Twenty-two years later

Ambria was having a nightmare about Brooklyn, which caused her to toss and turn in her bed. Her daughter in trouble and she knew it was up to her to save her child. The situation was coming to a climax, but before she could rescue Brooklyn, Dustin’s alarm went off and the dream ended. As she woke, the fear from the dream, remained with her.

Dustin saw her petrified expression as soon as he opened her eyes. “A bad dream?”

“Yes, it was about Brooklyn.” Her eyes were filled with tears.

“That bad?” he asked, his hand grabbing hold of hers.

“She was in serious trouble, but I woke before I knew how it ended.” Tears began running down her cheeks.

“Tell me what happened,” he muttered, handing her a tissue.

“A corrupt police officer had arrested her on a bogus stolen car charge. He forced her into his vehicle, planning to take her to a secluded spot to rape her.”

Dustin quickly pulled her into his arms. “What an awful dream!”

“Do you think it’s going to happen?”

Dustin’s eyes looked deeply into hers. “You haven’t had any of those dreams since the day she was born, so I doubt it. Maybe it was just an ordinary nightmare,” he said hopefully.

“I hope you’re right.”

“You can’t worry about it.” He gave her a hard kiss. “Now, let’s get ready for work.”

Ambria had returned to Highland Industries when Brooklyn had started school and the timing had been perfect for her, as Chad’s assistant had retired and Ambria was rehired for her old job.

They got ready for the day, got into Dustin’s car, and started towards work. As the day progress, Ambria’s dream faded from her mind and she forgot all about dreaming about her daughter being in trouble.

That night after dinner, she had an errand to run, but Dustin decided to stay home to watch television, so she went without him. Brooklyn was due home at any minutes, but Ambria wanted to run her errand without her daughter. She was going to make Brooklyn an afghan for her college graduation gift and wanted to pick out some yarn.

Ambria had just gotten onto 169 Highway when she noticed Brooklyn’s car was parked alongside of the road with a police car parked behind her. Thinking her car must have broken down, Ambria stopped to see if she could help. She carefully stepped out of her car as vehicles zoomed passed on the highway, then she started walking towards the police car.

When she got close enough, she glanced into the police car, and was shocked to see Brooklyn sitting in the back seat of the squad car with her hands handcuffed in front of her. Something wasn’t right with this situation she thought, then a strong feeling of déjà vu surged through her head, forcing her to reach out to take hold of the side of the car. She took a step back when the police officer got out of his vehicle and started towards her.

“Ma’am, you need to return to your car.”

“I stopped to see if I could be of some help,” Ambria told the officer, but something stopped her from telling him she was the mother of his prisoner.

“This is a police matter.”

“What?” Ambria couldn’t imagine how this could be a police matter.

“The car she was driving had been reported as stolen, since it isn’t her car, I’ve arrested her,” the officer told her.

Ambria was stunned by his words. How could this car have been reported stolen? The car was Brooklyn’s, so she knew a crime hadn’t been committed. Ambria looked into police car where her daughter sat, then back at the police officer. She wanted to say something, but didn’t want to make matters worse for her daughter. “I guess I’m not needed here.”

“No, ma’am, you aren’t,” he replied coldly.

Ambria turned and quickly returned to her car, and then stuck her hands-free connector into her cell phone, as she watched the officer return to his car. She dialed Brooklyn’s cell number, hoping she would pick up so she could let her know she was nearby.

“Hello,” a shaky voice answered.

“Don’t say anything. Just listen, but whatever you do, don’t let the officer know I’m in the car behind you. As soon as we hang up, I’m calling 9-1-1. I’m going to follow you the best I can, so try not to worry. I love you.”

“Me too. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to go shopping with you today. Maybe next week. I’ll call you and we can make plans. Bye Ambria.”

