FlyAway *27*

-27-

    “Kye, sweetheart, it’s time for lunch!” Chris called, wiping her hands on a towel and heading for the stairs.
    She could hear the sound of jingling bells before Kye even got to the head of the steps. The little girl beamed and ran down, carrying her teddy bear. She wore a brand new pair of jeans, courtesy of Natalie and Kyle, and one of her new favorite shirts which had arrived three days before from Crystal’s mother and father. Kyle and Nat had, she supposed, mentioned that they were housing a young girl as a favor for a friend. They’d been sending her all sorts of little presents, the most recent of which had been the clothing. The beautiful silver bells that Kye wore about her neck on a chain had been given to her about three weeks before the clothes.
    “I’m so hungry!” Kye exclaimed, stopping before Chris and taking the older woman’s hand. “What’s for lunch?”
    “I made grilled cheese and tomato soup, ‘cause I know that’s your favorite. I thought maybe afterward, we could go with Zach to see a movie, to celebrate going back to school in a couple days.”
    “Are you and Zachy gonna do something for New Years?”
    “That’s a few days away still, hon.”
    “I know, but are you?” The two of them entered the kitchen to find Natalie spooning soup into bowls. “Hiya, Natty!”
    “Hey, sweetie,” Nat greeted, brightly.
    “Are you doing something for New Years?”
    “Well, Kyle and I were thinking about going out with some friends. Why?”
    “If you and Kyle are goin’ out, then Chris and Zachy are going to stay with me!”
    The little girl skipped over to a chair, set her teddy bear on the table, and wiggled impatiently in her seat as she waited for her lunch to be served. Chris pursed her lips and shook her head slowly from side to side. The girl was happy to be out of school, but Chris was not. The more down time she had, the more she worried about Matt.
    She, Kyle, and Zach had been very tense for the past six months. They hadn’t seen any sign of Matt since he’d supposedly left for Jersey, but she and the other two were still on edge. Natalie took everything in stride, though she wasn’t a party to the worry. She didn’t know what had happened to Crystal, but it was clear to her that something was wrong. She’d been a real sport, but still, no one had let her in on their secrets.
    As Chris brooded on this, she watched Kye play with her lunch, the little bells jingling every time she moved. She was glad that the girl wore them all the time; it helped keep track of her. Not that they let her out of their sight for very long, but if they were in the house Chris liked to know where Kye was. She stood from the table and touched Natalie’s arm, jerking her head sharply to the left. Natalie excused herself, patted Kye’s head, and followed the black-and-blonde haired woman to the far side of the kitchen, where they were out of earshot, but could still watch over Kye.
    “Yes?”
    “Nat… I feel awful about the last few months,” Chris admitted, sadly. “It occurred to me today that we never asked your opinion on anything, and we never told you what was happening… But you’ve been so good to me, and to Kye, about everything. I just want you to know that I appreciate it so much, and… I want to tell you why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
    “Hon,” Natalie said, sighing and placing a hand on her shoulder, “I never needed to know what had happened. When Kyle and I got the phone call from Matthew saying that if we harbored that Aaron boy, we’d have trouble, I knew something was wrong with him. If you want to tell me, you can. I won’t hold it against you if you choose not to. I understand if it’s touchy for you, and that’s why I never asked. I love you like a sister, Chris. No matter what it is, I will be here for you. I don’t want you to feel like you have to explain yourself.”
    “I… I just want you to know, Nat,” Chris said, sadly. She glanced over to see Kye slurping her soup, and smiled softly. Chris looked down at the floor and whispered, “Matt raped me when I was sixteen years old. He’s a very powerful man, and his father is a state senator. He’s trying to keep Aaron and I apart. I’m worried that he may try to hurt Kye.”
    “Oh, sweetie-”
    “That’s not the only reason, though. I’m sure we could keep Kye safe, but… I’m scared for me, too.” Chris closed her eyes. “When I first came here and started college, I talked to my psych professor about rape cases. He told me that rape is a violent crime, and often is repeated. He said that anyone who commits this crime has certain… certain tendencies, such as to try to justify what they’ve done, and to… to repeat their act. Rape is about power and control, and not love. It… it haunts a person. More haunting than that is the idea that it may happen again.” She felt a tear slide down her cheek. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispered, brokenly.
    “Chris. Listen to me. We are not going to let that man get near you. So help me, if I see him again, I will castrate him myself.” Natalie hugged Chris close and sighed heavily. “He’s a monster, hon, and that’s not your fault at all.”
---
    On New Years’ Eve, Natalie and Kyle went out to a large party with their friends and colleagues. Zach came over with a bouquet of flowers for Chris (a little joke, he said, to lighten her spirits) and a little box of chocolates for Kye. Crystal locked the door behind him and turned the alarm on before turning to greet him with a light, friendly kiss on the cheek.
    “Hey, Zach,” she said, smiling brightly. “Kye’s in the living room watching a movie. Aaron’s supposed to call tonight.”
    “That’s fantastic. I can’t wait to tell him about all the trouble I’ve gone through to keep his girlfriend out of trouble!” Zach crowed, throwing an arm about her shoulders.
