Anything For Rachel – Episode 5

EPISODE_5

 

 

 

“Well he is to me, and Rose may not be my daughter by blood, but I have helped raise her and I love her as if she were mine, so if there is some kind of danger to her, then I am not letting her go off alone with someone that she and I don’t know.” He snapped.

 

 

Pedro’s eyes darkened a shade and he got into his face. “I have been here for that little girl since the day that she was born, so although she only just met me, I have been watching out for her for years.” He snapped. “I love her too, and I’d never let anything happen to her. The place where I am taking her is very secure, but I can’t show up with more people than I had planned, it would only draw more attention to us and thus threatening her safety, so no, you will not be joining me.” Pedro said and then he backed away from Logan, probably trying to keep his cool.

 

Logan looked back at me. “You’re letting him take our daughter out of here?”

 

 

 

I sighed, standing to hold his hands. “I don’t like it either, Logan, but we don’t have a choice. It is the only way to protect her, and I trust Pedro wholeheartedly.”

 

 

 

Logan shook his head water still dripping from the wet ends of his hair. “Fine.” He snapped. “If anything happens to her, I don’t care if you’re some kind of vampire or not, I will kill you.” Logan snapped at Pedro and then looked back at me. “Why do you need to leave?” He asked. “Why can’t you stay here with me?”

 

 

 

I sighed, looking back at Pedro too. “I want to, Logan.” I said honestly. “I have no desire to go back there, but I don’t have a choice in that either. I was going to stay here but then a vampire showed up here today and he was going to kill me, and Pedro and I just barely took him down in time, so it isn’t safe.”

 

Logan grabbed my shoulders, pulling me to him. “Someone tried to hurt you?” He said. “Are you alright?” He asked holding me tightly.

 

 

 

“Yes, Logan, I’m fine.” I sighed, leaning into him. “But that is why I have to go.”

 

 

 

I could feel him shaking his head. “No, you should stay with me.” He insisted. “If Rose has to go away, fine, if that’ll keep her safe, but you and I will go somewhere too.”

 

I leaned back. “Logan, I have to go back there.” I told him. “Calvin has some plan that could get us all out of this and then you and I would be free to have our own lives and not be bothered anymore.”

 

 

 

“You want to go back there?” He asked accusingly. “You’re just going to up and leave me because your ex tells you to?”

 

“No, I don’t.” I snapped. “I very desperately don’t want to go back there, but it is what I have to do to protect my family and myself.”

 

 

“You’re sure this has nothing to do with you wanting to see your… husband ?” He asked. “You were just never going to tell me that you are married were you? You were just going to marry me too and then have two husbands, neither one knowing about the other. How nice for you.”

 

 

 

I took another step back from him. “How dare you?” I snapped. “I have done everything I can to build a normal life for myself and for Rose! I only didn’t tell you the truth because this is the reaction I wanted to avoid, and Calvin and I are over! We were never supposed to see each other again, so I had no reason to tell you about him!”

 

 

 

“If you love me, then stay with me.” He said simply. “You and I will go off and hide away together, have an early honeymoon.” I could hear the hopefulness in his voice and see it in his pleading eyes. “Say yes.” He whispered. “Just picture it, you and me locked away in our beach front hotel room.”

 

 

 

“Logan, I…I just can’t.” I dropped my eyes from him and sighed.

 

 

 

“You’re choosing to go back to your ex rather than to go away with me?”

 

 

 

“It isn’t like that.” I sighed.

 

 

 

“Sure sounds like it to me.” He snapped, then stormed out of the room and out of the house.

 

 

 

I sank back down on the bed, staring up at the plain ceiling.

 

 

 

“Well,” Pedro snipped. “That could have gone better, I suppose.” He sighed as he walked for the door. “I’ll give you a little alone time. Tomorrow night we leave at dusk.”

 

 

 

I crept into Rose’s room and cuddled in her bed beside her, holding her little body close to mine. I don’t know where I stand with Logan at this point, I don’t know what to expect in going back to Castrum de Petra, but I do know that tomorrow I will have to say goodbye to my little girl, and sometime after that, say hello to her father again.

 

 

 

I only let one tear slip out as I kissed her cheek and closed my eyes.

 

Tomorrow, everything will distracted

 

 

 

.

 

“It’s time, Rachel.” Pedro said hardly above a whisper, his face etched with worry.

 

 

 

We’d gotten Rose up first thing this morning so that we could explain everything to her. Well, not everything, but we explained that she would be going to stay with Pedro for a while, while momma and daddy went to our honeymoon. I hated lying to her more than anyone. I also hated that Logan wasn’t here to tell her goodbye.

 

 

 

Regardless of the fact that he is obviously pissed, and probably running for the hills, I know that Logan loves Rose more than anything and that he will be upset when he does realizes that she’d already left. I tried to call him, but when he’d stormed out last night he hadn’t taken his phone, or even his shoes. He’d literally just driven away and now night was falling and he still wasn’t back yet.

 

 

 

The sound of my zipper on my bag was loud and ominous, like I was zipping up my life and putting it away for who knows how long. Maybe Calvin knows, but I sure don’t, and even Pedro seems unsure of this grand plan. All he will tell me is that it is our only chance.

 

 

 

I put the bag over my shoulder, walked to the wall and flipped out the lights, an uneasy feeling taking me over as I walked out of my house, possibly to never return, and I closed the door behind me.

