Chapter 9 begins

     Now it was about four in the afternoon when Charles finished his last task for the trip and that was to pack a suitcase for Leah. Charles did this as she went for a swim and lay by the small pool sunning herself on this 80 degree April day. He was almost finished when she returned to her room unexpectedly.
     "What are you doing?" she asked wrapped up tight in a bright blue beach towel her wet hair wrapped around her high cheek bones of her well tanned face.
      "Our little trip remember?" he answered glad to see a healthy golden glow returning to her once pale and ashen skin.
      "When do we leave?" she asked her shoulders giving a disappointing shrug.
      "At midnight." he replied throwing a bikini and a pair of sandals into the little black suitcase; which he closed.
     "Why in the middle of the night?" she whined.
     "Because, those are my instructions."
     "Good ol' Charles, always doing what he's told." she said with a mean spirit.
     "Now you be nice! Be nice, be nice." he snapped back at her insult; even though she was absolutely right. Then he felt bad for snapping at her so he opened his mouth to apologize, but then she spoke giving him a sad look of shame on her face saying "I'm so sorry Charles! I can not believe I was just so rude to you! What has gotten into me?" she said throwing her arms around his neck weeping on his shoulder a little.
     "You and I just need to get out of this house!" he hugged her tightly feeling her full breast press against his chest, her cold nipples erect from the water's caress. Her body had been filling out nicely now he had been feeding her all manners of food "I think it will be nice up in the mountains, fresh clean air, spring time, just think of all the flowers blooming in the meadows by a clear, still lake." he said picturing the scene in his head; which instantly calmed his mind and his mood. Leah said she agreed, but still balked at the idea of leaving at twelve, in the a.m. Charles laughed and informed her with a smile saying "We have to be there for the sunrise breakfast, it starts at 5:30 and it should be spectacular, here the brochure says, 'we sit out behind the lodge as the sun rises up from the east over Mt.Ida and the pristine forest below. A bounty of a feast set before us.'" he handed her the pamphlet as the two became excited for the first time, about anything, in a long time. So they ate a big dinner, went to sleep early and at the stroke of midnight, from the old grandfather clock in the hall, the duo piled into his fully stocked Jeep heading north on highway 35E.
   

End Chapter 8

     Leah sat across from Mr.Pruce as Serena watched her intently waiting for her reaction. "So you want me to talk to a psychiatrist?" she replied startled Mr.Pruce had just shared his shocking information.
     Mr.Pruce laughed saying "He's not a psychiatrist, he is a Holistic Healer." he explained.
     "You all think he can help me?" Leah asked as all at the table shook their heads in agreement.
     "Well he helped me stop smoking." Mr.Pruce smiled.
     Leah could not believe him "You quit? But you've smoked a pack a day since you were 13!" she said her mouth hanging open.
     "Oh aye!" Mr.Pruce replied "But no longer my pretty lady. He helped me, and God knows if he helped an old fat bastard like me, then just think what he can do with you, a dainty little flower." Mr.Pruce smiled as he took her little hand and gave it another good squeeze. She smiled back and looked for a moment in his small green sparkling eyes; and as she looked at him Mr.Pruce was suddenly overcome with a terrible sadness and it showed on his face as he averted his gaze and took his hand off hers wiping away a small tear.
     "Bengiman what is it?" Leah asked distressed by his reaction.
     "It's nothing" he retorted then he opened up and spoke "It's just.., for a moment there you reminded me of your sister, and I miss her so much! And I just want you to know," he paused taking her hand in his as Charles and Serena got a little choked up as they too remembered their dear, sweet, dead friend Lexa, Leah's twin sister. "I will never let anything, like what happened to her, EVER happen to you."
     Now Leah became very uncomfortable as the death of her sister's sadness fell down among them and she suddenly felt as if she was being smothered. She could feel the weight of the terrible sadness pressing her down in her chair. She spoke in a whisper as tense as wire saying "If I go see this man will you all let me go upstairs now? It's still very early and I'm tired."
     "Oh of course." Serena perked up wiping a tear or two from her cheek as she stood and embraced her sister-in law "We did come too early, we were just so excited to see you." she said kissing Leah on the cheek as she led her back in the house and up to her room.
     Charles and Mr.Pruce still sat at the poolside table a moment longer as Bengiman explained to Charles just where he would be taking her and giving him an envelope full of money, as the cost for a three day stay at the cleansing treatment center was over nine thousand dollars. Charles looked through one of the brochures and he was very interested by what he read. So he took the money, said goodbye to the duo and then he set about the rest of the day packing up his Jeep Grand Cherokee for the four hour drive up to the mountains of Oklahoma.

