The Broken Road (The Broken Series) (42 page)

Cenia
stayed with me until Kadyn returned from Illinois on Sunday. Ellen encouraged
me to take a few more days off, but Kadyn and everyone else had to return to
work. I wasn’t comfortable being alone. I longed to bury myself in work and
thought it might help take my mind off the kidnapping. So I returned to Senator
Rockefeller’s office the Monday after Thanksgiving.

*
* * * * *

As
soon as I walked out of the Thurgood Marshall Building, I sought out the
saxophone player. He was in his usual spot in front of the Columbus Fountain.
He stopped playing his horn as soon as he spotted me.

My
hands shook and my eyes filled with tears when I approached him, although I
wasn’t sure why. “I’m sorry. I don’t know your name, but I wanted to thank you
for helping my boyfriend find me.”

A
slow smile spread across his face. “My name is James. I’ve missed seeing you
around. You’re okay?”

“For
the most part,” I responded honestly. “My name is Kri.”

“Welcome
back, Kri. This one’s for you.” James raised the saxophone to his lips and
began to play.

I
stood there and listened to the entire song. It wasn’t a tune I recognized, but
I found it comforting all the same.

James
nodded and winked at me as he rolled into the next song.

I
smiled. I dropped a twenty dollar bill into his case before I turned and walked
away. It wasn’t much, but I thought it might buy him a meal or two.

Jamie
ushered me into Senator Rockefeller’s office the moment I entered the reception
area. Senator Rockefeller rose from his desk when I walked into the room. He
closed the distance between us, then pulled me in for a hug.

I
was completely speechless.

Senator
Rockefeller gently grasped my shoulders as he stepped back to look at me.
“Kristine, I’m so sorry.”

I
tried not to cry. “Senator, you have nothing to be sorry for. This wasn’t your
fault. In fact, I should be thanking you. I can’t possibly thank you enough for
helping Kadyn and for flying my parents into DC.” Tears stole silently down my
cheeks.

He
handed me a box of tissue. “I shouldn’t have called you and Patrick into work
so late,” he responded. His voice was filled with regret.

I
shook my head. “It wouldn’t have made any difference. He would have found
another way…” My voice broke. I couldn’t finish the sentence.

The
senator patted my back. “Still, I think a change in office policy is in order.
I won’t be calling you or anyone else into the office that late at night again,
not unless we’re all here for a late vote.”

I
nodded politely before setting the box of tissue back on the end table.

“I
owe a debt of gratitude to Captain Rand for bringing you back safely. That is
one very determined and admirable young man,” Senator Rockefeller noted as he
walked me toward the door.

“Yes,
he is,” I agreed. I turned and gently grasped his hand. “Thank you, senator,
for everything. I… I don’t think I would have survived if you hadn’t gotten
Kadyn that plane as quickly as you did.”

The
senator’s eyes softened. “It was the least I could do.”

I
just shook my head and smiled. As I hiked up the stairs that led to my cubicle,
I reflected on Senator Rockefeller’s kindness and just how fortunate I was to
be working for him. I wondered whether any of the other senators I’d
interviewed with would have made the same effort to help.

Patrick
jumped out of his chair and scooped me up into his arms the second he spotted
me. He gently lowered me back onto my feet before speaking. “God, Kri. It's so
good to see you again. I was so worried you were going to move back to Montana
with your parents. I’m so sorry about what happened. Can you ever forgive me?”

I
scowled at him as I set my briefcase and purse on my desk. “Forgive you for
what? I don’t understand why everyone keeps apologizing to me. There’s only one
person to blame here, and that person is not likely to apologize any time
soon.”

“I
shouldn’t have let you walk back to your car alone so late at night,” Patrick
insisted.

I
softened my tone. “Patrick, there were at least twelve guards between this
office and my jeep. Not a single one of you could have prevented this from
happening. I would have still gotten into that cab, oblivious to the danger
that lie ahead. Please don’t blame yourself for this. I told you when I brought
my parents in for the tour that you did nothing wrong.” I tried to reassure him
with another hug.

Patrick
looked marginally relieved as he sat back into his chair.

I
switched my computer on and settled into my chair. My thoughts lingered on
Habib. I felt guilty that Justin had threatened Diwa’s life to get to me and
that he had drawn Habib and his brother into his deranged plan. I understood
why Habib and Abdul chose to cooperate with him, but I wasn’t sure I could see
Habib again.

Just
then, my phone chimed with an incoming text. I looked down at my phone and
smiled. I quickly read the text.

May
you be blessed with knowing and receiving deep in your heart that the Father,
the Lord God Almighty loves you and is with you even when the mountains in your
life are being shaken. May the Lord bless your heart and may your hope and
faith increase as you receive His love and touch others for Him because of His
love for you.

“Oh,
Charlie,” I whispered. “How do you always seem to know exactly what I need?”

*
* * * * *

I
called Habib that night, shortly after I returned home from work. He was surprised
to hear from me. He immediately began apologizing for what had happened. As
with everyone else who had made it a point to apologize, I assured him that he
had nothing to apologize for.

I
asked him to meet me for lunch at the Afghan restaurant the next day. He
agreed, even after I told him that Kadyn was going to be there. Kadyn had insisted
on joining me when he got wind of my plans. He was worried that Abdul might
show up.

*
* * * * *

I
picked Kadyn up at the Pentagon on my way to the Afghan restaurant. Habib rose
from his chair and gave me one of his awkward hugs when we entered the
restaurant. His eyes flitted nervously to Kadyn who had already dropped into a
seat at another table. Kadyn had insisted on sitting at a separate table so
Habib would feel more comfortable talking to me. I had argued the point on the
drive over to the restaurant but to no avail.

