29. The work family

~Trigger and abuse warning. Some foul language~

"Is now a good time, or would it be better to come back at a different time? They seem busy," I stated, biting my lip as we pulled into the parking lot. 

"Doll," Pat remarked. I looked at him and released my lip. "We can do whatever you want. Does Tyler still have your phone?" I nodded. He pulled out his and opened his messages. "Look at these pictures again, doll." I took the phone from him and stared at the screen revealing the messages we exchanged. I looked at the picture Jess took, then I opened the one I sent while he continued, "you're confident, strong, and happy in these pictures. The video surveillance shows that same bravery. You have nothing to fear here, Annette. I promise, I'll keep an eye on you and stay close. You won't be taken again. I'll keep you safe, doll." He placed his hand on my chin and turned me towards him. I held his blue eyes with mine as he lowered his hand. 

"I never noticed you had a ring of brown around your pupil. It kinda makes the blue pop more," I blurted out before he could say anything else. Immediately I dropped the phone and covered my mouth with my hand. He lowered his head and laughed. I put my hand in my lap and squirmed awkwardly. "Sorry. I. I'm not um. Uh. Wrong time. Shouldn't have said that. Sorry." He looked back up at me and grinned. His eyes twinkled. "I want to see everyone. I'm not scared to be here. I just don't want to disturb their work and I'm not hungry," I mumbled. 

"They're looking forward to seeing you too, doll. The moment you feel like it's too much, we'll leave. Would you like to go inside? We can use the back entry; less people to weave around," he assured. 

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Let's go in the front. There's no wheelchair ramp in the back," I stated then I grinned. "If you run me into anyone or hurt me in anyway, I'll make you pay, Mr. Miller." 

"Promise, doll?" He teased as he opened his door and got out. I grinned and opened my door. "Freeze, doll. I can't allow you to hurt yourself either." I froze and put my hand in the air. He watched me as he shut the door, walked around the truck, grabbed the wheelchair, set it up, and finally opened my door. 

"Can I unfreeze now?" I asked through the corner of my mouth. 

"Smart a*s," Pat teased as he unbuckled me, then lifted me out of the truck and into the chair.  

"Admit it, you love me and all of my quirks," I teased as he grabbed a pillow from his truck and shut the doors. He looked astonished for a second before he crouched beside me, putting the pillow under my extended leg. Then he held my hand and looked me in the eye.

"I love you and all your quirks," he repeated softly. I smiled. He grinned. He then squeezed my hand and bopped my nose with his finger. "May we go in now, your highness?" He asked in a British accent. 

"Of course, Jeeves. Lead the way, good sir," I replied in the same fake accent. He began wheeling me to the door. "You do that well. I'm kinda jealous," I chuckled, dropping my accent. 

"Jealous of me? Nonsense!" He jested, keeping the accent. I chuckled behind my hand. We had just reached the door. He spun me around backwards and removed my hand from my mouth. "Never hide your smile, doll," he instructed as he opened the door and ushered me in backwards. 

"You've done this before," I mused.

He chuckled. "Only last time, I was in your position," he replied. I grinned. When we got through the second door, he began pushing me forward again. "Table, booth, or counter?"  

"Counter," I confirmed. "Far side, using the aisle that hardly gets used. My foot can hug the wall and I'd be less likely to be a victim of a hit and run." 

"Oh, is that what you're concerned about?" Pat teased as he turned me around again. This time he didn't follow my chair as it turned and he stood in front of me. "Give me your hand, doll. You're less likely to get bumped this way as we weave through all those tables and chairs," he explained as I gave him my hand, he wrapped his hand around my forearm. His right hand rested above my left shoulder as he pushed the chair. He gently applied pressure to my arm and the chair would turn. 

"Intricate chair dances. I have a lot to learn, master," I praised. He gave me a sly grin. I looked at his right arm. "Although, you're dangerously close to that left shoulder, mister." He released the back of my chair stood up and turned me around again. 

"I wouldn't worry about it because we're in position, doll," he smirked as he sat down to my left and draped his right arm on my wheelchair. I grinned. 

"Impressive. Were you trying to show off?" I asked. He snickered softly. 

"Hey! Welcome back, Dimples! Order up!" Joe beamed from the kitchen. I turned to him and smiled, offering a small wave. 

"Whatcha having? If you say milkshakes, I'll cut you," Josh came up behind me and smacked Pat on the back. I flinched forward and put my right hand by my head. "Oh! Two for flinching, Annette," Josh teased as he lightly hit Pat's arm twice. 

"Dude!" Pat exclaimed. 

"Dude!" Josh mimicked. "You really think I'd hit her?" I chuckled and lowered my hand. Josh softly rubbed my neck. I tensed slightly, but he didn't notice. "Welcome back." 

"Thank you! I've missed the bantering," I replied honestly as he removed his hand. 

"And we missed you," Linda piped in. "Thanks, Joe," she hollered as she took two plates away; three more plates filled the window. 

"Be back in a minute, guys," Josh stated from behind me as he weaved his way to the window and grabbed the plates. I turned and looked at Pat. 

"Linda's working? I left them short staffed. It's my fault. They're all so busy. Maybe we should just go. I feel in the way," I confessed as I felt the tears bubbling up again. I quickly blinked them back. 

"Stop, Annette. Don't feel guilty. They love seeing you, even if they're busy. They'd tell you if you were in the way; you know this. Just relax, doll. I think I'd like to test Josh on that milkshake theory. You see, I don't think he'll actually cut me. You in?" I bit my lip. Pat continued, "look, there's the replacement shift. They'll have time to talk in just a bit. Please. Order something. Lighten up. You seem tense, doll." 

"You know what the first thing I asked to eat was?" I asked. Pat shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "French toast. Then I was told I was on a liquid diet. So I requested a strawberry smoothie. They brought me broth and eggs. It devastated me. Now if I ask for either of those now, will they give me oatmeal or chili?" I teased. 

"What? You want oatmeal and chili?" Josh asked as he came over to us again. Pat and I laughed as I shook my head. 

"Fairly certain you could order the moon and they would get it for you, doll. Order anything," Pat insisted. "I want a chocolate peanut butter shake please." 

