Chapter 49
49
F ord walked back to his cabin with a renewed sense of purpose. He wrestled with the decision, torn between his problem-solving instincts and the need to let Tessa handle it. But in the end, all he could do was be there for her.
On his way over, he called Naomi for her advice. When he explained what he was thinking, Naomi thought it was a great idea and would come over as soon as possible.
When he arrived at the cabin, he stepped into the living room and silence.
His heart ached as he scanned the living room and noticed Tessa still sitting on the patio, staring into the woods. Ford made a cup of tea for her and grabbed a beer for himself. He walked out onto the patio and realized she hadn’t moved.
“Sweetheart, have you been sitting here this whole time?” he asked, placing the tea on the table.
She nodded. “It’s so peaceful out here,” she murmured.
He sat in one of the chairs and took a swig of beer. “I’ve got news about Malina’s gang. They were all arrested and facing long jail time.”
“Good,” was all she said.
Ford tried again. “Saw Caleb today,” he said. She’d met him once before. “He’s back and ready to start work.”
“That’s nice,” she said.
He gestured to the tea. “Why don’t you drink some tea? I made it special for you.”
Tessa hesitated but finally reached for the cup and took a sip. “Thank you. It’s good.”
That was one positive step but still so far from the woman he’d fallen in love with. The woman who was so full of life. The woman who helped take his sadness away.
A knock on the door broke the moment, and Ford stood and walked inside to answer it.
Naomi was standing there. “Hey, Ford, I came as quickly as I could.”
He stepped back and gestured for her to come in. “Thank you. I don’t know if she’ll talk to you, but I sure hope so.”
“Trauma takes time, as you know,” she said with a reassuring smile. “But I get it.”
“She’s out on the patio.”
Ford watched Naomi walk out to the patio. He saw Tessa’s shocked look, but to his relief, she didn’t shut down or run away. Maybe, just maybe, Naomi could help her start the healing process.
The woods were so peaceful, Tessa felt she could sit out here forever and stare at the different shades of green that blended to create a tapestry of calm and listen to the birds singing, imagining herself in a faraway, safe world. Not alone, but hopefully Ford would be with her. She felt safe with him.
As he walked out onto the patio, she heard him ask if she had been sitting there all along.
There was an undertone of disappointment in his voice, but there was no way she could explain how the quiet soothed her. How it prevented her from thinking about Malina and the violence.
“It’s peaceful out here,” she said.
Ford told her about Malina’s gang, and she was happy, but the news couldn’t undo what happened.
When he mentioned Caleb’s name, she had a hard time remembering who that was.
Then a brief memory of meeting Caleb and the sadness in his eyes and wondering what haunted him. It was similar to the look Ford had when she met him.
“Tessa?” A familiar voice pulled her back to the present.
Tessa turned her head and froze when she saw Naomi step out. Her chest tightened, and she started to panic. What is she doing here? Didn’t Naomi understand that she didn’t want to talk? Didn’t want to remember and relive her nightmare?
“Hi, sweetie,” Naomi said softly. “I thought it was time for a visit and maybe”—she hesitated—“have a little conversation.”
Tessa swallowed hard. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sure you are,” replied Naomi as she took the seat Ford had vacated. “Tessa, Ford worries about you. We all do. I know the girls have shared some of their stories with you, and I know how hard it is to hold yourself together after something like this. Believe me, I do. I’ve been where you are.”
Tessa glanced at Naomi and saw the same hurt in her eyes that she felt.
“You have?”
Naomi nodded. “Different circumstances, but I know how hard it is when your world is turned upside down.
“A few years ago, I testified against a man who killed my best friend. I didn’t know it at the time, but his cousin blamed me for putting the man in jail. I’d moved to Tampa, and he followed Sam Knight when she came to talk to me. He found…”
Naomi paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “He found me and beat me so badly, I ended up in the hospital.”
