You Belong To Me (7 page)

M
aybe it's just some sick coincidence. If my bedroom is okay and my jewelry, what little I have
is still there then yes, maybe it is just some kids playing a prank. And a broken window is the extent of it.

That feeling faded the moment she walked into her b
edroom. Instantly she knew that the bed had been jostled about and not by her. When she left to sleep at Shay's last night, her bed was made and Shay could vouch for that as well. Now the comforter was thrown on the floor and the sheets a mess as if someone had rolled around in them.

“Mitch, my bed was made last night.”

“Are you sure ma'am?”

“Yes I'm sure!” Danielle said in a now panicked voice.

“Look officer if she said her bed was made then it was made.”

“Anything else amiss ma'am, you'll need to look in
your dressers and closets as well.”

As Danielle opened her closet she half expected someone to jump out. Sensing her apprehension, Mitch held her close as he checked her closet.

“No everything seems okay in here.”

“Now you’re dressers ma'am.”

“Oh yes.”  Feeling embarrassed, Danielle opened her intimates draw. Immediately she knew that the new bras and panties that she had purchased during her and Shay's first shopping trip were now missing.

“Oh my god Mitch, my bras, my panties, they’re gone! They’re gone
Mitch. I know exactly what I had here and there are items missing, I think I'm gonna be sick!”

While clutching her stomach, Danielle made a hasty retreat to the bathroom slamming the door behind her. After  vomiting  into the toilet, she was washing up in
the sink when a feeling of complete and utter helplessness came over her, she felt violated and sick again.

She began to feel nauseous, but this time darkness was surrounding her. She reached for the door to unlock it, to get help, but before she could ev
erything went black.

“Danielle? Danielle?” No answer came from behind the door.

“Something’s wrong, I'm breaking down the door,” Mitch said to the officer. “Danielle if you can hear me it's me Mitch. Babe, open the door so I can help you.” Still there was no answer.

After a swift kick to the door, it opened, but only partially. Danielle's unconscious body prevented it from opening all the way.

“Oh my god, get help. Somebody get some help up here,” Mitch shouted to the officer.

“Danielle, Danielle, can yo
u hear me? Please say something.”

By now several officers had ran up the stairs. As one approached Danielle to check her vitals, Mitch snarled at him. “Don’t touch her, someone call an ambulance,” Mitch urged.

Jason had worked his way through and pulled his friend out of the way. “Mitch buddy, let them look at her, you’ve got to come away.”

As he allowed Jason to remove him from the bathroom, Mitch didn't know what to do, he felt helpless.

“Mitch, she's gonna be fine, she just fainted. Let them help her.  They know what they’re doing, let’s get you some air.”

Stepping aside and letting an EMT through to help Danielle, Jason and Mitch went outside.

“Jason baby, what’s happening? Where’s Danielle? Why is there an ambulance? What is going on?”

“It's okay babe
, she fainted and must have hit her head.”

“Oh my god is she awake?”

“I don’t know yet honey, but I'm sure she’ll be okay,” he said as he held her close.

When she tried opening her eyes, everything was a blur. She could not make out all the voices and she
couldn’t hear Mitch. When she tried to lift her head she couldn’t, it felt heavy and she had a throbbing headache. “Ma'am? Ma'am can you hear me?” A painful moan was all that she could let out.

“You’ve passed out ma'am and when you did you hit your head on
the side of the sink. We’re taking you to the hospital.”

An officer was sent out to notify them to bring a stretcher for transport. Mitch immediately made his way back inside. “Wait what's happening what's going on?”

“Sir she’s got a pretty bad bump on her head from the fall we're taking her to county hospital, you can meet us there.”

Mitch, Shayla, and Jason jumped into his truck and followed the ambulance to the hospital.

Lying in the hospital bed, head bandaged and feeling incredibly woo
zy, Danielle waited for the doctor to finish his examination. “Well, Miss Martins, you’ve got quite a bump on your head. We're going to keep you here overnight to make sure all is well, and if it is you can go home tomorrow. In the meantime, there are some very anxious people waiting outside to see you, shall I go get them?”

“Oh yes please doctor.”

“You can go in now but don’t stay too long, visiting hours will be over soon and she needs to rest.”

“Yes doctor,” they all said.

Mitch was the first to reach for her hand as he held it carefully in his. “Oh babe, how do you feel?”

“Embarrassed and exhausted. Thank you guys for coming.” She turned her head in the direction of Shay and Jason as she winced in pain.

“Oh Dee, don’t try to move hun, and there’s no need to thank us. We were so worried about you. Joe and Vic are on their way.”

Tears began to fall down the side of her face and onto her pillow.

“Danielle, what is it? Is it your head?”

“Nothing, it’s just that I feel so loved. Thank you guys for being there
for me.”

“Of course Danielle, we all love you and are here for you.”

“Time for Miss Martins to get her rest and visiting hours are over, you'll have to leave,” said a stern looking nurse.

“Geez,” whispered Shayla. “We just got here.”

