Chapter 34

Day 154

Our recent loss of Miska weighed heavily in our hearts today.

Isabella attended school and Cambria continued her young adult education by attending a cooking class and a mixology class. I worked on completing the toddler skills for the triplets.

Cambria met up with Mike at the park after her classes. This relationship between them has turned into a whirlwind romance!

I can't believe my baby is engaged! They came home straightaway to share the good news with me.

After congratulations were offered and some of the wedding details were discussed, it was time for the triplets birthdays.

Joel aged up to a child with the trait: Mooch. Nice.

Jadyn aged up with the trait: Insane. Isn't that precious?

We ran out of time to celebrate with cake for Jared. He aged up with the trait: Light Sleeper.

Day 155

Today was the first day of school for the triplets. Bella kept an eye on them, to make certain that they made it to the correct classrooms. Cambria drove my truck into town to attend a charisma class and a horse riding class.

Cambria came home immediately after her riding class. She now has a keen interest in developing a better relationship with Dixie Dust.

After a wedding rehearsal at the chapel, we went out to eat at the bistro.

That bitch Crazy Carol "just happened" to be there.

After dinner the triplets were tired and Cambria was worried about her flower arrangements. I told her to take her younger siblings home in the truck. I would grab a cab and stop by the chapel to check on the wedding preparations.

I was there in the dark trying to remember where the light switches were and then I heard that voice that is akin to fingernails on a chalkboard.

I couldn't believe my eyes!

Carol was taking crazy to a whole new level. "What are you doing, Carol?!?"

"Shut up, Charlotte! Everything was perfect before you sunk your claws into Matthew!"

 "You are nothing but a whore! You destroyed my life!"

"Our son had to grow up without his father because of you!"

Son? Matthew and Carol had a son? I couldn't breath. What? When? Where was this child?

"You thought you could keep him from me. But if I couldn't have him, then you and your daughters couldn't either."

I felt lightheaded and faint. "You had Matthew killed didn't you? You paid that police officer to shoot him," I could barely choke out the words. She had my Matthew killed! My girls grew up without their father because of her! "How could you do that to him, Carol?" I felt sick to my stomach.

"You can't blame anyone but yourself, Charlotte, " Carol's voice was now deadly calm. "I can't allow this to go on anymore. My son will never be able to live a full life as long as you are alive."

Then Carol shoved the gun into my back and prodded me out the backdoor of the chapel, where her car was waiting. Once outside Carol pointed the gun at my head and ordered me into the trunk of her car. I hoped and prayed that someone, anyone, would walk by and help me. But luck was not on my side and I quickly found myself crammed in a dark trunk being driven to God knows where.

After fifteen minutes or so I could tell that Carol was now driving off road. My head, elbows and knees crashed into the perimeter of my prison. The car stopped and the trunk popped open. Carol glared down at me and ordered me to climb out, no easy feat in my heels and my black dress. We walked through some fir trees and into a clearing. We were at a quarry of some sort. I glanced about confused, searching for a landmark to tell me where I might be. 

Carol stalked towards me, backing me up to the very edge of the quarry. 

"I'm done with you, Charlotte. Your life is over. There won't be any wedding. The only grandchildren Matthew will ever have will be mine and not yours. He was mine first."

"The wedding will never happen. Before your bitch daughters can arrive to the chapel I will make sure they are in this hole with you."

At that very moment a fury welled within me. You can call me names. You can point a gun at me and threaten my life. But you WILL NOT threaten or touch my children! My fear morphed into a wrath worthy of a momma bear separated from her cubs. Gun be damned, I lunged for that psycho.

to be continued...