Defending Bridget - P.J. Fiala Page 0,28

In a strong accent one of the men said, "Eat."

Reaching forward with her right hand for her meal bar, her eyes landed on the dried blood and abrasions on her wrist and her anger settled itself deeply. These bastards would pay and dearly.

Picking up her meal bar, she brought it to her mouth and ripped the package with her teeth, then began eating the cardboard tasting food. She'd need to keep her strength up, so she'd eat. Sydney didn't reach for her bar and the order came out stronger this time.

"Eat. Now."

Sydney sniffled and Bridget didn't want her to get beaten or killed so she looked at Sydney and repeated their order.

"Eat your food."

Sydney looked at her, a tear slid down her cheek, but she slowly reached for the bar and ripped the package with her teeth and began eating. A quick glance at Jennie Lee to see that she was eating, and Bridget took another bite of her meal bar and tried getting it down. Reaching for the water bottle, she struggled to open it with one hand only to hear the Ukrainian shit heads laughing. Bringing the water bottle to her mouth, she bit down on the cap and twisted the bottle opening it.

They stopped laughing and started speaking in their language, which Bridget tried to understand, but nothing sounded familiar. She decided to focus on eating and any other sounds outside. She heard a boat motor or something similar and figured they were either close to water or an ATV trail or something where a smaller engine would run. She wasn't able to see much, the dusk had settled in.

Jennie Lee and Sydney both followed her lead to open their water bottles and the women sat in silence eating their meager meals and drinking their water. The sounds of another vehicle approaching the cabin sent the man outside.

The only thing she could figure was they were bringing the other women to the cabin. She heard a scream from outside and a gunshot, and her meal bar threatened to explode from her stomach.

20

Vivian turned to the little boy who came from the other room.

She turned to him. "Oh, honey, no. I'm sorry but not yet."

"Oh." His head bowed down in sadness.

Vivian knelt and pulled the little boy into her arms.

"It's okay, Aidyn, these men are going to take us to stay in a safe place until we can find Momma."

Aidyn? Aidyn? Her son? She had a son?

"But Gram, Momma won't know where to find us."

"Yes, she will. She asked these men to come and get us. She'll know how to find us."

Aidyn's head looked up and his eyes landed on Axel's. Mesmerized by those hazel eyes and that brown hair Axel stared in amazement at him. It was like looking at a miniature version of himself. Except he wasn't.

He nodded at Aidyn. "That's true. She'll know to come to our home to find you. And you and your grandma will be very safe there."

"Let's go and get your suitcase so we can leave." Vivian ushered Aidyn into another room. She looked back at them and said, "We'll only be a minute, we're all packed."

Then they disappeared down a hallway. He stood staring long after they'd disappeared, then Josh finally broke his silence.

"You didn't tell me you had a son."

He jerked as if he'd been hit then looked at Josh. "I don't."

"You're kidding me, right? That kid looks just like you."

"She..." He swallowed because frankly he didn't know what to say. His heart raced in his chest. It pounded so hard he felt like he was going to throw up. "She never told me anything about a baby."

His feelings changed so quickly from disbelief to anger then back to disbelief to anger he felt like a teenage girl.

Vivian and Aidyn came back with suitcases and Aidyn was wearing a cute little Pok茅mon backpack. He looked at the boy, really looked at him. Same eyes. Same hair. Except Axel's was now longer. Same nose.

"How old are you, Aidyn?"

Aidyn looked at his fingers and held four up proudly. "Four. And some more."

Vivian laughed. "He's about four and a half."

She patted Aidyn on the head and Axel's world spun around before him. About four and a half. He'd been with Bridget a little over five years ago. The timing was uncanny.

Josh broke the awkward silence. "Okay, Vivian do you have everything turned off that needs to be off? We can get going, we have a private plane waiting."

"Yes, we're all set."

As they