“Come on babe, let's let her rest.”

“Danielle I love you, and I'll be back here first thing in the morning,” Shayla said and kissed her friend goodbye.

“Thanks Shay, thanks Jason. Love you guys too.”

“Mitch, would you stay with me a moment?”
 

“Of course Danielle.”

“Don't worry about the nurse,” said Shay. “We'll keep a lookout for her so you can have some time with Mitch, and we'll wait for Vic and Joe."

“I’d hate to have them make a wasted trip.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get in touch with them and tell them not to bother.”

“Thanks Shay.”

“Goodnight Dee, see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight guys and thanks again.”

Once Shayla and Jason left the room, Danielle held onto Mitch's hand even tighter.  “Mitch, I don’t know what I would have done if you weren't there with me, thank you.”

“Danielle, seeing you like that I felt so helpless and I didn't know what to do.”

“Oh babe, you did everything right. You rescued me once again. I think I love you Mitchell Conway,” she slurred, the pain medication was not only making her drowsy but it was causing her to speak her inhibitions.

 
The medication was kicking in and she found it impossible to keep her eyes open any longer. And as she drifted off to sleep, she thought she heard him say, “I love you too Danielle and I'm not leaving you here alone tonight.”

The following morning, she awoke feeling groggy but thankful that her headache had gone from a throbbing pain to a dull ache.
  Mitch had just walked into her hospital room looking just as exhausted as she did. He smiled at her when he saw she was awake. “Hey, there's my girl. How are you feeling?”

“I'm better thanks.”

“Good morning Miss Martins,” the doctor said as he held her chart in his hands.

“Well your all set to go home today Miss Martins, your cat-scan came back negative so I'm
giving you a clean bill of health. I don’t recommend any strenuous exercise for a few days at least but other than that, you’re good to go. But if you have any dizziness or blurred vision your to return to the hospital, do you understand?”

"Yes doctor,” Da
nielle said, happy to be leaving.

“That's great doctor, thank you.” Mitch shook his hand.

“Let me get the nurse to come in and help you get on your way.” Thanks again doc.”

“You’re welcome and good luck.

 "Danielle, while you were sleeping Shay dropped off a change of clothes for you to go home in. 

“Ugh, home, I’d be excited if I were going anywhere but there.”

“Well you’re not Danielle; you’re going to stay at my place for as long as you need to.”

“Mitch, thank you,” She said hugging him.

“I wouldn't have it any other way.  Now let's get the nurse to remove your IV so we can get you home where you belong.”

Parked in his usual hiding spot outside the Johnson’s general store, Ethan began to

wonder where his Danielle was.

“Hmm, it's not like her to be this
late, I think I'll take a ride by her house and see if her car is there.” Backing out of the driveway, Ethan wanted to speed over to her place, but thought better of it as he did not want to draw attention to himself or worse, get pulled over.

He wouldn'
t want to have to explain to the police what he was doing with semen stained bras and panties in his car. But if I did get pulled over, he thought to himself. I’d simply tell them that they belong to my girlfriend. I wouldn’t be lying, he assured himself as he drove towards Danielle’s house.

 
Mitch waited outside in the hall while Danielle got dressed.
God bless you Shay
, she thought to herself. You picked out just the right clothes. Slipping into a pair of ankle length yoga pants and a casual tee, she felt so grateful for such wonderful friends. I'll have to return the favor to Shay, maybe take her out for a nice dinner, just us girls. A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, it was Vic. 

 
“Oh my girl, what happened, are you alright?”

“Yes Vic,
it's stupid really. I slipped; I slipped and hit my head.”

“Well that’s not stupid at all, it's no wonder what with all the stress that sick-o has caused you. Mitch tells me you’re going home with him? That's good Danielle, you could use a little pamperin
g and I've no doubt that Mitch is more than willing to take care of you.”

 
“Oh Vic, he's been great, you all have. I just want to get on with my life and get back to work.”

“Danielle, Joe and I are making you take your vacation time. You've got more days a
ccumulated than you know what to do with,” Victoria urged.

“Vic just give me a couple days.”

“Now Danielle, I'm putting my foot down. You come back when you're one hundred percent and not a moment sooner.”

“Okay, okay Vic, but on one condition?”

“And what’s that young lady?”

“You let me handle the computer work from home. I can use my own laptop to log into the computer at work and that way nothing will be behind so I can keep up with the inventory.”

“Danielle, you stubborn woman you. Fine, but no logging on until after the Memorial Day weekend, and that’s that!” Victoria decreed.

“Yes ma'am!”

“Danielle, Joe and I were worried sick. If anything happened to any one of you we'd be devastated,” her friend let out a worried sigh.

“I'll be fine Vic, we all will.
Once this jerk is caught.”

“Any news on that animal?”

“I haven’t asked Mitch yet, but I will.”

“Well you just let him handle it, get your rest and call us if you need anything. You’re in good hands Danielle.”

