The Awakening (12 page)

    “Thought so. You’ll sleep tonight if I have to drug you,” Tammy insisted, reaching across to give her another hug. “Mom’s got more booze here than any bar I’ve been in.”

     Adele had forgotten just how much she’d missed her friend. She’d been away falling in love, and more importantly, discovering where her real dad was.

     Tammy snapped her fingers in her face.

    “Hey, anyone home?”

    Adele nodded.
    “That’s good.”

     Tammy got up, slid the chain lock across the door and hurried into the kitchen.
    “What would you like to eat?”

    “Nothing much,” Adele called from the living room.

     Tammy poked her head in the room.
     “See the time?” She pointed to the silver clock on the wall. When Adele saw that it was already seven, all of a sudden she was starving. Moments later Tammy brought in the tray of food and she dove.

     “Knew you were hungry. Does your mom have enough food in the house?”

    “I’ve been too upset to eat, that’s all.”

    “I see,” Tammy said in disbelief. “Want some more?”

    Adele was about to say ‘no’ when she saw the plate of ham. Adele waltzed over to her and leaned over her shoulder.

    “I love glazed ham.”

     “I remembered. We’re having leftovers tonight, but so what. Scalloped potatoes and ham are good any time.”

    “They sure are,” Adele agreed.

    Tammy served supper like she was a gourmet cook and Adele was a paying customer. Soon Tammy flopped down beside Adele both rubbing their satisfied stomachs.

    “You’ll feel better after good night’s sleep. Things always look brighter in the morning.”

     Tammy was always optimistic.

    “How do you stay so positive?” Adele asked.

    “I dunno. I just do. Everyone’s got problems of some kind. You just deal with them, and move on.” She shrugged.

    “I guess,” Adele agreed.

    The two spent the remainder of the evening munching on snacks and didn’t talk about Adele’s deranged father.

    “So where would you like to sleep?” Tammy called from the kitchen. “The apartment isn’t as big as my old place but it still has three
bedrooms.”

    “It’s quite lovely,” Adele said touching her tummy— she was feeling nauseous. “I’m not feeling well. The couch is fine.”

    Tammy came to her and bent down to feel her forehead. “You’re fevered!”

  “What else can go wrong?” Adele took a double look at the hour, then touched her forehead. It was hot.

   “It’s twelve o’clock. You’re probably just tired.”

   “Twelve, already?”

   “Time flies when you’re having fun,” Tammy said. “Listen, I’ll go make up the bed for you.” 

    Tammy turned into this super host and Adele felt useless watching her at work. She threw a brightly coloured afghan on the spare bed, and matching pink shams.

    “I’ll sleep in the room next to you. I’ve always wanted to sleep in a waterbed.” She laughed.

    Adele nodded and went to the bathroom. There, she poured a bath and relaxed in a warm tub of water. As she soaked, she glanced around the room and quickly tired. She began to drift off to sleep when a knock on the door interrupted her reverie.

    “You okay in there?”

   Adele sat up. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

   “Do you still feel sick?”

   “A bit.”  Adele pulled the chain with her toe, releasing the water. She watched it rush down the drain, and gurgle, and then all was silent.

   She pulled on one of Tammy’s flannelette nightgowns, brushed her hair for the night, and fell into bed, seemingly without a care in the world.
 

    When morning came she woke to a stuffed up nose. Her head pounded, and her body ached like she had the flu. How was she to help anyone in this condition? How was she to get her family away from that animal?

    She thought about Jefferson, and her eyes  swelled with tears. It was awful being separated from the man she loved, and now, to be faced with what seemed like an impossible mission.

    Just then, Tammy pounced in the room
excitedly
until she got a look at Adele.

    “Girl, you’re sick. Better take your temperature, and get some aspirin. Hang on,” she ordered, then flew out the bedroom only to return a few minutes later.

    “Look, Adele, my mom and dad might not care, but I can assure you, I do.” She shoved a thermometer in Adele’s mouth.

    “Thanks.” Adele tried not to bite down on the thermometer. “Feel awful.” Adele held her pounding head.

    “You look awful.” Tammy touched her forehead and sat on the bed. A minute later she pulled out the thermometer.  “Ninety-nine.” She placed the thermometer on the bedside table and stared at Adele. “I’ve given it some thought, and I’ve decided to call the police.”

   Adele whipped back the covers.

   “No. Please Tammy!”

“Why, in heaven’s name, not?  After all you’ve told me….   wouldn’t you call them?”

