The Perfect Solution-A Suspense of Choices (27 page)

I know my Father in Heaven has forgiven me and I was stupid in my lassitude in begging for your forgiveness. I just have not had the courage to call you. I pray on this daily. My keeping your child from you has to be the most awful thing a person could do to another person. I can just say it again, I am truly sorry. Please try and forgive me."

She turned her head and looked out of the passenger side window. Pulling a Kleenex from her pocket, she wiped the tears rolling down her face and blew her nose.

Austin reached for her left hand and pulled it to his lap.

"Catrine, don't cry. I can't say that I understand how you could have believed the choice that you made was in any way a good thing, but I can forgive you. Who am I to think that I am better than any other person? I shouldn't be sitting here all pompous and acting like I wasn't a major catalyst in your decision. If I hadn't been so damned adamant and obnoxious about my feelings for not moving in with you, you would have come to me as soon as you could have. You would have at least told me way before now."

Austin reached over and turned on the wipers. Clearing the multitude of drops from the windshield like he wished he could clear the road to understanding with Catrine. He felt awful. He knew that the anguish she was feeling wasn't just from the possible loss of Brhin. It ran deeper. More than likely, it had a lot to do with him. After a few minutes of silence that was occasionally pierced by Catrine's sniffles Austin tried to soothe her with words of comfort.

"Catrine, as I sit here I fault myself deeply for the problem between us. I deluded myself into believing that you could never have loved me and so I felt justified in never getting in touch with you. I see that I was wrong. I am an idiot. When I was sitting in that little detective's office all I could think about was getting out of there and getting a hold on you. I was in a murderous rage. I really think I could have hurt you. That is until I saw you again."

"Austin, pull over." Catrine muttered urgently.

"Why?" He swung his gaze to her and back toward the road. "You can't walk. It's cold and rainy."

"I'm...." she gagged. "I think I am going to be sick." She gagged again. "Hurry up."

Swerving dangerously through the traffic, Austin pulled the car to the curb and slammed the car into park. Running around the car and pulling open the door, he helped her out and a few steps from the side of the car. She continued standing near her side as she threw up, even though she waved him away.

"She'll be all right."

Detective Serge thumped Austin on the back with his opened palm when he started at his approach.

Why don't we step over there?" Detective Serge prompted. He pointed to a spot a few steps away and directed Austin to the area by adding pressure the palm in the middle of his back.

"I'll tell you something I learned from my wife about these situations." The detective spoke in low tones. "We as men may think that we're helping when we stand around looking miserable and helpless, but we are really just making them feel self-conscious. Women don't like to have all of their weaknesses exposed."

"Humph."

At a loss for words, Austin just studied his toes. Pretending to be engrossed in their wet grass covered tips until he quickly stepped away from the detective when Catrine straightened and started back to the car.

"Are you okay?"

He helped her back into the car and leaned over her to buckle her seat belt. Digging through the space between the bucket seats he reached into the back and pulled out a sealed bottle of water.

"Here, drink some of this." Squatting between the open door and the passenger seat, Austin opened the bottle and watched Catrine take a few sips. "I keep these in the car for after I exercise. Do you want to sit here for a few minutes? Are you still feeling sick?"Looking into her eyes, he patiently waited for her answer.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She smiled slowly at the anxiety in his eyes, stretching out her hand towards his brow, this time successfully smoothing the wrinkles. "It’s only nerves I guess." She let her hand gently travel down the side of his face to mold his cheek. "It’s sad how much I've missed you," she whispered.

Pressing her hand to the side of his face with his own, Austin smiled in acknowledgment of the truth.

"Yes, I know."

Leaning forward he lightly pressed his lips to hers before standing clear and shutting the door. Getting in and starting the car, Austin apologized again as he drove through the traffic.

"Catrine I should be apologizing and asking you to forgive me. Look I'm sorry. I know you may feel that you have made your own mind up when it came to dealing with our relationship, but I did play a major role. I knew that you were inexperienced and I did play on quite a few of your emotions. It made me feel good to know I could get you to do things that you really didn't want to do. This is a man thing mainly ego. You just have to realize that a man does not like to be ruled and especially not by a woman that professes to love him."

"I wasn't trying to rule you."

"I know that now. Can't we start over? We can start as friends and parents and see what happens from there."

"I don't have any objections. We'll just take it as it comes."

"Great." He gave her hands a quick squeeze before concentrating on the traffic.

It seemed as if hours instead of mere minutes had passed before Austin was sliding the car into the first free parking slot on the McDonald's lot. Austin threw the car into park and released the lock on the car's doors.

"Look at all of the people, the police cars and news vans," exclaimed Austin. He climbed out of the car and looked around the crowded parking lot. He opened the passenger door of the car and helped Catrine out.

"It won't be that much longer, Catrine. We will soon have our little man safe in our arms."

"God, I hope so."

"Are you folks ready to go in?" Detective Serge asked as he walked up.

"You bet we are."

Pulling up the collar of his coat and reaching out for Catrine's hand, Austin led the way to the restaurant door.

"Ms. Teddi." Detective Williams, who had been standing in the restaurant's doorway awaiting their arrival, opened the door as the trio approached and rushed out to meet them. "Come on inside. We are about to finish getting the full statement from the worker that helped your son. The television stations want to get the reunion on camera soon afterwards."

"Can we get our son, first?" he asked.

