds of the struggle coming from Meg’s room sent me into another panic, and her pained screams left me gasping for air. I could hear grunts coming from the men and something big hit the wall. The men began yelling and I cried out for Meg. Then the boat fell almost silent. All I heard was Meg crying on the other side of the wall. Someone else spoke, one of the men, and it sounded like he was consoling her. I was so confused; maybe that hit to the head left me more damaged than I realized. My chest constricted and I couldn’t breathe. Fear of the unknown spurred me into a full-blown panic attack.

The door to my room flew open with such force that the knob embedded in the wall. I screamed and shut my eyes, fearing the men had come for me. Determined not to give them the satisfaction, I reopened my eyes and fixated on the form standing in the doorway. I managed one word before the room spun and I passed out once again.

“Jake.”

Chapter 24 Yes, Dear

The haze began to lift. I could move my extremities freely and I felt blankets covering my body. Someone was patting down my forehead with something damp. As I started to struggle, I heard someone talking softly to me.

“Easy, baby. Relax, it’s just me.” Jake’s voice. This was surely a dream. My mind had probably retreated to fantasy to repress the traumatic events happening to us. Either that, or I was dead and this was my heaven. I was a little annoyed that the pain in my head had followed me to heaven. The chuckle that escaped my lips only made it worse.

I could feel his soft caress on my face. His warm body pressed against my side, and I caught a whiff of his sickly sweet vomit. Hold up, vomit? Why was I smelling vomit in heaven? Jeez, Emma, pull yourself together. My head was muddled and I couldn’t make sense of what was going on. Jake’s handsome face came into focus as I opened my eyes. This wasn’t the Jake I remembered. This Jake looked hard and worn. His face was thinner, covered with weeks of scruff. I raised my hand and touched his cheek. He could never grow a full beard. He had this cowlick on his cheek where the hair grew in a circular shape. It was one of the things I found so adorable about him.

When I touched his face, his eyes closed and he leaned into my touch. “Oh God, Emma. I missed you so much.”

I cried in earnest, still not willing to let myself believe he wasn’t a dream. Jake cried with me, holding my hand to his cheek for fear I would break contact.

“Are you real?” I couldn’t trust my eyes. My husband was here and alive.

“It’s really me, Em.” Pulling my head off the pillow I flung my arms around him.

“I knew you were alive. I just knew it.” My tears turned to a half sob, half laugh sound and I buried my face in his neck, breathing him in. Looking up, I saw Adam in the door watching us with a pained expression on his face. He gave me a nod of understanding and turned away. His simple motion let me know he had bowed out of the pursuit of my affections. Jake was back now. Whatever feelings I thought might have developed for Adam dissolved into oblivion. Daphne pounced on me, showering me with her puppy dog slobber. The vague image of seeing her flying from the boat niggled at the corners of my memory. I didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and included her in our little family hug.

After a long silence, I remembered Meg and Nancy.

“They’re okay, shaken up pretty bad, but they’ll be fine, physically,” Jake said as if he could read my mind.

“What happened to you, Jake? Where have you been for the last month?”

Jake looked worn out. He gave me the smallest of smiles, more akin to a grimace. “We’ll get to that. First, we have some business up on deck. Do you think you can stand up?”

I put my feet on the floor and paused. The mixture of blinding pain from my head and the actual motion of the ocean made the room do a sort of wavy spin thing. It took a minute for the room to stop moving. Jake put his arm around my waist to steady me as I moved clumsily. I looked in a mirror as we passed by and gasped at the sight of myself. Bloody smears stained my face over swollen and bruised skin. I barely recognized myself. As Jake led me upstairs, I heard Mel and Dave pleading for their lives.

Our entire group, less Gabby, who was sleeping in the cabin, was up top and had their weapons trained on the two men. Mel and Dave were kneeling with their hands on top of their heads. I was glad to see Dave sporting a matching black eye.

Meg and Nancy rushed me and we embraced in reunion. “Thank God you’re safe. Did they hurt you? Or… um… anything else?” I looked both over like a mother inspecting her child after a nasty spill. They had minor bruises, but nothing compared to the badge of honor I wore. Will stood awkwardly behind Meg. One look into his eyes told me he was controlling himself from tearing Dave and Mel apart with his bare hands for what they’d done to her.