"Ooh! I hate you," Josh glared as he wrote it down. "What about you, Annette? Name it. Anything. Even if it was chili and oatmeal - it's not the weirdest request I've heard today. I had someone ask for basically an onion salad and our onions are strong! I've also had someone request a chocolate malt shake with a side of bbq sauce, nothing else. I don't wanna know if they combined them" I bit my lip again. "Anything, Annette," Josh repeated. I looked up at him and he smiled warmly.

"Fine. Is there any chocolate cream pie today?" I asked. 

"There was half an hour ago. Let me go check," Josh insisted as he walked away. 

"See that wasn't so hard, was it?" Pat teased. I shrugged my shoulder and looked at the counter. 

"Here you go, Annette," Josh stated, setting two large pieces of pie in front of me, each on their own plate. He then grabbed a to-go dressing container and filled it with peanut butter and placed it if front of Pat. Followed by a half glass of chocolate milk and a bowl of vanilla ice cream. "Here's your shake, sir. Enjoy." Josh turned and left. Pat sat there with a defeated look on his face. I chuckled and took a bite of my pie. I pushed the second plate over to Pat and stole a bite of ice cream. He pushed the bowl closer, offering me another bite. I decline and cut into my pie again. 

"He didn't cut you," I laughed. He returned my grin as he combined all the ingredients in his bowl and began to furiously mix. I laughed again and used my left hand to press against my side. It hurt to laugh, but his face was worth it. He looked at me and smiled before turning his attention back to his shake.

"That's a welcome sound!" Linda noted as she turned in another order. "What are you doing, Pat?"

"Causing problems," I snickered and took another bite of my pie. He looked at me through the corner of his eye and smirked. 

"I asked for a milkshake. Josh has a sense of humor," Pat stated dryly. 

"I told you I'll cut you if you ordered a milkshake. Although my boss would be upset if I hurt the guests, no matter how annoying they are. Gah! I told you no. You never listen," Josh joked as he walked by again.

"Are you guys ready to be of the floor?" Jade asked as she walked by. "Matt, Christy, and I have you all caught up on side work."

"Sure, we can be done," Linda replied. "Let me just deliver all my tickets. Pat, Annette, will you two join us in the break room? It's quieter." I nodded, she left, and I took another bite of pie. As I chewed, I pushed the plate back, put my fork down, and rested my elbow on the counter; my head drooped into my hand.

"Hey, doll, are you ok?" Pat asked, resting his hand on my back.

"Yeah. Just tired. A little sore. Okay, a lot sore. I think the pie is too rich," I stated. "It's delicious, I'm just-"

"-recovering still?" Pat finished for me. I looked at him and nodded. His lips twitched into a smile. "You've been through a terrible ordeal; I understand your pain. You did well. Do you want to save your half piece of pie or shall I dispose of it for you?" I looked over at him. His plate was empty and he had emptied his ice cream makeshift milkshake into his cup; it was half gone.

"I think you had enough sugar, sir," I teased. "Plus, you made a horrible mess." He chuckled and stood up. He went behind the counter, grabbed a wash rag, and brought me a small go box. He helped me put my pie in the box and sealed it. He then cleared our dishes, wiped down the counter, and went over to the cashier. 

"Shall we make him squirm?" Josh whispered in my ear as he wheeled me through the waitstaff area.

"I think he'll know we came back here," I replied as we entered the dry storage. Josh chuckled.

"Well let's hide you with the dishes. Or in the bar!" Josh stated, turning left instead of right into the break room. "He can get mad at me. Clearly you had no choice," Josh jeered. I grinned, hiding it behind my hand again. Josh steered me into the dish-washing area. He pushed me into the corner and left. Signaling me to be quiet. I grinned and shook my head.

"Oh! Hey. Didn't see you there, Annette," Justin, the dishwasher, stated in surprise as he pushed a cart full of dirty dishes into the room. "You look like you just made it through the grinder."

"Hey, Justin. I'm sure it looks worse than it actually is," I replied with a shrug. I knew that wasn't the truth, but I hated people feeling bad for me.

"Uh-huh. So what are you doing back here?" He inquired as he took the dishes out and began to separate and rinse them.

"Pat is my glorified babysitter. Apparently I can't do much on my own - no I shouldn't do much on my own. Josh is playing a practical joke on him," I told him. Justin grinned.

"Let me help then," he stated as pushed the dish cart in front of me. He then found another cart and pushed it beside it. "Slouch a little. Great. I can't see you now. Later." I snickered. I couldn't see anything except dirty dishes. I leaned my head back and sighed as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. My pain was creeping up again. I needed someone to talk to so I could ignore it. I was just about to say something to Justin as I heard Pat round the corner.

"Hey, Justin, have you seen Annette?" Pat asked as he came into the room.

"I haven't seen her in over a week. Last I heard, she was in the hospital. Isn't she still there?" Justin asked nonchalantly. 

"No. She's here. Badly injured so she shouldn't be too far. Let me know if you see her," Pat requested.

"Of course, man. I'll let you know, if you do my dishes," he tried. 

"Sorry, Justin. Later," Pat said as his voice faded. Justin moved the dish carts.

"Comfy?" He inquired with a wink and a smile. 

"You are a terrible person," I teased. 

"Nah. I'm just a good actor. I told him where to find you. He just didn't get the memo. Some babysitter," Justin replied with a smirk.

"I owe you for more than just helping me do my job last week. I'm sorry I didn't tip you out before I left," I reciprocated morosely.

"Annette, you don't owe me anything. Your generosity is always welcome, but you should worry about yourself. Plus, Emily feels guilty that we take your money. I do get paid more than you an hour. I can't deal with the crowds; I would end up hitting someone," Justin stated with a smile. I grinned and nodded. He went back to his dishes and left me alone.

"I know you took her! Where is she?" Pat's voice was raised in the hallway.

"Dude, you stress too much. Chill. She's fine," Josh replied as they rounded the corner. Josh was beaming from ear to ear and Pat's face was filled with worry. "See."

"I ask for a new view and all I get to see is dirty dishes," I smirked. Everyone laughed.

