Time Goes On
by Chelle

~ CHAPTER 23 ~

The next day was sunny and although chilled, it was a nice day. Zac and I did a bit of sightseeing and went out to lunch. The night before 'forgotten', we were laughing and talking as though we were a normal, happy couple who were deeply in love with each other. The day went on smoothly as we shopped and bought gifts to take back to Tulsa. Later that afternoon, we went back to the hotel so I could get ready to go out with the girls. As we walked into the lobby, a young receptionist called to us. "Mr. Hanson!" We walked over to the desk and she handed us a piece of paper. "You have a phone message here from your dad. He asked that we give you this and tell you to call this number as soon as you returned. He said it was important that you call right away, that it's a family emergency." She was almost losing her breath from talking so fast. "OK, thank you very much." Zac said as he and I nearly ran to the elevators. "Come on, come on." Zac said bouncing as the elevator slowly made it's way to our floor. Panic was hitting us both. Before the doors opened all the way, Zac grabbed my hand and we jogged to our room. Zac opened the door and grabbed the phone quickly dialing the number written on the paper. "Hey, Jessica...? It's Zac, what's going on?" he said breathless as I sit our bags on the couch and went to close the door. I walked over to stand next to him. "WHAT?! WHEN?!" he asked. "Oh my God!" was his next reply to whatever his sister was saying. "OK... uh-huh..." I crossed my arms as I listened to his end of the conversation. "Zac, what is it?" I asked quietly. He put his hand up toward me as he continued to talk "...Yeah... uh-huh..." After a few minutes of this, he finally hung up. "Zac? What happened?" I asked, seeing the dazed look on his face. "Karen... she went into labor early this morning. She's at the hospital now. Avery, Mac and Zoe are with aunt Sherry, and everyone else is at the hospital. "I uncrossed my arms and stepped closer as his voice trailed off. I took his hand as he sighed. Then he continued. "She's having a hard time. Every time she'd push the baby's heart rate would go way down. Then the last two times, the heart would stop all together. They decided to do an emergency delivery by cesarean. They won't let anyone except Ike and her mom in the room so that's where Ike and Karen are now. Everyone else is in a private waiting room. Jess said the doctor just came in on his way to the operating room and told them that the nurse would call them when it was over. Jessica said they'd call someone here when they got any news." I sighed. "OK," I said walking over to my purse on the couch, "I'm gonna call Lacey," I began digging through my purse to find my notepad where her number was written, "and tell her I can't make it." Zac looked up and walked toward me."No, no. Don't do that. Just go get ready. She and you both were counting on you being there. You go ahead and go out and I'll stay here and wait for the call. We'll just have to leave tomorrow night after the wedding instead of staying two extra days like we planned." I crossed my arms. "But Zac, I want to know what happens. We'll leave tonight after we get the call. Lacey will understand." Zac took my arms and replied "No, go out with your friends. I'll let you know when you get back. Besides," he pulled me toward him for a hug, "There's nothing we can do but wait if we were there. So let's just go on to the wedding tomorrow like we planned and then go home. I'll get us a flight for tomorrow back to Tulsa and then we'll go and meet everyone at the hospital and meet my new niece or nephew." He smiled at me as we pulled apart. "Zac, are you sure? Lacey will understand and Ricky too. Believe me, we can go back tonight." He just shook his head and said "I'm sure. We'll leave tomorrow." I eventually gave in and went to take a shower. After getting dressed and fixing my hair, I put on some makeup and Zac walked me down to the lobby. Zac kissed me goodbye and whispered "Don't be out too late." I nodded, saying "I won't," and walked out with Lacey.