I
squeezed Habib’s hand. “I’m sorry, Habib. I know he makes you nervous. He just
doesn’t want to see me get hurt again.”

Habib
offered me a tight smile. “I understand.”

The
waitress delivered a number of appetizers to our table. I turned my attention
to Habib as we began dishing up the food. “How’s Diwa?”

“She’s
a little scared to be by herself, but she's going to be okay,” Habib replied
reassuringly. “She has gone to Afghanistan to visit family. She might stay. She
thinks it may be safer there.” He shook his head sadly.

My
eyes widened in shock. I knew Diwa’s abduction was traumatic, but I couldn’t
believe the experience had driven her to that conclusion. “Habib, I’m so sorry
for what Justin put you and your family through.”

Habib’s
brown eyes softened. “It is as you said. There is only one person to blame, and
it is not you.”

I
smiled as Habib repeated my own words back to me. “I truly believe that, and I
hope you do too. You did what you had to do to save Diwa. I’d offer you
forgiveness, Habib, but I don’t think you have done anything that requires it.
I’d like to offer my friendship instead.”

Habib
softly touched my hand. “That I will gladly accept.”

The
waitress set lamb kabobs and a plate filled with Kadu Chalua in front of us. She
walked back to the kitchen and returned with white rice and a meat sauce that
hinted at coriander and cumin. Habib identified the meat sauce as qurma. The
waitress refilled our water glasses, then promptly disappeared into the back.

Habib
and I settled in to eat lunch. His eyes grew wide when I explained everything
that had transpired in Trout Lake. Habib’s gaze shifted toward Kadyn when I
finished describing the rescue efforts. “He must love you very much.”

I
glanced over at Kadyn and smiled. “Yes, Habib. I do believe he does.”

Habib
looked thoughtful. “Did he tell you what his friends did to Abdul?”

My
fork hung suspended in front of my mouth. “No.”

A
small smile tugged at Habib’s lips. “They wrapped his entire body in duct
tape.”

My
jaw dropped. “His
entire
body?”

Habib
nodded. “It took Diwa and me over an hour to cut him out of that tape.”

I
scowled at Kadyn when his eyes met mine.

He
shrugged. Then he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his
chest. He knew what I was scowling about, and he had no intentions of offering
up an apology.

Habib
chuckled softly. “I told my brother he deserved much worse for threatening you
with that gun.”

When
the waitress brought the check, Habib and I laughed, both recalling what had
happened the first time we ate lunch together. I sat back in my chair as Habib
reached for his wallet. He looked pleased that I was allowing him to pay the
bill.

I
reached for his hand as we stood to leave. “Thank you, Habib… for everything.”

Habib
smiled as he squeezed my hand. “Thank you, Kristine. It is good to have my
friend back.” He nodded politely at Kadyn as he joined us.

My
eyes flitted between the two men. “I’d like for all three of us to be friends.”

Kadyn
nodded. He reached for Habib’s hand. “I’d like that too.”

Habib
was visibly moved. His eyes moistened as he shook Kadyn’s hand. “I’d be honored
to count you among my friends.”

I
laughed as I patted them both on the shoulder. “Good. Then the next time we go
to lunch, the three of us can eat together. No separate tables.”

Habib
laughed. He opened the door to the restaurant and followed us outside. “Just as
long as you don’t try to pay the bill.”

I
grinned at him. “Sorry, Habib. I’m not making any promises on that one.”

Habib
shook his head as he walked toward his cab, but I could see he was still
smiling.

Kadyn
stopped just short of the jeep. He reached for my hips and pulled me in for a
hug. “That went much better than I expected. Thanks for letting me tag along.”

I
linked my hands behind his neck. I rolled up to my tiptoes and kissed him
softly on the lips. “In case you haven’t noticed, I kind of like having you
around.”

He
smiled as he rubbed his nose against mine. “In case
you
haven’t noticed,
the feeling is mutual.”

As
I gazed up at his handsome face, I was suddenly struck by how much we’d been
through in two short months. “You know, God really does work in mysterious
ways.”

Kadyn
smiled as he tugged me closer. “That he does.”

*
* * * * *

Kadyn
grew concerned about my recurring nightmares and my lingering fear of being
alone, so he started spending the night at my house again. This time, he didn’t
seek to increase the intimacy between us. He just held me as I slept and
soothed me when the nightmares came. If he noticed that I would only kiss him
with my eyes open, he didn’t say a word about it.

The
Senate took a long recess over the holidays, so I suddenly found myself with
more free time than I could handle. Cenia convinced me to make handmade
Christmas cards. She hauled me off to a craft store and loaded me up with a ridiculous
amount of supplies. I was done in three days.

Gabi
had just finished up with final exams, so she took me out holiday shopping at
Tyson’s Mall. Tysons wasn’t exactly
a
mall. It was two malls. And the
people milling around both malls were completely insane. Noting the panic on my
face, Gabi led me straight to Starbucks. She hooked me up with a peppermint
white mocha with two extra shots of caffeine. When that didn’t do the trick,
she dragged me into Coastal Flats for appetizers and wine. Shopping proved much
easier after that. Although, I later questioned the rationale behind purchasing
all of my friends red lace thongs for Christmas.

Cenia,
Marie, and I were brainstorming additional activities to keep me busy when we
met up for lunch at Panera Bread the next day. We had been batting around
numerous ideas.

Marie’s
face brightened as she reached for her cup of chai tea. “Why don’t we continue your
tradition of baking cookies for one of the local homeless shelters?”

“That’s
a great idea!” Cenia exclaimed excitedly.

I
mulled over her suggestion as I warmed my hands by the fireplace. “I think I’d
like to bake cookies for a battered women’s shelter instead.”

 “You
know,” Marie said thoughtfully, “kids often join their moms at those shelters.”