Another visit tonight. This time I was shown the results of my escape attempt. Twenty-seven women fled the gates of our compound. Fourteen were returned immediately; my group of five remained unharmed, but eight are still unaccounted for.
—The diary of Megan Jean
Thump thump thump. Mia pounded on the door for the second time. The giant grin she wore was starting to vanish. She told herself maybe they weren’t home, but then a memory came crashing back. Mia had spotted a wanted poster in Saint Louis, and the only way Grant Marsden could have known she was there was if the people who helped her had told him. That meant Grant had been here before.
Mia put her hand on the doorknob and tried to enter, but it was locked. Her need for safety was replaced by a need to make sure her friends were safe. Mia didn’t think she could handle another death on her account. She turned to her side and started throwing her shoulder into the door. It still didn’t budge.
Nothing would make Mia give up at this point. She backed away to the edge of the porch and lifted her leg. She would try to kick the door down to make sure the inhabitants were safe. Before her foot made contact the door swung open.
There stood Frank. He wore a bathrobe over his white T-shirt and flannel pants. His white hair was messed up and one of his eyes was closed. His hands held a shotgun pointed at Mia, but she wasn’t fazed. She ran toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. The gun dropped and he returned her embrace.
“Mia?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
Frank didn’t bother waiting for a response before yelling for his husband.
“Alex,” Frank yelled. “Wake up and get down here.” To Mia he said, “We thought you were dead. How did you find us again? Where have you been?”
“I need your help,” Mia said.
“It’s yours,” Frank said. “Get in here.”
“I’m not alone,” Mia said.
“Andrew and Whitney?”
Both names stung Mia for different reasons. She released Frank and backed up, shaking her head no.
“I am so sorry,” Frank said. “They were good people.”
Mia nodded, not ready to explain her whole story at the moment.
“But who are these lovely gems?” Frank asked.
“I know you said to stay in the car,” Corinna said. “But we heard a lot of noise and wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“Frank, this is my sister Corinna and my mother, Laura,” Mia said.
“What is so important you had to get me out of bed . . . Mia?” Alex said.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. She didn’t have a chance to pull away before he had lifted her off the ground and started swaying her back and forth in his bear grip.
“What are you doing here? Tell me everything,” he said, letting her down.
Mia stood back and looked at him. He wore the same outfit as Frank, only instead of cotton his robe was silk. His white T-shirt was a deep V-neck that showed off his developed chest. Blond hair that should have looked messy instead was the epitome of handsome. Andrew was Mia’s love, but Alex was still the best-looking man she had ever laid eyes on.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Mia said.
“That’s not true,” Alex said. “I’ve put on about twenty pounds! Pure muscle, you know. Frank loves it.”
“Frank loves you just the way you are,” Frank said.
Alex put a gentle hand on Frank’s shoulder and the two exchanged a quick kiss. Mia glanced behind her, expecting to see her family’s faces looking as shocked as Mia’s had the first time she witnessed the exchange between the two, but neither Corinna or her mother appeared put off.
“I doubt anyone is about to drive by, but let’s continue this reunion inside,” Frank said.
He held open the door and Mia went inside first. She heard Alex introducing himself to Corinna and her mother and for a brief moment Mia felt at peace.