Chapter 8 continues

     "Leah," Charles whispered in her ear as she stirred awake. She sat in her bed wondering when he had carried her back upstairs to her own bed.
     "Yeah?" she said squinting her eyes from the bright early morning sun streaming in through the open window.
     "Can you come downstairs, Serena and Bengiman have come to visit you." he smiled handing her the robe next to her bed.
     "But I'm still in my pajamas." she whined.
     "It's okay, you're amongst friends here." he smiled helping her out of the room and down the stairs. As she descended the staircase Bengiman and Serena rose to their feet and came to greet her with beaming smiles upon their sweet faces. Leah felt a wave of joy overcome her and she felt a little tear softly roll down her cheek as she was embraced by the duo; whom where so delighted to see how well she looked.
     "Oh sweetest, dearest Leah!" Mr.Pruce exclaimed giving her a kiss on the cheek hugging her tightly. "I'm so happy to see you looking, fit and well!"
     "Oh, careful," she exhaled "not too tight, I can't breathe Bengi." Leah laughed as he let go quickly.
     "Sorry, bout that Love, I'm just so glad to see you." he smiled pinching her pink cheek a sparkle in his eyes.
     "Thank you both for coming.., I'm sorry I am not more presentable." Leah said pulling up the collar of her robe closer to her chest.
     "Nonsense! You look beautiful" Serena, Bengiman Pruce and Charles reassured her, and they were completely correct, it had been two weeks now and she was becoming stronger and healthier each day.
     "Are you enjoying this time here with Charles?" Serena asked as the four went and sat outside in the full fresh fragrant morning.
     "Very much so," she smiled up at him "In fact the weather has been so nice this week I have been able to go for a swim most days." Leah answered cheerfully.
     "Wonderful! That is why you are looking so tan." Mr.Pruce said patting her hand and giving it a squeeze.
     They all sat there for a moment or two longer when the real reason for Serena and Mr.Pruce's visit was made apparent. "Leah." Serena said the happy look in her eyes clouding over to one of concern and worry.
     "Yes." she answered and after a long pause she looked over at Serena and said "What's the matter Serena? You have a frown on your forehead."
      "We need to discuss the.., rest of your treatment." Serena said plainly.
      "What does that mean?" she asked growing fearful suddenly.
      "What she means by that is..," Mr.Pruce said squeezing her hand a little "We all just know, feel you could benefit from talking to someone about what happened, I mean God knows we're all intrigued, but frankly, it is really none of our business. So we have arranged for you and Charles to take a little trip near-by and we have someone safe, and skilled in these manners, and I promise, everything you tell this man will remain a secret only to be shared between the two of you, well you two and God." he smiled trying to reassure her.
     "Oh is that a fact? And how am I to be sure of that?" she scoffed folding her arms across her chest.
     "Because," Bengiman paused rubbing his bald head taking his sunglasses off to look her deep in the eyes.
"He's helped me many times."

