A Birthday Surprise

Weeks later, Abigail’s relationship with her mother had consistently improved. They always talked and her mother had made enough time to cook dinner every night. Abigail had returned to school by that time and all of her classmates were worried about her since they heard about the beating and kidnapping. She had even made some friends during her return, which made Abigail feel optimistic about her future. Months later, on her birthday night, Abigail got into the car to drive to her last present. At school, Abigail had received small things from her friends and her new friends had become really close making Abigail extremely happy and consequently Evelyn and Lucy had not come out since the beating.

Abigail and her parents finally arrived at her last birthday present, a surprise birthday party at a super fancy restaurant right outside of town. All of her friends and family were there, arms filled with presents. Abigail was pleasantly surprised and couldn’t believe all these people had come together simply for her. She was ecstatic, especially since her uncle was nowhere to be seen. Her and her family and friends sat around the table all night long. Since she had gotten so wrapped up in the excitement, she had forgotten her jacket in the car. She excused herself from the table and walk out the restaurant door. As she was walking out the door, there was a girl, Clara Kate Abigail believed, that looked scared of the door. Abigail thought the pause and absent facial expression was odd but decided nothing of it and continued her walk to the car.

As she locks the car doors back up, she turns around and sees her uncle in a drunken mess. Obviously, he hasn’t showered for days and he smells like an awful odor. He comes up to her but without the usual aggressiveness.

“Happy Birthday beautiful. I am sorry I can’t come and celebrate it with you.” her uncle said. 

“Well I am not sorry. Ever since you have been gone, my life has been great. You know the cops have been looking for you and once I tell them you are here, they will get you and you will spend the rest of your sad miserable life in prison!” 

He pauses. “I just want to say how sorry I am. I didn’t intend to have that kind of relationship with you. It just sort of happened.”

“How does that shit just ‘sort of happen’? Guess what… IT DOESN’T. You knew what you were doing and wanted it to happen every single time you came over to my house. You made my life a living hell on top of the fact that no one believed me. Well, they probably still don’t.  But I need you to stay the hell away from me because you will NOT ruin my good life now!!” Abigail screamed. 

“Please just say you forgive me. That’s all I need to move on.”

At that point, Abigail was so infuriated that she picked up one of the decorative rocks on the restaurants fountain and threw it at him, for it to only to break the restaurant window.  The whole restaurant rushed outside to see what was happening. Abigail’s mother ran up to her to ask her what was going on.

“Uncle came to tell me happy birthday and he just made me so angry.” Abigail said to her mother. 

“The meds are still getting to you. I told that doctor you didn’t need any more meds now. You are fine. Come one. Lets go inside. I will have to pay for the window too. “ her mother answered. 

“Are you kidding me?!!! I just saw him. He spoke to me and apparently just vanished out of thin air when y’all came out here.”

“Honey. I know you didn’t see your uncle because….”

“Because what?!” Abigail said. 

“I didn’t want to tell you this until you got better but… the police found your uncle’s body in Sherwood Park right after the kidnapping. He has been dead for months.”

Abigail was incredibly confused and looked away from her mother only to find her uncle across the street waving at her. He ended his wave and vanished into thin air never to be seen again. 

Memories

The nurse caught Abigail and returned her to her hospital bed. After hours of interrogation and tons of medical attention, Abigail was allowed to settle back into her hospital bed. After a stable recovery, Abigail was able to return home in the next week and she was forced to stay on bed rest for the next week. While at home, her mother had drastically improved her attitude towards Abigail. She was incredibly attentive and her snappy remarks were nonexistent.

When Abigail was going to bed, her mother would tuck her in. As her mother rubbed her head to fall asleep, Abigail remembered one of her childhood friend, Jasmine’s, mother. Abigail always would go to her house. She had all the best toys and they would play for hours and hours with no interruption. These were the most carefree days of Abigail’s life. She would never want to leave Jasmine and her home because she felt protected and include in a real family. Jasmine’s family would always eat and play together. There would only be laughs exchanged between Jasmine, her parents, and her siblings. Abigail always wanted to have something like that because her parents were the complete opposite. They were cold and inattentive. Since her uncle had started coming over and saying really inappropriate things to her, she had told her parents but they honestly didn’t believe her. Because her parents had not paid any attention to her troubles, she would stay over at Jasmine’s house for hours on end and for nights as well as long as Jasmin’s parents allowed it. Jasmine’s mother would cook them elaborate dinners and yummy desserts along with always saying how much she cared for Abigail. Even with all this love, the best part was when her mom would tuck them in at night. Her mom rubbing her head to fall asleep was when Abigail felt the best. She felt the love and care that she never would receive at home. Jasmine’s mother made Abigail feel important and useful.
As she remembered these moments, Abigail had hope that her mother would change into the parent she wanted her to be. Abigail had hope but would wait and see how this attitude change played out.

Perspective

After hours in the small Intensive Care Unit at the clinic, Abigail slept soundlessly in her hospital bed. Her mother was emotionally drained from the evening and she was sleeping in the hospital room chair next to her daughter. Abigail awoke from her sleep in ca state of confusion.

“How did I end up here? Last I remember I was… watching Lucas in the play. What happened? And why does my body hurt so much?” Abigail thought to herself. 

All of a sudden, a young attractive male creeps into her room. In a low whisper, he said “Hey, beautiful. I have come to kidnap you just as we had planned. I have a house and doctor waiting to take care of you. But we must hurry. We can’t wake your devil of a mother up and have her trying to stop us from eloping.”

“WHO ARE YOU?!” Abigail responded.

“Haha funny. Its Otto Vandersloot, your fiancé. Stop playing and let’s go.” And the strange male rips off the IV and such and takes Abigail away.

Otto sneaks out of the back of the clinic, which isn’t hard to do considering all of the needy patients.  Abigail is scared out of her mind and doesn’t know whom this man is or where she is going. She can’t speak a single word given her weak physical state.

Otto eventually ends up in Sherwood Park. Otto drops her on her feet and explains how their get away car should be coming any minute. Otto can’t wait to have who he thinks is Evelyn with him at all times. Sadly, Otto has fallen in love with Evelyn during their late nights dates and long phone conversations. Little does he know, he is one of many boys for Evelyn. As Otto is detailing their fancied new life together, Abigail collects all of her courage and strength and hit him right on the head with a rock. And she hits him again just to be sure she has enough time to run away and get back to the clinic. Abigail runs and miraculously makes it back to the hospital just in time to collapse into the nurse’s arms.