unbroken (unexpected series)

Chapter 11

“What else should we sing for daddy Bumblebee?”

“If wou’re wappy an wou kwnow it cwap wour hwands!”

“If wou’re wappy an wou kwnow it jwemp up and dwown!” They continued singing, happily, breathless from singing and laughing, Oakley screeching out, before suddenly the pep and excitement Anya had in her voice just vanished, turned into panic.

“Oh no… Oh god… how – how did they find me…” Anya mumbles and for a minute my heart thuds against my chest uncomfortably, I would worry about what I was feeling later since I couldn’t understand it now.

“Come on Bumblebee you need to hide and be really quiet okay, no matter what you hear don’t come out Bumblebee, you understand?” Anya’s voice frantic now.

 “I love you Bumbleebee okay, I love you to the moon and back you hear?”

“Yes momma,” Oakley said confusion in her tiny voice.

“Pat – Pat I love you okay, don’t think I don’t – I’m sorry I thought – I thought I got away from them Pat, I thought I could have my happily ever after with you, I loved you Pat, you were everything I ever wanted and I didn’t think I would ever get a chance at love. I love you deep in my heart, and my secrets, I kept them to protect you and the kids, don’t forget that, tell them about me, love them, cherish them for the both of us you hear?” Anya’s talking faster now, and without having been there, my own heart is beating, pounding against my chest. And Gabriel’s arms around me hold me tighter as tears reach my eyes, for her for this situation but also because I’m reminded of being locked away. That panic in my chest, my body shaking because I knew Leo was coming, I could hear his advance but I was trapped, knowing something was coming, that pain was coming but not being able to do anything about it. I’ve got you, love, it’s okay, and Gabriel’s breath is right against my neck, my love, my anchor.

“Ben – Ben I love you too, I wish I had more time with you, I wish you’d remember me, but ask your daddy about me, he’ll tell you how happy I was to be your momma.”

“Pat don’t go looking for these men okay, you can’t win with them, not yet… but when the kids are older, you need to find my daughters, I’m sorry for the secrets baby, I thought I’d get to tell you everything myself. I’m so sorry, so sorry,” Anya sobbed, “Momma what’s wrong?” Oakley whispered, the atmosphere in the room tense and strange, Marlon crossed his arms against his chest, they killed Elder Bellamy right in front of a child?

“Pat – you can’t trust just anyone – if you need to get help go to Gabriel Gavino or Jay Colt… take the kids to him, he will be able to keep them safe, my daughters will be there too, they’ll protect you guys, no body else but them Pat, do you understand?”

Anya’s voice becomes rough; lower even, the recorder picking up ever little sound, the worried pants of Anya, the slow breathing of Oakley, “Bumblebee don’t come out okay, stay here, even after you don’t hear nothing, stay here. You understand baby? Wait until daddy finds you here, you hear me? Say you were outside Bumblebee… came inside and you hid here… don’t tell anyone I put you here… not even daddy, don’t tell daddy right away, you understand?”