 

 

 

Rose’s little warm hand in mine was the only thing keeping me from losing my cool right now. She is my center, my sanity, and my strength. I have no idea what I’m going to do without her at my side to keep me in check.

 

 

 

Two cabs were waiting down in the driveway, and I had to remind myself over and over to just keep breathing, and not to let my worry slip through my façade. I didn’t want to frighten Rose or give her any reason to worry. She is very smart and notices things. She is very perceptive to people, and I don’t want her going into this already on edge.

 

 

 

Pedro nodded to me once as I opened up the cab door, putting Rose’s little bag on the seat. She’d packed light, mostly just a few play clothes, books, and a couple of dolls. I put on a smile and knelt down in front of her, kissing both of her cheeks. “I’m going to miss you so much.” I said to her, careful not to let my voice shake. “I’ll be thinking of you all the time.”

 

 

 

She grinned, yawning sleepily already. “Where are you and Daddy going?” She asked.

 

 

 

“I’m not sure yet, sweetie.” I shrugged. “Daddy says it’s a surprise.”

 

 

 

“Daddy is good at surprises.” She smiled.

 

 

 

My heart ached and my eyes burned, but I smiled anyway.

 

“Yeah, he is.”

 

 

 

She frowned a little as she looked down at her little red shoes.

 

“He couldn’t come home early?” She asked softly for the third time today. She knows it is odd that she wouldn’t see Logan before she leaves. He’s always doted on her, and she loves him so much. I couldn’t help the sadness that showed through my smile, but I pulled her into a hug, kissing her head. She leaned into me, but then she suddenly jerked back. “Daddy!” She called, looking passed me down to the road where Logan was parking the car by the curb, nearly taking out the mailbox in his hurry.

 

Logan hopped out of the car and ran towards us, pulling Rose and me both into a hug. “I’m sorry.” He whispered to me, kissing my cheek softly. He let us go and he leaned down to Rose. “Let me talk to mom just a second, alright Rosebud? Then I will help get you buckled in.”

 

 

 

“Ok, Daddy.” She grinned up at him, her dimples digging into her cheeks. “I knew you’d come.” She grinned, and it was like I’d been punched in the stomach.

 

 

 

Logan kissed her forehead, then pulled me by the hand over to the side and I glanced back over and saw Pedro watching us unapprovingly before he bent down and started talking to Rose to keep her distracted

 

 

 

“Babe, I’m so sorry.” Logan whispered, drawing me back to him. His eyes were swollen and he had dark rings under them like he hadn’t slept at all. He looked away from me and back over to Rose. “I can’t believe I almost missed telling her bye because I was being so stupid.” He shook his head at himself.

 

 

 

“I don’t blame you, Logan.” I told him. “That was a lot to drop on a person.”

 

 

“I blame me.” He said seriously. “I made you a promise, to love you and Rose and take care of you both, no matter what.” He said as he brushed my hair off of my shoulders and pulled me to him. “I still don’t know how to feel about any of this, and it honestly scares the shit out of me, but I won’t lose my family just because I’m afraid.” He said. “I’m going with you.”

 

 

 

I leaned back, looking up at him surprised. “Going with me?”

 

He nodded, his dirty hair falling into his eyes. “Yes.” He said. “If I can’t go with Rose to help protect her, then I am going with you. If you’re in danger, I’m at your side.”

 

 

 

“Logan, you don’t have to…it’ll be very dangerous.”

 

 

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“That’s exactly why I’m going.” He said firmly, nodding once, meaning he was done talking about it and his mind was made up. I chewed my bottom lip, and he leaned down to kiss my head before jogging back over to Rose. “Alright, Rosebud, let’s get you ready to go.” He said, lifting her up over his head and tickling her sides, making her erupt with laughter.

 

 

 

Pedro came over to me, his eyes strained. “You cannot be seriously considering bringing him with you.” He snapped.

 

 

 

“Pedro, what choice do I have?” I asked. “Honestly, I kind of want to have him with me.”

 

 

 

Pedro narrowed his eyes. “Why? So you can keep yourself reminded that you have another?” He asked bluntly. “Is that why you’re so afraid of seeing Calvin again? You worry all the feelings will come back and you’ll lose the pretty boy?”

 

 

 

Angry tears burned at the corners of my eyes. “Who said the feelings ever went away?” I snapped. “You know more than anyone else what all I went through with Calvin, and what I went through coming home and building this life. I’d be stupid to not be afraid that I’m going to lose all of this, but it won’t be for Calvin.” I shook my head. “He made his choice to get rid of me, and he made the choice to not bring me back when he found out about Rose, so no, I don’t want to see him. Yes, I’m afraid of what I might feel, being there again, and seeing him. He always had a way to make me forget about everything else and only focus on us.” A tear did fall from my eye and I quickly wiped it away. “It’s not just the two of us I have to worry about anymore. I have to think about Rose, and what is best for her, and Logan is what is best for her, and best for me. I love him, Pedro. I really do, so don’t you ever say something like that to me again. You can never imagine the pain I felt for so long until Logan came into my life.” I said hushed but seriously. “I’m going to marry him, and if he wants to come with me, then he is.”

 

 

 

Pedro looked down at the wet grass between us. “I’m sorry, Rachel, I didn’t mean to…”

 

 

 

“It’s fine.” I said dismissively, trying to get my emotions back in check.

 

 

 

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Story_continues

 

ANYTHING FOR RACHEL