More Chapter 8

     Leah was still half asleep when she heard Charles and Serena talking about her as they stood over her bed. Charles was saying something about her blood test and Serena seemed relieved by his news. She heard Charles tell Serena goodbye as he went off to stock up on groceries. Leah stirred from her rest wanting to speak to Charles but he was already gone. Serena urged Leah to lie back down but she  awoke with a terrible feeling of dread and foreboding. She burst into tears and cried out to Serena who held her hand trying to calm her down.
     "Ssh, Leah it is going to be okay." Serena smiled sweetly.
     "Thank you Serena," she wept "you were always so kind to me, you always treated me like a sister." here Leah began wailing when she said the word sister. "God, I miss my sister so much! Why did she have to die?" Leah cried so hard, with a lump in her throat, she had trouble catching her breath with a pain so deep in her heart it felt like it was being cut in two.
     "Leah, you have to let her go, you can not let the ghosts from your past haunt you." Serena said calmly with a deep look of sincerity in her dark eyes. Serena watched and waited as the painful memory of finding her dead sister's body washed over Leah. It took her about ten minutes to cry herself back to sleep. Serena wiped Leah's redden, tear stained cheeks with a cold damp washcloth. She sat in the rocking chair for an hour or so longer reading a book waiting for Charles to return. When he arrived back at the house laden with bags of groceries Serena helped him put everything away and while they did so she spoke to Charles about Leah's condition.
     "Now you have done an amazing job taking care of her and her physical condition is vastly improved, but..," she paused putting away a carton of strawberry ice cream. "I am extremely concerned about her mental health, tell me has she told you anything about her time away?"
     "No, actually she refuses to speak about it." he sighed "and I can understand that."
     "Well, she won't talk about it with me either." Serena sighed taking the ice cream back out of the freezer and digging in with a spoon. "We need to find some one for her to speak with, I'll find a therapist for her, she needs to get this all about before we bring her back to my brother." she informed him as she shoveled a big bite of sweet ice cream into her mouth.
     "I tried to bring a priest to talk to her but she refused." Charles sighed.
     "Why would she refuse?" Serena was shocked as Leah had been a devout Catholic, well until she ran away that is.
     "She kept saying she was too ashamed." he said rubbing his head as the familiar dull throbbing started yet again. "I tried to get her to mass last Sunday, but she was still far too sick."
     "Well get this ice cream away from me and I will go and see about a therapist for our poor girl." Serena said pushing the now half empty carton away from her. She gave Charles a hug and a sweet, sticky kiss on the lips and she went on her way.
     Charles  went and had a lie down in his bed after he took a few aspirin, he fell asleep as the rain began to pour outside his window. It was very dark and cold when he awoke to the sound of Leah calling his name.
"Charles, it's cold and I'm scared can I sleep in your bed with you?" Leah said softly. Charles got out of his warm bed, straightened the covers and allowed her to crawl in. He then, out of respect for his friend, tucked her up in the blanket and then laid down on top of the covers and curled up beside her placing an arm around her and holding her tight. He did this to soothe her nerves and make her feel safe and loved. Charles cared a great deal for Leah and he would do anything she asked of him.

Chapter 8 begins

     "Xation I am going back to visit Leah today and I want you to come with me." Serena begged her brother, who sat behind his massive desk in his downtown high-rise office.
     "No." he said not looking up from the financial documents he was signing.
     "Why not?"
     "Because, dear sister, I am still too angry." he retorted.
     "You are always angry, there my grumpy brother." she said sarcastically, in a tone he did not appreciate.
     "Serena she ran away from me and abandoned our only son!"
     "Well you still love her, no" she said her voice changing to a more gentle tone.
     Xation looked across his desk sighed and said softly "Yes."
     "Well, that is all that matters. So I will ask you once more come with me and visit your wife. Charles has been amazing with her, she's put on weight, her sores have cleared up, the dentist gave her all new teeth, she is starting to look more and more like a member of this family day by day." she happily informed him. "You know you should be very thankful Charles is still a member of your organization."
     "With his background he does not really have a choice, and besides," he paused putting his pen down "I have a too many business meetings today and I am flying to Manhattan tonight." he said going back to his papers.
     "When will you return?"
     "Well then I have to fly to Madrid to look at another horse."
     "Another horse? God how many horses does one man need?" Serena said throwing up her hands.
     "I need fresh blood for my brood mares."
     "You did not answer my question." she said irritated.
     "Then after that I am flying down to Augusta for Masters week to see Angel Cabrera play, then I will be back next Monday."
      "Oh Angel do you think he will win?" she asked.
      "I hope so, but there is some new black kid out of Stanford who everyone is talking about, so we will see. But I am looking forward to seeing him play." Xation digressed then continued. "Oh and mother and father will be her that following Sunday to welcome Leah back into the family, so you tell Charles to make sure she will be ready and healthy. I do not want my son to see her as she was when you found her in California, and tell him to call me as soon as he gets the results of her blood tests back from the lab." he instructed her as he wrote a note in his day book.
     "Very well, have a safe trip and bring me back a present."
     "What would you like?"
     "Bring me back an autograph from the winner of the tournament. The Master's 1997 already? Last year went by so fast." she sighed "My how time flies." she said realizing her 30th birthday would soon be approaching. With this she sighed again disheartened. Serena kissed her brother goodbye and left his office making her way down to her limousine. She did not feel like visiting her sister-in law now, but she was a dedicated member of her family so she did what she thought was the right thing to do and instructed her driver to take back once more to see Leah.
    