“Thanks Vic.” After Hugging Vic goodbye, Danielle thought to herself,
I am in good hands, I really am.

While Mitch drove them back to his place, Danielle couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious, anxious about seeing his place, staying at his place, and sleeping at his place. Did he want her in his bed ev
ery night until she recovered? How long did he want her to stay? Had she heard him correctly last night when he told her he loved her?

Maybe the medication made me fall asleep before I said those words to him. Ha, I don’t think so; I know I said them befo
re I fell asleep. Passed out is more like it. Whatever they gave me at the hospital certainly gave me a very good night’s sleep. It also may have made me confess my true feelings to Mitch. But that was okay, because he confessed his as well.

“Almost there
Hun.”

“Oh no worries. Mitch take your time, the drive is nice.”

Reaching out and holding her hand, Mitch felt as if he couldn’t lose her.

No matter how fast this is happening, I know that my feelings for her are genuine. Danielle is so down to earth, so d
ifferent than woman I've dated in the past. I told her that I love her already, and she's said the same thing to me. Why does it feel so right? Because it is, simply because it is.
His conscience told him.

“We're here honey.”

As he pulled into his driveway, Danielle was finally able to put her anxieties to rest.

A gorgeous home lay before her. Gasping, she turned to Mitch and said, “It's absolutely beautiful Mitch, I may never want to leave.”

“That’s fine with me Danielle; I was hoping you’d like it.”

“Are you kidding? It's stunning; I cannot wait to see inside.”

Opening the truck door for her, Mitch held out his arm for Danielle as he guided her towards the house.

Walking up the gravel driveway, towards the handsomely crafted authentic log cabin home,
Danielle couldn't help but notice the beautifully landscaped yard. The yard was surrounded by maple trees and a wonderful tree swing hung from the largest of them. “Did you put that swing there? It's gorgeous, just gorgeous.”

“I built this whole place with
my own two hands Danielle.”

“I love it. You must be so proud, it's amazing.”

“Danielle, there’s no one I'd rather share it with than you. Come on, I want you to see the back yard before I take you in. I mean if you’re up to it?”

“Of course, of course. See
ing this much beauty already makes me feel better.”

After kissing her hand, he held onto it as they approached the back yard.

Turning the corner past the garage that looked more like an extension of the house rather than a plain old garage, she beamed as they came upon the backyard which looked like something from the Garden of Eden.

There were plush juniper bushes surrounding the yard, while more maple and pine trees filled the back drop. It was completely private and there were romantic touches everywher
e. An intricately placed stone wall outlined the property with various mums and other potted plants and flowers graciously sitting atop it.

In the middle of the gorgeous lawn was a cozy gazebo made out of logs adorned by white twinkling lights and held a
lovely chocolate colored wicker outdoor set. “This is absolutely breath taking! You must spend hours out here,” Danielle said.

“I do, this is my sanctuary. This is what I threw myself into after I got back from my three week hiatus. I wanted to do somethin
g for me. I knew my parents owned the land but had never gotten around to building on it so after talking with them, we decided it was just the kind of project I needed to do.”

“Well, it certainly lets me see a side of you that I didn't know you had, and I
like it. You are a kind and gentle man Mitchell Conway.”

“And you are the woman that brings it out of me Danielle Martins.”

He drew her into his arms and they both gazed at each other and their beautiful surroundings.

“Now, come inside, let me show you th
e rest.”

Walking through the open back patio hand in hand, he guided her in through the back sliding glass door. Once again she let out a gasp as they entered into a very large, very open gourmet kitchen, with panoramic views on all sides including a pair
of gorgeous skylights.

Two steps down and they were in the great/living room where a large fireplace dominated the room, above it was home to a large moose head.
  Various country quilts hung on the walls, and amongst them were old black and white photos.

“This is gorgeous. Are these your family photographs?”

“Yes, after I had finished building the place, my mom couldn’t wait to come and give me decorating tips. I'm not good at that sort of thing so I pretty much gave her free rein over all the decorating. “Do you like it?”

“Do I like? Are you serious? I love it; your mom has excellent taste.”

“I'm glad you think so and once you’re feeling better I’d very much like for you to meet my parents.”

“I'd love to.” Putting her arm around him, she kissed him gently
on his lips.

“Hey I'll show you up stairs, then how about I make a fire and cook us some dinner.”

“You don’t have to do that hun; I know you must be exhausted.”

“Danielle, let's just say that you coming home with me has given me my second wind. I couldn't
sleep if I tried.”

“Well in that case, that sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Now show me upstairs,” she said with a smile. While walking upstairs with him, Danielle couldn’t help but notice how everything seemed to fit, even the stairs were befit
ting of a log cabin. Mitch stepped in front of her and showed her the bathroom and guest room, which he substituted as an office. Feeling a bit let down, Danielle thought to herself,
I wonder if he wants me to stay in here? It doesn’t matter, it’s a gorgeous room.
Finally, Mitch opened up his bedroom door and said to her, “And this is where you'll be staying, right here with me.”