Page 103 of A Me and Him Thing
Ren catches on right away. “Wait a minute. What if she was speaking to her husband? That means Todd knows we’re on to them. If he also escorts Curtis, then he’s in on it too.”
“Susan and the kids could be in trouble,” I whisper, fear tingling through my body.
Ren grabs the phone from his dad. “Mom, close and lock all the windows and doors. Turn off all the lights. Take the kids and hide in the master bedroom closet, behind all the clothes. Todd’s in on it, and we’re pretty sure Rhoda just told him she’s being arrested. Who knows what he might do. I’m sending the police there right now.”
Ren looks up at me. I don’t need him to ask. I dial 911 and send the police to 6263 Forest Grove Circle, telling them that it’s an emergency, the people in the house could be in danger from their next-door neighbor.
When the 911 operator asks for help with directions, I look at Ren as I say, “Turn at the red mailbox.”
In spite of everything, Ren winks at me as he says, “Don’t worry, Mom. Be as quiet as you can. We won’t leave you alone. We’re right there with you. We won’t hang up. Let me speak to Ethan. Ethan? Don’t say anything. Just listen. I need you to keepGrandma and Kate safe, okay? Be brave. The police are on their way. Love you, buddy. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Good call, Ren.” Jack takes the phone back, whispering reassuring words to Susan over and over as we leave the airless room.
We step into the hallway just as Curtis and Mama Bear are being taken into custody in handcuffs.
When Mama Bear sees us standing there watching, she screams at Ren, her eyes laser focused on him. “You! This is all your fault! You let your bored wife seduce my innocent son! She took advantage of him, messed with his emotions, hot one day, cold the next. He was beside himself. When she refused to see him, he spent days feeling angry, crying one moment, then yelling and throwing things the next. He loved her. But she treated him like he was nothing but a boy toy. He was hers for the taking, whenever she wanted him. But when she didn’t want him, she treated him like he was nothing but a piece of garbage to be thrown away. She deserves to suffer every day of her miserable life! I’m not sorry. Not one bit. She got what she had coming to her.”
Curtis is struggling against the handcuffs, fighting to be free from the police officer’s grasp. “What are you talking about? You made Allie suffer?” He snarls at his mom.
“She was horrible to you, Curtis. It was payback.”
Curtis tries to lunge at his mom, so angry his face is bright red. But he can’t escape the officer’s strong hold. “I’m going to kill myself,” he screams. “Let me go right now, or I swear I’ll do it. I’ll die before I let you take me to jail. I’ll kill myself the first chance I get.”
“Curtis, don’t say that…”
The automatic doors close behind them, muffling their voices.
We say nothing, just watch as they’re carted off in a police car.
“The video surveillance will have caught Rhoda’s speech. Full admission, right there.” Ren runs a hand through his hair, something he does when he’s tired or stressed.
“Allison is safe now. She’ll have a peaceful night tonight,” I tell Ren.
“I guess Curtis didn’t know what his mother and father were doing to Allie. Is that what it sounded like to you?” Ren asks.
“It did.” My head is pounding from the stress of the day. “He seemed burning mad at his mother, that’s for sure.”
Knowing that Allison is safe and Mama Bear and Curtis are in custody, we hop in the car and speed the entire way back to Ren’s house. When we arrive, the lights of a police car are flashing in the driveway.
We rush inside, only to find a very tearful Susan, Ethan, and Kate. Jack engulfs Susan in a hug, Ren grabs Ethan, and I get to hold sweet Kate in my arms as she buries her tear-stained face in my stomach. My once empty arms are happy.
Susan explains what happened, her voice breathy from crying. “We could hear Todd banging on the door, screaming at us to answer. When that didn’t work, he went to every single window, banging on each one so hard, I thought they were going to break. He was yelling curse words and obscenities. When the police arrived, he ran. But they caught him. They arrested him and took him away.”
“You’re safe now. Everything’s okay.” Ren motions for everyone to move close. He holds us all in a big group hug.
It feels so good to be in his arms. Even though there are also four other people involved in the hug.
That’s okay. I’m included in their family circle, and it’s exactly where I want to be. I belong. I don’t have to force my way in. Or pretend this is my life. They want me. They love me for who I am, even with all my imperfections.
This is my new life, my family.
Chapter Twenty-nine
REN HAS INVITEDme to dine at Exodus with him. Even though it’s a Friday night, his busiest night, he’s not going to be working. He’s going to be dining with me.
Me.
When I enter Exodus, the restaurant seems abnormally quiet for a Friday night. As I walk inside, I realize it’s empty.
