14

Author's note

It appears that my last chapter didn't quite hit the mark. While it brought kidnapping, excitement, and suspense, it seems to have divided opinions among you - some loved it, others not so much. The comments I've received so far have been a mix of "nice" and "ridiculous."

Taking these critiques to heart, I'm determined to bring this story to a satisfying conclusion as best I can with this last installment and an insightful epilogue. My hope is that I've managed to entertain you throughout this journey and that you'll consider delving into more of my writing in the future.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported me along this creative path. As a writer, I am constantly striving to improve, and I recognize that writing is both a challenging and deeply rewarding endeavor. To anyone who's ever contemplated putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), I encourage you to give it a try -- the experience is truly enriching.

I've even toyed with the idea of crafting an alternative ending or welcoming contributions from others. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please share them with me. Your feedback is invaluable to any author, and I cannot stress enough how important it is in shaping the narrative.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your involvement and support.

Chapter 13: Love Lost Forever

Love lost Forever

In silence, lost, without your music's grace,

My song unheard, I wandered in a daze,

I pondered where the cosmos finds its space,

And what awaits at time's final phase.

An unopened message in a bottle, I became,

Adrift upon an endless, boundless sea,

My essence, silt within the water's frame,

My lips with tears of rue, now set them free.

Once selfish, now humbled to meet my fate,

To turn the clock and find my way to you,

Oh, do not perish, love, it's not too late,

Return to me, let love be born anew.

In every moment's grace, our love shall soar,

Together, hand in hand, forevermore.

The sight of my old house, a relic of my childhood, conjured memories that felt like wisps of a distant dream. It was a small, quaint house, frozen in the timeless charm of 1960s Ranch architecture. The front steps beckoned me toward a split-level first floor, to the left were bay windows and there, a living room with wide-open curtains allowed me to peer inside. My father sat in an easy chair, engrossed in a newspaper, while the world beyond blurred into a surreal haze.

As I approached, a delicate white picket fence magically encircled the front yard, and the gate creaked open with an ethereal whisper. With each step, the boundaries between reality and reverie blurred, until I stood at the front door, where my mother, who no longer existed in the waking world, suddenly appeared to welcome me, her presence evoking a sense of wonder and nostalgia that only dreams can weave.

"honey, oh, Anney it is so good to see you dear. Come in, your sister cannot make it, but your husband is here." She said, giving me a hug and a squeeze.

"Mother, Robert is here? How can you know him? You and daddy were long gone before I even knew Robert? "I asked incredulously.

"Oh, don't be silly Anney, we invited him for dinner. Now that you're about to start a family we want you two to come over more."

"Oh, Mom, how do you know we are starting a family? "I said, smiling.

She took both of my hands and hers, and looked me in the eyes. "Mothers know these things, dear," she responded.

As I entered the house with my mother, the scent of a freshly simmering Irish stew engulfed me, wrapping me in its savory embrace. There, in the corner, I spotted my father, reclining in his chair, a serene smile gracing his face. As I stepped further inside, he set down his newspaper, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Honey, come here, and let me look at you. You look beautiful." He said.

"Yes, daddy, I had an accident, and it was necessary to do plastic surgery, and this is how it came out." I said.

"Well, honey, I'm glad they finally fixed your jaw. I always thought you looked beautiful to me. Give me a hug" he said, holding his hands out

I embraced him to give him a hug. Tears came to my eyes as I remembered how much my father loved me. I missed him so much.

"Oh, daddy, I really miss having you with me, and hearing your voice and all your sage advice when things go bad.." I said, teary-eyed stifling strong emotions to cry.

"Now Anney, you know that you and your sister have never lost me. I have always been here with you and your sister. He said in the gentle voice caressing my hair.

My mother came into the living room and interrupted us. "You better wash up honey because dinner will be served shortly and you're eating for two now. After you wash up and put on something more comfortable, you can help me in the kitchen." She said characteristically.

"Huh, eating for two? Mom does my belly show?"

"No, dear, not yet, you're slim as ever but your face has a certain glow," she said, with a sly smile on her face.

