“I don’t know, Stef. I don’t know how I would do that without giving awayhowI know,” he says with a heavy sigh as he pushes his hand through his hair.
“Can you try?” I plead. Maybe through Talia??”
Simon sighs and nods. “I can try, but honestly, it’s not as easy or as straightforward as it sounds. The best thing to do is for you to just go back to them.” His eyes lock with mine. “I can help you get back home, Stef,” he says, the words hanging heavily in the air between us.
If he’d offered me this chance a few weeks ago, I would have snatched at it without a moment’s thought. But now I’m filled with hesitation. I bite my lip, unsure what to say. Not wanting to turn down his offer, but unable to accept it. What will happen to Marlen? What danger would I put him in?
“Listen,” Simon says, pushing away from the counter, “I can see this isn’t a straightforward option either. Just think about it. You can reach out to me any time, and I will get you out of here, ok?”
“I don’t have a phone. I don’t have any way to reach you,” I mutter quietly, wondering if I’m making a massive mistake by letting him leave and not going with him. This might be my one chance to get back to my family.
“There’s a phone in the library, hidden behind the furthest bookshelf. The dialing code is seven seven zero. After that, you press seven again, and it will automatically dial me. It’s an emergency phone programmed only to call the family. Everycall on there is logged and reported back to Marlen’s phone, but all you need to do is call me, and I’ll come get you right away. You don’t have to worry about Marlen. I’ll deal with him when I get you.”
Letting out a soft breath, I nod. “I appreciate that, Simon. Thank you,” I say quietly. My head is spinning with confusion. Why wouldn’t I just rush home the first chance I get? Why am I staying?
“I’ve got to get going. Seven seven zero and then another seven to reach me. Will you remember?”
“Seven seven zero seven,” I repeat, smiling. My body is tingling with anxiety.Go with him. No, you can’t.
Simon takes one last, long look at me, then smiles tightly. “Stay safe, Stefania,” he says gently, reaching out to touch my arm. Then he leaves, and I’m standing alone in the kitchen.
I don’t end up making tea or starting the new book. I find myself sitting on the sofa staring out of the patio doors into the grey afternoon. Freedom is four numbers away. One call. Freedom for myself, and for my family from their worry.
But maybe Simon can get a message to them through Talia. If they weren’t worried… then what? I’d stay here forever? What is my plan with all of this? What am I hoping to achieve by staying?
You’re protecting Marlen. If your brothers find out he took you, they’d tear him apart.
All afternoon, I sit and think, stressing, confused, and worried about making the wrong choice. I can’t live with myself if something bad happened to Marlen. He’s a good person. He did a stupid thing, kidnapping me, but I know he has a good heart.
***
Marlen arrives home, and I hear the front door click shut behind him.
I’ve been sitting here locked in my thoughts all day. I can’t believe I didn’t realize how much time passed.
“Stef?” he calls out.
“I’m in here,” I call back.
“Great, give me a second,” he shouts.
He walks into the living room carrying a bag of takeout and two plates that he’s fetched from the kitchen. He sets it down on the coffee table in front of me.
“Reading?” he asks, picking up the book. “This one is brilliant. What do you think of it so far?”
“Oh, I haven’t started yet, I just chose it from the library,” I smile, hoping he can’t see into my thoughts.
“Well, you’re going to love it. It’s one of my favorites. The gold cover is limited edition; it took me ages to get my hands on one,” he says. “I might not read often, but this is a book I would read again and again,” he says, setting it back down and tugging the takeaway packet open. “I hope you’re hungry? I was thinking we could enjoy the cold weather and tuck under some blankets and eat takeout, and watch a scary movie?” he says, raising his brows to me.
Guilt wraps around my heart and tugs at it. Guilt for my family and guilt for what might happen to Marlen.
He’s so sweet to me, so attentive. All afternoon I’ve been thinking about the things he’s done for me over the past few weeks. He has a strange way of dealing with me, but his intentions are never bad. He’s taken care of me.
Looking at him now, at the wide smile and hopeful expression on his face, I realize that he’s the kind of man I would want in my life. Someone who comes home from work and looks forward to spending time with me. That’s how he makes me feel, anyway. Like he’s happy to see me.
“I’mreallyhungry, actually. Is that Chinese?” I smile, shoving any thoughts of calling Simon aside. Even if I do decide to go that route, I’m not going to do it tonight, and there’s no point in dwelling on all of the choices and consequences and possibilities right now. I should enjoy this moment. Enjoy my time with Marlen. There is no telling what tomorrow will bring. For all I know, Simon might tell my brothers, and all hell might break loose.His brother wouldn’t do that to him. You don’t need to worry about that.
Marlen grins. He hurries to the other sofa and grabs the blanket hanging over the back of it, carrying it back to me. He spreads it across my lap and tucks it in around me, then kicks off his shoes and climbs under it too. Picking up the remote, he hands it to me. “You choose a movie, and I’ll get these boxes open.”
