THREE: TAKEN
1643 Words
Copyright © 2019 Cassey9
Chapter 3
Amber
"What happened sweetie to you,” Mr. Aldrich asks his daughter immediately he ushers her into the office, “Amber where were you today? Your mother had been waiting for you.”
“Why doesn’t she love me dad,” Amber whispers as tears of pain roll down her cheeks. Her eyes conveying so much sadness and heartbreak “I don’t understand this…I just want her to love me”.
Amber Aldrich works so hard to prove herself to her mother. She is obedient, got excellent grades, is the school president and excelled in music and dance. She did everything to win affection from her mother.
“Oh sweetie come here,” Anthony says to his daughter, “Of course she loves you Amber. You are her daughter princess.”
Yes, she was adopted that had been a major reason but still she tried her best to win Louise’s love. Louise was a tough woman and it would take moving mountains to please her and her daughter did just that.
Amber had been brought into the Aldrich household when she was barely three years old. Anthony Aldrich adored her but Louise could never stand her, she never said it openly to her but her actions showed.
Amber could single-handedly count the number of times that her mom ever said ‘I love you’ to her. And it hurt. Yet Amber had somehow grown accustomed to it, which did not make it hurt any lesser.
Her older brother Matthew was loving. He treated her like his blood sister, he always stood up for her in the playgrounds when they were young and even know from the evil cheerleaders. Matthew’s girlfriend too.
Jazmin Blackheart was head cheerleader and her brother’s girlfriend. She always tormented Amber whenever he was out of sight. In front of family, Jazmin treated her as ‘dear’ friends but whenever they were out of sight she was the devil. Jazmin despised Amber because she had won the class president’s seat.
“Don’t ever think that Amber. Your mom was worried about you. You never showed up for lunch with her,” Anthony explains to his baby girl wiping away the tears. His daughter’s eyes portrayed grief and hollowness.
Her wife’s rejection of their daughter deeply wounded Amber. He knew that her daughter wouldn’t knowingly not show up for a meeting with Louise. Something important must have happened.
“Louise loves you Amber. You are her daughter. She just has trouble showing it. Ok bunny?” Anthony says reassuringly to his daughter, “Sometimes she’d really slap me and later on tells me how crazily in love she is with me.” He tries to joke.
A crooked smile emerges from Amber before he pulls her dad for a hug. She always felt loved and secured in his embrace. Whenever she felt scared or filled with doubts her father’s arms always provided solace for her. He was her safe haven.
“I love you Amber. Very very much,” Anthony says as he kisses her daughter head. Amber nods feeling better than she did a while ago.
“So where did you disappear off to today Amber?” he asks her daughter again with a loving smile, “Did you forget about the lunch date with your mom and Jazmin?”
Amber stays silent trying to find words to explain her sudden disappearance. She had to find an explanation of what happened and deliver it to her father who was patiently waiting. The two had sat down on the office chairs near the desk.
“Daddy… I…I was taken,” she lets out after a while. "Somebody grabbed me before I entered the hotel"
“What do you mean sweetie? Taken by who? Luke,” Anthony asked. He knew that Aliastar boy. He’d met his parents at one of those high society gatherings they were nice folks but their son did not rub on him well, “Did Luke take you out on a date?”
“Dad, I was abducted.”
“What!? Are you ok? Did they hurt you Amber? Jesus, who did this to you?” Mr. Anthony burst.
He was worried that something had happened to his daughter. When Louise had called him to inform that Amber was no show for the lunch date she had with her. He had grown apprehensive because that was unlike Amber and the fact that she hadn’t picked his calls worried him. Amber respected Louise and did everything her mother asked of her. The lunch meeting being one of those instances.
“Yes. I woke up at the Martin Luther Community Hospital daddy,” she says. She couldn’t remember getting to the hospital. It felt like she kept losing consciousness every damn time. She couldn’t piece everything into place.
“Are you OK Amber? Were you hurt? Did they do something bad to you? Damn it?! Get up I’m taking to the hospital right now,” Anthony felt like she was losing his mind. Someone hurt her daughter and he wasn’t there to stop it. His little princess was kidnapped, she could have been killed even worse drugged.
