Brody opened the door of his mother’s old car, and seated Sarah. He buckled her in and said, “Ready to go cut a rug?”
“Well, what would we want to do that for?” Sarah replied, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown. “I thought we were going dancing.”
Brody laughed out loud. “We are. I promise. That’s just an old saying people use when they’re going dancing.”
“Oh, okay. Let’s go cut a rug.” She grinned.
Brody kissed Lou on the forehead as he walked around the front of the car. They pulled out of the driveway with Sarah waving.
****
They parked in the school parking lot and Brody walked around to open the door of the car for Sarah, trying to be the perfect gentleman. Truth be told, he had no idea what he was doing because he had never spent much time with children. He figured he could wing it as he took her hand, smiled, and escorted his little date across the parking lot.
They entered through the gym and Brody looked around at all the balloons and tables laden with snacks. Music played softly in the background. He leaned down and said to Sarah, “No matter what, you have to stay with me in here at all times.”
“Why?” she asked innocently.
“Because I don’t know anyone here and I don’t want to be left all alone,” he lied.
“Oh, I won’t leave you. Promise.” She took his hand in hers.
Several parents walked up, the dads extending their hands and introducing themselves. The moms, who had volunteered to chaperone and keep the food and punch stocked, exclaimed over Sarah’s dress and her curls and he saw her puff up with pride. Job well done, he thought. He would have to thank Elizabeth and Lou for the extra effort.
He bent down to her left so she could hear him and said, “What would you like to do first? Get a drink? A cookie? Or have a dance?”
Sarah looked mortified. “Oh, I can’t drink yet. No way.” She whispered to him, “I might spill something on my dress.”
“Ahhh…” Brody replied. “Dancing it is, then.” He whisked her out onto the dance floor and suddenly found himself at a loss as to what to do.
“You do know how to dance, don’t you?” Sarah asked shortly.
“Of course I do,” he replied. “Why don’t you tell me how you want to dance and that’s what we’ll do?”
“But you’re supposed to lead, Dr. Wester.”
“Why don’t you call me Brody?” he said to her to buy some time as he looked at what the other dads were doing. Then he took her hand and placed it on his waist. He clasped her other hand firmly in his and told her to watch his feet. She quickly caught on and they danced in circles around the floor. When the music stopped and everyone clapped, Sarah said, “That was fun. Can we do it again?”
“We can do it all night, if that’s what you want,” Brody replied honestly.
After a few more dances, Sarah claimed she was thirsty and needed to take a break. They walked to the refreshment table and two other little girls bustled up to Sarah. They whispered to one another and then Sarah turned to Brody with tears in her eyes. Puddles of tears threatened to spill over her long brown lashes. “I think I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Uh, oh. I didn’t plan for this part of the night.” He hadn’t planned for the bathroom or for the crying. Just then, Elizabeth Patton came out from behind the punch bowl like an avenging angel.
“Could you use some help?” she asked, as she took one of Sarah’s hands in her own.
“What do I do?” he whispered.
“Come on.” She nodded her head toward the bathroom.
Brody stood outside while the Elizabeth went in with Sarah. He wrung his hands together until they came out about five minutes later. Sarah’s tears were dry and her frown was replaced with a half-smile. He bent down to her level.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“I told those stupid girls you had bought me this dress and the pretty clips in my hair and everything else and they said that it didn’t count because you’re not my real dad.” She sniffled.
“Oh. They were just being mean, Sarah. You know what the difference is between those ‘real’ dads and me?”
“What?” She asked as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cotton handkerchief and handed it to her. She blew her nose loudly and gave it back. Brody took it and put it back in his pocket without saying a word.
“The difference between them and me is those dads are here because they have to be here. And me?” He patted his chest. “I’m here because I want to be here.” He smiled at her.
Her face lit up like the Fourth of July. She grabbed his hand and led him back out onto the dance floor, with him laughing all the way behind her.
They danced almost every dance, drank punch with no spills and Brody could honestly say it was one of the best nights he had passed in quite some time. Sarah was a charming child. She was smart, thoughtful, independent, adorable, and a free thinker. She was quick to laugh and even quicker to make someone else laugh with her.
Sarah was exhausted when the dance was over at nine. Brody danced the last dance with her against his chest, her head on his shoulder, and her feet not even touching the ground.
The night had not been a disaster. I actually pulled it off and had a great time doing it.
Her breath blew against his chin as she raised her head. She grabbed his face in her two small hands and looked into his eyes. “Thanks, Brody, for taking me to the dance. This was the best night of my life. I’m really glad your mom made you do it.”
Brody chucked lightly, slightly taken aback by her candor and the serious look on her face, her two hands commanding his full attention. He bent and put her feet on the floor. He bowed low before her and said, “The pleasure was all mine, my lady. Are you ready to go home?”
