Full Circle
Part 18-19
By Erin
I wake up hesitantly, as though I'm being dragged into consciousness. I groan a little as I squint my eyes against the morning sun and glance at the clock. 7:00.
"Morning, lazy."
I glance up to see my husband buttoning his shirt at the foot of the bed.
"What happened to 'sexy'?" I ask groggily, but smiling.
Danny smiles too and leans down to kiss the tip of my nose. "Well, you're definitely still that, but lazy seems more appropriate this morning."
"Lazy!" I cry indignantly as I roll onto my back. "It's seven A.M., you slave driver!"
Danny laughs and sits down on the bed, gently nuzzling my neck. "Just paying you back for last night, Mrs. Santos."
I blush which makes him laugh harder. His hand, which had been stroking my hip, moves to caress my stomach.
"And how's my son this morning?"
"Your daughter is fine." I say pointedly. Danny lays down beside me, heedless of the wrinkles he's making in his suit. "So it's a girl, huh?"
"Yep." I say, nodding.
"How can you be so sure?"
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me. "Because as a woman, I just know these things. You're going to have a little girl, Daniel Santos, and she's going to be exactly like me."
Danny gives a look of mock horror. "Surely God isn't that cruel!"
I playfully push him off of me. "You should be so lucky to have two of me in your life!" I announce as I make my way into the bathroom to shower.
"Cursed, my love," he replies, "Not lucky."
I smile at that. After all the grief I've given Danny, it would be poetic justice to have a daughter just like me.
I've just finished rinsing my hair when Danny pokes his head in the shower.
I raise an eyebrow at him. "Care to join me?"
He gives me a sweeping glance and his eyes darken, but he shakes his head. "As much as I'd love to, I don't have time. Today's the day, you know."
I nod as I squeeze shower gel onto a sponge. "I know. Otherwise, I would be furious at you for waking me up at such an ungodly hour."
Danny shrugs and gives me that little boy grin I love so much. "Hey, if you're worn out this morning, it's your own fault."
I duck my head out of the shower and, careful not to get him wet, drop a quick kiss in his lips.
"Be careful."
"I will."
"I'll be there in about an hour, ok?"
Danny nods. "Perfect. You're sure you know the way?"
I can't help but shudder. "Couldn't forget it if I tried. And believe me, I have."
Danny frowns. "I know. But this is all about to be over, baby. I promise."
I turn off the shower and he hands me a towel. Wrapping it around myself, I step out of the shower and kiss him again. "I believe you, Danny. Now go. You don't want to be late."
He looks reluctant to go, so I laugh and shove him towards the door. "You'll have all the time in the world to gaze at this bod when this is over. Though in a few months, you might not want to."
"I doubt that." he murmurs as he strokes my abdomen. "But you're right, I gotta run. See you in an hour."
"Right."
As soon as he leaves, I sink down on the bed and try to calm my rapidly beating heart. Danny has assured me time and again that this plan of his is flawless, but that doesn't keep me from worrying. I try to shove those thoughts from my mind as I slip into a pair of jeans (a little more snug than I remember, which makes me insanely happy for some reason) and a sleeveless blouse. I don't bother to blow-dry my hair.
Instead, I let it air dry in a curly mass which I pull back with a gold clip. I grab some sandals and put them on as I shut the bedroom door behind me.
Every step I take down the lighthouse steps feels like my feet are made of lead, but I make it to my car and determinedly set out.
As I drive, memories of the last time I made this trip haunt me. My stomach flutters and I lay a hand on it. It's like my baby's scared too. Of course, "she's" been acting up since 3:30 this morning when she woke me, and consequently, Danny, with her kicking. Danny was more thrilled than I've ever seen him as he laid his hand on my stomach to feel his child move. I smile at that memory, glad to have something take my mind of what's about to happen.
When I pull up in front of the shack, I think I'm going to be sick. But I have to do this. My feet are heavy again as I stride across the yard and up the front steps of the place that was my prison. The door is unlocked as Danny said it would be. Taking a deep breath, I enter.
I'm still not prepared for the wave of nausea that hits me when I find myself in the room of my captivity.
Everything's the same as when I escaped. My eyes search out the whole in the floorboards I made and when I see that tiny hole, made of fear and anger and desperation, my knees go weak and I sink down on the grimy floor. Tears sting my eyes and it takes all my strength not to throw up. But then I hear the car pull up front.