Ambria’s heart pounded when she heard the click of her daughter phone and their connection was gone. Would these be the last words she ever heard from her daughter? When the police car pulled out on to the highway, Ambria followed. Making sure to keep a safe distance behind the vehicle, she quickly dialed 9-1-1. When the operator picked up, Ambria quickly explained her daughter was being kidnapped by the police officer.

“I’m sure the officer is probably taking her to the local police station for questioning.”

“You don’t understand,” she shouted. “He said she’d stolen the car. That can’t be possible because the car belongs to my daughter, so there isn’t way it could have been reported as stolen.”

“Ma’am, I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure you just misunderstood what he meant.”

When the police car didn’t get off on the ramp that went to the Kansas City police station, Ambria knew for sure something was most definitely wrong. “You said the officer was taking her to the police station, then do you want to explain to me why he didn’t take the Barry Road exit?”

“Then he must be a Gladstone police officer and he’s taking her to his station,” the operator told Ambria.

“No, he’s a Kansas City officer.”

The operator told her to stay on the line with her. Ambria tried not to panic, knowing she needed to stay calm. Most importantly, she mustn’t let the police office know she was trailing him. As exit after exit went by, Ambria tried to figure out where he was taking her daughter.

When the sign for the city limits of Smithville came into view, Ambria told the operator where they were heading. Smithville was a town with a population of about fifty-five hundred people and they had a recreational park that included a large lake, a very large one. If he took her to the park, he could disappear where anything could happen to Brooklyn. He could rape her, kill her, and hide the body where they wouldn’t find it for months.

Ambria didn’t understand why there weren’t any other police cars arriving to stop this officer before he could hurt her daughter. When she ask the operator where the police backup was, she told her they were almost there. Just when Ambria was about to lose all hope, she finally heard the sound of the sirens behind her.

When she saw vehicles coming up fast behind her, she was relieved to see it was another police car. She pulled off the highway to let them pass, then she pulled back onto the road, following at a slower pace. When she saw all the stopped police cars, she let out a loud sigh. By the time, she halted her car, the kidnapper was being handcuffed, and Brooklyn was standing in the arms of another officer.

Ambria quickly thanked the 9-1-1 operator for her help, said good-bye, then got out of the car. She wanted to run to her daughter, but was afraid someone would feel she was a threat and try to stop her. The last thing she wanted was to be accidently shot.

When Brooklyn looked up and saw her mother, she left the officer and ran to her, hugging her tightly when they met. Ambria held her young daughter to her as she sobbed in her arms.

“When he stopped me, I thought I was going to get a speeding ticket even though I knew I hadn’t been speeding. Once he told me why he’d stopped me, I kept telling him my car wasn’t stolen. I tried to get him to look at the registration papers, but he refused. I was so scared.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Ambria continued to hug her daughter to her. “Do you know what he wanted with you?”

Brooklyn sobbed. “He told me he was going to rape me, saying if I reported him he would find me and kill me. He’s a police officer, so it would’ve been his word against mine.”

“How did he act when your phone rang?”

“I was surprised when he told me to answer it, but he said if I said just one wrong word, I would be dead before I could hang up.”

The young officer who’d been comforting her, walked over them. “Brett Strickland,” he said, putting his hand out to Ambria.

“Ambria Crenshaw, Brooklyn’s mother.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we need for both of you to come to the police station and make a statement.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you.” Ambria turned towards Brooklyn. “We’ll pick up your car after we leave the police station, but first I need to call your father and tell him we’ll be home in a little bit.”

They hadn’t ever told Brooklyn about the ability Ambria once had or about her tumors. It wasn’t that they didn’t want her to know about either situation, it was just that after Brooklyn was born, the dreams had stopped, and they got busy living their lives and all those things had been pushed to the past.

When they left the police station, they drove to where Brooklyn’s car was parked, she retrieved her car, then they headed home. When they arrived home, they went in together to tell Dustin about Brooklyn’s encounter with the dishonest police officer.

“If it hadn’t been for Brett Strickland rescuing me, I think the officer who’d kidnapped me, would have killed me after he raped me. Brett handled everything so quickly that the officer who’d taken me didn’t have a chance to pull out his gun,” Brooklyn said breathlessly.

