4

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As Tanya hurried the girls outside, she saw the light on in Evana’s house.

“Where are we going?” Skye asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Tanya replied honestly. She couldn’t lie that she had any plan; she didn’t. All she knew was that it was time to leave.

Reaching the door, she knocked timidly, hoping it was loud enough for Evana to hear.

She was about to try the doorbell when the door opened and Evana stood there looking as beautiful as she ever had. But it was late, very late…

“I’m sorry, but you said to come if we needed to,” Tanya half-defended.

“I did. Come in, quickly!” Evana reassured as she looked around, then ushered them into the living room. “Let me get the kids some cocoa and you and I can have coffee in the kitchen.” She encouraged Tanya to accompany her while the kids sat on the couch half asleep. “Are you okay? I heard Frank come home and make quite the racket.”

Fear prevented Tanya’s blush. “I’m scared,” she admitted. “He threatened me… said he’d rape the girls when they’re old enough. He said he’d kill us if we left. He was drunk, so maybe he didn’t mean it.”

“Drunk people rarely lie,” Evana said practically. “Look, forget the drinks. It’s too dangerous to stay here a minute more. I’m going to get my coat. I have a friend who can help.”

Two minutes later, they were in the car, driving away, the girls in car seats and already half asleep again. Tanya wish she could be asleep as well. Wished she could be somewhere else in her dreams.

After about fifteen minutes, Evana pulled into a restaurant along the freeway in Troutdale. “Let’s get some coffee. I’m going to need it,” she explained, opening the door. “I expect you need some too.”

“Please.”

“The girls are asleep, so just wait here, with the doors locked. If anyone bothers you, press the alarm button.” Evana pointed at a red button next to the radio that was clearly an after-market addition.

“Okay,” Tanya replied, still feeling the shock of the moment.

“Good.” Evana closed the door and went inside. It seemed like ages before she returned with two steaming cups. “I had to phone my work so they know not to expect me this morning.”

“Sorry to take you away from work,” Tanya apologized immediately.

“Don’t mention it,” Evana said taking a sip of her coffee, then placing the cup in the holder. She restarted the engine. “Anyway, then I phoned my friend while I was waiting for the coffee. She will be ready when we get there.”

“Where are we going?” Tanya asked.

“Pendleton,” Evana replied. “We’ve got to get you as far away from that man as possible. He’s threatened you, so you need shelter. It would be good if you changed your names, hair, etc. Get you a fresh start.”

“I wasn’t expecting to leave Portland!”

“Do you have other family able to help you out?”

“No. Frank’s all I have.”

“But you want to be safe.”

“Yes.”

“And your girls.”

“Yes.”

“Trust me.”

Tanya had much to think about, but they were all scary thoughts – filled with uncertainty, and also the need to hide – maybe permanently.

Evana chattered away, but Tanya barely heard any of it, though she understood that some of that was just to help her stay awake. When she tired of chattering, she turned on the radio to some country station out of The Dalles, strong enough to be heard all the way down the Gorge.

Around 4am, they reached the house on the east side of Pendleton.

Tanya got out of the car with Evana, leaving the girls asleep in the car for the moment. Evana knocked on the door in some kind of code that her brain was too tired to wonder about.

The door opened and a tall, slender woman greeted her. “Hi there, I’m Freya. Best I don’t know your name, but you’ll be safe here tonight. The beds are ready for the munchkins if you want to bring them in.”

Tanya nodded. She carried Skye while Evana carried Rose in from the car. There was a set of bunk beds in the guest room with a fold-down bed set up beside them. She wondered whether she would be being rude to simply go to bed. She already had her nightgown on, after all, her mind only barely registering the fact that she had only put on shoes and coat before leaving Frank to his drunken slumber.

“Is there anything else you need?” Freya asked her.

“No thanks. This is great.”

“You’re welcome to get some sleep before you go, Evana,” Freya invited.

“No, I need to get back before someone wakes up and realizes he’s been jilted. I normally get back from work in the early morning, so I’d better make sure it looks normal,” Evana excused.

“Please take my key,” Tanya begged. “You can see what things of mine you can get for me. He’s going to throw a terrible fit!”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Evana promised.

“And call Skye’s teacher for me. She was worried about me. It would be good if she knew not to worry anymore.”

“Okay,” Evana said, coming back and giving Tanya a hug. “I’ll come and visit you if I can and bring you whatever things I can, but good luck!”

“Thanks,” Tanya replied. “You’ve been a good neighbor and a good friend. I’m still very scared, but am almost too tired to notice right now.”

“You’ll do fine, I’m sure of it,” Evana said, then left.

Tanya felt a giant hole in her heart. There was no going back now, she knew. If she did, Frank would treat her very badly. She had made her choice and had to live with the consequences now, whatever those might be. She shivered slightly.

“Sleep,” Freya encouraged, stopping outside the door. “You are safe enough for tonight. Your husband will not find you here. We’ll discuss the plan tomorrow morning. For now, you must rest.”

Although she normally did not sleep well in a strange bed, Tanya felt reassured and safe and was so tired that the comfortable bed quickly lulled her to sleep.

♥♥♥