The Stølen Girl

Chapter Twenty-Three

Keith's dad looked different.

Not the kind of different as in longer hair and more facial stubble. His father looked more sinister than Keith remembered. His grin matched that of the cheshire cat, and his eyes looked darker than normal.

Keith's dad looked like a different man. The kind of man who would kill. Keith had always had the suspicion that his father was money hungry, and greedy, but never did Keith think his father was dangerous. Even with the information and understanding that he had kidnapped a girl for Keith, never did he believe his father was frightening.

There was something about him now, though, that made Keith quiver in fear. He was not the same man who was arrested months prior. He was not the same man who was charged for embezzlement.

"Keith, my boy. Happy to see your old man?"

No, I'm not, Keith grit his teeth in frustration. He was stuck in the position of someone loyal to their father. After all, Keith knew his dad had always wanted the best for him, but now everything seemed so twisted.

"You're out earlier than expected." Keith crossed his arms in the doorway of his childhood home. His mother was out, and for now, it was just him and his father. A thought that terrified him.

"Just my luck, I know." His gaze moved past his own son, looking into the house. "Where is your pet?"

Keith wanted to bite his tongue. "She escaped. Josh took her, sold her off as a prostitute. Who knows where she is now."

The grin on his father's face dimmed. "She's gone? How could you let that happen?"

"Did you not just hear me?" Keith bit out. "Joshua took her. Against my will. She's with him now, whoring it up somewhere. She's history, dad. Forget about her."

Keith stumbled back when his dad pushed past him, into the house. "Forget about her? Forget about her! Are you insane, boy? She's the key to us staying out of jail!"

Keith knew this. He knew this so much it made him physically sick. Not only was she safe, but her father knew who he was. One phone call and he would be in jail. He didn't know why he wasn't there already; why her father didn't turn him in. He had a feeling it had to do with Theodore, but Keith knew his time was short.

"Talk to Joshua, then. I can't help you."

Keith's father grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, pushing him against the wall. "You will find her, you understand? You will find that fucking piece of trash and bring her back here. You will do it, or else I'll kill you, got it?"

Keith felt his heart hammer in his chest. Jail had done something to his dad, and Keith was downright terrified of the man in front of him.

"What happened to you?" Keith yelled. "Why are you like this now?"

"What, scared shitless that I'll go to jail for kidnapping? Better question is why you're not. What do you know, Keith. Where is she really?"

"I told you! With Joshua! Go fucking ask him!" Keith pushed away from his father, shivers running down his spine. "I'm done with all this. It's your fault we're in this mess. It's your fault she was even taken, dad. You should have left Mary alone-"

"Mary? Since when did you start calling her by a name?"

Keith felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "She is a person, dad."

"You know what I think? I think you need to spend some time in the basement. How does that sound?"

Keith began to protest, but his father grabbed him around the neck, shutting off all airway, and dragged him to the staircase. Keith couldn't get his footing on the ground, and he felt himself going lightheaded. He clawed at his father's hands, trying to escape his death grip.

The basement door opened. Keith felt a moment of hesitation before being thrown down the basement stairs, air filling his lungs as his father let him go, topping down the wooden steps and onto the concrete floor.

He felt blood ooze from his head, but before he could lift himself up, the basement door slammed shut, leaving him in the basement with a raw throat and a broken body.

* * *

"This one!" Mary reached for a small baby jumper with elephants on it. She was shopping a little early for baby clothes, but she couldn't care less. Her excitement over the life inside of her made everything seem unreal and like a fantasy. She could hardly believe she was once the kind of person treated as an animal.

"I think it'll suit Elliott nicely," Theodore smiled, coming up behind Mary and rubbing his hands over her still flat stomach. "But you still have a long time before he's born. You sure you want to start so early?"

"Yes! Never too early!" Mary leaned back in Theodore's arms, smiling up at him. She felt happiness bloom from inside, and she never wanted it to go away. She never knew happiness could be real. She never knew it could happen to her.

"Okay, okay!" Theodore laughed with her, picking out a pair of small, matching booties. "And these?"

"So cute!" Mary snatched them from him, hugging the articles of clothing to her chest. "I can't wait for Elliott to be born. He's going to be the best child ever!"

"Yeah, well, we have some time. Don't forget, your classes start soon."

"Yeah, yeah."

Mary's tutoring classes were scheduled to begin in a week's time. Because she had no previous schooling, the tutoring would have to be intense, especially if she wanted to go to school as well. The tutor believed she could make great strides in a year's time. Even start applying for college classes in two years.

Mary thought that was far fetched, but she could hope and dream of a normal life. She was willing to commit to her studies.

Things were falling into place nicely. The house that Mary and Theodore looked into was fairly cheap, and if both got jobs, it could be a reality. Theodore already had interviews lined up, but both agreed that Mary should take it easy and wait for Elliott to be born before anything happens. If anything, Don agreed the two could live at his house until their feet were on the ground.

Theodore wasn't complaining; it was amazing how accepting Don was of him. He knew very well how Don didn't approve of him, but Mary's father was coming around, especially with the baby on the way.

Theodore's phone rang as Mary picked up another baby outfit - a cute onesie with a lion on the front.

"Hello?" Theodore smiled as Mary presented the onesie, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Theodore!" It was the voice of Kacey.

"What's up, Kacey?" He heard the worry in Kacey's voice, and felt uneasy all of a sudden. She didn't usually call for no reason.

"My dad's in the hospital! Please come quick! He was attacked and I don't know if he's gonna be okay! What if he's not okay?"

The sound of Kacey crying put him on overdrive. "We'll be there right away!"

Theodore grabbed Mary. "Your dad's in the hospital. We have to go, right now!"

Mary dropped all the clothes and felt all the happiness seep from her body. For once, she was happy, but things never stayed that way. And she immediately felt undeserving of everything, just like before.

She could never catch a break. Never.

* * *

A/N: DONT HATE ME PLEASE

I LOVE YOU GUYS SOS OS SOSOSOSO MUCH

SUMMER HAS BEEN KICKING MY BUTT. AND IM SO BUSY. AND IM SO SO SO SORRY!!

LIKE SERIOUSLY DONT HATE ME

SCHOOL IS STARTING UP SOON, SO I SHOULD HAVE TIME NOW TO WRITE, AT LEAST ON THE WEEKENDS. PLEASE DONT GIVE UP ON ME OR THIS STORY.

Okay. Anyway. This story will be ending soon. Shocking, I know! But all things must come to an end D:

LOVE YOU ALL. THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO