All Chapters of SLEEPING NEXT TO A STRANGER : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

ASHLEY. Angrily, I walked to my office. The soft carpet muffled my footsteps as I tried in vain to calm myself down. "Why didn't Mr. Drew accept me?" I asked myself as I walked around the office, looking through the familiar surroundings with my mind wandering. But I mean, I've thrown myself at him probably a million times, he still wouldn't accept me, I thought, frustrated and disappointed. Why doesn't he see how much I care for him? How is it only me who recognizes him? While I stood there lost in thought, Ezra was calling. Ezra is my partner, and the biological father of the baby I bear in my womb. I took a deep breath and answered the phone, trying to stabilize myself. "Hey, love," I said back in a low tone, sounding calm and collected. Ezra's words were like an electric current running through my entire being. "We've got him," Ezra, my partner, said to me, his voice low, like some kind of menacing undertone. A chill ran all the way down my spine as I processed what he was sayi

NINA.My secluded room housed many objects that were all familiar to me-from furniture to decorations-as I sat, but my mind thronged everything of anxious thoughts and emotions. I did not know how to stop the auction and the gravity of my helplessness was upper leaning on me as if it were an actual force. I was scrolling through my phone, my fingers moving absently while I searched for a solution, but every path seemed to have an exclamation point at the end.I wanted to talk, to have someone listen about my worries about everything and if maybe that someone had some words to share: maybe, possibly, probably, that would work. That person would be Alex, friend and confidant, so I decided to call him. So, dialing the number, I did so while listening to my heart thunder before he would pick up his receiver.Answered on the first ring; his voice was as calm as "Hello," Alex said, tone very smoothing to frazzled nerves. "Alex," I finally greeted, almost a whisper. "Hi Laurel, how are you d

ASHLEY.I said to Ezra, almost whispering, that "I think we should give Sandra the money, honey." I felt his hesitance, knowing that he wasn't completely sure about what was to happen, but knowing well that it would come to him in due course. "You think so?" was the incredulous inquiry he shot my way."Yeah, I think so," I said, in a very firm and resolute voice. I knew it was going to be a risk giving money to Sandra, yet it was what was needed if we were to protect our reputation and our relationship. "Fine, in such a case, you can call her and transfer the money," he said resignedly in a voice as if he had come to terms with everything."But that's way too much, sweetheart," He objected, raising his voice towards we. The asked for amount was exorbitant and I knew immediately that it would cripple our finances. "Yea, I know, but trust me, we're gonna make the money back," I said in a very convincing tone. I knew it was an investment well needed, a sacrifice we had to make for what m

NINA.My preparations to see Drew at our son's school were interrupted as I sat before the mirror, thoughts of Morel's disappearance taking over me. "Oh, poor Morel," I cried, images forming in my mind of every possible torture he might be going through, and I felt tears welling. "I can't imagine the torture you are going through, but Daddy and Mommy are coming to your rescue," I said, shaking emotionally. I walked to the wardrobe and, almost mindlessly, brought out a black dress for me to wear as I lost my focus.Buzz, zzz, my phone rang: the babes on the screen. Drew. I picked it up in an instant. "Hello, baby," I told him to try and sound normal. "My love, they're asking for ransom," he said tonelessly, worried and concerned. "Ransom? How? Why?" I asked, trying to clear my mind as I was flooded with a million questions."I don't know, they are asking for a ransom of about $30k," he said, breaking down in emotions adding to the already growing crisis. This is serious, I swole up and

ALEX."It was a weird number that called Drew and told him the ransom was thirty thousand dollars," Laurel continued, her voice steady despite the emotions simmering just below the surface. "That's way too much," I said, my brow furrowed with concern, at the recollection of that conversation. The weight of the them demand always hung thickly in the air, the constant reminder that danger was much in the air for Morel."And they gave us this evening as the deadline," she uttered barely above a whisper. The ticking clock seemed to echo in her mind. Every second screamed, Time running out. I can imagine the stress that you went through, I said sympathetically. "The part of uncertainty, or fear, or desperation affected me the most?" Laurel compelled. "That was the reason," she said through sobs. "That was why I fainted when I saw Morel, and in my fainting state, I was obviously surprised. I listened, feeling for her, imagining how it would have been in all the events happening in her l