"Her sense of humor is still intact," Josh stated. "And you were worried. Thanks, Justin."

"It was worth it. Pat, your face!" Justin chortled as he slapped his knee. I grinned; it was definitely a good prank and his face was priceless.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Joke's on me. You all got me. You happy?" Pat pouted. 

"Thrilled," I giggled. "If it makes you feel better, Jess made me do it to Tyler this morning too. She suggested the kitchen too." Pat chuckled, came over, and grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry. You are very serious about your job and we shouldn't make it more difficult on you. I'm glad that you're protective over me, but it's okay to lighten up a little and have some fun," I told him sincerely. He smiled and squeezed my hand gently as he thumb rubbed my knee as he crouched down. I pushed his hand back a little as I looked down at our entwined fingers.

"Doll, do you still want to talk with everyone?" He asked softly. I looked up and met his eye and squeezed his hand with a small smile.

"If it's not too much trouble, I would love to. Did Tyler get lost? He'll think we abandoned him," I replied. His eyes looked sad momentarily, but he smiled at me. I released his hand and rested my hand against his cheek. "When I mention my brother-in-law, why do you instantly sadden?"

"It's not him, doll," he whispered as he covered my hand on his face with his own hand. "It's you. You worry about everyone but yourself. Everyone loves you for it. For once, can you worry about yourself? Not about your family, or about any of us here, or even about those people at the tables. Just you, doll." I smiled, he kissed the back of my hand and put it back in my lap, stroking it gently. "So with that being said, would you still like talk with everyone?" I nodded.

"Do you two need a minute? Or a room? Your conversation seems a little intimate," Josh teased. I blushed and lowered my head. Pat smiled and put his chin on his chest.

"Nah. We're good. I'd love to talk with everyone more than just passing words," I insisted. Pat grinned and pushed me out.

"Your brother texted me saying he was taking a nap at the hotel. Apparently, his morning was filled with worry and strife," he teased. I scowled slightly in guilt. He softly rubbed my right shoulder. "You have no reason to worry about him missing us. He said he'll join us for dinner." I nodded.

"Thanks, Pat. And what about your schedule?" I asked. Pat turned me around so he was standing in front of me again. He took the rose out of my hair and handed it to me, pocketing the bobby pins. Then he ruffled my hair before placing his hand back above my left shoulder. 

"What did I just say in there? Worry about yourself, doll," Pat ordered. I grinned, smelled the rose again, and tucked it into the top button hole that had come undone on my shirt. He held out his hand and I gave him mine. He steered me again in the same way he had when we entered the restaurant. "Plus my schedule is still pretty much the same. I come here and help out. I go home and lounge until it's time to eat again. If I get bored, I go for a run. I haven't been bored yet today, though," he smirked. I chuckled and looked over my shoulder. Josh opened the break room door; the room was dark. I looked up at him and grinned as we passed by. Pat pushed me in and parked the chair in the corner of the room. Then he bopped me on the nose. "Behave."

"Yes, sir," I replied sarcastically. He chuckled as the light came on. I gasped as my eyes adjusted to the bright light flickering on. The room had been transformed into a giant get well card. On the wall to my left was a huge piece of paper, filled with notes and kind words; the wall to the right of the door as you walked in of the door matched. The table had several of get well balloons and several bouquets of flowers. I put my hand over my mouth and blinked back some tears. I saw Linda, Josh, and Joe standing just outside the door; each of them wearing a huge grin. "What is this?" I cried, reading the giant card beside me.

"There's more," Pat stated softly as I looked up at him in shock. He grinned and tilted his head towards the door. I gasped as Vanessa, Max, Kevin, and Bertie all filed in; they all had a coffee tin. Linda, Joe, and Josh stepped inside the break room with big grins as they stared at me. I looked at Pat and sent him a mental question: what is all this? He grinned. "This is just a little something we started when you first were taken." Bertie turned her coffee can around. My picture was on it and it read help us find our waitress. She opened it up and showed me. It was a quarter full I reached in and grabbed one of the slips of paper.

"This is Annette, one of our dedicated waitresses. She was taken from our establishment. Spread the word, let us know if you see her. Contact Trooper Charlie Sanchez with any leads," I read out loud, my voice cracked as spoke. Tears spilled silently down my cheek. I studied the picture on the slip: pink shirt, messy bun, big grin as I looked over my shoulder. I must have been talking to someone over my shoulder as I got food out of the window. I pursed my lips as I tried to remember when this photo could have been snapped. I studied it closer. The pink was off, it wasn't bubblegum pink like our issued uniforms. The pink wasn't bright enough, so I knew I must have been layering that day. Then I saw the hint of green above the collar line. I had on a black shirt underneath and wore black pants that day. The green on my neck meant I trying to hide a bruise that climbed up my back; I should have left my hair down. I pursed my lips slightly and looked at my co-workers. I smiled genuinely at them. "Guys, I'm flattered! Thank you."

"Pat led the front. My granddaughter came in and snapped that picture one day," Linda stated. I thought back again; that green line was a bruise from a 2x4. I berated myself mentally as I looked at that picture; someone could have seen. The last time I was hit with that on my back was - no! Quickly I filtered through my guests I had then too as I met Linda's eye.

"Was she part of that large wedding party at the end of May?" I asked kindly. Linda blinked in surprise.

"Yeah. That's when it was," she stated in shock. Josh, Pat, and I chuckled.

"She must have snapped it right as I must have been grabbing food from the window and chewing out one of you two," I explained pointing to Pat and Josh. I grinned and they both put their hands up like they were surrendering.  

"Joe said we had to do whatever we could to help find you," Pat explained as he and Josh lowered their hands.

"Turns out, you have a lot of people you served who wanted to help. Everyone who took a slip said you were a joy to watch work, even if they hadn't been here for over a year," Josh added. I nodded at him with a slight grin.

"We filled this up twice," Bertie said softly. "We had to start another can because people insisted on helping out financially." Kevin and Max, turned their cans around. They read fund Annette's recovery; Vanessa turned her can around too, on it said help find Annette. "We never opened these, but we know they're full. There's also three more cans. Should make paying for your hospital bills a little easier now," Bertie finished. I smiled gratefully at her as I wiped a few tears away.

