Rescue My Daughter by Marva Smith (famous ebook reader txt) 📕

just a moment, he got out of the car and headed toward the front entrance of the 3-story home. As he reached the top of the stairs, the door was opened. Don's wife Angela stood there smiling. Her smile was what he needed. He could not help but return the smile.

 

"Hello there, Joel good for you to stop by! Come on in..."

 

Joel steps in as she lets him pass. The house spoke of Angela's style.

The beautiful whitewashed spiral stairway was crowned by a heavy crystal chandelier placed in the center of the ceiling. Angela loved to decorate. Don knew where is calling lied. He loved that his wife was the flair he needed in his life.

 

"...here allow me to take your coat.." Angela was in her early forties but you could never tell her frame a physique spoke against the age. You could see the result of the gym and healthy lifestyle, it glowed in her face she was mid-brown complected and her eyes sparkled of bronze. She always let her hair flow free with soft curls, her skin was clear and beautiful as such her personality. Angela met Joel when Don first hired him as a young accountant out of Detroit just graduated from school, he was like a son to her. Although Don's daughters claimed her as their mom, she felt they did it out of obligation and pity. But, she could not help but love them for it.

 

Joel hands her his coat from around his body.

 

"Thanks, Mrs. Kingsley"

 

"....come on now, Joel we are like family..call me Angie...."

 

she shuts the door behind him, he looks back at the door as if to say no going back now.

 

"...gone on in the family room, get you something to eat, I'll let Don know your here"

 

Angela disappears, Joel rubs his hands together and takes a much needed deep breathe as he walks pass the foyer into the family room. Unfamiliar faces walk passed him smiling and getting him.

 

"Joel!"

 

finally a familiar voice grabs his attention he turns it's Eliza Don's eldest daughter holding her toddler in her arms.

 

"Come over here, I have someone I want you to meet." Eliza shifts her daughter to her other hip.

 

Joel makes his way through the people going to and fro.

 

"Eliza," he gives her a peck on the cheek. "How are you?"

 

"I'm good Joel, she takes his hand. I want you to meet my in-laws from Texas this is Maxey, John's cousin and her husband Ted."

 

Joel shakes Ted's hand and smiles at Maxey.

 

"And this is...you remember George he was at the wedding."

 

Joel shakes George hand and greets him.

 

"And this here is."

 

She points at a young child standing next to her.

"Rachino Gabrielle, he is from India. Maxey and Ted adopted him."

 

Joel kneels down to shake the young gents hand he is standing straight head up and offers Joel a firm hand shake.

 

"So where is John?"

 

"He is upstairs with Dad he will be down in a minute."

 

They walk into the living room. Soft Jazz begins to play in the background.

 

"Fifteen years and the Kingsley Barr is still standing strong....who would have thought?" Eliza grabs Joel's hand as they enter the living room.

"Joel, thank you for being the MAN my father needed. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't stepped in like you did....financially I mean."

 

Eliza releases Joel hand, he looks deep into her eyes, the resemblance caused him to look away.

 

"You know I never really added it up....it has been 15 years since...."

 

Joel stops as he thinks about the first time he laid eyes on Zamera.

 

"Have you seen her?"

 

Eliza puts her daughter down to walk and she toddles into the next room into the arms of Ella. Ella lifts her up as she glances at Joel and Eliza, she then turns away and heads upstairs.

 

Joel facial expression looks as if to say who?

 

"Come on Joel don't look at me like that? You know who I am talking about"

 

Joel walks toward the window. "Yeah, I did." He folds his arms and turns toward the window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She's Back

"Are you alright?"

 

"I am the question is. Is she? Joel unfolds his arms as he turns toward Eliza.

 

Look, I'm not here for her. He rubs his head as he begins to pace back and forth and abruptly stop.

 

 

Your dad called the bar and told me stop by. He extends his hand toward Eliza. I need to go see him and then I will leave"

 

Joel begins to exit the living room, Eliza reaches out and grabs his arm he stops and faces her.

 

Eliza looks into his eyes she knows the pain her sister caused him.

 

"Joel it's alright to be angry....Zam-"

 

"I'm not here for her...Lizzie I keep telling you this!" Joel snatches his arm out of her grip roughly.

 

Joel tries to walk away and then he stops and turns to Eliza once again he takes a deep breath his voice calmer.

 

"Lizzie I'm sorry...I did not mean to blow up at you like that." he rubs his head.