   “Cause Mom will swear it’s all a lie. That’s why.”

   “Why would she do that?”

   “I don’t know,” Adele confessed. “Dad’s got her scared to death. She’s liable to say anything. Heaven only knows what he’s threatened her with. I have to get her out, myself. Please Tammy, don’t call the police. It’ll only make matters worse.”  Adele then fell back on the pillow beside her.

    “Lord in Heaven.” Tammy shook her head. “And I thought my parents were bad. Okay, I promise.” She agreed, although she had a questionable look on her face.

    “I have to get better.” Adele rolled her head on the pillow and moaned.

    Tammy grabbed the covers, pulled them up to her shoulders, and tried to keep her warm.

   Eventually, Adele drifted off to sleep once again. She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in so long, stewing and fretting about what she should do.
  For the next week, Tammy tried to nurse her back to health.

     Adele was vaguely aware of the sun streaming in the window. She glanced at the clock, surprised at the hour.

    A week had gone by since she’d arrived home. When she woke with a sore throat, Tammy took her
temperature
again – this time it was 101.

    “I’m calling the family doctor,” she insisted.

    “I’m that bad?” Adele asked.

    “Oh yeah.”

     Adele had come down with pneumonia, the doctor announced later, and was was good enough to leave a bottle of antibiotics. And Tammy made sure Adele took it.

    The days seemed to fly by after that. Adele kept sliding in and out of sleep. It took another three days for her to recover, and Tammy stewed over her like a mother hen.

    The whole time Adele was at Tammy’s, her mother never once showed her face. It was as if she had none. Adele felt badly for her, but Tammy just laughed it off.

    As the week dragged on, Tammy stayed true to her word and never called the police. 

    When Adele discovered how much time had passed, she feared the worst.

    “How are you feeling today?” Tammy asked, pulling back the covers on the bed, feeling her forehead.

    “Better. Was there a doctor here? Or did I imagine that?”

   “I had no choice. I had to call him. You’ve been really sick.  Why, you’ve been in that bed for over a week.”

   Adele sat up stunned.

   “A week!” She lunged forward to get out of bed, but fell back on the mattress. “Boy! Do I ever have it bad.”  She wiped her head and wondered if she’d ever see Jefferson again.

    “Doctor said for you to take those pills. All of them,” Tammy ordered, pouring her a glass of cold water. “He said you’ll be fine. I’ve been taking care of you the best I know how.”

    “You’re a good friend.”
    “I know. Now get better.”

    Adele fell back on her pillow. “I’ll try.”

    While she lay anxiously waiting to recover, Tammy left the room and returned from the living room. “Go back to sleep.”

    Adele grinned. “I’m trying.”

Chapter 18

    Meanwhile Jefferson was looking bleak. The idea of Adele being in danger was beginning to weigh heavily on his mind. He hounded Jeffery time and time again about where she lived, asked folks in town but got nowhere. He hadn’t thought to ask Birdie.

   Early one morning Bentley asked Jefferson to meet him in his office.

    “Sit down, boy. It’s time we had a talk.” He sat behind his desk and Jefferson sat on a nearby chair. “I’m worried about you, son. It’s time you move on. Obviously, Adele’s not coming back. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start acting like a man. I want you back at the university, resuming your studies. Buck me on it and I’ll have you bodily removed. You do understand, right?”

    Angry at his uncle, Jefferson shrugged, and took to his feet.

   “All right, but I’m coming home on weekends. If I can’t stay here, I’ll find other lodgings.”

   Bentley rolled his eyes, frustrated with him.

    Two days later Jefferson returned to the university and struggled to do as his uncle had asked. He poured himself into his studies, even though he found it difficult to stay focused. Somehow it seemed meaningless, being there. His body language told all… he was merely going through the motions. He wasn’t really there. His world had fallen apart; all that was left was his broken heart. Jefferson ended up falling into a severe depression, and his mind became a place of torment, and was riddled with thoughts of Adele.

    Every weekend he’d return home, hurry to his room to see if she was there. Sometimes he’d sit for hours, staring off into space.

    On the first weekend in October, he arrived home as usual. Bentley was immediately on his heels and had following him to his room. Jefferson threw his luggage on the floor, collapsed on the bed, and looked across the room longing to see Adele.

   He heard a knock on the door, and sat up. Turning around he met his uncle’s disapproving eye.

   “Son,” Bentley said, “How long are you
planning
on pining away for someone who doesn’t want you?”

   Jefferson didn’t comment, and frustrated
Bentley
left the room in a huff.
   He’d never love anyone like he loved Adele.

