21. Lourdes
21
LOURDES
‘Styx’
Damn, I can’t believe all that has happened. This is my thought as we wait for the girls to get back from The Refuge. We’re all waiting at the private airport, and I’m a bit nervous because what if they don’t want to stay with us anymore? That will devastate me, for sure. Between the headaches and ringing in my ears, this concussion has been a bitch. I’m still out of work as Cap said don’t bother coming back until I have a clean bill of health. So I’ve been spending time with Genie and Junior. Mayhem came by the other day to talk to all of us. He explained about the rescue work the female motorcycle club does in Montana and let both of the kids know they have an open invite to come out and see if it would be something to help them process, then move forward and start their adult lives responsibly. They both seem open to it, but wanted to meet the girls first and make sure I was okay. So here we are.
Genie is talking to Claire while they both watch the twins running around and away from Junior. He is such a good kid, my heart breaks for him. He hasn’t shared a lot except that he once had a family but doesn’t anymore. He did go into details about how he came to be “owned” by Doug. He broke down when he said the first man who had him and his siblings sold him to Doug. And in the beginning, it was just the two of them. Then Doug started picking up women and bringing them home to rape them over and over before he’d kill them. Junior said that broke him because he couldn’t help them. Then he told us how this nightmare took a turn for the worse.
Doug couldn’t find a woman to kidnap, so he was drinking heavily. One night he came into Junior’s room and beat him to an inch of his life, and when Junior was defenseless, Doug raped him. That became the normal if Doug couldn’t get a woman. Then he started collecting kids and when at the ranch got his kicks there. Junior’s words not mine. We did find the ranch or farm don’t exactly know the difference, and yeah, there were a few men guarding the kids that were left. They are all being treated and if they don’t have family, they will be given the option of the ranch in Montana or The Refuge in New Mexico.
Hearing the helicopter noise, I bring my thoughts back to the here and now. Nova walks to the exit door, telling us to wait inside. A few minutes go by then both Mustang and Coma get out of the helicopter and are standing next to Nova waiting. I look to Jeremiah because I’m starting to get worried but he leans down, giving me a kiss on my forehead, telling me to relax. For some reason that pisses me off, but I hold it in. After about five or so minutes we hear voices. Then Coma is opening the doors and three young girls with huge smiles on their faces jump down, look around, then run directly to us, hugging us, and all talking at once. When I look at Jeremiah, he has the most adorable smile on his face. Yeah, if we can, they are ours.
When I hear a loud gasp, my head jerks down to see Ellie staring at Junior, who for some reason is pale, like he’s seen a ghost. Ellie lets go of Jeremiah and starts shaking her head, then she scream-talks.
“Is it really you, Matthew? Where’s Luke at?”
Junior starts to walk toward the girls and everyone can feel the weird vibe, so some of the guys start to follow Junior. When he reaches Ellie, tears suddenly start to fall down his cheeks.
“Ellie, is it really you? Holy shit, is that Wren and Lottie too? I can’t believe this; how did this happen?”
Jeremiah’s head is like someone watching a tennis match. Then he asks the question everyone wants to ask.
“Junior, how do you know the girls?”
Junior is shaking his head. Then Ellie drops the bomb on all of us.
“Jeremiah, that’s our brother, Matthew.”
Instantly I feel dizzy and nauseated. I reach back for anyone and, thank God, someone is there to hang on to me. And whoever it is does just that, keeps me standing as one by one the girls go to Matthew and try to hug him. I can see the struggle but he handles it quite well, until Wren tries to get too close. Then all holy hell breaks out when Wren is monkey crawling up Junior and he pushes on her to get down, but instead she falls down, lands on her ass, and breaks out crying.
Before we know it, what looks to me like an angry crowd is coming toward us, but these dudes have guns in their hands. Got to stop this before someone gets hurt. Those are my exact thoughts when Lottie stands in front of Junior and screams at the crowd.
“Stop it, before you hurt our brother, who we just found. Please don’t hurt Matthew.”