    She shoved him and cried, “Hey, I resent that!”
    “Yes, but you don’t resent a good glass of scotch, do you?” he asked, pulling a bottle out of his coat with a wink.
    “Oh, Zachy, we can’t drink, we have to watch Kye!”
    “She won’t be up all night, and we’ll be celebrating New Years!”
    “I’ll ask Aaron if he thinks that it’s a good idea, and then we’ll see.”
    “Damn, you know he’ll say no. You clever, clever little fiend.” He sighed heavily and followed her into the living room, muttering and stuffing the bottle back into his coat. “Not gonna keep me from havin’ a few drinks, you silly girl. Passing up a good scotch is like trusting a politician! You’d have to be crazy!”
    “Well, maybe I am crazy, but you sure as hell are not the little voice in my head, so stop mumbling and say hello to my little friend!” Chris said, laughing and helping Kye up off the floor. The girl clutched her teddy bear, as always.
    “Hello, little friend.” He patted her head lightly and took off his coat. He picked the girl up and glanced at Chris. “Is he calling via satellite, or what?”
    “Ah, well… webcam. I have to set it up still,” Chris replied, doubtfully.
    It was just before ten o’clock that they got it set up, and Aaron called only a few minutes later. Chris gasped sharply when they saw him. He was gaunt and pale, with a slight stubble and sunken eyes. He looked upset, and kept looking at someone behind him. However, when he smiled, she could see it in his bright, dark blue eyes that he was alright.
    “Crystal? Zach? Are you there? How’s Kye?”
    “Daddy, Daddy!” Kye squealed, suddenly more awake than she’d been. “Look at my new clothes and my bells!”
    “Wow!” Aaron exclaimed, smiling softly. “Those are really beautiful, sweetheart.”
    “She’s been looking forward to talking to you all day,” Chris said, quietly. Aaron looked at her for a long time before returning the very small, concise smile. She wanted him here, with her. “How have you been?”
    “Fine, I guess. I’m going to be coming home in July. That’s what’s keeping me going.” He laughed quietly.
    “Oh, Aaron, that’s wonderful news! I can’t wait for you to be home… I miss you. We all do.” She pulled Kye up to sit on her lap and hugged the little girl.
    “Convince Chris that she should loosen up and have a few drinks!” Zach put in, jovially. “She won’t do it. She hates fun!”
    “Aw, Crystal… Lighten up a bit.” Aaron grinned at her wolfishly. “I thought you wouldn’t mind having a few drinks with Zach.”
    “I wouldn’t, but…” She stopped, and just shook her head. “Fine, you two win. But just one. And later.”
    “Are you guys going to drink my juice?” Kye asked, horrified.
    The three adults laughed loudly, and Chris managed to say, “No, hon, don’t worry.”
    “Well,” Kye replied, suspiciously, “okay… I guess you won’t. But you better not, ‘cause that’s my juice, okay?”
    “Okay,” Zach said, seriously. “I understand. But what would happen if I were to, say, accidentally drink your juice?”
    Kye’s face went completely blank, and then her eyebrows drew together in an evil, yet somehow hilarious, glower. “If you drink my juice, I’ll beat you up, Zachy.”
    Chris covered her mouth to stifle her laughter, but the boys cracked up and Zach dropped to the floor, holding his stomach. Aaron stopped laughing when a man behind him spoke, and he sighed into the microphone.
    “Listen, guys… I only have a little bit more time. I just want you to know that I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate you watching over Kye while I’m overseas. Zach, you keep right on keeping Crystal out of trouble.” Zach smiled and nodded curtly. “Kye, baby, I’ll call you on the phone when I can and you can tell me all about your school, okay?” The little girl nodded sleepily. “Crystal…” Aaron smiled sadly. “I miss you so much and… I love you, babe. Thank you for… for wearing the ring. I have to go now… Thank you all for talking to me. I’ll call in a couple of weeks. Bye, everyone. Tell Kyle and Nat I said hello.” He waved to them, and the call ended.
---
    Matt was shopping all day, looking everywhere for a doll that fit his needs. He’d finally found it, in a little shop just outside of town. It was a soft, child-friendly, male doll with dirty blond hair, light brown eyes, and very stylish clothing.
    He bought the doll, as well as several changes of clothes for it, and sat in his car outside Crystal’s house, dressing it carefully and smiling to himself. He rocked slightly and hummed as he worked. This doll would be there in Kye’s life where he could not. It, as well as the other presents he’d gotten for her--clothes, ribbons, treats, toys, and those beautiful silver bells that would allow him to know if she was getting close, among other things--would make up for all the time he had not been there.
    She would have it in her room with her. It would be there when she played, to represent him. She would sleep with it at night. He would feel like he was there with her. It was only right. They said she was almost eight, but he knew the truth; she could only be six or so. They said she was Aaron’s daughter, but Matt knew. Kye walked the way that he walked. She had Chris’ attitude. It was, in his mind, an undisputed fact: Kye was his daughter.
    Soon, he thought, smiling to himself in the dark of the street, my beautiful daughter and my beautiful wife will be mine again. All mine.