7: Grace By His Presence

“How did you get that bruise on your hand?” Ethan asked as he pointed and looked down at the bruise she received when she was so mercilessly thrown out of Xon. Faith looked down and pulled her sleeves down – burying the bruise from his sight. She waved her other hand dismissively, “It is nothing. I fell last week.” She lied.

Ethan nodded his head as he chewed the morsel he had in his mouth. He dusted his hands for the crumbs of the bread roll, “How are you doing?” He asked and placed his forearms on the small round wooden table between them – still unaware of the truth.

How was Faith doing? She was miserable. She was tired. She hasn’t slept properly in days. And most of all she is scared. She is scared that someone is going to hurt her. She is miserable without her family – she misses them. She misses them so much – every night she cries until her tears dry out. Every day she changes her location, just in case someone does come looking for her. The fear is always around her.

The anticipation was killing her slowly. She wanted to end it all. She wants to go to the police and spill everything. She wants it to be over and most of all – she wants to tell this to someone. She wants to share this with you. She looks at Ethan and smiles, “I am fine,” she nodded her head. Ethan doesn’t look convinced – but again what does he know? He still believes that she is running from some abusive ex. How was she supposed to explain to him everything?

She heaves a sigh, “It is just a lot – I mean, I have to return to work on Monday or I will lose my job and I can’t go home because,” She paused when she realized what she could have told him. Ethan hunched, “Because?” He asked her. Faith gulped – preparing another lie in her head. “Because you don’t have any place to go? Because you used to live with your pathetic abusive ex?” Ethan started to assume on his own with a sour tone.

Faith felt horrible agreeing with his words but what other choice did she have? If she shares anything with him, she might make him run away and Ethan has been the only person, who is truly there for her – besides Elijah, from whom she is herself running away. Faith shamefully nodded her head – agreeing to every word he said. Ethan cursed under his breath, “That bastard,” he mumbled and flared his nostril. His anger only made her feel bad about the lies she was feeding him – this was personal to him – especially after what his sister had to go through with her ex.

Ethan was slightly hesitant before he offered, “Listen, um – I know we just met and all, but if you don’t have a place to stay – you are always welcome to stay with me. I live in a two-bedroom apartment with a flatmate. Or, if you are uncomfortable staying with us, you can always crash at my sister’s place – she lives alone.” He nodded his head and took his cellphone out of his pocket, “You know what, I think you should stay with my sister. She will be glad to let you stay with her. Let me call her and ask her about it,” he continued but Faith had to stop him. “No, wait for – Ethan.” She stretched out her hand and stopped him from calling or texting her.

He looked at Faith, “Why not? You shouldn’t waste your money on hotels and motels anymore,” he replied. Faith had to think quickly and she did, “I don’t have to,” she replied immediately. “I have a friend from university. His name is Elijah – he offered his place for a week, till then I will figure something out.” She nodded her head. “Oh, well – that’s great then,” he agreed to it. Faith was thankful that he didn’t ask for her family, she doesn’t know what lie she could feed there. Ethan tapped his finger on the table and spoke again, “But, if you ever face a problem living with your friend – you are always welcome to my and my sister’s place,” Ethan offered.

Levi inspects the old business card of a printing press somewhere in Naples at the back of which was a careless signature scribed. Upon looking at it, Levi did not doubt in his mind that the girl was telling the truth, Mateo does know something. It was him who signed this card that Levi found lying on the floor in Mateo’s office. He was yet to come to his office where Levi waits for him with the business card that he flipped between his fingers.

Mateo is known for his calmness. He always keeps his cool. The way he dealt with that girl took everyone by surprise. The minute Levi saw him dragging that girl away, he knew that she ticks Mateo off, now all he wants to know is the reason, and to talk about it, Levi has been waiting for his friend to show up. After waiting for a few more minutes, Mateo finally arrived. He walked into his office heedless of Levi’s presence. He halted as he sees him sitting on the couch.

Mateo brought his eyebrows together, “Hey, what are you doing here?” Mateo asked as he closed the door behind him and took off his coat before placing it on the back of his chair. Levi heaved a sigh and stands up, “Well, at first I was here to talk about the wine vendors but now, I want to talk about this.” He said as he showed the card to Mateo.

Mateo glanced at the card Levi held in between his fingers, “What about it?” he asked coolly. Levi gets off the couch and gets on his feet, “Matt, what is going on? Who is that girl? How do you know her?” Levi asked the questions.

Mateo wasn’t ready for this conversation nor did he expect Levi to bombard him with so many injuries. “Why does it matter?” Mateo spoke dismissively.

Levi sniggered, “It matters because that girl might be in danger, Matt. At least tell me how you know her and what is with this. This was signed by you,” Levi placed the card on the desk. Mateo looked displeased by Levi’s injury and looked away, but he wasn’t going to let this go – not until Mateo fed him the truth.

Faith paced back and forth in her motel room. His palms were sweaty as goes through the plan in her head one more time. She will go back to Xon. She might get kicked out again, but she will keep her words. She will not give up until she gets a lead.

