My Country Love Story

37- Reunited

Mountie: “How are you Leah?”

Me: “I’m better now. That hot chocolate is really good too.”

The Canadian officer chuckled.

Mountie: “Can you tell me anything about the moments that led up to your capture?”

Me: “My boyfriend,” I paused thinking about how bad this is probably affecting Blake and my family; “Had offered to plow my driveway, so I parked my truck at the end of it until he was done. He made the first of two sweeps up. I remember grabbing my keys out of the ignition and locking my truck. Just after I shut the driver’s side door there was a gloved hand over my mouth and that man whispered; ‘struggle and you and your boyfriend are dead.’”

Mountie: “Do you believe that at that very moment you were in any danger?”

Me: “No, because at first I thought it was a joke. My boyfriend, Blake, has a lot of male friends that would be the type to pull tricks like that on me. It wasn’t until I was thrown into his van and saw Vanessa tied up and duct tape across her mouth.”

He nodded.

Mountie: “Anything else you want to add?”

Me: “Yeah when we finally stopped at the bar he wanted us to pretend we were his nieces and he specifically told us to not talk to anyone.”

Mountie: “Ok. That’s all I need to hear. Your story matches with the end of Vanessa’s you are free to go.”

Me: “Um I’m just wondering how I get home.”

Mountie: “Mrs. Anderson will set that all up for you.”

I was met at the interrogation room door by Mrs. Anderson.

Mrs. Anderson: “Do you know a phone number for a parent or legal guardian?”

Me: “Yeah 216-555-4568. My Momma’s number.”

She nodded and dialed it for me.

Me: “Momma?”

Momma: “LEAH baby girl, where are you?”

Me: “A Mountie Police station just over the border in Canada.”

Momma: “Canada?”

Me: “Yeah long story, but the Mounties said they’d bring me to the United States border where you guys can pick me up.”

Momma: “Ok your father and me are leaving now!”

Me: “Can Blake and Cindy come with you guys too?”

Momma: “Yeah no problems honey.”

We hung up and I plopped back down on the comfy leather sofa in the waiting area. I guess I had dozed off because the same younger Mountie that had untied Vanessa and I was now standing over me.

Young Mountie: “Sorry dear, it is time to bring you down to the border.”

Me: “That’s ok.” I got up and followed him to a black tinted Chevy Suburban that was waiting out front.

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The whole ride back neither of us said anything. He parked in the lot labeled with a sign ‘United States border patrol 100ft.’

I was escorted inside since I didn’t have a passport, and once I found my parents the younger Mountie left.

Me: “Momma!”

Both of my parents ran over and engulfed me in a hug.

Dad: “Leah we are all so glad you are safe.”

It had been a day since I’ve seen them and that is way to long for me. I took an involuntary vacation, even though vacations are usually fun, instead of fearing your death. But that fact aside, I saw Blake waiting with Cindy off in the distance.

Blake saw that I saw him and stood up. I’d like to say it was once of those sappy slow-motion running scenes where a couple is running to hug each other, but I fully sprinted.

I made it into his arms and he hugged me tighter than ever before.

Blake: “I was so worried about you.”

Me: “I didn’t mean to make you panic about that phone call.”

Blake: “I freaked out because I love you too much to let anything bad happen to you.”

I looked up into his eyes and I could tell when he said those three little words, I love you, he wasn’t just saying them due to the circumstances.

I kissed his cheek, still wrapped tightly in his arms.

Me: “I love you too.”

Cindy: “Ok love birds, dinner my treat when we get back home.”

Blake and I laughed.

Momma: “Oh Cindy you don’t have to do that.”

Cindy: “I want to, and there’s no changing my mind, right Blake?”

Blake: “Nope once she gets an idea in her head there’s usually no changing her mind.”

The five of us laughed. It would’ve been six but John, Blake’s Dad, was still at work when they all left to come and pick me up.

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