The Road Ahead

Chapter 14

Luke woke up with a pain coarsing through his head. He cringed as he lift his hand to feel his face. A cut, deep cut on his forehead.

He looked around to find himself in a dark room. "Where am I?" Luke whispered to himself. He reached in his pocket, his phone was gone.

Luke got up and slowly limped to the door. Locked. Windows, also locked. Tears started to fall. What had happened?

He started banging on the walls, hoping to get someone's attention. But, he was in a secluded area. He wanted to see his kids, and Caroline. He wanted to go home.

All he remembered was his fight with Brett. Luke clenched his fist. The damn man had hurt the woman he loved. With a sigh, he released his grip.

He looked around, trying to find something to help him escape. Anything.

He could break the glass, or pry the door open. Anything really. Like just wanted to be with his fiancée. He didn't know how he got stick in this shed, but he wanted out.

Caroline woke up screaming. Leah ran into her room to see Caroline crying.

"Caroline, are you okay?"

"Where's Luke?!" Caroline panicked. "He supposed to be right here. He's suppose to be sleeping right here."

Leah felt her hart shatter. "He's still missing, Carol. We haven't found him yet."

"What? Find him! I want him back!" Carol cried out.

"Shh, you're gonna wake Kelly and Bo. And this isn't good for your baby. Keep calm, the last thing we want is a miscarriage. Luke will be fine."

"If you're not gonna help me find my fiancé, than I'm gonna go find him myself," Carol said as she got out of bed, and hurrily got ready and into her car.

She had this feeling in her gut that Brett had something to do with this. She sped down to his house and saw the door wide open.

Once at the front entrance, she noticed blood everywhere. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she started to piece together what happened.

"Luke better be safe," she whispered to herself. If he was dead, she'd never forgive herself or Brett. She followed the trail of blood to a locked shed. She could hear movement inside.

She slightly knocked on the door. "Brett?"

"Caroline?" she heard a voice respond. "Is that you?"

She recognized it as Luke's and silently thanked God that he was okay. "Baby, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"Please hurry, Carol. I'm scared for my life."

Caroline dug around, looking for Brett's spare key. She was trying not to lose control. She couldn't believe that Brett would beat Luke until he was almost dead and then turn around and lock him in a shed.

She finally opened the locked door after finding the key. Luke ran into Caroline's arms and cried into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry for everything. What I said, what I've done. Caroline I love you and I'm so sorry. I love you."

"Don't be sorry, I'm just glad you are safe. I was so scared. Luke, you were missing for a full day. I was terrified that something happened to you."

He didn't say anything, he just held her tighter. Tears were still falling. Finally, he backed up and placed his hand over Caroline's swollen belly.

"I can't wait to meet our angel."

"I can't either. I'm glad I have you back. If I told Brett I was pregnant after we did something, I don't think I would've gotten you back," she sighed. "I wasn't happy with Brett. And look, he's hurt you more than he's hurt me."

Luke shook his head and kissed Caroline passionately. "I love you, Caroline. I really can't stress that enough."

As soon as Luke and Caroline walked through the door, Kelly come running with Bo toddiling behind. "Dada!" he laughed. Kelly hugged both her parents right away.

Bo whimpered until Luke bent down to pick him up. He cringed as a pain shot through his back, but he made no comment. He didn't want Caroline to worry about him. Leah came over and gave Luke a hug herself.

"Welcome home. Your fiancée was hysterical without her. Give her all your time tonight," she whispered in his ear.

"I will as much as I can. I just need to relax and cool off. And I need to figure out what happened."

Leah smiled as she rubbed Luke's shoulder. "Take all the time you need, but make sure Caroline ain't stressing, it's bad for your baby."

"I know, I know. Thanks for being here, Leah, and making sure my family was safe," Luke shared his gratitude.

"You're welcome, now I got to go. Bye, Luke."

Luke smiled as Leah walked out of the house. He was safe. Caroline was safe. Their kids were safe. And it was all thanks to Leah. She really was a true friend. Someone that they really needed in their lives.

Wimpering started to echo down the halls from the kitchen. Luke, with worry, crept down the hall and hugged the corner of a wall and listened.

"Why did my husba- fiancé have to suffer through all that? I broke his heart and he still wants to protect me. I came back pregnant and he still loves me. I would be mad if the girl I love came back and told me she was pregnant. Why does he care for me? I didn't do anything to deserve him, and as much as I think he would be better off with a different girl, I don't want to break his heart again. And I don't want to break mine. Please, Lord, don't let this angel of a man suffer for my sins."

"Caroline," Luke whispered as he took her into her arms. "I love you. Please don't think I'm suffering for you. I just want to keep you safe. You do deserve me, you deserve love and a family. Brett tried to take that from you, but he's not gonna win."

"Oh, Luke," Caroline cried into him. "I've missed you so much. I was so scared I lost you. You never came back home from confronting Brett and I was certain he killed you."

"I'm right here, baby. I'll always be right here."