That little girl will never know the power her voice had on an angry crowd.
The same bunch of people who not that long ago had Junior’s back were ready to put him down for letting little Wren fall. Now a young girl called them to the curb and it has them second-guessing their decisions, which gives Junior time to fall to his knees and gently pick his baby sister up while crying.
“Oh, Wrenny, I’m so very sorry. Please forgive your clumsy big brother.”
She wraps her tiny arms around his neck and together they both cry the beginning of their first healing tears. You could have heard a pin drop it is so quiet with everyone watching the two of them, then the other two sisters walk over. That right there is what life is truly about. Not sure how much more my heart can take.
What a phenomenal day. Once things settled down between the kids, we made our way back home. It still boggles my mind that Jeremiah didn’t ask or say a word, he just paid a company to pack up and move my condo to his house, well, as he said earlier, to our house. Right now, we are in the process of blending our homes into one. It seems since we both said I love you everything else seems to just be falling into place. I came home from the hospital to see some of my personal items spread out throughout the house. And since I ended up staying in the hospital for two and a half days, due to passing out on the morning I was supposed to leave, and then later that day I got nauseated and had some vomiting. So when I saw a beautiful bookcase up in the great room filled with both my and Jeremiah’s books and knickknacks, I totally lost it. When everyone was settled and Beatrice was busy getting some food together, Jeremiah helped me to our bedroom, telling me I needed to rest.
After taking off my clothes and putting on one of Miah’s sweatshirts and a pair of my pajama bottoms, I’m cuddled up in bed, watching him make sure I have everything I need. My bedside table has my phone, tablet, big travel mug with ice water, and some crackers. I know he is supposed to be on a Zoom call, so I literally tell him, “I’m fine, get on your call now.” Once he’s gone, I lie back and let my mind run through the last couple of days. I’m going through everything when I hear a soft knock on the door. Softly I tell whoever is there to come on in. Seeing Genie, I smile at her, patting the bed. I see her flip her shoes off and come around the other side of the bed, coming to lie next to me. It’s apparent she has something troubling her, so I don’t say a word, giving her some time to talk about whatever is bothering her.
“Styx, what do I do now? Since he took me Doug made all of the decisions; not sure I know how to do that on my behalf. I’ve been racking my brain to figure out where to go or do. I can’t stay here indefinitely, since I have no family that I know of. When you look at it, I’m a homeless victim with nothing or no one.”
“Hey, sweetie, what are Jeremiah and I? You are welcome to stay here as long as you want. I know Mayhem was talking to some friends, who might be able to help you process everything, the choice is definitely yours.”
She starts to talk about Mayhem’s friends and how she might want to go to learn how to work through all the stuff running through her head, but she’s afraid and is worried that once they look at her messed-up face they’ll tell her to go home. I laugh because Mayhem shared some things about the women in that club.
“Genie, all those women have gone through similar, if not worse, and yeah, there are worse things than what you went through, even if it’s hard to believe. I know one had twins and the person holding her sold her babies. Another one was human trafficked and sold to multiple people. Another ran away from her family to protect them. Don’t judge until you do this Zoom call with them. When is it?”
“Supposed to be tomorrow morning, if I want. Like I said, I’m scared. Would you maybe be able to sit in on it with me?”
“Of course, honey. Already told you whatever you need, I’m there.”
I see her yawn and feel the same.
“Hey, Genie, want to take a nap? Not sure about you, but I’m exhausted.”
She reaches over and gives me an awkward hug.
“Thanks, Styx, means a lot that both you and Jeremiah have been so nice that you’ll help a perfect stranger.”
“Genie, you’re not a stranger any longer. You are part of our extended family, never forget that.”
She breaks down so I pull her close and let her vent. When she’s finally cried out all of her anguish, she falls into a deep sleep. Poor kid , I think. I need to talk to Jeremiah to see if there is a plastic surgeon who might be able to help Genie with the scarring on her face. I can tell how self-conscious she is. Those are my last thoughts before my eyes close and, not even five minutes later, I join Genie in the land of dreams.