"A young couple came in Thursday morning," Kevin explained. "They saw your picture and broke down. They would only talk to Pat; they asked for him by name." I looked up at Pat. He smiled sadly at me.

"It was the best and worst news I could hope to have, that any of us could have gotten. I couldn't understand why they asked for me, but I wasn't just going to turn anyone away that had information about you, no matter how odd it was," he murmured. I nodded and looked back at the row of people holding the cans.

"After they left, Pat was worked up. Josh slapped some sense into him-" Kevin began. Josh snickered and covered his hand with his mouth.

"Literally," he whispered. I grinned and looked back at the person currently speaking. 

"Those two disappeared for several hours, but when they came back, we knew you were home. Well, in a way," Kevin remarked. I looked at Pat again. His eyes were soft and he smiled at me.

"I'm speechless, guys! Thank you so much," I cried happily as I looked at each one of them. "Thank you. This really means so much."

"One more thing," Linda stated pulling out my work stuff from under the table and a paycheck. "You still have a job here if you'd like it. Not until your arm is healed of course, but there's still stuff you can do around here. Dishes, cooking, stocking, or even help with the books. When you are healed, you can run the floor again if you like." 

I looked at her and nodded, "I'll have to get back to you on that. Right now in my foreseeable future, all I see is rest." She nodded and gave me a smile. I put my left foot on the floor and grabbed the arm rest with my right hand. 

"What are you doing, doll?" Pat asked, gently pushing me back. 

"Standing up to give my family a hug. What's it look like?" I asked in annoyance. "Told you so, Dr. Marshall," I mumbled under my breath. Pat conceded and helped me stand up. One by one, everyone came and gave me an awkward side hug.

Max hugged me up by my waist, picked me up and swung me around before setting me down softly. "We care about you, kiddo. I can use a bartender if you're interested. Not a lot of footwork required. I can have you make the drinks and someone else deliver them."

I laughed, "I'm not 18 yet; legally I can't serve." He just grinned and bid me farewell. I looked around, everyone except Pat had cleared out. He was on my left side. "Before you make me sit down again, can I read some of these?" I asked and hopped towards the wall. I stuck my right arm out for balance and nearly fell over; he caught me and wrapped me to his chest, one arm resting on my left hip the other cradling my back over my right shoulder as I stared at the buttons on his shirt and took some calming breaths.

"Not if it means hurting yourself, doll. Please. No more pain," he begged. I looked up at him. His eyebrows were creased with worry. I held onto his arm and snuggled into the nook in his elbow.

"No pain," I confirmed. "I'm just clumsy. Remember?" He grinned slightly.

"You can look, but I'm not letting go. You may yet just break into 1,000 little pieces, doll," he admonished. I grinned. 

"Sounds fun. Thanks," I beamed as I turned around in his arms and leaned into his chest. He wrapped both arms around my waist, picked me up, and brought me to the closest wall. He rested his chin on top of my head as I began to read. It was mostly the same wording: we miss you, come back soon, heal quickly. "It was Noah and Jess, wasn't it?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. I was out for a run when they came in, they stuck around until I could talk to them. Josh called me. I talked to them in booth 38," Pat said softly. It was the one booth in the back of floor. Since it was tucked behind the waitstaff counter, it hardly got used. "It took a little convincing on both ends, but I'm glad they wanted to tell only me. Apparently you cried over me and your brother wanted to make sure you were being cared for. At the time, I didn't understand why he would know that fact, but it didn't matter; I just assumed you said something in the hospital. He was telling me about you, and I was glad to get any update no matter how small. He was grateful for our buckets and let me know that you were back, alive but unconscious. He said that any support you had would be welcome. Room 637, Missoula, St. Patrick's Hospital. They left shortly after our conversation and I couldn't help but try to follow up on it.  Apparently, I wasn't in my right mind. Josh called Jade and had her work for him as he made me sit in down at the counter and eat something until she came in. He practically had to tie me to the chair and get me to focus; all I wanted to do was bolt and check it out for myself. When he was finally relieved of duty, he followed me out back. I couldn't sit still and he wouldn't let me get in my truck. So we paced the parking lot as I called Linda, put the phone on speaker, and told them both at the same time. Joe and Linda had the morning off. Together the four of us journeyed to see you in two separate cars."

"I'm sorry they put you in that spot. Did you really lead up the search?" I inquired quietly. His head nodded, causing mine to bob in the same fashion. "Why?" I whispered, afraid of the answer. He scooped me up and sat me in my wheelchair, making sure the pillow was under my leg properly. Then he pulled up a chair from the table and sat in front of me. He pulled the rose out from my shirt and rolled it in his fingers. 

"Doll, I would have done it for anyone. You were the one who got so many helpers to find you. Wherever you go, people remember you. You're a ray of sunshine," he whispered. I took a deep breath and released it slowly as tears formed in my eyes.

"So this nightmare isn't over? It can happen again?" I panicked and my lip quivered as the tears fell. He stood up, offered me his hand, and helped me stand. He embraced me and softly rubbed my back. I wrapped my arm around him, turned my head to the right, and wept on his chest, looking at the lockers that held extra work shirts and such. I closed my eyes tightly and let the sobs take over. "I can't," I breathed.

"It's over, doll. It really is. Not one of those people thought it was okay for you to have been abducted. The amount of support you raise is phenomenal. People truly want to see you succeed and be happy. The odds of it happening twice are astronomical," Pat crooned.

"But there's a chance," I deducted and sobbed again. "Monsters. Never ending," I wailed.

"There's a whole lot more nice people than there are monsters," a voice piped up. I jumped back with a start, stiffened in Pat's arms, and stopped the loud gaps, even though tears fell heavily. Pat didn't let me go, he simply turned slightly so I could see who spoke up. Vanessa stood there in the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I was just helping load all this stuff up into Pat's truck. Annette, the world is full of people: angels, regular people, and monsters. Pat and I are absolutely normal, but you. You're a rarity. Definitely an angel. We need more people like you in the world. Everyone who took a slip or gave me money for your tin, they said the same thing too; your joy is contagious. Everyone who comes in contact with you immediately feels drawn to you. Most of them, like Pat or Josh for example, have the desire to protect you. The rest of us, we just want to feel worthy of talking to you. Your cheer, it can be intimidating, but it can also be intriguing. I don't know exactly what happened to you, but if I had to guess on why they wanted you, I would guess it's because they wanted to know your secret. How could one person be so happy all the time? They needed answers."