The evening started with dinner and catching up with some old friends and meeting new ones. We had a great time and laughed and talked without a care in the world as time flew by. I had forgotten about Karen and the worry that Zac and I felt at the situation. I got so caught up in the conversations and carefree dancing and drinking at the bar and grill we were at. Around midnight, our friend, Rachael, led everyone out to the car where Lacey was blindfolded and we were taken into the back entrance of a building a few blocks away. We walked in and were taken by a bouncer to a private area in the back. "Wait here please." he said as he walked out. We chatted for a few minutes until a guy walked in dressed as a cop. He walked over and led Lacey to a chair in the middle of the room and took her blindfold off. The expression on her face was priceless. We stayed in the room for another two hours, where Lace was treated to a total of three different strippers and we were given more drinks. We were like a bunch of wild and single high school girls, the way we were screaming and squealing. At around 3 a.m, I glanced at my watch. "Oh My God!" Lacey looked up from adjusting her ring. "What?" she asked. "It's three in the morning! Oh God! Zac... he didn't want me out late." I tried to explain as I tugged on my jacket and said a quick goodbye to everyone." I heard Lacey call after me as I got to a cab. "Lace, I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." I said as I climbed in and gave the address of the hotel. I paid the cab driver and hurried inside to the elevators. I wasn't really drunk but felt a sick, tight feeling in my stomach as the doors opened on the 13th floor. My breath became quicker as I nearly ran to our room. I was starting to sweat and a sense of fear came over me. Zac was in the room waiting and my mind couldn't grasp what his reaction might be. I quickly walked in and shut the door. I locked it behind me and sit my purse down on the floor as I slid off my jacket.
"Zac!" I called for him. The room was dark except for a small lamp on by the end table next to the couch. I called his name again. After I didn't get an answer, I relaxed, thinking he must've gone to sleep. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, with a deep sigh. Then I jumped when I heard his voice. "Get in here, now." he said calmly. I looked over at him. Drunk... Oh God, he's drunk! I thought to myself. He was standing, leaning against the door jamb of the bedroom. He was only wearing jeans, and he had a bottle of beer in one hand. The other hand he brought up and used his index finger to point and me and he smiled. Then as he took a long swig of beer, he made a "Come Here" motion with his finger. I nearly started crying but walked to him anyway. He took my hand and led me to the bed, and I sit down. He stepped between my feet, his legs forcing mine apart. I leaned back on my hands and looked up at him. He smiled at me and started playing with the angel pendent on my necklace. He'd bought it for me a couple of weeks before. He took another drink of the beer in his hand. His other hand slid from my necklace to the back of my head where he began to pull the clip out of my hair, letting it fall down my back. "Damn, you just get more beautiful everyday." he said dropping the clip on the floor and looking down at me. "Zac, I'm really tired. Can we please not do this tonight? Please." A smile slowly came onto his face and he kinda laughed as he raised the bottle to his lips again. When he lowered the beer bottle, his fingers traced over my lips. "Zac, please. Not now, I'm really tired. Please Zac, just let me go to sleep." Then he leaned down and kissed me, not with passion or love, but with drunk desperation. He raised his head and said "You have no idea how bad I want you right now." The room was starting to spin... the alcohol I'd drank was making me dizzy and tired. Tears were burning my eyes and blurring my vision. I really didn't want this, but the way he touched me, I was speechless, unable to beg him to stop anymore, nearly unable to move. He dropped to his knees and his hand began to rub my thigh and slowly slid my dress up. He turned and sit his beer down on the nightstand. Then turned back and smiled at me. His hands slid up my dress as he kissed me again. I felt his fingers take the waistband of my panties. He pulled away and looked at me. "Stand up," he said quietly. I did and allowed him to pull my panties off. As I stepped out of them, he kissed each leg as it was lifted. I sit back on the bed and allowed his hands to roam freely over my body. His hot fingers dug into my thighs as he kissed my legs. I leaned back on my elbows and tried to concentrate on the pleasure he was giving me instead of the dizziness and being tired. He thrived on the fact that he'd made me submit to him with a few touches. Tenseness flooded my body and my breaths came quicker. I tilted my head back and a loud whining moan escaped my throat as I felt two fingers slid inside me. He crawled up on top of me and began to slowly move his fingers in and out. He lay on top of me with his forehead pressed against the side of my face, whispering in my ear. I bit my lip as I listened to him and