"By the time we get in there, the young man's time before the camera should be just about over. From what I have gathered so far," Detective Williams informed them as they walked. "The worker, a teenage boy, volunteered his services when your son began crying loudly to go to the restroom. Once in the restroom, Brhin told the young man that he had been taken from his day care and that he did not know the lady that he was with. Your son also informed him of how you brought him to eat breakfast here every Saturday. Luckily, the teenager had seen the newscast earlier and decided that he needed to call the police. He advised Brhin to lock the door and not open it until his real mother came for him. And no matter how we tried to get him to let us in Brhin hasn't

"Have you gotten the woman that took my son?"

"No, Mr. Sanchez we haven't. We have her address from the 911 call but she is not in the house. That house is a mess. It looks as if someone went through it in a rage. Things were torn up and thrown around as if a mad woman had gotten a hold of it. There is not a car in the garage and it looks as if she may have left town. Articles of clothes were scattered around one bedroom as if someone had packed in a hurry. I can tell you one thing for sure; she is the person that took your son. There are framed pictures of Brhin throughout the house. In some of the pictures he has longer hair and a few are more recent because his hair is cut. Some of the pictures have him playing at what looks like to be one of our city's parks, or playing with a little dog, but most of them are of him playing here at the McDonald's. She is in none of them.

From the looks of things over there and the things written in a notebook found in a drawer of a desk she had been watching the child for a while. It seems as if she really had a love for the boy that is until she became angry.

The room she had designated for him was a beauty and well stocked. Toys, obviously new, were thrown all around and laying broken everywhere. The fingerprint guys are over there now. We are doing a door-to-door search of this street just in case she is hiding nearby."

"How the hell did she get away?"

"She just walked out of the door when she saw the police cars drive into the lot, but we will find her. The worker says he now remembers seeing the woman here before."

"Do you think she may have hurt Brhin?" Catrine questioned anxiously.

"No. The boy inside said that Brhin looked fine. He saw no bruises or cuts on him."

"Well I hope that you find her. For all that we know she may have been planning this abduction for a very long time, watching Catrine and Brhin on every Saturday and no telling whenever. It gives me the creeps just to think about it. For all we know if she planned this so well, more than likely she has a plan 'B'."

Austin pushed open the doors and ushered Catrine in before him. Firmly clutching the hand she extended to him, he smiled inwardly at the fact that she turned to him in her need for strength and comfort.

The smell of burgers and fries hit Catrine's nostrils and reminded her that she had not eaten anything all day. The sudden feeling of hunger in the pit of her empty stomach made her feel faint. She swayed and clutched at Austin's hand. Feeling the weakness in her, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"It'll be okay, Catrine. You can do it. Just hold on a little bit longer."

The bright, glaring lights from the television cameras seemed to blind Catrine when she stepped over the threshold. Shielding her eyes from the light, she tried to focus on and tune in to the direction of the voice calling her name.

"Ms. Teddi, Ms. Teddi, here to your right." A woman dressed in green stepped into view. She held a microphone stamped with her station's logo out in front of her.

"Yes? Is Brhin with you?" Eyes adjusting to the light, Catrine looked around the crowded restaurant anxiously.

"No. We have been waiting for you to get here so that we could meet him. From what I have heard about him, he seems to be very intelligent and brave. I can't wait to see him."

"I can't either." Catrine answered.

Moving his hold from her waist to her elbow, Austin assisted Catrine towards the restrooms.

"Come on, Catrine. Hurry so you can put all of us out of our anxiety.”

Bending at the waist and pressing her ear to the cold bathroom door, Catrine tapped softly.

"Brhin, its Momma. Unlock the door."

Brhin's screech and cheer of happiness which could be heard through the door caused a responding laugh from the people in the building.

“Momma is that really you?" He asked excitedly.

"Oh Honey, yes. Open the door for me."

"First tell me the password." He demanded loudly and everyone surrounding Catrine laughed.

Choked with emotion, the tightness in her chest constricted her breathing, making her feel as if she would pass out at any moment. Taking a deep breath, Catrine wiped the tears from her face and cleared her throat.

"Angel kisses," she said brokenly. "Now will you come out?"

Hearing the click of the lock, Catrine stepped back and to the side to avoid getting hit by the swinging of the door. Cautiously, Brhin peeked around the doorframe of his self-imposed prison and nervously looked at the people and cameras surrounding him. Giving a shy smile that drew attention to the large dimples in his cheeks, he placed the tip of his thumb into his mouth. His large eyes widened at the sudden burst of a combined ahh from the audience even more at the flash of a photographer's bulb. At the sudden burst of the flash, he moved as if to step back in the restroom.

"Don't worry, Honey," Catrine assured him as she stepped from around the door. "Mommy is here."

Immediately, a look of extreme joy appeared in place of the fear that had been plastered on his face.

"Momma, Momma."

Stooping to Brhin's level, Catrine picked him up and hugged him to her. Crying and laughing, she kissed his face and neck while moving to a standing position.

"My baby, my baby," she repeated over and over as the tears rolled down her face.

"Oh, God, Catrine, he's beautiful." Austin smiled at Brhin and softly rubbed his fingers through the tight little curls. Moving closer to Catrine's shoulder he put his mouth close to Brhin's ear. "Can you guess who I am?" He whispered, trying not to frighten the child with his deep voice.

Brhin looked from Austin to Catrine and back to Austin.

"That's silly. Yes, I know who you are." Brhin smiled back. "You're my daddy. You look just like me. I see you in all of the pictures. I drew a picture for you in my room. Are you gonna come and see it? You're not gonna be too busy anymore are you? Are you gonna live in my house with my momma and me? Are you going to stay with us forever?"

"Brhin." Catrine laughingly admonished the boy. "I guess I forgot to tell you how straight forward he is." She laughed into Austin's smiling face. "He tends to say whatever comes to his head."