"Vanessa, you don't feel like you could talk to me?" I asked in a raspy voice; the news shocked me. Vanessa looked at the ground before meeting my eye again.

"When I first met you, I thought that. We were on two separate playing fields; I could never compete with you. I thought that if we were friends, you would get all the promotions and leave me behind, you would never appreciate anything I had to say, or any guy I liked would pass me over for you. But overtime, I saw how truly genuine and pure you are and I knew that none of that would matter to you. You care about people, and I knew that being your friend was one of the best decisions I could make," Vanessa confessed as she shifted her weight, leaned her heel against her calf, and twisted her toe on the ground uncomfortably. 

"I'm glad you're my friend, Vanessa. You're not wrong. I infuriated them by laughing at their attempts. I told them they couldn't break me, but now that I'm free from them, I question who was right: me or them? I feel broken," I confessed as I looked up at Pat. He gave me a sad smile and I rested my head back on his chest, I pulled my hand up to my face and held onto his button up top, rubbing the soft shirt underneath.

"That's just it, Annette. Everyone has those moments. Those moments when they feel like they've hit rock bottom, like everything they're doing is wrong, like somehow they lost. Look at yourself. You are still standing; granted it's with support right now, but you are. I heard you joking around. I saw you smiling. It wasn't a facade. You are still you. Brilliant, happy, full of cheer, and overflowing in love. Annette. YOU are an inspiration," Vanessa emphasized as she picked up two bouquets of flowers. "Pat's right. The odds of you being taken again are astronomical, but I would say it's even greater than that. You have too many people willing to protect you now more than ever," she stated as she left.

Pat kissed the top of my head as more tears fell. "See doll, it's not possible. You're safe. You really are a rarity," he whispered and I looked into his chest and wept again.

"Can I go to bed please," I begged. I felt like I had just survived a tornado. I couldn't breathe and I wanted to get away from this place. 

"Of course, doll. Let's go home," he murmured. "Want me to carry or push you?" He teased. I laughed and wiped my eyes. 

"Probably should take the wheelchair," I confirmed. I looked up at Pat, place my hand on his shoulder, stood on my toes, and kissed his cheek. "You're a great friend. Thank you for putting so much effort out there for little ol' me. A week ago, I would've insisted I'm not worth the manpower."

"I know, doll," he replied softly as he sat me down in the chair. He rubbed my cheek with the rose before placing it in my hand. I began to nervously roll it in between my fingers like he did. "But you really are worth it." I pinched the rose between my pinkie and ring finger, grabbed his hand, and squeezed it. "Now, calm down or I'm hooking you up to the machine," he warned as he took a deliberate deep breath. I copied him to the best of my ability.

"Your lungs are still huge," I teased. He grinned and wiped the tears from my eyes. 

"Admit it, you love me and my big lungs," he teased, his eyes twinkled in merriment.

"You and your big lungs can suck it, even if I do love 'em," I retorted with a grin. "Thank you. You're absolutely right, I do love you. You know exactly what to say or do to help calm me down. Thanks for anticipating my needs."

"Anytime, doll," he breathed as he began to wheel me out.

"We have a problem," Jade whispered hastily as she came into the room in a panic. I looked up at her. "Your dad is here again asking for your check. Linda told him off on Friday, but now I can't find her. She ordered us all not to give him away your check, Annette." Pat stopped the wheelchair and walked around me. Jade left. I stuck my left foot out and caught Pat's leg before he went too far.

"Wait!" I begged and he turned to faced me, his eyes meeting mine in concern. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to trip you or hurt you. Let me go talk to him. It'd be better if he didn't see you pushing my chair though," I stated.

"Doll, you can't go talk to him. I know he wants to hurt you and I can't let you get hurt again. Please, let me go take care of him," Pat pleaded as he crouched in front of me, his left leg stretched out, and grabbed my hand. I shook my head.

"I won't be alone with him. He won't try anything in public. Does everyone here at work know what he did?" I asked.

"I only told Linda. She agreed that no else needed to know," Pat replied with a curious glance.

"Do you still have Trooper Sanchez's number on hand?" I asked, changing my mind. Pat nodded. "Good. Call him. Tell him to record the following conversation. Leave the phone with me and go get my dad. Hide the coffee cans and my work stuff. Leave the check. He's not an idiot. If we want to catch him, it'll have to be back here. He'll keep coming back until he gets what he wants: my paycheck. Please, I can't let my friends face his wrath." His face contorted in anger as he stood up and began pacing the room. "Please," I begged.  

"I'm not alright with this, Annette. I trust you though," Pat spoke softly. He looked at me tenderly as he moved back in front of me. "Is there any chance I can talk you out of it, doll?" I pressed my lips and shook my head no. He threw his hands up in exasperation and paced the room again. I jumped when he slammed his hand against the wall. "D****t! Annette," his words were laced in acid. I looked down and tears fell silently. He walked over and gently cupped my face as he crouched in front of me again. "Okay fine. I'll let you do this. You can take pain; that much is obvious. I don't want you to get hurt again though. You can do this your way, but I'm not letting you do this alone. Joe and Josh always have a beer after work. The three of us have your back. I'll be back shortly. We'll be outside the door. Nothing will happen," he promised as he grabbed my stuff and disappeared out the door. I looked at the table and bit my lip two balloons were left. I sighed and put my chin on my chest.

"They can't," I whispered. "I have to do this." I dried my eyes and worked on putting my neutral expression back on. "He won't win." Pat came back in the room and he handed me his open phone with a nod. "Thank you," I mumbled, meeting his eye. His brow was furrowed in determination and concern.

"Two minutes, doll. That's all we'll give you. Got it? We're not leaving you alone with another monster longer than that," he demanded. I shook my head and wiped the tears that fell unwelcomed.