So I stand and brush the grime from my jeans. I will my tears to dissipate and when they do, I hold my head high and stare at the door.
And wait.
~~~~~
I can hear Carmen's voice as she and Danny make their way to the shack, but I can't hear what she's saying. Maybe that's for the best.
As stupid as this sounds, I almost feel sorry for her. Her grandchild is going to be such an amazing human being and she'll never have the chance to know her. Or him.
Now her words are becoming clear.
"Daniel, I demand you tell me what this is all about!"
Her words may sound steely, but I recognize the emotion behind them.
Fear.
The front door swings open and the light hurts my eyes, but it's worth it just to see the look on Carmen's face as she sees me standing in the middle of the room where she exiled me.
"Why don't you tell me what this is all about, Mother?" Danny says in a voice that reminds me why I try to stay on his good side.
Carmen's panicked gaze flies from me to Danny and back again. "I-I have no idea, Daniel." she says, trying to regain control. "More of this girl's lies, I assume."
"Give it up, Carmen." I say softly. "Just admit what you did."
Carmen jerks her arm from Danny's grip. "I did nothing!" she spits angrily.
"Then explain this." Danny says, his voice rising as he gestures to the hole in the floor that I escaped from.
"And explain why this shack was guarded. And explain why your guard wouldn't even let me in."
He turns to me. "Michelle, pull up the leg of your jeans."
I do as he says to reveal the still pink ring around my ankle that will undoubtedly scar. Danny's voice is wavering as he looks at that mark and says in a frighteningly soft voice, "Explain this, Mother."
Carmen's shoulders slump a little. She's been found out and she knows it.
"Daniel, mi querido, everything I have ever done has been for you!" she cries, moving towards him. But Danny keeps his eyes away from her.
"Don't." he says quietly. "Just don't."
"This girl has poisoned you against me, Daniel!" Carmen screeches. "I locked her in here for you! I thought if she was gone, you would come back to me. Danny, please-"
She admitted it. Out loud. Our plan is successful, but there is no triumph in Danny's eyes. Only a weary sadness. "I know why you did it, Mother." he says. "And I know you'll understand why I've done this."
Carmen's confused gaze swings to me and then to the door as three FBI agents rush through the door.
"Danny?" Carmen says and I can't even look at her as the agents handcuff her. "Carmen Santos, you are under arrest for the federal crime of aggravated kidnapping..."
I don't even hear the rest of what they say as I go to wrap my arms around Danny who is staring stonily at a spot somewhere above Carmen's head.
Carmen is weeping now, shouting, sometimes in English, mostly in Spanish as the agents pull her put the door.
"Mick!" she cries. "Mick will finish you for this, Danny."
"We've already arrested your other son, Mrs. Santos." an agent tells her coldly. Carmen's hysterics quiet then and she fixes Danny with a stare that breaks my heart. In a voice that could cut glass she says, "Usted no es mi hijo."
Danny visibly flinches and the agents lead Carmen outside. I simply hold him and listen as he takes deep, slow breaths.
After a long moment I whisper, "What did she say?"
"She said 'You are not'-" his voice breaks and he says in barely a whisper, " 'You are not my son' ".
He starts to cry then, wrenching sobs that rip tears from my own eyes.
"Oh, Danny, I'm so sorry," I murmur as we sink onto the mattress where I spent so many nights weeping for him.
We sit there for a long time and I hold him, rocking gently, as he cries. Finally, he gives a shuddering sigh and raises his eyes to mine. "She was a monster." he says, "I know that. But she is my mother and I...I loved her." He rubs a hand over his face. "I still love her."
I stroke his hair. "I know you do." I reply. "I couldn't love you if you were the sort of man who could send his mother to jail without blinking an eye. And despite everything she's done, I know she loves you. She's your family."
Danny shakes his head and cups my face in his hands. "No. She was my family. You're my family now, Michelle."
He looks down at my stomach and smiles. "Both of you."
I look into his eyes and see a reflection of everything I'm feeling. "I love you," I whisper fiercely.
"I love you too." he says and our lips meet. In that moment, I know that we're going to make it. I don't know how, but we will. The three of us. Together.