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The weeks since I showed Lilly all the rooms of the house and told her how I’d come to get it have flown by. That was just before Halloween and it’s now Christmas. Lilly is now almost eighteen weeks pregnant. Her father has dragged her mom to Kathy and Chris’ house for a get together around Christmas. It’s also Chris’ birthday so we got an extra few presents for him. Of course some were gag gifts since he hit the big three oh. Yeah, he’s younger than me we met when we went to the academy together almost ten years ago. I roughnecked for a few years after high school to get a feel for the oil industry and the common complaints roughneckers have. Then grandad taught me some of the in’s and outs of the business, but my mind was still on the women that needed protection from abusive husbands and boyfriends.
Apparently Lilly’s mom was told to keep her mouth shut about our disagreement, and she sat there like a three year old that had her favorite toy taken away. Lilly’s mom and dad got to meet Luke in a neutral setting which both Chris and I thought was a great start. If something went down I could take Luke and Lilly to the house and they wouldn’t know where we lived. Overall the day went well with the in laws. Lilly’s dad got to see the engagement ring, right now she’s wearing it on a necklace around her neck. Soon though she’ll be able to wear it on her hand as well as the wedding band that I picked out for us.
I think I finally got Lilly’s mom’s approval when she saw how I interacted with Luke during the day. They had brought gifts for him and we had brought gifts for her parents, Kathy, and Chris. Luke was a typical child wanting to open the gifts the minute we got to Chris’ house. I had to be firm with him and tell him to wait. When he wanted to moan and show his butt in front of his grandparents I let Lilly correct him first, I supported her decisions, and gave the reinforcement that she needed with him. When he got worn out I held him in my lap and let him fall asleep.
Lilly’s dad had grinned at how I was helping Lilly to be the mom and Luke’s parent, but providing the needed male support if he balked her judgments. Lilly’s mom was shocked when she heard that I was not only going to marry Lilly, but that I was going to adopt Luke as my son.
She had asked me, “You know he’s another mans and you want to take the responsibility of being his dad.”
“Yes ma’am, my father has been out of my life since I was four years old and my grandfather raised me to be the man I am today.” I explained why I wanted to adopt Luke as my own.
“Where was your mom during all of this?” She asks, I don’t know if it’s out of curiosity, or if she wants to point out my flaws of not having a mothering figure in my life.
“She died when I was four. My grandmother was alive until I was ten and then she died of a heart attack. My grandfather only recently passed away.” I inform her so that she can get her story straight before she attacks me for being a victim of a mother leaving me.
“Oh. Well.” Is all she can say to my explanation of why I lived with my grandfather. I know she thinks my father left me to be raised by my mom, but I haven’t told very many people about the truth that he murdered my mom. That’s just something that very few people know about me and I don’t want the stigma of, oh he’s that boy.
By the time we get home it’s nine in the evening and Luke is sleeping peacefully. We enter the house and I go to lay Luke down in his bed when I hear Lilly scream. My heart drops into my stomach. Could someone have gotten past my security and broken into the house? Is Lilly in trouble? Did she start cramping and I need to rush her to the hospital? All these thoughts rush through my mind.
I lay Luke in his bed and close his bedroom door, if there is an intruder they don’t know he’s in the house. I quietly close the bedroom door and pull my sidearm out of my hip holster, I don’t leave the house without it. Even if I’m just going to my friends house
I enter the main area and I don’t see Lilly or anyone else. I quickly check the master bedroom and bathroom. Nothing. Fuck me.
I want to call out to Lilly, but it would give away the element of surprise if there is an intruder, which I’m pretty sure that there is. I fight the urge to call out to Lilly. I go down the second wing hall checking every room as I go. Nothing. I go down the third wing hallway. I see a light on in my office. I know I didn’t leave that light on. I quietly approach the door and I hear a voice that I swore I would never hear again.
It’s my father and he’s got Lilly in my office. “Well, I see my son has been busy.” The voice says.
I can only imagine how he’s got her. He killed my mom with several cuts to her throat. Knives are his choice weapon. I don’t know why he’s out of prison, but he’s leaving this house in a body bag, or in cuffs. My cuffs. I can hear the fear in Lilly’s voice as she is trying to reason with the man.
“I tell you what you let me have a piece of ass and I’ll show you that I’m better than that little weasel of mine.” He tells her as I text Chris that my dad has broken into my house and is holding Lilly hostage. I can’t call nine one one it’ll alert him that I’m in the hallway. Chris has my six and is coming over as well as bringing the cavalry. I don’t know how he got out of prison, but once Lilly is safe we will figure that out.
I stand in the hall and wait, it’s all I can do at the moment wait for back up. I see their headlights in the open door of the room across from my office. I know it’s them because they are coming in silent not to let him know that someone has called the police.
The gate system that I have allows the cops to enter when they arrive by entering an emergency code that Chris knew to give them. I can hear Lilly crying as she tries to talk him down from whatever he’s going to do. I feel helpless just like I did that night when I was four years old.