Her hand caught my shirt front in a tight grip and I stopped. I couldn't look at her for fear that my eyes would give away too much to her perceptive gaze.
"Caleb has something happened to Deshavi?"
I nodded.
She tugged on my shirt, "Come inside."
I turned my pained gaze to her, as I backed up a little, "I can't!"
Her grip on my shirt tightened further and she tugged harder. "Yes you can and you will!"
I let her pull me inside. I could've easily broken free of her grasp, but my desperation for Deshavi's plight was just too great. We set down at the kitchen table and her eyes asked the question of what had happened.
"Deshavi has been kidnapped."
Her breath escaped her and caring woman that she was she reached her hand out to consolingly grasp mine on the table.
"She's been shipped overseas. I'm not sure how long she will stay alive. They… Are… Terrible things have been done, are being done to her even right now." I finished on an up swell of emotion, as tears streaked down my face.
Ella was out of her chair and standing before me, as she pulled my head against her, as I let myself express how raw my pain was at the latest savage turn my life had taken. She held me tightly and cooed in a low voice, as a mother would for a child woken out of a nightmare, only my nightmare was not stopping. After several moments and the expenditure of all my emotion she drew back a little and I looked up at her.
I'd completely drenched the front of her dress, but she didn't seem to mind. Her own face was wet with tears, but her voice was steady in its clarity. "You've come for my son?"
Yes, but I've changed my…."
Her fingers covered my mouth stopping my words. "He's in the back."
I shook my head, "I don't know if I can rescue her from where she is, even with his help. Even if we do the likelihood of us surviving is far less than us not surviving."
She nodded jerkily, "And yet we still have to try don't we. I'll wait here while you speak to Trent."
I stood up, but hesitated to go out the back door towards the beach. "You're sure you want to risk this?"
She'd sat down at the table and looked up from it to me, "My son is a brave man. A good man. I like to think I had some part in those finer aspects of him, but the truth is that we are who we are by the choices that we make. For many years my son has fought for the protection of this country and its freedoms. He has seen hellish things and has had to do hellish things in the continual fight to maintain that freedom that so many enjoy. I don't think many people in this country realize at what cost their freedom comes. I do! I fought every skirmish and war my son's been at in my prayers for him. When he retired early I rejoiced and praised God for it. But my son was like a warrior without a cause. He sulked around here like a little lost puppy dog. I was on the verge of telling him to reenlist, when I decided to try one last thing. I sent him to be with his grandfather hoping that Ted might be able to instill some purpose in him. Trent came back with your girl and I saw the spark of purpose that I'd grown accustomed to seeing back even brighter than ever in his eyes. I am convinced that your Deshavi and my son were meant to be together from the beginning of time and to that end they are to experience what God has ordained for them to have together in this life! I am not going to allow the world or whatever spawn of hell that wishes to dictate a heartbroken future for my son over what was meant to be a joyous union founded before time began! I claim the pure honorable joy of that union for my son and your granddaughter and I will not be moved, as Jesus is my source of strength and the Holy Spirit is my comforter! Now go talk to him!" She finished, as she pointed authoritatively at the back door.