                      ***

   Saturday morning rolled around and Adele looked across the room at the clock. Seven o’clock. Thanks to Tammy, she felt much better this morning, and ready to continue her mission. She closed her eyes and pondered the severity of the situation. She’d need help to rescue her family from the lunatic. But who?  Knowing Tammy she’d want to help; but Adele wasn’t about to involve her, not after all she’d done. Adele weakened, thinking she may have to fight the man.

   Stay focused girl.

   But the man was the devil himself, and as hard as it would be, she had to return home.
   She slipped out of bed and walked into the kitchen, knowing too much time had passed.

   “Tammy, where are you?” She peeked into the living room but she was nowhere to be found. “Time for me to leave. I have to back to the house, have to get Mom away from that monster.”

   “I know,” Tammy said, coming out of her bedroom. “Are you sure I can’t help? I could mow him over with the car.” In her silly Mickey Mouse pajama’s, she resembled anything but an avenging angel.

    Adele smiled, and then said in a serious tone, “I have to go alone. I’m afraid for them.”

    Tammy leaned back into her bedroom, opened up one of the drawers and pulled out a pistol.

   “Take this.” Tammy shoved a Colt 45 in her face. “You might need it.”

   Adele jumped back, shocked. “My God, are you crazy?”

    “No. By the sounds of things…well, never mind. Just get dressed then. I’ll drive you home.” Tammy kicked off her slippers, peeled off her night gown, and dressed.

   Adele hurried, shaking at the thought of the pistol Tammy had so casually suggested she use.

   “Are you ready?”

   “Yes.” Tammy came out dressed. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

    Adele hugged her, and soon the two headed for the car, with Tammy once again behind the wheel.

   “Thanks, for everything,” Adele said as she waved her hand.

   “Don’t sweat it. Just keep in touch, okay?”

   “I promise.”

   Adele could feel Tammy’s eyes on her as she raced up to the house.

    As she grew closer her stomach twisted in a knot knowing she’d soon be in a fight with a crazy man.  She stopped, and took a few deep breaths remembering the monster she feared now more than ever. How was she, a young girl to
overpower
such a man?

    She took another deep breath, and then opened the door of the house. She could hear the television blaring, but over the television came the boisterous hollering from the man her mother called Ryan.

    “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times, Frances, keep that brat away from the television or I swear, I’ll take care of that kid! One less mouth to feed.”

    Adele stiffened, shocked by what she’d seen and heard. Peeking in from the dark kitchen into the living room her face fell when she saw her mom in a dirty rag of a dress. Her mother ran and scooped up Jan from in front of the television, her hands shaking. The man laughed and made derogatory comments about her looks.

    Adele wished then she’d accepted Tammy’s offer of the pistol. She’d like nothing better than to clean his clock. No, shooting the man was too kind. This fellow deserved to be tortured.

    It was appalling to see the way the man treated her mom. If her dad were here, he’d kill him with his bare hands. Why couldn’t he remember them?

    The women were in desperate need of a strong man ─ preferably a super hero.

    Again Adele was horrified when she heard the shameful words that fell from Isaac’s lips.

   “Good Lord, woman you look awful, worse than a pig.” He lolled in his chair wearing at least three days growth of beard, his clothes fit for nothing more than cleaning out the pigsty.

   When she heard the remark, she couldn’t keep quiet. Adele grabbed a baseball bat that was lying on the kitchen floor, hid it behind her back, and managed to slither into the living room unnoticed.

    “You so much as look the wrong way, I’ll beat you to a pulp.” She clenched her teeth and hissed at Isaac.

     Isaac leaped from his chair and glowered at her, while a frightened Frances quickly came to Adele’s defense. Isaac’s eyes returned to Frances.

     “Don’t,” Frances begged, crouching on bended knee, her hands folded in a locked prayer.

    But Isaac, showing no mercy, swung his fist, and belted her a wicked blow across the face and sent her across the living room floor.
   Adele’s blood boiled.

  “Mommy!” Jan screamed.

  Isaac grinned as he strode over to Adele.

“Think you and me ought to have a go at it.
Seems
you hate your old man so badly. Whattya say?”

   “You’re not my father.” Adele glared at him. “You’re a lunatic, you piece of scum. I hate you!”

    Without warning, Isaac lunged for her, and unprepared Adele swung the bat hitting him on the top of the head knocking him to the floor. To her surprise, he reached, and grabbed her pant-leg, and pulled her to the floor.

