Promises Pt. 10

"You're going to see video of the same kind of stuff you saw from Mexico. There are a lot of cameras in this house, so you'll know what we've been up to while you were gone. The icon that will launch those videos is in the very upper right of your desktop.

"There's more that I want to talk to you about, though, Teri. Once you watch the videos that I've lined up for you, you'll see that more should have been done for you back home in Minnesota to help you break out of this terrible prison you're in. I've had the privilege of getting to really know Peter and Anna, but, just as importantly, I've finally been free to go out into the world, both the real world and this almost un-real one."

With that, Kira stands up and walks away from the bench as my camera pans to follow her. A structure that most of the world's population could name by sight comes into view behind her and she turns back to the camera. I had her wired with a cordless microphone, so her voice is still clear as she faces the camera from twenty feet away.

"That's right, Teri, I'm standing in front of Cinderella's Castle, here at Disneyworld. I happen to know that you've wanted to come back here ever since you moved to Minnesota. Now it's just a few hours away."

Kira pauses for a long moment. "My life is almost over now," she says, and the look on her face is haunting. "Soon, everything I've been and done for the last week will be gone. Thankfully, Peter and Anna are there to tell you about me. I have at least that little bit of immortality.

"Teri, will you please honor my memory by pushing yourself just a little bit more to get out and live a little? Your abductor is thousands of miles away and doesn't even know you're here. It's okay to relax now. Please let Peter and Anna show you the possibilities of what life with them can hold.

"Goodbye Teri. Go make me proud."

After a long pause, Teri minimizes Kira's video. Then she clicks on the icon in the upper right-hand corner.

Anna and I watch Teri watch videos for a couple more hours. Teri finally gives it up at four in the morning, then tucks herself into bed and turns out the lights. Anna and I do likewise after activating the silent alarm on her bedroom door.

* * * * *

Anna and I are both asleep at noon when my phone plays Teri's special ringtone. Anna looks at me with concern as I swipe the green icon.

"Hi Teri," I say gently. "How are you doing this morning?" I put her on speaker.

There's a long pause. "Hi Peter. I guess I'm doing about as well as could be expected."

"You're good to stay with us here?"

"Yeah, but the thought of coming out of my room is more than I can handle at the moment. I'm sorry, but it's going to take some time."

"Take all the time you need, Teri."

"I hate to be a bother."

"You'll never be a bother, Teri. We care about you very much."

"Well, I'm going to work on being brave. I want to come out and meet you guys properly."

"All in good time, Teri. All in good time."

* * * * *

For a couple of days, Anna and I leave trays of food outside Teri's door and pick up dishes afterward, but she's able to resume telepresence with us through her Double almost immediately. We try to make things as easy as possible by wearing clothes, and are rewarded on the third day when Teri ventures out to join us for breakfast in person.

"Good morning," I say, almost shocked to see her coming around the corner. I manage to keep my tone casual, though, as if this is something Teri has been doing every day instead of for the first time ever.

"Good morning, Peter," she says tentatively.

Anna turns from the fridge, where she was putting away the pitcher of grapefruit juice. "Hi hon. Did you sleep well?" She's able to be even more casual than I am.

"Yeah, I actually did." Then she looks around at a room she's rolled through hundreds of times, but has no memory of having ever entered before. "Wow, I never realized how amazing this place is. Your home is so beautiful, and huge. Photos and video don't do it justice."

Seeing it through her eyes makes me appreciate it like I did the first time I saw it. The great room has a beautiful white marble tiled floor (devoid of its usual expensive Persian area rugs to make it easier for the Double to navigate), casual but elegant furniture arranged in several different seating areas, tasteful artwork, and a teak ceiling whose edges are cleverly set back from the tops of the walls in a way that makes it seem like it's floating up there. Way up there. Teri probably feels even tinier than usual in this room.

I want to go to her and wrap her protectively in my arms, but it doesn't take any large chunk of my intellect to know that would be a bad idea. The only times Teri has seen me in the flesh are the time I surprised her in front of her house in Minneapolis, during her near abduction in the bungalow, the two rather unhappy occasions in the hospital in Mexico, and during her most recent transition when she woke with my face buried in her crotch. All of those were traumatic in one way or another. All things considered, I think she's doing quite well to even be in the room with me.