Faith isn’t asking for much, she just what to know why her father asked her to see Mateo Nixon. Why would he tell her that Mateo is her guardian and why would a total stranger be her guardian? The more she thinks about it, the more she questions her father’s sanity.

After all, she was choosing to believe the man that killed her entire family before putting a gun to his head. What if Mateo doesn’t know her father? What if her father was just a mentally retarded man who killed everyone without a reason and faked everything, he told her but then who was that man who came to see her in the hospital?

Faith groaned and fisted her hair. She was going crazy. Tears welled up in her eyes, “Mom,” she sobbed as she missed her mother dearly. She rested her back against the wall before she slides down on the carpeted floor. She missed her family so bad that each night she thinks about ending herself and meeting them in the beyond.

Everything was too much for her, it was taking a toll on her health. She snuffled and wiped the tears off her face as she wondered where was she lost. She couldn’t find her way out of this mess. She let out a hiccup and brought her knees to her chest before resting her head against her knees.

She stayed in the same position until her neck started to hurt. She cried and cried until her head started to hurt. She cried until it got hard for her to breathe. She exhaled a shaky breath and wiped off the tears. She couldn’t cry more. She was about to get on her feet when there was a knock on the door. She visually shivered at the knock. She doesn’t know anyone here, why would they come to her door? Her heart started to race as she glanced at the only window that was just beside the door. She cursed under her breath. She can’t even skip out of the room through the window in case of any danger.

She was calculating the possibility of her survival when they knocked on the door again. This time it sounded more forced. Faith had started to shake. Her heart was beating in her mouth. She didn’t want to die like this. What if they take her somewhere, torture her, and then rape her before ending her life? Just the thought of it shook her core.

Faith ran inside the bathroom to look at the tiny window over the bathtub. The window was too small, Faith couldn’t fit through it. Once again, they slammed against the door. A shriek left her mouth out of fear which she suppressed by putting her hand over her mouth. Her head was spinning – she wanted to give up already. She was ready to give up. If they try to force themselves into her room, she was going to end it all.

Her eyes searched for something sharp, while she felt twists in her guts. She couldn’t find anything pointy when she remembered about the knife that was on her side table, she had cut an apple with it yesterday – perhaps she could use it.

The knocking had stopped but Faith was not taking any chance. She leaped out of the bathroom and grabbed the knife off the nightstand. She shakingly stepped closer to the door. The knocking had stopped but she wasn’t sure if the person behind it had left. She gulped and ran her lips through her dried lips. She was about to relax at the thought that maybe whoever it was had left, but to her horror. She heard the jiggling of keys before the door she had locked quivered and the doorknob twisted.

Faith’s eyes widened as tears spill out of them. With a soft push the door opened. Faith briefly closed her eyes. This was it. Her time had come. She opened her eyes and leaped at the person that opened the door with the knife raised above her head. She planned to defend herself up until she loses this battle. Tear blurred her vision as she ran towards the tall figure. It was a man. No, it was two men. One had opened the door and the other stood behind him. The guy that stood behind was tall – taller than the frontman.

Faith couldn’t defend herself – she couldn’t stab the intruder the next thing she knows, she was being held by her neck while another hand reaches out for her hand in which she held the knife and snatches it from her hand before throwing it on the floor. She was roughly pushed against the wall with one hand still on her neck and the other behind her head – protecting her from the impact.

She yelped as the man in the front face got closer. She blinked away the tears to see a familiar face with its eyebrows drawn together. Mateo’s grip on her neck wasn’t harsh, but for a mere second, he pressed on her neck before letting her go. She was baffled by the presence of the man that didn’t want to see her face again. Now he had broken into her room along with the tall guy standing right behind Mateo, his eyebrows drawn together as well but unlike Mateo, he seemed concerned.

Levi didn’t expect Faith to try to attack them with a knife, the fear in her eyes spoke for itself. She was petrified. Levi and Mateo came to see her at the motel she was staying in but when they knocked on her door – she didn’t answer. Knowing what kind of people are after her, they assumed the worst. Levi paid the shady man behind the counter and easily got the spare keys to her room.

Levi was fluttered by the fact how easily the man was bought – the girl wasn’t safe here at all. Levi had dragged Mateo to the motel to come to see Faith after he told Levi everything. After listening to the truth from Mateo, Levi was certain to get Faith some help, especially when she truly is in danger.

Now Levi stood in her room while he watches Mateo press her against the wall. Faith was shivering from fear as her eyes widened. Levi quickly stepped closer to Mateo and placed his hand over his shoulder, “Matt, get back – you are scaring her.” He mumbled before his eyes went on Faith, who couldn’t avert her terror-filled eyes off Mateo, “Faith, please relax – we are here to help you,” Levi’s tone softened.

Mateo let out of her neck and removed his hand from behind her head before he stepped backward keeping his eyes still on Faith, who felt like she was about to pass out. It was a wonder how her heart was still pumping in her chest.