Ambria smiled at the slight blush on her daughter’s face as she talked about the man who had saved her from harm. “He wasn’t too hard on the eyes either.”

“Mother,” Brooklyn whined.

“What?” she asked, giving her daughter an innocent look. “You’re telling me you didn’t think he was attractive.”

“But you’re married.”

Ambria laughed. “Yes I am, but I’m not dead.”

“I wish I’d let him know I wouldn’t have mind seeing him again, but I doubt I ever will.”

“Did he seem interested in you?”

Brooklyn shook her head no. “He was very professional. Besides, he had his girlfriend’s picture on his dashboard. Why couldn’t it have been my picture? I’m not ugly or anything.”

Ambria gave Brooklyn’s hand a squeeze. “Who knows, maybe someday he’ll come by to see how you’re doing and you can let him know how you feel.”

“Yeah, right,” she replied sadly.

The doorbell rang and Ambria went to answer it, and when she opened the door, she was pleasantly surprised to see Brett Strickland standing there.

“Hello Officer Strickland.”

“Hello, Mrs. Crenshaw. May I speak with your daughter?”

“Yes, of course,” she said, opening the door to him. “Please, come in.”

Dustin and Brooklyn looked up as Brett entered the room.

“I just wanted to stop by and make sure you were okay,” he said, looking at Brooklyn.

Silence filled the room as Brooklyn just sat there staring at him, blushing as she thought of the conversation they were having just seconds earlier.

Dustin quickly realized his daughter was in a state of shock at seeing the man they were talking about a few minutes earlier, so he stood and put his hand out the man. “I want to thank you for all your help.”

Brett shook Dustin’s hand. “It was my pleasure, sir.”

“My husband and I were just about to run an errand, so if you’ll excuse us, we’ll leave you two so you can talk without us old folks,” Ambria said to Brett. She knew she’d embarrassed her daughter by her abrupt comment, but she was hoping maybe Brett had come for another reason and would want some privacy to talk to her.

Dustin gave Ambria a dirty look, but moved to joined her. “I hope to see you again sometime, Officer.”

“I hope so too, sir.”

Dustin took hold of Ambria’s arm and they hurried out of the room towards the garage. “I can’t believe you did that,” he muttered as they stepped into the garage.

“I’m sure he came to talk to her about something other than saving her life.”

Dustin smiled at her. “If you say so, dear.”

“He had that look about him.”

“What look is that?” he asked.

“The same one I see every time I look into your eyes.”

Dustin laughed. “If you say so, dear.”

* * *

Brooklyn was nervous, wondering why Brett was really here. Could it be he found her attractive and wanted to ask her out, but what about his girlfriend?

“You don’t mind I stopped by?” he asked apprehensively, looking uneasy as he stared at her.

His words brought out of her stupor and she quickly stood. “Of course not. Please sit down. I’m just surprised to see you here is all.”

He sat down on the couch and she sat down next to him.

“I don’t know if my being here is proper or not, but I had the feeling you were attracted to me,” he said nervously.

Brooklyn wasn’t sure how to respond. Should she deny she was or admit to the attraction? Before she could respond, he took hold of her hand.

“I guess I sort of put you on the spot by my question. I came by to ask you out.”

“What about your girlfriend? Won’t she mind?”

“Girlfriend? I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Then whose picture do you have in your car?”

He gave her a reassuring smile. “That’s Brenda, my twin sister.”

She gave him a timid smile. “Yes, I’ll go out with you.”

“Do think your parents would object to me seeing you?” he asked fretfully.

Brooklyn laughed. “If they did, I guarantee you, my mother wouldn’t have left the house with you still here.”

The tension left Brett’s face at her comment. “So it’s okay I’m here?”

She gave him a reassuring smile. “Yes, it is.”