End Chapter 7

     "Oh God! Charles this scale cannot be right." Leah exclaimed as she stood still on the bathroom scale.
     "No it's right." he sighed.
     "But it says I weigh 97 lbs!"
     "Yes, well that happens when you take heroin instead of eating." he rolled his eyes. Leah said nothing a horrible look of despair on her face, nearly in tears. "It's okay sweetheart, all we have to do is feed you." he tried to calm her hugging her tightly, but not too tight lest she snap in two. She felt like little bird in his arms and as he rubbed her back gently he realized he could feel the vertebrae in her back protruding out like little pebbles.
     So it was over the next week he fed her three times a day, a huge breakfast, lunch and dinner. In between meals he gave her as many fruit smoothies as she could drink, unbenkownst to her he mixed in massive amounts of protein powder so she was consuming at least ten thousand calories a day. She would normally fall into a deep sleep after eating as her body was not used to using it's energy to digest food. Now in the evenings is when her withdrawals usually took hold and he would sit up with her, watching over her through the fevers and the body aches. He would give her light massages after her baths to help ease her pain and it did her heart, and soul, and mind good to know she had such a good friend who cared so much about her. At times she would cry, tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. Charles let her cry and dried her tears when she felt better. She had been so lost and so alone and so numb to her grief; but now she felt as if she had opened up her eyes for the first time and she could see a light at the end of her long dark tunnel of sorrow and pain. It was so difficult to be sober. When the terrible thoughts of the past entered her brain she could always drink or take her drug of choice to forget what had transpired over the past five years, but now she knew she had to let herself feel all the pain and emotions that she had suppressed for so long; and all the while Charles was with her refusing to give up on her.
     One week to the day of her kidnapping she had gained thirteen pounds, she had her new teeth and Charles actually saw her smile. Though she was upset because there was no phone or computer for her to use, strictly for her own good,  Charles hooked up a v.c.r. to the television in her room and he supplied her with all sorts of films, and  all the episodes of a particular show, that was really about nothing, and  the t.v. comedy made her laugh and, even though Charles was a disgraced ex-physician, he knew laughter was always the best medicine. He loved the sound of her happy laughter. So they would sit and watch movies and t.v. together like two old friends. On this particular night Charles fell asleep in the rocking chair by her bed and she was suddenly awoken by the loud sound of Charles screaming.
     "Charles? Are you alright?" she asked startled as he awoke in a cold sweat eyes wide in terror. It took him a moment to realize he was not dreaming.
     "Oh God Leah!" he said trying to catch his breath.
     "You were having a nightmare." she said as her heart stopped racing so fast.
     "I'm sorry." he said rubbing his eyes pulling his hair back from his face.
     "It's okay." She reassured him as she got out of bed and gave him a warm hug to comfort him. "You were saying something I couldn't understand."
      "What did I say?" he asked a hint of fear in his eyes.
      "Something like sauve moi." she informed him "What is that?"
      "It's a French saying" he sighed a hard lump forming in his throat a tinge of pain filling his heart.
      "What does it mean?" she asked intrigued.
      Charles looked her deep in the eyes all the color draining away from face as if someone had just walked over his grave. He took a deep breath and softly spoke "It means.., save me."