She nodded her head, “Yeah. I just need to go to the bathroom first.”
Brody looked around and didn’t see Elizabeth behind the punchbowl.
“I’m old enough to take myself to the bathroom, you know,” she scolded, her eyebrows drawn together, terribly affronted by the fact he might think she was a baby.
“I know you are, Sarah.” Brody looked around and saw many of the parents were leaving. He walked with Sarah to the ladies room and stood outside the door. “Go ahead. But come straight back out.”
Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically and went through the bathroom door.
Brody stood outside the door for a moment, tapping his foot with impatience. He jumped as a hard edge of a table pressed into his leg.
“Hey, you,” one of the dads called out. “Grab the other end of that table for me, will you?”
The slightly overweight father was huffing and puffing while rearranging the tables, so Brody grabbed one end and lifted. “Where are we going with it?”
“Just over by that wall.” The dad pointed with his chin in the direction he wanted to go.
Brody walked backward until he was told to stop and deposited the table on the other side of the room.
“Thanks, man,” the hefty father said.
“No problem,” Brody replied, turning to walk back to the bathroom. Just as he reached the door, Elizabeth walked out. He stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Do you know what’s taking Sarah so long?”
“Sarah?” Elizabeth questioned. “There’s no one else in the bathroom, Brody.”
“What?” Brody barked as he pressed by her and barged his way into the room. He pushed open the stall doors, one by one, the noise bouncing off the walls of the small room like gunshots.
Elizabeth ran into the bathroom behind him. “What’s wrong with you, Brody?” she barked, becoming agitated herself.
“Sarah!” he called loudly as he ran out of the room. He turned to Elizabeth. “I only took my eyes off her for a second.” He frantically scanned the dispersing crowd, looking for her sequined dress and dark hair.
Sarah was gone.
C
hapter Sixteen
Brody ran around the gymnasium, his fingers shooting through his hair in frustration as he searched for Sarah. He called her name. No response. The other parents noticed his plight and walked over. Over the heartbeat drumming in his ears, he heard Elizabeth say to them, “It’s Sarah. We can’t find her.”
Sarah’s teacher said, “Oh, I’m sure she’s here somewhere. She probably just wandered around the corner.”
“Sarah can’t wander,” Brody cried in frustration. “She’s supposed to stay with me. The whole time. God, I can’t believe I lost her!” He ran out the gymnasium door and scanned the parking lot.
Then he saw it. He saw a tiny flash of sequins as he heard a shrill, “No!” Brody’s heart jumped into his throat as he recognized Sarah’s tiny form being carried across the parking lot. She struggled in the arms of her captor, biting into the flesh of his hand as he tried to cover her mouth. The man cursed as he jerked his hand from her mouth and lost his hold on her. Sarah fought, kicked, and screamed with all her might.
Brody streaked across the parking lot toward them as the man put his hands on Sarah again, trying to throw her over his shoulder. Her assailant adjusted his hold, but Sarah continued to struggle.
Brody could feel his heart beating in his chest. Blood filled his face as anger overtook him. If not for Sarah’s struggling, they might have gotten away. Instead, Brody overtook them and crashed with all his strength into the man who held Sarah so unkindly. The man stumbled and dropped Sarah to the ground. Sarah scrambled away on her hands and feet like a crab as Brody spun him around, his fist connecting with the meaty jaw of the dark haired man. He fought back, striking a blow to Brody’s eye and one swift jab at his belly, which caused Brody to double over. Sarah sobbed gently behind him and straightened back up.
The skin of his knuckles tore as he connected with the man’s teeth. The injured man sank to the ground. Brody stood over the fallen one, putting himself between Sarah and her captor. “Who are you and what do you want?” Brody ground out.
The man stood up slowly. His five-foot-ten frame was dwarfed by Brody’s. But he quickly took the upper hand when he reached into his jacket and pulled out a pistol. Brody realized what it was as soon as he saw the black barrel. He took two steps back and raised his hands.
“I want the girl,” the man said, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the asphalt.
“She’s not going anywhere,” Brody stated calmly.
The man waved the pistol at him, indicating he should move from in front of Sarah, but Brody held his ground. “Not on my watch,” he said. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
They heard the sirens at the same time. Brody looked up to see two police cars racing down the street. Recognition dawned on the other man’s face. “Next time, you won’t be so lucky,” he said. The man jumped into a black SUV and quickly drove away.
“There won’t be a next time,” Brody grumbled as he turned and scooped Sarah up into his arms. Her hands were bleeding from her mad scramble across the parking lot and her gown was a filthy mess. Her curls were disheveled and her face was streaked with tears. Her feet were bare and her stockings torn. Brody pulled her close to him and said gently, “I told you to stay with me the whole night, remember?”
Sarah hiccupped and wiped her nose. “I came out of the bathroom and you were gone. I thought you left me,” she sobbed.