"Ok, sure mom, but where is Robert? I want to see him." Looking around but not seeing Robert anywhere.

"He should be along shortly. He will be staying with us now," said my father looking at me seriously.

"What do you mean? Robert is staying here?" I asked not understanding what he meant.

My father merely answered, "We are expecting him and we will take good care of him, Anney don't you worry."

I looked around at the dinner table set for four people, but did not see my husband. My father went back to reading his paper. I looked at him questioningly, "daddy, where is Robert, I need to see him, please tell me where he is, daddy, please where is he?" I said over and over again, but my father did not look up.

"Tell me where he is... Tell me where he is... tell me where he is," I was mumbling. Lying on the stretcher, I was rushed out of the ambulance, my left leg immobilized, encased in tight bandages, and an IV piercing my arm. The world came back into focus as I regained consciousness, but I was met with a jarring reality. My head was firmly fastened to a board, leaving me unable to move it in any direction. Two urgent medical responders, a male and a female, whisked me with urgency into the chaotic triage area.

Desperation swelled within me as I managed to utter the words through the constraints that held me, "Where's my husband? Where's Robert?" My voice trembled with anxiety, seeking reassurance in the midst of this harrowing whirlwind.

The male paramedic looked at me with kind eyes, "Welcome back madam."

"Please, is he alright? Please tell me." I begged desperately.

"Please stay calm, Mrs. Savino. Your husband was flown by helicopter to the hospital. He is in good hands. We are taking you to be checked out in the emergency room. It looks like you have a bullet wound in your thigh.."

"What happened," I said trying to regain my equilibrium.

"You must have fallen to the ground and hit your head hard. You have a head injury and bleeding scalp. You need to be checked out because you show signs of a concussion." He said.

I was not registering what she was saying. My mind was racing and I felt dizzy and nauseous.

"You must have been severely dehydrated and you were bleeding from your leg. We gave you a liter of normal saline before your blood pressure came back to normal." said the female paramedic.

A thunderous wave of fear coursed through my body. I had survived, but what about my husband? He was left behind with a bullet wound to his chest, teetering on the precipice of life and death. Dread wrapped its icy fingers around my heart, making it difficult to even contemplate the thought of losing him once more.

My voice quivered as I implored, "Thank you for everything you've done for me. But please, can you provide any information about my husband? How is he holding up? I need to see him!" The desperation in my tone could not be denied.

The compassionate woman gazed at me with a mix of sympathy and apprehension, pondering how to convey what she knew. In a soft, gentle voice, she began to speak.

"He was transported promptly to the hospital emergency room," she said.

"When we arrived at the scene, he was in bad shape. He received aggressive fluid resuscitation and was intubated." She added.

"Is he alright? Have you received any updates?" I asked, my anxiety growing.

She offered a reassuring yet cautious response, "I only have the information that he's currently in critical condition. The trauma team acted swiftly, evaluating the severity of his injuries, and he was rushed to the operating room. His injuries were indeed quite severe. It's fortunate that immediate first aid was administered after the gunshot wound; it played a pivotal role in increasing his chances of survival."

The two paramedics took me to the emergency room and left me in a private cubicle. A nurse came in to examine me and put up a new IV bag of fluid. She took my vital signs, drew some blood while asking me some questions about how I was doing. My leg hurt but not nearly as bad as my feet which were badly bruised, cut, and very painful. She told me to wait for the doctor. After an agonizing, 20 minutes, where I could think of nothing else, but Robert, a female doctor came into the room to examine me.

"Doctor, can you find out how my husband is doing. Could you call the operating room?" I said, knowing full well, that my request would not be granted.

"Anne, I understand how you feel, I really do, but there's nothing we can do right now, but wait." she said in a calm tone, trying to reassure me.

After examining my gunshot wound, she diligently cleansed it, and the moment she started exploring the wound, searing pain coursed through me. I clenched my teeth, doing everything in my power to stifle the agonizing screams that threatened to escape.