“I’m fine Daddy. I promise. They did a full check up on me at the hospital. Everything is alright daddy,” Amber explains trying to calm her father. Her wrist still scarred from the ropes that had bounded her.
“No. I can’t trust that hospital. Let me call Dr. Henry so he can come see you. I think he’s still at the hospital,” Anthony continues freaking out by the second. What if they harvested her daughter’s eggs or worse her internal organs?
“Daddy! Dad! I’m fine I promise,” Amber says grasping her father’s shoulder. “I’m OK daddy. Let’s do that tomorrow. Please.”
Mr. Aldrich pulls her daughter to his chest engulfing her in another embrace. He internally thanked God that she had gotten her daughter back safe and sound. He would be totally devastated if anything bad had come upon her little princess.
“Did you see their faces Amber? You can tell me.” Anthony asks, he’d surely get the best police officers on the case to arrest the scumbag(s) responsible of harming her daughter.
“No daddy. It was only one person. A woman, her face was covered by a scarf and she had a cap on,” Amber narrates. Before passing out she remembers seeing green maybe it was blue she was wasn’t sure anymore.
“Martin Luther Hospital? That’s south of Los Angeles Amber?” His daughter must have had a terrible day, Anthony thinks. Yet she came home to find her mother angry and upset with her. He knew how upset Amber got whenever Louise was angry with her.
“Yes daddy.”
“Did they steal anything bunny?”
“My purse alone. I found everything else stuffed in my pant pockets. My phone, ID cards and my credit cards too.”
""
“That’s odd but I’m extremely relieved you are fine. You came back home to me.”
“I’m happy too daddy.”
“I’ll talk to your mother. Explain everything to her princess. She loves you Amber always remember that. OK bunny.”
“Thanks daddy. I’m going to bed. Goodnight daddy.”
“Goodnight Bunny. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Amber walks out of the office today’s events still fresh in her mind. Her father would definitely keep a close eye on her so would Matthew when he found out. Amber wondered how her mother would react to this piece of information. Would she freak out like her dad, would she worry about Amber? Maybe she’d care for her more, forgive her, and give Amber another chance to prove herself. Amber gets into bed grateful that nothing bad transpired. The woman could have killed her and dumped her body in some ditch.
“Louise you need to talk to Amber. She had an awful day hunny.”
“What did she say to you? I can’t understand why you shield her every time even when she’s wrong Anthony.”
“She isn’t in the wrong Louise, she was kidnapped. Someone abducted our baby girl. She could have been seriously hurt.”
“That’s what she told you and you believed her. She could have made that up. Amber watches too many movies. She’s obviously lying to get herself out of her slip up.”
“The truth Louise, is that, you’ve never been happy with our daughter.”
“And you never made the right decision by bringing her home.” She snaps back at him angrily and lays down away from him. Anthony sighs and getting under the covers.
“Not this subject again Louise. I’m tired and I want to sleep.”
“You are tired well I’m tired of you always defending her. What about our son Matthew Anthony.”
“He’s fine and I’d do anything for him as much as I’d do for Amber.” Louise hated fighting with her husband but she couldn’t hold herself back when it came to Amber. She loved her daughter but it was hard accepting her especially when Amber upset her.
When dawn came Louise couldn’t help but go look for Amber. She realized she may have overreacted the previous night. Although Amber wasn’t born of her, a part of her still felt for her daughter. Her bedroom door wasn’t closed so she peeked inside. Amber was standing beside her bed. Louise could clearly make out the outline of a bandage. Amber flinched slightly as she nursed herself muttering in a low voice that held pain.
“Amber, are you ok?” Louise asked finally entering the room. Louise walks up to her daughter’s side grazing the bandage lightly with her fingertips.
“I’m fine mother. It’s just a scrape.”
Louise nods her head and helps her daughter into the blouse. The room felt rigid, Amber feeling conscious of her mother’s action.
“I’m sorry mother. I didn’t mean to upset you yesterday,” Amber apologizes avoiding her mother’s eyes. She felt ashamed of what she did, although she prevent what happened to her Amber felt bad over upsetting her.
“Don’t say sorry Amber, I understand.” She kisses Amber’s forehead and strokes her cheek lovingly “I love you Amber” she says to her. With that said Mrs. Aldrich moves past Amber and out of the room.
- Writer