* * *

Six months later, the young couple was married, and now Ambria was helping her daughter pack up her belongings to move to her new husband’s apartment before they left on their honeymoon. It was a sad moment for Ambria, but she’d always known this day would come.

When Ambria pulled too many books out of Brooklyn’s bookcase, they slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor. When she went to pick up the books, she saw her book that had changed her life in her hand. “Brooklyn, what are you doing with this book?”

“I’m sorry for taking it, but I didn’t think you would mind.” She walked to her mother and took the book out of Ambria’s hand. “Don’t you think the people on the front cover look like you and Dad? I do. That’s the reason I’ve kept it in here.” She looked at her mother waiting for her response.

She should lie to her, but she couldn’t. “Yes, I do.”

“You don’t mind if I take it with me, do you?”

Ambria smiled. “No, you go ahead and take it. I haven’t read it since I married your father,” she said absentmindedly, thinking about how this book had altered her life.

“I haven’t read it yet. Didn’t you like it?”

Ambria laughed. “Would you believe I started the book, but never finished reading it.”

“Was it that bad?”

“Bad?” she asked, wondering what she really thought of what she’d read of the book. “I really can’t say since I didn’t read more than a couple of chapters, but I do feel it changed my life for the better.”

“Oh, Mom, you’re so romantic.”

Ambria looked at Brooklyn and gave her a smile. “Meeting your father was like reading a fairy tale and it coming true,” she said, uttering the first thing that might make sense to her daughter. She couldn’t very well tell her she went to sleep one night in her own bed reading about Dustin, then waking up the next morning, married to him. “When we came home from our honeymoon, we moved all my belongings here and I didn’t ever finish the book.”

“Well, after I read it, I’ll tell you all about it.”

“You do that,” she said, as she was a bit curious how the book ended.

They finished the packing and moved everything to the car. Dustin had his arm around Ambria as they waved good-bye to their daughter and new husband. After their car was out of sight, Ambria let out a sigh. “Why couldn’t it have been me going?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked apprehensively, unsure exactly she what she was implying.

“On a honeymoon,” she replied dreamingly.

Dustin laughed at her comment, thinking back over twenty years to the day he’d mentioned a second honeymoon to her. “That’s one thing I can give you.”

She turned to smile at him. “Really?”

He gave her a sinister grin. “You do remember what people do on their honeymoon, don’t you?”

“Well, it has been quite a few years since I’ve been on one, but I do think,” she purred, trailing her finger down his chest, “there’s a lot of,” she whispered seductively into his ear, “eating.”

“What?” he stammered, surprised by her answer. “Hell lady, you must be getting senile, as I remember our honeymoon, we had a lot of sexxxxx,” he said, drawing out the word.

“Sex? What’s that?” she asked her eyes full of mischief at her teasing.

“Would you like me to refresh your memory?”

“Yes, I would like that.”

Dustin grabbed hold of her hand and started for their bedroom. After they entered their room, he moved to shut the door, but Ambria put her hand out to stop him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, afraid she’d change her mind about making love.

“Let’s live wild and make love with the door open.”

Dustin let out a hardy laugh. “I like your way of thinking. You know what else I like?” he asked, watching her expression.

“No, what?”

“Being married to you,” he said sincerely.

She laughed. “You don’t have to bribe me; I’m here to make love to you.”

Dustin gave her a gently tug and pulled her into his arms. “I’m not trying to bribe you. I really meant what I said. When guys at work talk about the wives and their marriages, they’re always complaining about one thing or another. I guess it’s because their marriages isn’t as wonderful or as special as ours is. I want you to know how much I love you. My life would have been so empty without you and Brooklyn in it.”

Ambria gave him a soft smile. “Dustin, I feel the same way about you. I still can’t believe my parents got married after all those years apart.”

“Sometimes love can survive long passages of time of being apart, especially when it’s true love.”

“Dustin, what a sweet thing to say,” she said, smiling at his statement.

He smiled back at her with an ornery smile, then his lips descended to hers and the rest of the world was forgotten.