More Chapter 7

     Leah awoke from what seemed like a thousand year long sleep she looked around the darkened room  feeling the cold night air blowing through the open window. She called out for Charles and he soon appeared at the foot of her bed. He switched on the new lamp on the nightstand and the introduction of the light hurt her eyes, she squinted  as her eyes adjusted to the light she sat up in her bed amazed by what she saw.
     "My God! Where did all this come from?" she asked as she looked around the room  which had been filled with dozens of crystal vases full of all sorts of flowers: roses, lilacs, gardenia's, fox-glove etc... and among the bounty of bouquets were boxes and shopping bags full of designer clothes, shoes, lingerie, perfumes, along with a massive black bag of Chanel cosmetics, Leah's favorite.
     "Serena came to visit you yesterday." Charles informed her.
     "How long have I been asleep."
     "About three days."
     "You're joking!" she asked in disbelief. "What did you give me"?
     "That's not important." he said holding her hand. "The only thing that matters right now is how you feel."
     "Well," she sighed "I am starving." she laughed.
     "Good! Now do you feel like having a bath? Serena brought you a lot of stuff she put it on the counter in the bathroom for you."
     "Yes, actually." she said yawning and stretching as he helped her up out of the bed, Charles made her feel very relaxed and safe. He went down to the kitchen and tried out the new juicer Serena brought. Leah filled up the tub with Lady Primrose royal jelly bubble bath and she shaved her leg, and other areas, for the first time in months. She rinsed off and wrapped up in a thick white terry cloth towel drying her skin. Then she dropped the towel and gazed at her frail naked body in the full length mirror. As she rubbed a soothing mixture of oil into her skin she realized now how much weight she had lost. Her head looked enormous on top of her scrawny shoulders, her ribs jutting out, pelvic bones sharp and angular. Her breast looked like two
deflated clown balloons. Then the reality of her self-inflicted situation sunk in and she wanted to cry. She was a woman of thirty eight, yet she had the body of a twelve year old little girl. She missed her beautiful, round, plump breasts, and her curvaceous hips, and her tight, firm, buttocks, you could bounce a quarter off of. But now she was mortified, and here is when her vanity insured her resolve to get better. She wanted to be strong and healthy once again. She missed being sexy more than anything else she had missed before in her entire life.
      She wrapped up her weak, frail body up in her robe and went down stairs to the kitchen where she, in tears, promised Charles to do everything he tells her. So he explains he will take her to the dentist in a few hours to get her teeth fixed. When they finally came back, four hours later, she was in much pain and disgusted with the prognosis. She had three dead teeth pulled and would need three new implants and porcelain veneers on all her teeth. They took a mold of her teeth and gums; which was very uncomfortable, and she would need to return in four days for the procedure to be complete. Fortunately for Leah her husband Xation would foot the $45,000.00 bill.

Chapter 7 continues

     "Charles?" Serena spoke into her cell phone "Are you still asleep?"
     "No, I've been up for awhile."
     "How is she?"
     "Still resting." Charles replied sitting at his kitchen table.
     "Good, now listen I am sitting here with my brother having breakfast, and he would like to know what I should bring for our sleeping beauty?" she smiled over at Xation who sat across from her reading his paper as a light wind blew softly, the birds chirping in the trees over the lush, immaculately landscaped lawn, as a lavish breakfast was placed on their table by one of Xation's servants while the two sat by his deep, sparkling pool.
     Charles thought for a moment and asked that she bring some clothes, shoes, undergarments etc... as Leah came to Texas wrapped only in a sheet from off her bed and had absolutely nothing. Serena seemed excited at the prospect of going on a shopping spree and when her brother handed her a bundle of hundreds totaling $10.000 she was even more ecstatic. "Thank you Xation, I am sure she will appreciate it." she smiled over at him as he ate his omelet showing no emotion. "Xation, I know this is difficult for you, but I think I have something here in my possession that just may cheer you up." she beamed as she reached down in her large Italian leather hand bag pulling out a thin black photo album with gold trim. Before she handed it across the table she said "Now you know she wasn't alone when Hays took her, she was with her lover.., a small time heroin dealer." she informed him his eyes flashing with rage.
     "How is that information supposed to cheer me up?" he seethed pushing his plate away from him.
     "Because last night I had him taken care of, after all, leave no witnesses remember?" Serena handed him the thin photo album and he opened it up. Each photo captured the mood of his rival's terror and fear, she had done a good job framing the subject and using the flash. All of the photos were clear and in focus, he particularly liked the one where the silver tip of boot kicking in his skull gleamed in the flash, and it did his heart good when he saw the one of his eye popping out of it's socket as he lay broken and beaten down in the earth, but the one of him being set on fire, with the trees and the glow of the fire, that one was his favorite. "You did all this for me Serena?" he smiled over at her a tear of joy welling up in his eye.
     "Well of course my darling brother, anything to make you happy." she smiled sweetly going over and kissing him on the cheek. "After everything you have done for our family this is the least I could do,and I promise," she said taking a seat on her big brother's knee "Charles and I will give Leah back to you in mint condition, happy and healthy and ready to be a mother, and a wife again. On this you can be assured." she kissed him again, smiled took one more sip of her mimosa gave him a  wink saying "Now I am off to Saks Fifth Avenue." Xation watched his little sister leave, he sighed, glanced at the album once more, then went back to his newspaper.

