Hailee
When we wake up this morning, we decide to go through the closets to see what we have to wear. The walk in closet is full of new clothes and accessories. We each pick out something to wear and take another bath inside of the enormous bathtub. "I could stay here forever." I sigh. "I would be right here beside you." Samson leans back putting his head on the pillow behind him. He reaches out his hands and pulls me to him and I settle between his legs and lay back on his chest closing my eyes.
"I'm so glad that I met you." A world full of feeling is in his voice. I smile turning my head and kissing him on the shoulder. We relax until the water starts to get cold and reluctantly get out of the tub to start our day. We have to let our friends know where we are and what's going on. We get dressed and pick up our phones. Both of us sigh in unison as we call our friends.
Melanie picks up on the first ring, "Where are you all? We tried to call you last night, but your numbers are changed and when we tried to come over your house, we were stopped by the FBI telling us that you had to move and will call us as soon as you can. We've been so worried."
"They moved us into a gated community because there were suspicious cars driving around the area for a few nights. We'll let you know where we live soon. We have to give it about a week." They also explained to me that I won't be returning to work for another two weeks instead of one. I hear Samson explain the same thing to Rose. "Is Ray still staying with you all?"
"Yes. He wanted to go get his own place for him and Raven, but we talked him into staying with us telling him that Raven needs Shannon right now since she's going through this tough time with her mother. We had to sit down and tell her where her mother was and what she did. She's not acting out or anything, but we see a sadness in her eyes that wasn't there before. We are looking for a therapist for her." She tells me.
"I have an appointment with mine next week, I'll ask her if she knows someone." I say. I feel for that little girl. I can't wait until next week so that we can go see them. We talk for a little while longer and then Samson and I switch phones. "Hi Rose," I say with a smile in my voice. "How are you sweetie?" She asks. "I'm doing great. I can't wait for you all to see this place!" I exclaim, "It's marvelous!"
I hear her laughter come across the line, "I can't wait to see it!"
We talk for a little while longer and get off of the phone. I look over at Samson who's getting off of the phone himself. He turns to me, "Well woman, where do you want to eat?" We decide and get into the car. I call my parents and Brandon to let them know what's going on. Brandon sounds relieved to know that I'm okay. When they let us go see everyone next week, I will definitely go and see him.
We find a diner on the corner and order food to go. While we're waiting, we sit holding hands just enjoying each other's company. Our food arrives and we go back to our new home and eat enjoying the food and each other.
Our week is spent getting to know each other better and getting closer. When we finally are able to get out, I remember that I'm supposed to have dinner with Ryan and my friends. I start getting dressed to get ready to go out. "Where are you going?" Samson asks, kissing me on the neck. I move my neck giving him the room to continue to nibble, "I'm going to meet Ryan and my old friends to catch up."
"Oh hell no! Why are you going to see them?" He explodes. "I haven't seen them in over a year. I just want to catch up and see if there's anything to salvage with any of them." I answer. "I'm coming with you." He demands. I shrug, "Okay." He looks at me stunned, "You don't want to go alone?"
"Not really. I want you to meet them. I want to show you off." I smirk while he looks at me stunned. We finish getting ready and drive to the restaurant, excited for our first outing in a week. We pull up to the hipster place and get out of the car. "Why this place?" Samson asks. "We used to meet here all of the time. They have great food for really good prices for those in our group who couldn't afford a nicer restaurant and it just stuck." I answer. We walk inside and I hear my name before we spot anyone. I follow the voice and see Alison standing up waving in our direction. I turn and walk in her direction when Samson grabs my hand kissing me on the side of my head.
We approach the table and everyone greets me with a hug before we sit down. I introduce Samson to everyone and he pulls me closer to him. Ryan smiles at me indulgently. He leans over and says, "A little possessive isn't he?"
"He doesn't know anyone, so he's in protective mode." I laugh. Ryan nods and leans back. We have a nice dinner talking and catching up. Ryan and Samson get along a whole lot better than I thought they would. At the end of dinner, I hug everyone and promise to meet them for dinner again. We're walking out of the restaurant and Samson says, "They're all really nice. You had some good friends."
"All of them except for one." I say. "Are you talking about me?" Abby asks snottily. "You were served with a restraining order." Samson says. "I was. Are you going to fight her battles for her?" Abby snaps back. "I don't have to, but you'll definitely regret that you didn't heed the order." Samson laughs.
About this time, Ryan and everyone else has filed out of the building looking at Abby. "What are you doing here?" Ryan asks. "You two have managed to take away all of my friends. I'm going to kick your ass." She says to me. Ryan takes a step towards her, but Samson holds him back, "Let her take care of this." I hear him say in a low voice.
I turn back to Abby, "So now we're both here, what are you going to do?" She pulls back her fist and tries to hit me and I catch her fist. She gets an enraged look on her face and pulls back, throwing a kick at me. I duck the kick and hit her in the face. Her head snaps back and she roars, running towards me. I step to the side, sticking out my arm, clothes lining her. Her neck hits my arm and she stumbles backward, almost falling.
She comes towards me again, trying to swing another punch and I dodge her and she ends up hitting my shoulder. It hurts so I decide to end this fight right now. When she throws another punch, I block it and hit her in the jaw with my left fist and then the eye with my right fist. When my fist connects with her eye, they roll up in her head and she falls back in what seems like slow motion and hits the ground.
"You knocked her out!" Ryan says, stating the obvious. "My girl has been FBI trained. She took me out the first night that I met her." Samson says proudly. "What do you do for a living?" Alison asks. "I'm a state trooper on loan to the FBI."