    “Ryan, have you lost your mind? God, help us!” Frances shouted.

    When he heard Frances, Isaac left Adele and charged at her with his fists swinging. He hit her across the face, pushed her to the floor, grabbed her hair and began to smash her face against the hardwood floor.

     Shocked, Adele bolted out of the house and hid in the barn where she planned what she’d do next.

    That week was the most miserable, most terrifying week of Adele’s life. She went with little food, had next to no sleep and suffered from dehydration as she waited for the right
opportunity
.

    She spent six days and six nights hiding in the barn, freezing.

    From there, she could see the occasional headlight from a car as it passed by in the night. If only she’d a voice and the strength to wave the strangers down. If only she’d not get caught. Those were long evenings when she had nothing to do except wait and worry, nothing to do but remember the way it used to be.

    She prayed that she’d be successful. Surely God cared about her family. She recalled reading the portion in the Bible about how God knew the number of hairs on their heads. She recalled the passage about having faith as a mustard seed, and that she could move a mountain if she had that kind of faith. She still believed in God, even though she doubted. Maybe that only happened in Bible times.

    Crap, I need to pee.

   To her dismay, the man rarely left the house leaving her virtually no time to be alone with her mother. She remembered how he used to visit the general store frequently, but it seemed he had  changed, and now, he merely perched himself in front of the television-set drinking beer after beer.

    Adele was thirsty, starving actually, and her body ached from being on the cold barn floor. She smelled bacon and eggs and her mouth watered. The smell of coffee brewing made her stomach sick. 

    On the few occasions when the criminal went to town, he allowed Frances to go with him, but kept her on a tight leash. When they’d come back home, he’d scream at her for talking to the townsfolk. 

    Frances was living in her own prison. The man was angrier than ever, seemingly because Adele had escaped. Adele stiffened when she heard the man’s loud voice.

    “What if the brats talks…” He ranted on like the lunatic that he was, yet her mom remained in the house.

    All the while, Adele kept herself hidden making sure no one discovered her. She watched, waited and listened for a chance to escape. It seemed as though it would be an impossibility, until one morning, the man came barging out of the house, shouting they were all out of beer. He was going to town without Frances, and warned her she better be waiting for him when he got back.

     “Thank you, God.”

     From the window, she watched him traipse down the road in search of his lifeline – the beer bottle. What a miserable excuse for a man. She stared until she could no longer see him, then raced into the house.

     When she caught sight of her mom in the kitchen, Adele was stunned. Frances’ eyes were lifeless, she’d been so badly beaten. Her face was so swollen. When Adele saw her wounds, she cringed.

    “Mom!” she cried and raced to be with her.

    Frances, a bundle of nerves jumped when she saw her.

    “Adele.” Her voice trembled. “It’s not safe here. Run, your father has turned in… into─” She wiped her brow. “He’s insane.”

    Adele gripped her arms. “Mom, listen to me. I can take you to where Dad is,” she pleaded.

    Frances frowned. “You’re not making any sense. Your father just left for town.”

    Adele searched for the right words, but found none.

    She helped her mother to the kitchen chair, observing how frail she was.

    “Mom, the man living here isn’t Dad. He’s an impostor. Even worse, he’s a mental patient. You’ve got to believe me.” She waved her arms about. “Can’t you see how much he’s changed? Does he even smell the same? Dad would never raise a hand to you. You have to follow me.”

   Frances covered her ears.

   “Mom, please.” She leaned over her mother. Frances looked up at her.

   “You’re talking nonsense.” Frances let her arms go limp. “You’re not making any sense. I know your father’s turned bad. Honestly, I don’t know what’s happened to him. Where should I go? Both Ryan’s parents, as well as mine, are dead. You know that. And I’m losing my mind with worry,” she said emotionally.

   “Mom, why aren’t you running? Look how bad things have become since I was here last. What’s wrong with you?” Adele shook her mother by the shoulders.

   “I haven’t the strength.” Frances started to cry. “I’m half dead. I can’t sleep, can’t eat; and...”

   Angry, Adele lashed out at her mother.

   “What have you got to lose? Come with me while that idiot’s gone to town.” She grabbed her mother by the arm and pulled her off the chair.

    “Where?” Frances panted. “There’s no safe place here. The nearest neighbour is two miles away. Honey, I don’t have the strength.” Frances wept uncontrollably and searched Adele’s eyes.

    Suddenly there was a noise, and their conversation ended. The two froze when they heard the man come barging in the house using the front door.