“I would never leave you, Sarah,” he said, kissing her gently on the forehead.
Two police officers walked up to them and said, “Do you want to tell us what happened, sir?”
“Hell, I don’t even know what happened,” Brody replied honestly. “I was trying to find Sarah. I came outside and this guy was carrying her across the parking lot.” He reached up and wiped a trail of blood that ran from his eye down the side of his face. “I…” He was cut off mid-comment by screeching tires as the Westers’ Jeep flew into the parking lot.
Lou jumped from the car, John hobbling behind her, and ran over to Brody, snatching Sarah from his arms. “What happened?” she barked, dropping Sarah to the ground and kneeling in front of her to look over her injuries.
“How did you…?” Brody began.
“I called her,” Elizabeth said, pointing to her cell phone. “Right after I called the police.”
“Good thinking,” he threw over his shoulder as he approached Lou. “She’s okay, Lou. I caught him before he could hurt her.” He placed one hand on her shoulder but she violently shrugged him off.
“That’s not what it looks like to me, Brody!” Lou snapped. “Look at her! All you were supposed to do was keep her safe for one night.” She shook a finger in his face. “That’s all I asked you to do, Brody! One night!”
“I did, Lou,” Brody pleaded. “I did keep her safe. Damn it! I did more than that!” he yelled back at her.
Lou snarled a curse at him as she picked Sarah up and put her in the Jeep. She buckled her seatbelt and got in the driver’s side. She addressed the officers. “I trust Dr. Wester can fill you in on any details you might have missed. I am taking my daughter home.”
Brody had never felt more like an outsider than he did when walked into the house after talking with the police for an hour. Jeb and Sadie sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee.
He walked through the backdoor, allowing the screen to slam behind him. “Where’s Lou?” he barked.
Sadie rose from her chair, quickly taking in the bloodstains on his shirt and the cut above his eye. “Oh, my Lord. You’re hurt.” She wet a cloth in the sink and reached to raise it to his eye.
He caught her hand in his own and stopped her movements. “Where’s Lou?” he asked, looking directly into her eyes.
“She’s upstairs with Sarah, child. But you had better give her some time…” Her voice trailed off behind him as he ran up the stairs.
The door to Lou’s room stood open so he stepped inside. He heard noises coming from the bathroom and stepped through the open door. Lou sat on the side of the tub, casually splashing water on Sarah, who was covered from head to toe with bubbles. John sat on the closed toilet lid, quietly teasing them both.
Brody brushed past them both and kneeled in front of the tub. Sarah grinned at him from amid the bubbles.
“You okay, kiddo?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Brody. Mommy let me have a lot of bubbles.”
“I see that. You look like you are having a great time. Let me see your hands.” He held out his own. Her small hands landed in his large ones, palms up. Brody grimaced when he saw the abraded flesh. “They don’t look too bad,” he mumbled. “Do you hurt anywhere else?”
“Nope. I’m fine. You look much worse than I do.” She reached her bubble-laced fingers toward the bruised flesh around his eye. He flinched as she touched it and moved back out of her reach.
John stood up, grabbed a towel off the counter, and wet it in the sink. “You have blood on your face, Brody.” He held the towel out to him and Brody took it in his hand, holding it up to his eye, wiping gently.
John pointed to his face, “Uh, you missed a spot, there.”
Brody turned toward the mirror and assessed the damage. “I look like one scary guy, huh, Sarah?” he joked, turning back to Sarah.
“Not nearly as scary as that man was.” She shook her head vehemently.
He leaned down to the tub and kissed her soapy forehead. He sighed deeply. “I had a great time tonight. Thanks for letting me take you to the dance.”
“Thank you for saving my life,” Sarah replied stoically.
“Any time, kiddo.” He turned to walk out of the room. His eyes met Lou’s. “Can I talk to you, please?” he barked in her direction.
“No,” was her only reply. His flinty eyes darkened with anger. He grabbed her arm and swung her around.
“Yes!” he said quietly but forcefully. “John, watch Sarah. We’ll be right outside.”
“Won’t take my eyes off her,” John said.
“Where have I heard that befo
re?” Lou asked sarcastically, pulling her arm out his grasp.
He grabbed her again, dragging her through the doorway and out onto the porch. She stumped her toe going across the threshold and fell against him. He looked down into her upturned face. She placed two hands against his chest and pushed with all her might. He stumbled backward.
“What is wrong with you, Lou? Damn it, will you calm down?”
“What do you want, Brody?” Lou asked quietly, her brown eyes flashing a challenge.
“I want to know if she’s all right, Lou,” he said, his face suddenly tormented. He ran his fingers through his hair in a frustrated motion, wincing as his hand brushed across his temple. “I have never been so scared in my whole life as I was when I thought I lost her,” he breathed.