Chapter 7 begins

     Leah finally fell asleep and Charles spent the next few hours moving all the antiques he had collected and crammed in the living room out into the garage, as Leah had suggested. After he draped everything in white sheets he straightened up the living room, cleaned out the fire place and then brought fresh towels and linens up to her room. He sat in the rocking chair for a few moments as he watched her sleep. Just as he was exiting the room she stirred awake with a terrible fever. She complained that she felt like she was in an oven and he opened the windows up letting the cold night air in the room. The lilacs and jasmine were in full bloom and the thick sweet scent hung heavy in the air.
     "Thank you, that feels nice." Leah smiled a little up at him.
     "Leah, I think I need to hook you up to an I.V., you are really dehydrated, I promise it won't hurt."
     "Can you put something in it to help me sleep?" she asked as he remained silent. "I just feel like a should just go to sleep for awhile."
     Charles did not respond he simply went to the next room took out an I.V. bag and did mix a drop or two of very powerful sleep aid in it and after he inserted the needle and tube into a vein in her hand she fell asleep. Charles went back down stairs took a hot shower then got into his bed. He took the bottle of vicodan, sighed and slipped it into the draw of the nightstand. It took a few hours of tossing and turning but he did fall asleep for a little while.

End of Chapter 6

    "Charles!" Leah shouted from her sick-bed.
    "I'm right here." he said sitting in a rocking chair beside her.
     "Oh, I didn't see you there." she said startled a little. "How long have you been sitting there?"
     "Since you went to sleep."
     "What time is it?" she asked feeling a bit queasy.
     Charles looked at his watch "It is two 'til ten, in the p.m." he smiled at his friend sitting on the bed next to her. "How are you feeling?" he asked taking her hand in his, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
     "Not good."
     "Can you be a little more specific?"
     "Well, I need to puke my guts out and I feel like there is a bowling ball trapped in my lower intestine." she said plainly, very matter of fact.
     "I see.., let me help you to the bathroom, you throw- up and I'll get you something for your constipation."
     Leah did as he directed and it felt good to get the contents of her stomach out. Then as she flushed the toilet and washed her face Charles came in handing her a large white pill that was nearly the size of a shot gun shell. "You expect me to swallow this.., horse pill?"
     "Your not supposed to swallow it." Charles informed her.
     "I'm supposed to stick this up my butt?" she scoffed.
     "Yes, unless you need me to do it for you." he replied.
     "I'll do it myself, thank you." she rolled her eyes.
     "Wonderful.., I'll just leave you two alone then." Charles smiled as he closed the door and speaking through it said "The medicine will take effect soon, then you will feel a little better.
     Over in East Texas amongst the tall, dark and piny woods Slater lie down at the bottom of a shallow grave, he had been savagely kicked all over his body, with steel-tipped boots the two men wore. All the while the petite black eyed beauty kept snapping pictures of the brutal incident and as Slater felt the pain engulf his body he felt his right eye bulge out of its socket, as the men had broken the occipital bone; and as he felt the cold gasoline being poured down over is body he realized he was going to die now and face God for all the terrible things he had done in his short pathetic life. He was more afraid, terrified, of what horrible wrath God would pour out over his soul, than these enraged psychotics. Let me burn. So it was, Serena lit up a match along with Hays and Mr.Pruce and they each gently tossed the fire down into the little pit and with a great whoosh the flames engulfed the flesh of the heroin dealer and soon there after he gave up his life and his body belonged to earth; which his remains would smoldered in for one hour.
     Serena watched in the darkness by the light of the full moon as Hays and Mr.Pruce covered up the dead body with freash wet soil and soon the hole was filled in and their victim was gone. It was easy, not too expensive and Serena had twenty photos to show her brother, but first the trio realized how hungry they were so they left the woods and the dead body behind and stopped in Sulphur Springs at an old Denny's for some bacon and eggs.