Chapter 29
Allen spent Christmas Day in the blind, but now he was getting drunk again in the cabin. His rage was out of control tonight. He watched Megan have sex with her ‘husband’. He witnessed him putting his hands all over her. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the scene.
He had wanted to charge over there, finish them both right then and there. The only thing that stopped him was the thought that all of his planning would be wasted. He had spent a lot of time getting his plan figured out, making all the arrangements.
He drank whiskey, pacing back and forth in the small cabin. That bitch has to pay. Maybe he would draw out his planned revenge a few days longer than initially expected. He stopped, yes, that is what he would do. He planned on just a day or two, but maybe he could make it last even longer.
She would be begging him to kill her by the time he was through with her. He could add some other forms of suffering to his plan. The thought of her crying, pleading with him excited him. Oh, she would definitely cry and plead. She would promise to do anything to get him to stop.
Without really thinking, he started a fire in the fireplace. Pouring another cup of whiskey, he continued to pace, trying to get the image of his wife on top of another man out of his head. He went outside, pacing around outside, relieved himself in the trees, and then drank even more whiskey. He decided that tonight he would check out the ice on the lake.
It should be solid enough for him to be able to cross the lake on it. He stopped pacing, looking around. His footprints were all over the place. Tomorrow he would find something that could sweep his prints out. Something he can take across the ice with him, help hide his prints leading to and from Megan’s place.
He originally planned on using the raft, pulling it across the ice, but he realized that wouldn’t work. The ice would tear it, deflating it. He would have to build some sort of sled. He had a few supplies left that he could figure out something with. If he built it right, it would cover any tracks as he pulled it behind him. It would have to be sturdy, yet lightweight, so that with Megan’s weight on it he could still easily pull it. Hell, maybe he would make her pull it, like a dog.
He continued to drink, starting the pacing again as he designed the sled in his mind. He went back into the cabin, pouring himself another drink. This time, he took his boots off and lay down on his sleeping berth. He lay there drinking his whiskey, plotting and raging until he finally passed out.
Allen woke in the morning, feeling miserable with a hangover. Making a pot of coffee, he added whiskey to his cup when he drank it. He drew out his plans for the sled he would pull across the lake. Once he had it drawn out, he set off to build it. It didn’t take him long to see his idea come to fruition.
It would leave a trail, but there are ice fisherman that will be out on the lake, so if he played it right, the trail he would leave would blend in with their tracks If he gets really lucky, it will be snowing the night he puts the plan into action. That way he could go straight across the lake. If not, he may have to figure out a different pathway. He would have to watch the lake during the day to watch the habits of any ice fisherman.
If he had to pass as one of them, he would have to get on and off at the same point that they did. That wouldn’t make his plan impossible, just a little more complicated. He would figure it out. Just a week and a half to make sure that everything is set and ready.
***
Jacob and I had a fantastic time together after Christmas. I only had two more months to go until my due date, so we spent time finishing the nursery. We washed all the baby clothes and blankets; we hung the rest of the decor and the curtains. We put the cradle that Jacob built next to my side of our bed so that Jayden would be close to me. I washed all the bottles and stacked diapers in the cloth hanger.
Finally, we sat down and went through everything to see if there was something we had forgotten. The only thing left was to pack a bag for the hospital. That wouldn’t take long, the diaper bag was already packed. I wouldn’t need much, so I planned on packing that when Jacob left for the conference. Right now, I want to spend time with him.
We spent a lot of time just sitting together, talking about our future, about Jayden and the children we would like to have in the future. Josh and Randy came over a few times, always announcing when they would come over now. We spent time with them discussing their wedding and helping with plans. Jacob was the best man, I was the matron of honor, so we helped as much as we could. The building of the small cabin and the gazebo were well underway. Nora and Donald were working with a landscaper to make plans for the pond and the clearing around it.
One night when Josh and Randy came over to visit, we had something else to discuss with them. We all sat down on the couches, Jacob shutting the TV off. I looked at Randy and Josh, “We have something we would like to ask you both.”
Randy and Josh looked at each other and then at us, the curiosity apparent on their faces. I glanced at Jacob, he smiled at me, encouraging me to continue. “We were hoping that you would be Jayden’s godparents,” I said.
Randy’s eyes instantly teared up. She squealed, jumping up to hug us. “We would be honored,” Randy said, as Josh nodded his agreement.
“I’m so thrilled,” I said, hugging Randy, then Josh. “After Jacob, there is no one else I would want to take care of my baby if something happened to me.” I caught Jacob glancing at me out of the corner of my eye. I hadn’t told Jacob that I had seen a lawyer recently and had paperwork drawn up, including a will, to say that if Jacob was unable to raise Jayden, I wanted Josh and Randy, then Janet and Jack, then Nora and Donald after them to raise her. I knew his family already loved Jayden as a member of their family. They would take very good care of her, raising her as one of their own.
We sat, talking about Jayden and her future, having children in general, including the fact that Randy and Josh couldn’t wait to start their own family. They were hoping to start one right away after they got married, wanting their first baby to be close in age to Jayden, so they could be close to each other.
