Page 42 of The One that Got Away

“We need to get you to the hospital,” Oliver said, looking at Ava, who he had sat down on the couch. She groaned and looked at him, then shook her head. “No hospital. No police. Please.”

“Why not? What are you afraid of?”

She shook her head with a moan and held a hand to the wound. “They hit me with a pipe or something. It will heal. I’m okay.”

“Who were these people, Ava? We deserve to know.”

Her eyes met his as the room held its breath, waiting for answers. Lisa stared at her, holding Daniel’s hand in hers.

“I used to work for them,” Ava said with a deep sigh. “When I came across something I shouldn’t have. A young woman, one of my colleagues at the bar we worked at, was dead. They had killed her.”

“Who had?” Oliver said. “What are you talking about?”

“The girls there. They used them to smuggle drugs across the border to Canada in fake stomachs. They’d make them look pregnant, wearing these bodysuits. But they had drugs inside them—pills, coke, you name it. This girl told them she was done working for them. She had a kid at home and couldn’t risk it. So, they killed her. I happened to see them do it in my boss’ office. It was an accident that I saw it. They caught me and told me to take over the girl’s job, or they’d do the same to me. So, I had to travel with drugs for several years, until one day, one snoopy agent at the airport put his hand on my stomach and realized it was made of rubber. I was taken into custody, and they told me I could get a lesser punishment if I gave them names. So, I did. For Daniel’s sake, so he would have a mother growing up. But I was still charged with drug smuggling, and then these people whose names I had mentioned were after me, too. So, I ran away. I knew I had to get out of there quickly. The only place I could think of was here. Back when everything was good and safe in my life. When I was with you.”

Oliver exhaled deeply and rubbed his hair. “That explains a lot, Ava,” he said. “I wish you would have told me this from the beginning.”

“I’m sorry.”

Oliver nodded. “I’m sure you are. But right now, I’ll call the sheriff and tell him to go to the old mill. They might need you to testify that you were held there. Would you be able to?”

Ava had tears spring to her eyes. She swallowed, then nodded. “Y-yes.”

Oliver smiled gently. “That’s good. That’s really brave of you.”

Oliver grabbed the phone and walked away with it pressed against his ear. He returned a few minutes later. “Sheriff Coleman says that they can arrest them for trespassing. They had no right to be at the old mill. And, if we’re lucky, these guys will have other warrants out for their arrests, so they won’t need you. At least not yet. But he told you to remain ready just in case.”

“That’s a relief,” Ava said.

Oliver then walked to Daniel and knelt in front of him.

"Let's get you cleaned up, buddy," he said, his eyes tracing the streaks of dirt on Daniel's face before he glanced at Lisa, his gaze conveying an ocean of unspoken thoughts. He still missed the sea and the freedom of the waves, but right now, the solid ground beneath their feet felt like the most precious treasure.

"Daddy's going to make everything okay," Oliver assured, brushing his fingers through Daniel's tousled hair. His eyes, which had seen so much pain, shone with a resilient spark.

As Oliver drew a bath for Daniel and Lisa cleaned Ava’s wound, the comforting sound of running water filled the house, washing away the last remnants of fear. Lisa helped Ava prepare a warm meal; the simple act of slicing bread and ladling soup into bowls was a balm to their jangled nerves. They exchanged glances, a silent agreement that they were more than just individuals; they were a unit bound by the ordeal they had endured together.

Later, as they sat around the kitchen table in the soft glow of the overhead light, the town's response was already beginning to manifest outside their windows. Neighbors arrived, some with covered dishes, others with quiet offers of help. Maggie had made sure to let them all know what had happened after Lisa had confided in her. With its intimate web of lives and stories, the small town closed ranks around them, providing a shield of community spirit and support.

"Looks like we're having a potluck," Oliver joked, trying to ease the tension that still clung to the room like morning fog. His laugh, though strained, was met with grateful smiles.

"Thank you all," Lisa said when they gathered at the door, accepting casseroles and words of encouragement. "We couldn't have gotten through this without you." She meant every word, her gratitude as deep as the roots of the towering oaks lining their street.

"Anything for our own," Mr. Jenkins, the elderly grocer, declared, his voice firm despite his advanced years. "You folks are family."

As night settled over the town, warmth was spilling from each window of the house into the darkness. Inside, Lisa watched Oliver tuck Daniel into bed, the little boy clinging to his father. Ava stood by the doorway, her silhouette framed by the soft light, a portrait of strength and grace.

Lisa joined her, their hands finding each other, gripping tightly in mutual understanding. They were survivors, warriors who had fought back against the darkness. In this moment of calm, the healing began—slowly and tenderly—as they knit themselves back into the fabric of life, supported by the town that had become their fortress, their sanctuary. And as silence wrapped around them like a protective cloak, Lisa knew that no matter what secrets the future held, they would face them together. For in this small town where hearts beat in unison, hope was a currency that never lost its value, and love was the ultimate shield against the night's chill.

Outside, a cool breeze whispered through the town, rustling the leaves in a comforting susurration. Inside the cozy living room, Lisa and Oliver sat side by side on the worn sofa that had become their command center throughout the recent turmoil. The walls around them hummed with the quiet energy of a day winding down, yet within their clasped hands was an electric current of shared purpose.

"Look at us," Lisa murmured, her voice a blend of wonder and resolve. "We've been through a storm and come out on the other side—together."

Oliver's thumb gently stroked the back of her hand, his touch grounding. "I used to think the ocean was the only place where I could find peace. Turns out it's right here with you and the kids."

The room was cloaked in the soft glow of a single lamp, casting long shadows that danced across the floor. It felt as if the whole world had narrowed to this singular point of light, where fear and hope collided, birthing something new and tenacious.

"Once everything settles down," Lisa started, her wavy brown hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned into Oliver, "we should take a trip. I don’t care where to; anywhere would be nice."

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