She's got her arms wrapped around herself protectively and is turning back and forth, perhaps unconsciously scanning for danger. Slowly she approaches the kitchen, then slips into a chair at the far end of the long breakfast table. She speaks in a small, shy voice.

"Guys, I'm not sure how well I'm going to fit into your lifestyle."

"What do you mean?" I ask gently.

"Like, you're having to change everything around just because I'm here. I mean, I've never seen you guys with clothes on in the kitchen before. I don't think I'd be comfortable being in the same room with you when you're naked, much less be naked myself. But not wearing clothes is your lifestyle."

"Teri, it's not that big an imposition," Anna says. "Billions of people wear clothes every day."

Teri ignores my chuckle. "And living in such an amazing place," she says. "You've gone to such remarkable lengths to welcome me here, but I'm wondering why? I'm not Kira, and I can't imagine being brave enough to have sex with either of you. So what good am I to you?"

I'm still dying to sweep her up in my arms to comfort and reassure her, but desist. I can see that Anna is fighting the same impulse.

"Teri," I say, "you know we talked all this through in advance. We are perfectly aware that you and Kira are two different people. That's okay. We've come to know you very well over the last few months and we'd want you here just because we like you."

Anna jumps in. "We're also hoping that since you're in a new place, you might be able to let go of some of the fear you've had to live with."

Teri takes a deep breath, then seems to relax a little. "Yeah, I guess that's what I was hoping too. And you know, maybe it's working. I'm not feeling like he's waiting outside to get me, at least not as much as I usually do."

"Good," Anna says. "Just be patient. You're not under any obligation to act in any particular way. We want you to do whatever's comfortable for you."

Teri puts on a brave smile. "Okay, I can do that."

* * * * *

Over the next month, Teri does indeed seem to get over a lot of her fear, little by little. Not that she's joining us in bed or running around in her birthday suit, but she does manage to get into the indoor portion of the pool in her familiar pink one-piece swimsuit. Eventually she gets to the point where she can swim under the divider and do laps in the larger outdoor pool. She still spends a lot of time in her room, working on her novel and other stuff, but she's spending more and more time with us, sometimes writing at the kitchen table or helping with dinner and cleaning.

I can tell that it may still be a while before Teri will be at ease leaving the house, but I can envision times when it might be necessary for me to transport her places. I'm going to need to find a way to make her comfortable.

It finally occurs to me that if she's not ready to leave home, perhaps a piece of home is going to need to go with her. I shop around a little and buy a Class B motorhome that's small enough to be parked in about any spot you could park a crew-cab pickup truck.

There's a concrete pad in the backyard, inside the security fence and near the pool, that's designed for RV storage, and it's within Teri's range of comfortable places. I park the motorhome there and let her explore it at her own pace.

Teri may be timid, but she's not stupid. She's been a part of this whole process from the start, even picking her favorite interior color scheme out of the RV catalog. She's embarrassed that we have to go through all of this but is bound and determined to regain the freedom to go out in public. She spends time in the RV every day until it feels completely comfortable to her. Finally, she announces that she can probably go places now, though it will really depend on where that 'place' is.

* * * * *

It's six weeks after her reappearance when Teri tells us that she'd like to go to the beach. It's something that Anna and I did a lot before Teri arrived, and while we haven't talked about it much, she must have figured that we've missed it.

"Are you sure you want your first public outing in years to be in a place where you're only wearing a swimsuit?" I ask, as she sets a plate of Anna's world-famous (well, it should be world-famous) breakfast casserole in front of me.

"Well, you might think that's an issue, but the way I look at it, everything's out in the open and there's nowhere for an abductor to hide. Besides, you guys will be with me all the time, right?"

"Of course, hon," Anna says. "I think it's a great idea, if you're sure you're up to it."

"Yeah, I want to try the nude beach you guys always used to go to." I'm sure my eyes are as wide as Anna's. "Just kidding," Teri says. "Maybe we'll do the nude beach the next time. I figure after that, I'll be ready to shed my clothes around here too."

"Then let's go," I say quickly.