"You need to let it play out, please. I hate to do it but I need you benched on this one," I begged. 

"Doll!" Pat breathed, grabbing my wrist. "I'll pull the plug right now. You can't do this!"

"Please! Pat, I need to," I cried. He pursed his lips, looked at me solemnly, sighed, and reluctantly nodded. He wiped the tears from my eye and offered me a small smile. "Thank you," I whispered around a half smile

"Fine. Just yell if you need any help at all. Are you ready?" He asked tenderly. I nodded.

"I'm sorry. Thank you," I murmured. He squeezed my hand and left the room. I placed the phone to my ear. "This is going to get ugly. I won't have to lead him; it's not entrapment. Thank you, Trooper Sanchez," I whispered then I put the phone in my sling, not caring if he responded or not. A few moments later, Dad was shown into the break room. He looked over his shoulder as Josh looked over Dad's shoulder and disappeared. Dad craned his neck to watch him leave before he turned his icy gaze upon me. "Hey, Dad," I said coldly as the tears fell again, frustrating me. I never let him see me cry before. I played it off as I was touched by the room, not of my fear of him. "My co-workers love me. I thought it was sweet they gave me this giant card. What do you think of it?"

He looked around the room. "No security cameras in the break room?" He asked menacingly. I shook my head. "And they left you alone?" He kept his voice even and low.

"Jade said you wanted to talk to me. My friends respect that," I replied.

"Good, then they won't mind if I close this door then, will they?" He sneered. I didn't move. He shut the door, not completely, but enough that people couldn't walk by and see him hurting me. He then walked over and grabbed my left shoulder, I winced in pain. "Why are you making things difficult? Where's your money?" he hissed in my ear.

"Ow! Please let go of my shoulder or I'll scream," I stated. He pressed harder. I tightly held onto the rose stem and gently stroked the petals.

"I asked you a question. I told you I would pick up your check. I told you we were done with you. You owe us that money for the devastation you caused your mother. We need to buy you a plot, remember? I come down here to pick it up and they won't release it to me. This is my second time trying and I still can't pick it up. Now I find you here and there's another problem. Why? Thought you said you wouldn't make it out of the hospital."

"Ow! Dad let go!" I begged again. He released me and slapped my face. He took the rose out of my hand and stomped on it. "So you want to buy me a grave? A plot next to Noah's grave? A place no one can visit?" Another slap. "Okay! Sorry. My check's on the table. I came in to pick it up and got distracted by the writing on the wall. I haven't signed it yet. I d-d-don't think I-I-I can may, may, make it. I'm barely out 24 h-h-h-hours and I'm fa-f-f-fading fast. The pa, pa, pain is too much," I wept. He slapped me again and rolled me over to the table, bumping my foot against the chair. I bit my lip in pain and let out a strangled whimper.

"You finally found your voice. Here I was thinking you were just a dumb mute. Now, sign it," he demanded as he gave me a pen and clamped onto my left shoulder again; I muffled my cry, unable to stay quiet any more. I blinked back tears and looked at the check. $173.52. I hadn't even gotten a full paycheck; my normal check was at least an additional $250 more. He took another pen out of his vest and popped one of the balloons on the table. I jumped. He squeezed my shoulder tighter. "I said sign it."

"And I-I-I said let go of me. If I'm r-re-really dead, you, you have no control o-over me anymore. If this $170 makes you happy, th-th-then take it," I stammered, gasping for air, as I signed the check and gave it to him. "We're done now. I-I-I have. I have nothing else for you. T-t-t-t-that's eve-ver-everything."

"Ha! This will barely cover your hospital bills. Some good for nothing daughter you are. At least you left me more than your brother. He barely left me ten bucks," he sneered.

"You w-w-won't g-g-get any," I stated. He wrapped his hand tightly around my throat as he leaned my head back against the chair. I looked up at the ceiling; the lights were starting to turn pink, no longer yellow.

"Don't lie to me," he snarled.  His voice sounded distant and like it was starting to echo. 

"Never lie," I thought, and blinked my eyes slowly. I was losing focus. What was I lying about. Right! The hospital bills. "You won't," I gasped, my voice strained, my sobbing practically stopped now. No oxygen meant no gasping or sobbing. I sucked in another shallow breath and continued quickly, "I was told before they released me that an anonymous donor covered all my bills." He squeezed my neck tighter. I closed my eyes as I felt my vision starting to cloud over. "Stop," I pleaded mentally, but was unable to utter a sound.

"Good-bye, Sarah. Do yourself a favor, curl up in the corner and die. I'll make sure you have a good memorial. You might be lucky and have more people show up than Noah had," Dad huffed as he left the room. I leaned forward and rubbed my throat. What was I doing?

"Bye, Dad," I whispered. I gasped and picked up the phone again, holding it in place with my right shoulder as I continued to rub my throat. "Trooper Sanchez?" I wheezed after a moment.

"I'm here, Annette. Are you okay?" He asked in concern. I nodded, he remained silent. Right.

"I'm fine. sir. Or will be," came my hoarse reply. Gasping for air after crying caused me to have hiccups; they were loud and caused me more pain.

"Was that Trooper Gibson?" he asked as Pat came back in the room and sat down in the chair beside me. He looked like he was in pain, he tenderly patted my left thigh.

"It was. Were you able to record it all?" I asked, my voice croaked and I hiccuped again. Josh came in with a glass of water and sat in the chair to my right. I smiled gratefully at him, stopped rubbing my neck, and took a sip. When I put the water down again, I held the phone in my hand next to my ear and straightened my neck. 

"I got it. I have to let you know that I'm still recording, I have a few more questions," Trooper Sanchez stated. 

"That's fine, sir," I replied as I choked on another sob.

"Annette, how long has the abuse gone on?"

Hiccup. "Ten years. My older brother Noah Daniel Gibson and I received it all. Mom might have gotten a blow here and there, but it was usually just us. My sister Annabelle was never hurt," I confessed as I looked down at the table and clamped my lips shut to stifle another hiccup.

"Your dad has mentioned your dead brother. Am I to understand he's still around? If so, will he talk to me?" Trooper Sanchez asked.