"No way! And she took you down?" Asks another one of my old friends, named Dawn. He nods, "This is my girl and she can take on anyone." He kisses me on the side of my head. "What are we going to do about her?" Asks Evan, another one of my friends, "We can't just leave her on the street."
"Don't worry about her. Tomorrow, she'll wake up in a jail cell." I say walking away. Everyone looks on in stunned silence when two policeman pick her up off of the ground and put her into a police cruiser driving away. "You have that kind of pull?" Evan says. I nod. "We will make sure not to mess with you." Alison jokes. We all laugh and leave, going to our cars.
"You have a nice group of friends. Except for that Abby chick of course." Samson reaches over and runs his fingers through my hair then putting it back on the steering wheel. "I'm glad that you and Ryan got along."
"I thought I was going to have to let him know that you belong to me. But he's a really nice guy who only has your best interest at heart. I'm glad to have met him."
I laugh, "What were you going to do, pee on me?"
"If I had to."
"Ewwww! Please don't. I will happily tell anyone who asks that we belong to each other caveman!"
We pull up into our garage, "I'll show you a caveman when we get inside."
I smile and he growls, leaning over the console and kissing me.
I wake up this morning wrapped in Samson's arms. I think about how only a short time ago, we were sleeping in separate rooms. Now I can't even fathom sleeping a night without him beside me.
"What are you thinking about?" Samson mumbles into my hair. "How I'm tired of having to fight people." I mumble back into his chest. "Hopefully, you won't have to do it too much longer. I'm sure as soon as we find mom, then you won't have to worry anymore." I feel his lips kiss my forehead.
I smile, loving this intimacy with him, "Do you know how close they are to finding her?"
"We know that she hasn't left the country yet, because we would have been alerted. We think that she hasn't left the city because she wants to get to you for putting her son in jail. We just need to be very careful until she is caught." He pulls me closer to him.
"I hope it's soon. I can't keep living like this. I mean, I love this townhouse and the cars, but the trade-off isn't worth it. I have my memory back, I have you. I just want to get on with my life."
"I understand sweetie. It'll all be over soon."
After we cuddle for a little while longer, we get up and get ready for the day. "Are you sure that you can't wait for me to get home from work before you do anything?" Samson asks for the fifth time. "I want to go see Brandon and my parents. I'm going out for a couple of hours tops. I'll be home waiting for you when you get here tonight."
He sighs and kisses me, "Please be careful, it worries me when you're out alone. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I will. I love you and I'll check in when I get to the bar and then when I leave. Besides, you will be at the FBI office, you can track my car."
He smiles then, "That's right. I'll see you sooner rather than later."
We kiss one more time and then get into our separate vehicles. The drive to the bar is a short one and my parents are there waiting for me. I text Samson quickly, telling him that I'm at the bar before I reach them. I give them both a hug in greeting. "Why did you want to meet here?" mom asks.
"This is where I'm working until all of this is over." I answer. We walk inside and I find them a seat and tell them I'll be right back. I walk back into the office and knock on the door. "Come in." Brandon's muffled voice comes through the door. I open the door and peek inside, "Are you busy?" He looks up, and his eyes light up, "Carmen? I'm so glad to see you! Are you okay?"
"I'm doing well. Could you call me Hailee now?" I smile as he gets up and hurries around his desk, engulfing me in a hug. "I will call you anything you want. Tell me everything that happened."
"I will, but my parents are outside in the restaurant portion for lunch. Do you want to join us?"
"I'll be out to join you shortly. Lunch is on me today! Order anything you want."
I walk back out to the dining room where my parents are waiting for me. When I sit down, my mom asks, "This is where you've been working all of this time?"
"Yep. Brandon has been great. You'll meet him shortly. He's going to have lunch with us." I tell them. Brandon slides into the seat beside me at that moment and I introduce him to my parents. "Are you two dating?" My mom asks. "No mom, you know that I'm with Samson. By the way, why didn't you all tell me that I had a fiancé?"
"The agents said that your therapist said to let things come to you on your own. So you've spoken with Ryan?"
"I have. We even had dinner with him and some of my old friends." I take a sip of my drink. "Even Abby?" My dad asks. "No. I had to kick her ass." I reveal. "What? I thought she was your best friend." My mom responds. I tell the whole story about her and what happened. "I always thought there was something off about that girl." My dad says. I laugh.
"Tell us what happened when they got you." Brandon requests. I explain how they caught me and how I was finally found. "You have definitely been through a lot. Now you have to wait until they find his mother?" Brandon asks. I nod. "Damn! Do you have detail on you?"
"Yep. They are more diligent because the last ones ended up in jail for being so lax and allowing me to get caught the first time." I try to put them all at ease. "You should come and stay with us. You'll be safer with us than you are now." My father says. "More safe than an FBI safe house?" I question, "Besides, that would just put mom in danger also."
"They probably have you in some uncomfortable house out in the middle of nowhere." My dad grumbles. "They don't. I'm in a luxury townhouse in an undisclosed location." I announce. I pull out my cellphone and show them all pictures. "Wow! I want to come and live with you now." My mom states. I laugh, "I'm perfectly safe until they find her. If not, then I'll fight my way out of it like they taught me." I end the conversation.
Our food is finallydelivered and we talk about other things, catching up until it's time to leave. I give Brandon another hug and tell him thatI'll see him next week. My mom and dadwalk with me to my car and I give both of them a hug, telling them that I'lltalk to them tomorrow. I pull off andwatch them get into their car and leave.