Tessa’s breath caught. Oh God, that was not what she expected to hear. Such violence. “How … how did you come back from that?”
“With lots of help. Sam and the KnightGuard Security team stepped in, and I stayed a year in Sam’s loft in Black Pointe, living with Victoria, one of her security experts, trying to get my life back. When I was ready, I moved here for a fresh start.”
Naomi stopped to look around before she continued. “But then a classmate of mine decided I was ‘his.’ He kidnapped me and locked me in a hidden room in his basement. I found out he’d killed his mother, and I thought for sure that was what was going to happen to me. So, I took a chance and escaped, but he caught me, beat me and handcuffed me to the bed.”
Tessa’s stomach churned. She didn’t think it could get any worse, but a second attempt.
“What happened?” she asked.
Naomi smiled faintly. “My friends happened. Joy … and Chase. They didn’t give up on me. Chase found me and stayed by my side.” She leaned forward. “But the hardest part wasn’t the rescue. It was after.”
Tessa was confused. “After?”
“Yes, after. Facing the fear … the anger. The part of me that felt weak and useless.” Naomi leaned forward. “Chase convinced me to talk with a therapist even though I didn’t want to. Joy included me in her girls’ outings and convinced me to take the self-defense classes offered here.”
“I took one or two,” Tessa confessed. “But I’m not sure I could handle the violence right now.”
“Oh sweetie, it’s not about the violence. It’s about control and empowerment. The world can be evil, and hiding your head in the sand isn’t going to make it go away.”
She reached over to touch Tessa’s arm. “You’ve already done the hardest part. You survived. Healing doesn’t mean forgetting but finding your strength again. Ford, your friends and I are here to help you, no matter how long it takes.”
Tears dripped down Tessa’s face, and she swiped them away, embarrassed. “I’m afraid.”
“I know, Tessa,” Naomi said softly. “But you are not alone. We’ve all been through some sort of trauma, and I know you can work through it and be strong again.”
Naomi left a few minutes later, and Tessa reflected on what she had told her.
She had heard some of Naomi’s story but never the brutal parts, and it made her wonder if the girls held back details on their own stories.
They all seemed to be happy and getting on with their lives.
Would it be? Could it be possible … for me, too?
Tessa sat on the patio long after Naomi left. Hearing the raw details of her past made her realize she wasn’t alone in her pain and fear.
Yes, the world was evil. She truly hadn’t experienced that until she met Damien. But pretending evil didn’t exist was foolish. It was about confronting reality and fear head-on.
Could she do that?
“Hey.” Ford came out on the patio and sat beside her. “How’d it go?”
She took her time answering. “Naomi told me her story. I had no idea of the horrific details.” Her voice trembled. “I am amazed she got through it and is stronger for it.”
Ford reached over and took her hands in his. “You’re strong too. When I think of the courage it took to escape from that warehouse, I’m in awe of you. It took guts and courage. Those qualities are still within you. They’re just taking a break for a while.”
She snorted. “I hope so.”
“Tessa, I promise they are. Just remember, you’re not alone. The women will help you. They’ve been through their own hell and came out stronger.”
He paused. “I know you don’t know the guys’ stories, but trust me when I say we’ve all hit rock bottom where we didn’t trust ourselves to get through it. We did it. You will too.”
“I’m afraid. What if I fail?”
He gave her a small smile. “What if you don’t? But if you stumble, I’ll be right here to catch you.”
For the first time, Tessa felt a flicker of hope.
“Naomi suggested I should try the self-defense classes again.” She bit her lip and frowned. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
“Oh sweetheart,” said Ford. “You don’t have to decide now. Think about it.”
“I will.”
“One step at a time,” he said, squeezing her hand.
Tessa nodded. It would be nice to imagine her future beyond fear. Maybe Naomi was right. Healing didn’t mean forgetting. Maybe that would become part of her story, finding proof of strength instead of weakness in spite of the fear and pain.
And just maybe she could do that. She could do that.