With a composed demeanor, she conveyed, "It appears that we won't need to take you to the operating room. The bullet merely grazed your leg, and it seems the muscle damage is relatively minimal. We'll proceed with a CT scan of your head and neck to remove the neck brace, as well as X-rays for your leg. Following that, we'll cleanse and suture the wound. Additionally, a tetanus shot will be necessary."

After the CT scan and X-rays, the doctor returned smiling, "We can take off this neck brace. There are no fractures.

"As for the facial bruising, it should heal swiftly. The CT scan of your head revealed only minor soft tissue damage. I imagine this comes as a relief, especially after the extensive reconstructive surgery you endured following your previous accident," she said, her smile and soothing tone lending reassurance to her words.

She turned her attention it to my poor feet. "The injuries to your feet are all deep cuts and extensive bruises. They will need time to heal, making walking painful and challenging for a while. We've already documented the extent of your injuries with photos for the police." She examined the cuts and bruises and cleaned them up with saline solution. While cleaning and disinfecting the wounds she said," Tell me how you are feeling. Were you assaulted? Do you need a rape kit Anne?" She asked with a gentle voice.

"I was sexually assaulted doctor by one person but he never was able to enter my vagina with his penis, just his tongue before I walloped him on the head with a lamp," I said.

My statement elicited a little smile from the doctor.

"Weren't you drugged?" She asked me.

"I think that they used chloroform to knock me out and an intramuscular benzodiazepine to sedate me."

"I'll need your consent for a drug screen urine and blood," she said matter of fact.

Then she added, "Sexual assault victims can contract diseases from cunnilingus," she said

I was so anxious about Robert that I really didn't care what happened to me. I was answering her questions perfunctorily with my mind consumed by thoughts of my husband, who now lay in the operating room battling for his life. He had selflessly shielded me from a bullet, taking the brunt of it in his chest. As I grappled with the reality that his chances of survival hung precariously at 50-50, an overwhelming sense of worry enveloped me. My own leg injury, painful as it was, paled in comparison to the sacrifice he had made for me. Every fiber of my being was determined to be by his side as soon as I possibly could.

"When can I go see my husband?" I inquired, yearning to be by his side.

The doctor maintained a reassuring tone, "Anne, you've sustained significant injuries to your leg, head, and body. I have not completed a full assessment of your condition yet. It is advisable for you to stay here overnight for observation. I assure you that our medical team will prioritize allowing you to visit him as soon as it's safe."

"Thank you, doctor. I am feeling better, and I'd really like to wait for my husband to come out of surgery before undergoing any further treatment," I conveyed.

The doctor began to express her concerns, "Anne, considering the traumatic nature of your injuries, I think..."

I interjected, my determination unwavering, "Doctor, I truly am okay. I just need to be with my husband. I must see him."

Understanding the urgency of my request, the doctor nodded and said, "I completely understand, Anne. However, before you go, there are certain procedures and precautions I need to take to ensure your overall well-being."

Anne, I must give you an internal examination for the police report. It is important that we make sure you have not contracted any sexually transmitted diseases, and that we document everything carefully for the criminal court. There are two officers here who want to speak with you."

The emergency room released me after what seemed like an eternity, waiting for them to give me medication and for the results of

blood tests. Then, I saw a police detective who introduced himself as detective Collins. He was extremely interested in what I had to say regarding Stacy and Daniel Dreyfus. They were guarding Jake Parson in the ER. They were not sure what happened to him, and they thought he was a victim. When I told him everything I knew regarding what I overheard Jake say to the now three dead kidnappers, and then told him how Jake had assaulted me, he became quite concerned.

Detective Collins leaned in and whispered to the officer beside him, "Inform the officers guarding Jake that he's not just a person of interest anymore; it's time to arrest him and read him his rights."

Turning his gaze towards me, he said, "I'll need a sworn statement from you."

After that, he swiftly dialed his precinct to issue an all-points bulletin for the apprehension of Daniel Dreyfus, and Stacy Lane, instructing her immediate custody. Then, he assured me, "The assistant district attorney will be meeting with you in the morning."