"I'll ask. He's not here at the moment. My soon to be brother-in-law is taking care of me while Noah and his girlfriend (hiccup) excuse me. While they find a place to settle down. When they find a place, the plan was to move in with them. Is this a good number to reach you on, sir?" I asked. 

"It is, Annette. I'll keep this on the down low until my case against him is complete. I need to ask, were those slaps I heard?"

"Yes, sir. Three, left cheek. He also applied pressure to my dislocated shoulder several times and hit my right broken leg against the chair," I stated as tears rolled down my face. I looked over at my company as they both inhaled sharply. Pat and Josh both had their lips pursed in a tight line. Pat's hand on my thigh was flat, but his left hand was bunched in a fist by his mouth. I blinked back more tears and looked down again. "Sorry. I'm so sorry," I thought, feeling guilty again. I took another sip of water and held my breath for a couple of seconds.

"Did I hear him choking you at the end?"

"Yes, sir," I confessed as the tears fell, one of them landing on the corner of my mouth; it was cold and I wiped it away quickly. My chest was on fire as another hiccup caused my shoulders to shoot up. 

"We have pictures on file from when you were brought into the hospital. I can take new ones for proof, but I'm afraid they'll blend in with your other injuries," he confessed.

"I can have Pat send you the pictures. My brother-in-law doesn't want anyone to know where we're staying, and I don't want to sit in this restaurant any more," I sobbed. 

"Is Pat there now?"

"Yes, sir. Before I hand you off, officer, I don't know who paid my bills. May I recommend you look into that? I have a feeling that even though one captor is dead and the other is behind bars, if they had something to do with it," my voice trailed off as sobs overtook my body; I couldn't finish my train of thought and my hiccups started coming closer together.

"I'll look into it, Annette. Thank you. Can I speak to Pat now?" Trooper Sanchez asked kindly.

"Yes, sir," I stated and handed the phone off and wept into my hand. Josh squeezed my shoulder sympathetically. He opened his arms for a side hug and I leaned into him. I held my breath in seven second increments as I tried to stop the hiccups. Then I reached for my water again.

"This is Pat... Yes, sir... I can manage that. Cell phone pictures aren't the best... Yes, sir... Thank you. We'll call you when she gets in contact with her brother... Thank you... Good-bye." He hung up the phone.

"I have a digital camera. I can run home and get it really quick," Josh offered. Pat nodded. "Annette, you keep surprising me." Josh stated as he tousled my hair and left. Once again, my shoulders shot upwards as another hiccup escaped; at least they were finally slowing down in frequency. 

"He destroyed your flower," I wept looking at Pat. He gently wiped my eyes.

"That's not important, doll. Are you okay?" I looked at him in the eye. 

"I'm sorry I made you sit back again. I know you wanted to act," I blubbered as I lowered my eyes again.

"But this was a sure fire way to get him in the act," Pat finished. He lifted my chin again and repeated. "doll, are you okay?" I nodded as I hiccuped. "You can sleep after this. Can you take your shirt off? Then I need to take your sling off. You have another bruise forming on your neck," he explained as he gently traced my neck. I began to shake and tried to pull away, but knew it was fruitless. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I held his gaze, trusting him completely. "Promise me, 'Nettie," he breathed, my heart fluttered and I looked at him again. "Promise me I'll never have to sit back and listen to you get hurt again," he pleaded. I looked down and wept. I didn't have an answer for him. Pat moved the chair so he was directly behind me. "It's okay. Take your shirt off please," he begged. I nodded as another sob shook my body. He gently rubbed my right arm and leaned his head next to my ear. "Calm down, doll. You nailed two monsters in a week. I'm so proud of you." I smiled weakly as I began to unbutton my shirt.

"It's stuck," I stated, fighting with the button on top off my breasts.

"May I?" He asked kindly. I felt his cheek flush against mine, or maybe it was mine against his, either way I knew my cheek was warmer than it should have been. I nodded, lowered my hand, and he wrapped his other arm around me, quickly unbuttoned the shirt and helped me slide it off as Josh came back in.

"Here you go, Pat. How can I help?" Josh asked as he handed Pat the camera. I looked down and bit my lip; I was at their mercy. They had me outnumbered, out limbed, and they were stronger. Only one of them had me beat, but I might have had a chance if it was one on one. 

"Stop it, 'Nettie. Why are you thinking like that? Have they ever done anything besides being men to make you not trust them? Stop it," I rebuked myself mentally. I shook my head and wiped a tear. "These guys are your friends. They won't hurt you. They never have. You can trust them. They're your friends. They can help." Josh crouched in front of me and I looked at him in fear. 

"You know we're not going to hurt you, Annette. Do you?" He asked as if he could read my mind. I released my lip. He was sincere and my friend. I nodded, mentally berating myself more. I took a breath trying to calm myself as Josh looked over my shoulder at Pat. "Whatever you need, I'll help with. I don't know how to treat injuries or what to look for." He spoke softly and earnestly. Part of me was confused. Did Pat have experiences with -

"Army. He's seen enough pain to know what to do," I mumbled under my breath, answering my own question; neither of them heard me apparently. Pat sighed and I leaned back. "I trust them," I thought as I closed my eyes.

"Hold her arm when I take off the sling. She shouldn't try and lift or support her shoulder on her own. I'll snap a few pictures and we'll leave," Pat instructed after a brief pause. "Doll, I know you're in pain but don't you dare close those eyes. Half an hour per Trooper Sanchez's orders." I nodded and blinked my eyes as they worked together and got pictures of my neck and shoulder from all angles. Pat fastened my sling again and moved to my foot. I leaned into the back of the wheelchair and looked at the ceiling; the lights were bright white and yellow again - just like they should be. Josh stood behind me and placed a rolled up shirt behind my neck. I closed my eyes as another sob shook my body. "Doll, no sleeping. Stay with us," Pat ordered. I held up my thumb and kept it that way until he was done.

"Ow!" I gasped as I sat up. "What did you do?!"

"Something I didn't want to do. Trooper Sanchez said we need to make sure you still had feeling in your foot. I pricked you little toe with this button pin." 