* * * * *

Teri closes herself into the little bedroom in the back with Anna while we make the drive. The curtains are closed to shield her from the hustle and bustle of Miami, and I wonder if she's really going to be able to face the world when we get there.

Anna and I have picked a beach that's family-friendly and a bit off the beaten path. We get lucky and I manage to snag a parallel parking spot at the edge of the lot so that the door of the motorhome opens right onto the sand. This looks to be a lucky day all the way around. It's a Thursday, and September isn't tourist season, so there's not much of a crowd. Perfect.

Anna and I quickly strip down to our swimwear, then wait outside while Teri does the same. Amazingly, it only takes a minute before she opens the door and peeks outside.

"Is it safe?" she asks. Then she shakes her head. "Sorry. You wouldn't let me come out if it wasn't."

"That's true, hon," Anna says. "Join us. It's beautiful here."

Teri takes a deep breath, then eases down the two steps and walks out onto the sand. She's wrapped in a white terrycloth robe that reaches to her ankles.

Anna carefully locks the RV's door, then we head out across the sand and pick a spot well above the tideline. Teri spreads our towels while Anna and I put up the awning. Then Anna and I convince Teri to shed the robe so we can all go get our feet wet. She hesitates for a long moment, but then, with a look of determination, she lets the robe slide off onto her towel, revealing that same bright pink one-piece suit. She reaches for our hands and we walk with Teri between us, down to the surf.

We splash around in the water for a while, but then I catch Teri looking out at the outer marker buoy. I can tell what she'd like to do.

"Wanna swim out there with me?" I ask. "It's one of my favorites."

"I haven't swum in the ocean in so many years. I don't know if I still know how."

I chuckle. "Oh, you know how. Trust me."

She bites her lip in indecision. "If you say so."

"What do you think? Are we going to do this?"

"Well, okay." Her cute little face brightens now that the decision is made.

"Why don't you two fish go ahead and swim," Anna says. "I'm going to go grab some shade."

I give my wife a kiss (for which she turns her head to take on the lips, probably made possible by the close proximity of Teri) and she heads for the towels.

I'm keeping a close eye on Teri, knowing how Kira cheated and took off without me, but she's patiently waiting for me to lead the way, so I turn and begin to walk out into the surf with her alongside me. She's walking far enough away that I know better than to reach for her hand.

Teri still knows how to handle the surf, and dives through a good-sized breaker. I bull my way through it while she starts swimming. I take a few more steps, then plunge in myself. We swim toward the buoy at a nice, relaxed pace, a comfortable distance apart, in agreeable silence.

We're about halfway there when Teri pulls up and treads water. I do the same. We're probably a couple hundred yards from shore. "What's up?" I ask. Teri hadn't seemed to be in any distress.

"Uh," she starts, looking quite chagrined, "I thought I would be okay, but I really need to use the bathroom."

"Teri, I'm pretty sure it's okay to pee in the ocean. Billions of fish do it every day."

She shakes her head. "It's not pee."

"Oh, uh..." This isn't a situation I was expecting to deal with. "Then let's head back."

She shakes her head. "I'm not going to make you swim back just because I need to poop."

"Well I'm not going to let you go by yourself."

"Peter, this is a big crossroads for me. Intellectually, I know it's safe, so this is the perfect time to prove it to my inner scaredy-cat."

"Teri, I'm with you to keep you safe."

"No, Peter, you're with me to make me feel safe. We both know that nothing is going to happen to me between here and there, and I want you to finish your swim. You did say it was one of your favorites."

I know I should welcome the fact that Teri is taking a big step toward her own recovery by wanting to do something for herself, but I feel it's my duty to protect her. Still, if there were any danger of her drowning, swimming back now would only reduce it. I bow to her logic.

"Okay, you go ahead and swim on in."

And I'll be fifty feet behind her the whole way.

"Promise me you'll touch the buoy before you head back?"

Damn, Teri knows me all too well, but I really do need to give her some space to affect her own recovery. This is precisely the kind of thing that will help her the most. "Okay," I grudgingly agree. "I promise, but you're going straight to Anna."