"We've arranged for your safety. Two officers will accompany you back home and ensure your protection until all the culprits involved in this crime are behind bars," he assured. Concluding our conversation, he added, "If the press contacts you, remember not to disclose any details about the incident until you've consulted with the district attorney."

As soon as I was released, I hobbled up to the elevator to the second floor using a cane to take the weight off my injured leg and balance on my sore feet. I was accompanied by the two officers, to the surgical intensive care unit where I could wait for Robert when he arrived in the recovering room after surgery.

A critical care nurse whose name was Jenny came out and brought me some cookies and a bottle of water which I was grateful for but I had no appetite. I was unable to rest thinking about my husband who was undergoing surgery.

Then, I saw Jessica and Dave come into the ICU waiting room. She was overwhelmed with joy to see me. Running up to me she hugged me.

"Oh my God, Anne we came as soon as we could. I got Dave's aunt to come and watch Antionette. I cannot believe how close I came to losing you again! Thank God, you are safe!"

I had tears in my eyes as I hugged my sister and then gave David a big hug.

"Thanks for coming, I'm so happy to see you two. Do you know what happened?"

Dave spoke up, "Only what the police told us, that a gang of drug traffickers had kidnapped you and that Robert was shot attempting to rescue you."

"How did Robert locate me? How did he know where I was?" I asked.

"When you did not call from the train station, Robert knew something was wrong. When calls to your cell went to voicemail, he called us to ask if we heard from you.

"He took an Uber to our house and used my laptop to activate the tracking feature on his iPhone. The phone was still in the Rockefeller recreational center parking lot. Very upset now, he borrowed my car to find you." Added David.

"How did he know to call the police" I asked.

Dave replied, "He located the car and called me to tell me he was going to look around for you. It was around 45 minutes later when he called me back to tell me that he spotted a small cabin with the lights on at the end of a gravel road off the parking lot. He approached a window to peek inside. He saw one of your armed assailants and your backpack sitting on the table with all of its contents spilled over the table."

It must have been just after I had made my escape," I said now needing to sit down and get off my painful feet.

Dave continued, "Now alarmed, Robert cautiously circled the cabin, peering through a rear window, he discovered Jake sprawled unconscious on the floor inside. Rob called me then for advice. I told him to call the police and to refrain from doing anything stupid. These individuals were armed and posed a significant threat. Robert called 911 and then went back to the brush to watch the cabin. It wasn't long after that, he spotted you sprinting toward the vehicle, pursued by one of the assailants. The rest you know." He explained.

We waited together in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity. I rested my head on Jessica's shoulder as I reflected on all that, I have been through in the past month since leaving the rehabilitation hospital. I had struggled to finally get Robert back in my arms and now he had sacrificed himself to rescue me. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and Jessica hugging me to comfort me.

Channel 12 news was playing in the background. My ears picked up when I heard the newscaster talking about the incident at Rockefeller Park.

"In a breaking development, police swiftly responded to a harrowing kidnapping incident unfolding in Rockefeller State Park. At the scene, officers discovered a married couple held at gunpoint by three assailants believed to be linked to a notorious drug trafficking ring operating out of San Salvador.

A dramatic shootout erupted in the parking lot of the park's nature center, where the three assailants were desperately holding the couple hostage at gunpoint. Tragically, all three kidnappers met their demise during the intense exchange of gunfire, as law enforcement bravely stepped in to protect the innocent.

The husband, whose identity is being withheld pending family notification, sustained a gunshot wound to the chest due to a stray bullet during the police operation. He currently remains in critical condition and is receiving urgent medical care at the Westchester County Regional Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the wife, who endured a gunshot wound to the leg and endured brutal beatings, is reported to be in stable condition, with doctors optimistic about her prospects for a full recovery. We will continue to closely monitor this unfolding story and provide updates as they become available."

All three of us had our eyes on the television set in the waiting room when we were surprised by the sudden visit of a surgeon who came into the waiting area. He was a middle-aged man with dark hair and the first few flecks of grey on his sideburns. He had a handsome face, and his eyes were a bit glazed like he had been concentrating on his patient for too long. He pulled off the surgical mask hanging from his neck and called out, "Is Mrs. Savino here?"