"You could have just run your finger up and down it," I mumbled.

"Like this?" Pat stated moving his hand up and down on my foot.

"I can't feel that," I gasped in horror and began to hyperventilate. Josh rubbed my right shoulder sympathetically.

"Doll, even steady breaths," Pat ordered. I took two deep breaths before he continued. "But you felt the pin prick?" He asked. I nodded. "Let me know when you feel any pressure." I nodded again and closed my eyes.

"You just squeezed my big toe. Now there's something pressing against the middle of my foot. Little toe? On top?" I guessed.

"Annette. You missed one point. The rest took a lot of pressure. You didn't feel anything soft. We'll monitor it, but we may have to take you back to the hospital," Pat stated sadly as I opened my eyes and met his.

"I can't go back! I'm underage and no legal guardian. Please keep trying," I begged.

"We'll try again later. I was just told to monitor it. If there's still no feeling in an hour, you don't get a choice." Pat looked at Josh and he moved beside me. "Tell me about your arm," Pat instructed. I nodded and slunk back into my chair as I closed my eyes waiting for my sling to be unhooked again; it never was.

"I felt all ten of Josh's fingers. He shifted and tickled the underside of my arm. I just tried not to move," I told him honestly.

"I'll help you take her back, man," Josh offered. Pat nodded in agreement. Together they got me out the back door and into Pat's truck. 

"See. Never ending monsters," I repeated as I wept and we took off.

"You're done with monsters, Annette. You win," Pat stated. I smiled sadly. He handed me his phone again. My sunrise picture was displayed. I stroked the screen. "Charge your panels, doll. No more gray clouds in your skies." I looked at him and grinned.

"Can I be selfish and request that you spoil me?" I asked. He looked at me through the corner of his eye. "Brush my hair, hold me. Whatever you're comfortable with. Just so I'm not alone, and I don't have to be put on the mask," I added. He reached across the truck and put his hand on my cheek, wiping tears as they fell. A small smile was on his lips.

"I'd be happy to, doll. Anything you need. I promise to help keep you calm. I'm going to help Josh take these items inside first if that's okay," he stated as he pulled into his driveway, put his truck in park and looked at me. "After you, of course, doll. I'm not letting you sit out here in this heat. Inside is nice and cool, and personally, I think the couch is more comfortable than my truck."

"I can handle a few minutes alone. Thank you," I stated as I leaned into his hand.

"Strongest person I know, doll. I'm so proud of you," he stated quietly and pulled his hand away. I looked at the phone in my hand again. 

"How can the day start so well and end up like this?" I whispered as another sob escaped. He opened his door and walked around the truck. He came to my door, opened it, unbuckled me, turned my body towards him, stood in between my legs, and warmly embraced me. I buried my head in his chest.

"Do you have any idea how strong you are, doll? My army buddies have crumpled at less. You're amazing, Annette. Vanessa is right. Everyone inspires to be like you," he stated as he rubbed my back.

"For once, I just want to be weak. I want to go back to where I thought I was invisible," I confessed as more tears fell.

"Then be weak. Let me be your strength. After all, you're my guest and I told you that I would be whatever you needed me to be," Pat reminded me as he wrapped my legs around his back. I gasped. "I'm going to carry you inside, doll. Would you rather me turn you sideways?" He asked, still rubbing my back. I took a deep breath and released it slowly. I wrapped my arm around his neck and shook my head.

"This is fine. Just don't drop me," I whispered as I buried my head in his neck. He laughed and lifted me up with ease, holding onto my back and the underside of my left leg as he took me inside. 

"I would never drop you, on purpose," he replied as he placed me down softly on the right side of the couch. He pulled the lever so that the footrest extended, put another pillow under my leg, sat beside me, and gently turned my face toward him. "Especially now, when you're in so much pain already. Sweet, 'Nettie. You have never been invisible. You do stand out. Promise me you'll stay put?" He asked softly as he caressed the right side of my face. I nodded and dried my eyes. He bopped my nose again and stood up. "Good. I'll be back shortly." I watched Josh and Pat hauled armfuls of stuff to my room as I worked on taking deep breaths.

"How many tins did you guys collect?!" I asked in surprise.

"I think we filled up 2 the first week. Once we had word you were in the hospital, and Josh printed another picture; we filled 15 easily. Linda requested that we don't let the rest of the staff know, so six was the number they got," Pat replied as he went back outside.

"17 cans?! All in basically four days?" I gasped. "Josh! You better erase that photo!"

"I'll think about it. It's a good fundraiser," he teased.

"Don't worry, doll. We erased yesterday, after we visited you," Pat reassured me. "Last load. Care to watch a movie, doll?" He yelled down the hallway as he went into my room. 

"Sure. Whatever you pick," I replied. I looked at the phone in my hand again and thought of something. I opened it and called Linda. She picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Linda. It's Annette. I need your help please."

"Sure thing, Annette. Is this something Pat can't help you with?"

"Not exactly, ma'am. And I'm slightly embarrassed to ask him."

"That time of the month?" 

"Yes, ma'am. Soon."

She chuckled, "I'll get you some product. I'll bring it by later." Josh and Pat came back out into the living room. Josh offered me a water before sitting down and Pat went over to his DVD selection picked out a movie. They both gave me a weird look as they noticed the phone.

"Thank you, ma'am. For everything," I replied and hung up. Pat sat down beside me and put his arm around my back.

"Is this still what you want?" He asked cautiously. I nodded and snuggled into him and handed over his phone. He took it and put it in his left pocket. "Who'd you call, doll?" I blushed and looked down.

"Linda's coming over later," I stated nonchalantly as I leaned forward, pulled my hair over my right shoulder, and rested my head in the nook of his shoulder. I moved his hand up a little; the area he was touching was really tender. "What are we watching?"

"Batman Begins," he whispered as it started up. I sat up again and painfully scooted closer to the arm rest, grabbed my water, and took a sip. Pat noticed the three inches between us and scooted closer to me. "Short armed people are freaks," he teased. I put my water down and playfully swatted his chest as I snuggled back into his arms.

"Thanks for letting me selfish," I murmured.

"You bet, doll. It's about time," he chuckled.