"Yes Dad," she says, rolling her eyes. At least she's smiling. We part ways and I head for the buoy while she heads for shore.

I know that Teri is at least as good a swimmer as I am, but it still worries me, letting her go it alone. I'm about three-quarters of the way to the buoy when I stop, turn, and look. I can't see her, but at this distance I shouldn't expect to. I really want to follow her in, but I've promised. I turn and swim out with a will.

I push myself a lot harder now with the goal of reaching the buoy and then getting back to the girls as quickly as possible. It seems to take forever, but it can't be more than a minute later when my hand brushes the slimy steel. I pause for just a moment to look back toward the beach.

Anna is still alone. I know this shouldn't bother me because Teri is probably traveling at the slower pace we used on the way out. I'm being silly for worrying like this, but I just can't help it. I strike out for shore, pulling hard.

About halfway there, I stop and look again. Anna's still spread out on the towels, but there's no splash of pink there with her. I scan the beach and don't see anyone who looks like Teri. Now I feel like I have reason to worry. I race for shore, holding nothing back now.

My mind is racing as well. What could have happened to her? Scenarios quickly run through my head. Maybe her discomfort was actually some kind of cramp that's slowed her down. Maybe she decided that she couldn't wait and is discreetly floating a deuce out beyond the breakers. Maybe there was a shark?

In any case, I'm unlikely to find her while I'm in the water. I'm going to need a higher vantage point. I took a good look around when we were setting up on the beach and I know there's no lifeguard on duty, but there is a tall lifeguard's chair from which I could get a good look out across the water. It's also got a couple of floatation devices should that be necessary. My immediate goal now is to get there as quickly as possible.

The thought occurs to me that I should stop and yell for Anna, but there isn't much chance that she would hear me over the breakers, and it would only slow me down. I concentrate on my form and on pouring every last bit of strength I have left into my swimming.

I'm almost to the breakers when I take another look up onto the beach. Anna still hasn't moved, but then I see something that nearly freezes my heart. A man is walking quickly up to the door of the RV. I wonder if he's trying to break in, but when he pulls the door open easily (the door that Anna had carefully locked behind us) I know exactly where Teri must be.

I'm close enough now that Anna might hear me, but the last thing I need is my wife trying to apprehend the guy. This is up to me.

I stagger through the surf when it's shallow enough to stand, managing to run in between the waves. "Anna!" I yell, "call 911!"

She jerks upright in a way that tells me she was asleep, but she immediately reaches for her beach bag. "What is it?" she calls out as I sprint up the beach toward her and the motorhome.

"Some guy just broke into the motorhome, and I think Teri's in there!"

"What?" I know that probably doesn't make sense to her, because Teri's supposed to be out in the ocean, with me.

I don't cover another ten steps before the door swings open and the guy comes down the steps with a limp Teri in his arms. I'm still a good fifty yards away and the deep sand makes me feel like I'll never get there.

"Hey!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

The guy stops and looks. I note that he's wearing large sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat pulled down low across his forehead. What he notes is there's a very angry, seven-foot-tall man sprinting straight at him. He drops his burden and runs.

Teri falls to the sand like a rag doll and I have to make a decision. Do I go to her, or chase the bad guy?

I go to Teri.

Dropping to my knees over her, I bend and touch my cheek to her mouth. I can feel her breathing, but I can also pick up the sweet smell of chloroform that I remember from a college chemistry class. I don't see any marks on her. She's still wearing her swimsuit, so whoever that creep was, he didn't get much of a chance to molest her. I debate whether to pick her up. They say you shouldn't move a trauma victim, and at the very least, Teri has already been dropped. Then she moans and turns her head.

"How is she?" Anna shouts. I look up and see her approaching at a dead run with her beach bag slung over her shoulder.

"Chloroform," I report. "I think she's coming around, and I don't see any damage."

"Then I've got her. You go catch that fucker." I nod and leap to my feet to give chase.

When I come around the side of the motorhome, I don't see anyone in the parking lot who looks like Teri's assailant, but there are several cars moving through the lot. I seem to recall that there is only one entrance/exit to the parking lot, and I sprint for it, oblivious to the bite of sharp rocks under my bare feet on the worn and cracked asphalt.