felt his hot breath on my neck and ear. I could smell the strong alcohol on him but it didn't bother me. "See, I know just how to make my baby girl feel better," he was saying through quick breaths. "God, you turn me on. You like this don't you? I know you do, you always like this. God, I love you! I love you! Oh God, I love you so much!" His words were louder as I began to let out near screams when his hand brought me to a complete and blissful climax. When I opened my eyes, he was on top of me and I moved with him as we situated ourselves on the bed. His eyes were glazed over but as I looked deeper, I saw not love but anger. The look brought a sense of fear and confusion. "What's wrong?" I asked. He didn't answer, his jaw clenched and his eyes in a hard stare. "He slowly brought his hand up to my neck and closed his fingers around my throat. He had me pinned to the bed with one of his legs on each side of my thighs, one of my arms between his leg and mine, and his other hand holding down my other wrist. His fingers tightened around my neck causing my breathing to become quicker because it was restricted. He talked calmly. "Do you remember what I told you about staying out too late? Do you remember agreeing that you wouldn't?" Tears fell from my eyes and I nodded. "You, being the defiant person you are, were out until 3 a.m. Do you think that's late? DO YOU?!" His grip suddenly tightened when I hadn't answered him right away. I nodded quickly as fear and uncertainty took over. He began to breathe deeply. "Do you know that I can kill you right now?" He gave an evil smile and I realized that was his hook in this particular situation. Zac would never kill... but oh how he loved mind games! I started crying harder but knew better than to scream or... or look away from him. That was another part of the mind games I think. Not being able to look away forced me to see the rage in his eyes and the satisfaction he got from it all. "Do you remember when I told you about Courtney? How I always wanted to wrap my hands around her throat and hear her beg me not to kill her?" I quietly said "Yes Zac, I remember." My voice was shaking and I knew what was coming next. He leaned close to my face, a couple of inches from my ear. His hot breath on my neck sent chills down my spin. He whispered, calmly and with a satisfaction in his voice that he knew I would do exactly what he told me to. "Beg me not to kill you." He raised back on his knees and looked down at me. Then his fingers tightened, as he smiled and said with raised eyebrows "Beg me not to kill you!" So I did. I begged him over and over. His smile was evil and his eyes never left mine. His fingers would get tighter and he would tell me "God I love you but I don't think you want to live bad enough and frankly you are becoming more trouble than you are worth."I would beg more,louder.Then his fingers would loosen and he'd say "On the other hand I do love this power and hearing you... God I love hearing you beg for something from me." Mind Games. Then he would laugh and that would cause me to be quiet with the thought that he was loving every minute of it. My suddenly stopped pleas would bring on two different reactions... twice he would become angry and yell at me that he didn't tell me to stop, the other reaction was he would smile and say it in a seductive voice "Beg for your life, beg me to stop." I would continue begging him not to kill me, begging him to just let me go and making promises that I would never 'disobey' him ever again.
After close to an hour, he slowly let go and crawled over me to stand up. After a moment, I sit up on the bed and stretched as I stood. As I walked to the bathroom, he grabbed me and spun me around to face him. He jerked me close to him and said "You will never know how much I love you. But if you ever disobey me again, I will show you just how dangerous I really am." I sucked in a breath and said "I won't. Zac, please let me go." Suddenly, his hand raised and fell, his knuckles connecting with the side of my face and sending me back onto the bed. He turned me over on my back and grabbed my ankles pulling me to the floor with one quick motion. "Oh God Zac don't! Please!" I begged as he jerked me up and slammed me against the wall. His hand connected with my face again, this time his palm.  I fell to the floor and he again grabbed my arms jerking me up. He pushed me onto the bed and got on top of me. He began to slap me and scream. I was in pain and crying so much that I couldn't even hear what he was saying. I just kept begging him "Zac no, please don't, Zac stop..." all to no avail. He kept hitting as I tried to cover my face. The hits were getting harder as they continued.
When it was over, he was passed out on the couch, with the TV on. He'd simply got up and walked out, closing the bedroom door. I stood in the bathroom, pain running through every part of my body. Tears mixed with blood and I watched as the blood dripped from my face onto the sink. My mind raced as I thought of calling someone. But I kept telling myself that when he sobered up, things would be normal again. They always were, and he and I would go on with our lives.

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