“Taylor Shantez. I was once a Hartwell, but that was over twenty-five years ago,” he answered. I’m Aaron’s brother, but he can rot in hell with the rest of them,” Taylor grunted. It didn’t seem like anyone liked that man. The one and only man that wanted me dead, so, it seemed.
I remembered this man’s name, and now things were beginning to click into place. I vaguely remembered seeing him in a picture, but it was quite a while ago so I couldn’t remember as well.
“No one ever talked about you. Travis mentioned looking for you but didn’t have any luck in doing so,” I mused. It was on the trip he took before I was kidnapped. I remembered how angry I was at Travis when he did return from his little so-called trip.
“Ah, yes,” he huffed in a partial half laugh. “Travis is smart, and that’ll get him into trouble soon enough.”
“He means well, though,” I said. “He’s been helpful the last few months. Along with his…girlfriend.” I wasn’t sure what to call Keena, but I guessed girlfriend was close enough. I didn’t want to say something that made Taylor uncomfortable with the entire lifestyle I had been thrown into. Just because I was accepting of such things didn’t mean everyone else was.
“At least someone is,” Taylor grunted out.
We lapsed into silence once more. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it also felt strange. I was trying to understand this man, understand his past and present at the same time. He was standoffish, yet in a careful sort of way. I could understand it.
“Where is Cody at these days?” Taylor asked.
“Dead,” I stated, not feeling bad about it either. “He broke into our home and Zach’s guards took care of him. That was after scaring the crap out of me.”
“That would be certainly a death sentence,” Taylor spoke, not seeming all that surprised. “He never was too smart. Thought his God could save him.”
“You don’t believe in God?” I asked, surprised.
“I do,” he said slowly. “Just…I’m not in the best place with him after all these years. God has never worked in my favor, girl.”
“Why’s that?’ I asked, generally curious. I turned, putting one leg underneath me so I faced Taylor.
“I have just been dealt a crappy hand in life,” he said as a way of explanation. “It really doesn’t matter how, or why. It is as it is.”
“I’m a good listener,” I stated.
“You don’t want to hear of my sorrows, girl. It’s in the past, and that will be where it all stays,” he said, keeping his eyes on the TV the entire time.
“If you change your mind…” I trailed off.
“Why didn’t you go to college? You’d make a great psychologist,” he hinted, changing the subject.
“Cody,” I shrugged, feeling it was enough of an explanation. “And now, that’s not an option. I have enough to deal with.”
He nodded his head, as though it made sense. I could see his mind working on a way to try to convince me of maybe at least trying out college, but I didn’t want to hear it.
After having to make sure I had straight As all through school, I was done having to spend hours upon hours to make sure I kept studying and making sure I was the perfect daughter Cody wanted. I had to have perfect grades, and I hated it. I hated spending so much time on school work when there was life to explore out in the world. There was no way I’d ever willing do that again.
What did it matter if I was the best at school work when I was meant to be married off? I couldn’t have been happier that I came to be in Zachariah’s hands when I did.
“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” I asked, remembering he worked last night. I also noticed it was now early afternoon. I must have been very tired to sleep so late.
“I was able to get my schedule switched. Don’t want to be leaving you alone at night in case something happens,” he answered.
I was sure he did that for me, but I kept that to myself. I saw how he tried to show that he didn’t care about me even though he did. It was almost sweet that he did care. His gruff exterior was just for show, and after so many years of most likely trying to put anyone off, he had no idea how to really be anything else.
I could relate more than I liked to admit. I wasn’t sure how to get along with people. I didn’t know how to connect and keep a relationship with hardly anyone. The only person I ever could really get along with without having to try was Becca. That was taken away the same night I was taken away from everything I had once known.
Things had changed so much the past couple of years. So much so, I didn’t even know who I was. I had thought I had that part figured out, but then things changed once more. It always seemed to when I didn’t want it.
Just another thing I had to figure out. At least I wasn’t alone in this. I could see that Taylor struggled with life more than I did. I hoped that with us together, I could get him to see the bright side of life. I needed to, and I couldn’t do it alone.
