Page 94 of Deliverance

Erin Moreland

7:09 AM

Would your wife be okay with that?

Steven Holmes

7:11 AM

She'll understand.

Erin Moreland

7:11 AM

Okay.

Steven Holmes

7:15 AM

Great. I need to run, but you have no idea how good it is to hear from you. Talk soon, okay?

Erin Moreland

7:17 AM

Sounds good.

My parents came down not long after my conversation with Steven. I waited for them to have coffee and breakfast before I told them about California.

"You're moving to California with some guy you met ten years ago?" Dad questioned. "Do you think that's smart?"

"I …" I wanted to tell them I'd known Ric the entire time, but I didn't want them to see him in a bad light. Yes, he had worked for evil people, but Ric wasn't corrupt. He was an ex-Navy SEAL. He had a Purple Heart, and I was certain he had more medals he hadn't told me about. "He's a really good guy—"

"How do you know that?" Mom asked.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to come up with what to say. "You just need to trust me."

Dad was staring at me when I opened my eyes. "Do you know him from … from your time away?"

"My time away?" I chuckled sarcastically. "It wasn't a vacation."

"I know, pumpkin." He leaned forward and captured my hand. "I don't want to say the harsh words about what happened."

"I understand. And," I hesitated, "it's okay to say what it was. I was kidnapped. I was forced into sex with a man I wished every day would die, but it was only one man. I know that doesn't make it better, but it helps me sleep at night. The other women weren't solucky." Mom had a few tears running down her cheeks. Oddly enough, I hadn't cried in a long time. "But it's okay. I've known Ric for a long time. We're good together."

"How do you know?" Dad inquired.

"Because I do. Just trust me, okay?"

"Why do I feel as though you're not telling us the entire story?" Mom questioned.

"Because I can't."

"Are you in trouble?" Dad wondered.

"No." I shook my head. "It's not like that. Just trust me, okay?"