We spent a lot of time with Josh and Randy, they were our best friends. We also spent a lot of time with Janet and Jack, even though they lived a little bit further away. Nora and Donald were great. Every weekend we could, we were at their house for a Sunday dinner. Our last Sunday before Jacob went to his conference we went to Nora and Donald’s house as usual. After dinner, the guys cleaned up as had become the new tradition. We were sitting around when everything was cleaned up chatting when Donald looked at Nora. “I think now would be a good time to show Jacob and Mattie the project we have been working on.”
Nora nodded, “I think so too.” Jacob and I looked at each other, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Nora stood up and said, “Come on, follow me.”
She led us upstairs to a bedroom that Jacob said used to be his as a kid. Nora motioned for Jacob to open the door. “Mom?” he said, turning to look at her.
She smiled, “Well, go on in.” Jacob took my hand, leading me in. They had taken his old bedroom and converted it into a child’s bedroom. I looked around amazed.
“I don’t know what to say,” I stammered.
“Well,” Donald said. “We wanted our granddaughter to have her own place whenever she was here and…”
Looking at Nora, “we hoped that she could come to spend some nights here with us once in a while. We are so looking forward to our first grandbaby, we can’t wait to spend as much time with her as you will allow.”
I turned to them in tears. “I am thrilled that you love her so much already. I want you both to be a huge part of her life. She will love spending time with her grandpa and grandma and will probably want to spend as much time here as she can.”
Nora threw her arms around me. I felt like such a part of this family. For the first time in my life, I felt like I really belonged. I just hoped that if my past came out someday, they would find it in their hearts to forgive me and understand.
That night, I drove Jacob to the airport. He was leaving for his conference. I had tears in my eyes as I kissed him goodbye. He looked at me, wiping away my tears. “Remember your promise, if you ever felt my traveling was an issue, you would say so.”
I nodded, “It isn’t an issue, but I can’t help but miss you when you are gone. I love you so much.”
He kissed me gently, saying, “I miss you too. I’ll be home soon, I promise.”
“I know,” I said .
I stayed until he made it through security, then made my way back home. Lucky met me at the door. It seemed he could feel my sadness at Jacob’s leaving for two weeks. He stayed at my side or at my feet no matter where I went or what I did. I went to soak in the tub for a little bit, then went to bed early. I fell asleep watching TV, with Lucky lying on his blanket on the bed next to me, which he only did when Jacob wasn’t home.
***
Waking up in the morning, I got dressed and headed out to get my morning cup of coffee. I let Lucky out on my way to the kitchen and then went back to the doors to watch Lucky for a few minutes. Lucky romped around in the snow for a little bit, looking like he was having a good time. It amazed me how big he has gotten in just a few months. He ran down to the beach, standing there staring off at the other side of the lake again.
I looked over and saw the glint of something again. I went into the garage, getting Jacob’s binoculars, using them to look across the lake where I saw the glint. Panning the shoreline of the opposite side of the lake, I caught the glint of light in the binoculars again, trying to focus on it. I thought I saw something move, but after looking for a few minutes I couldn’t make out anything so gave up. Lucky wanted back in, I needed to get to work. Leaving the binoculars on the table, I went down to the office.
Lucky seemed nervous or upset today. He was in front of the doors watching outside, pacing back and forth all day. I tried to let him out a couple of times, but he refused. I continued to work, but his pacing unnerved me a little bit. After work, we went upstairs, Lucky pushing the door to the basement shut behind us. He then went to the French doors, staring out, pacing back and forth.
“What is wrong Lucky?” I asked, walking up to the doors.
Opening the door, he ran out this time, heading straight to the lake, even going out on the ice a little bit. He stood there, barking, looking at the opposite side of the lake. Pacing back and forth on the ice for a little bit, then running back to the house. I let him back in, but he spent the rest of the evening next to the doors, alternating between pacing and lying in front of the doors.
After a small supper, I was sitting on the couch, trying to watch TV. Something about Lucky’s behavior that day had me on edge. When Jacob called that evening, he must have sensed my mood. After we shared our day’s activities with each other, Jacob enjoying the conference so far, he asked how my day was otherwise. When I hesitated a bit before replying, he asked, “What’s wrong, Mattie?”
“Nothing,” I said. I didn’t want to worry him over a feeling.
“I can tell something is bothering you, what is it?”
I hesitated a minute, then said, “It is probably nothing, but I feel on edge today.”
“Did something happen?” he replied.
“No,” I said. “Not really. Lucky has been pacing in front of the doors, staring out across the lake nonstop. When I let him out, he actually ran out on the ice, barking something across the lake from us. It is probably nothing, but he has continued to stay by the doors tonight.”
There was a pause on Jacob’s end, “Do you want me to come home?” he asked.
“Oh no, Jacob,” I replied. “I’m fine. It just has me on edge, seeing him unsettled. I’m sure there is nothing to it.”
“You could go stay with Josh and Randy, or have Randy come stay with you if it would make you feel better. I can call them if you want me to.”
“No, Jacob,” I said. “Don’t do that. I’m fine. I can call them if I need to. Lucky is just nervous, it put me on edge. Maybe there is some animal around that has him on edge.”
“Probably,” Jacob said, obviously not quite convinced. “Call me anytime if you need me. I’ll fly home on the next plane if needed.”
“Enjoy the conference, Jacob. I’ll be fine. I love you,” I said.
We hung up the phone, deciding I was tired I went to take a bath to help me relax and then climbed into bed, Lucky lying on his blanket.