 

 

"Sssh Joel. She reaches out as they gently embrace. You don't have to apologize to me." Joel was a like a brother to Eliza, he was the only one whom she could relate to on an educational level, after she graduated and her father placed the bar responsibilities on her, she felt overwhelmed until he hired Joel, he was a life saver. Joel was there through Don's heart attack, the death of her mother Vanessa, and still he had to experience what he did with her little sister and is still here, he has a special place in her heart for that. "Go ahead." they pull away.

 

She rubs his shoulder trying to offer comfort the best way a ex-sister In law can.

 

"Go see dad. I will see you later, k?"

 

Joel nods and leaves the living room. He goes upstairs to Don's study before he enters he can hear John Eliza's husband and Don laughing.

 

Don spots Joel, "Just the man I want to see. Come on in son."

 

"How ya doing, Joel?" John gives him a friendly hug.

 

"I'm good and yourself?"

 

"Can't complain."

 

"I got a chance to see Jade she is getting big."

 

"Yeah, that's my pumpkin."

 

Joel looks at him knowing deep inside how John truly feels but for the sake of Don, he accepted the comment with a smile.

 

"What can I do for you sir"

Joel turns toward Don willing to listen to whatever the old man had on His heart.

 

"Well, Don you know...since you have been handling things so well down at the bar, I was wondering if you were willing to add on another project?"

 

Joel looks at John and then back at Don.

 

"That depends on what it is sir? I mean no offense-

 

-None taken son"

 

I pretty much have my hands full with the Barr and all the legalities of tax preparation."

 

"And I understand, but you see with Lizzie expecting again, and Ella getting married, I'm going to need more hands on deck. Now, John has graciously accepted his time and talent, but I need for The Kingsley Barr marketers to see men coming forward more so than the women-

 

"You mean Lizzie and Ella."

 

Don recognized the disappointment in Joel's voice. He stood up and came around his desk to close the door.

 

"Have a seat son"

 

Don beckoned.

 

Meanwhile down the hall Zamera was in her old room, she pulled out her suit case and began to unpack her clothes and hang them up in the closet. There was a knock on the door.

 

"come in..." she faced the door and went back to unpacking. Enter Angela into the room.

 

"Hey, there you need any help, unpacking?" she sits on the bed.

 

"no ma'am thank you, thank you for asking though...i appreciate it.

 

"Zamera, you know I am here for you,..whenever you are ready to talk I am here.

 

"Thank you Angie, but really all I want now, is to be left alone....

 

she sighs as she hangs her lavender pants suit up in the closet.

 

...It's officially ended with Joel and now I feel like I can breathe and move on.

 

What about Cleo?

 

What about him? Zamera puts her personals into her drawer.

 

Child I’m not blind, what is going on...you riding around town in that long black limo-we see you and so does everyone else" Angela crosses her legs and leans forward.

 

Angela...look I'm tired, I just want to run a warm bath and relax.

 

Angela sighs understanding the child, she understood in her 26 years she has experienced a lot of things she had to grow up fast and to top it off ,she has lost the man she loves the most.

 

Angela walks over to Zamera. "Like I said, if and when you want to talk about whatever, I am here for you"

 

Angela leaves the room and shuts the door behind her. Zamera looks at the closed door and begins to weep quietly to herself. If only I would have told him how I truly felt inside she thought. She exits her bedroom to across the hall to run a warm bath, she sits on the ledge of the tub, the water begins to run, she hears voices echoing out of her father's study. Dad sure has his hands full with company tonight, it has been a long fifteen years she thought as she placed her hand gently

Under the facet to test the water.

 

"well Joel, I know I have put a lot on your mind to think about, so do take your time and please be reminded that I truly value your opinion."

 

Don picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

 

"Yes, sir...I will be sure to let you know whatever I decide." Joel gets up out of the chair stands up to fix his jacket.

 

Nice seeing you again John.

 

Likewise Joel.

 

Joel leaves Don's study. He enters the large hallway and decides he needed to use the facilities he heads toward the laboratory he can hear water running. He walks up to the door and knocks softly.

 

"excuse me..."

 

"yes.."

 

"yes, I just need to use the facilities will there be anyway possible?"

 

Zamera recognizes the voice oh so well, her heart pounds, she becomes indecisive she doesn't know whether to answer the door or not.

 

"You can use the one in the study..."

 

Joel squints his face he recognizes Zamera's voice.

 

"Zamera...is that you?

 

Zamera slumps as she slowly sighs and opens the door, Joel can't believe what his eyes see, Zamera's beauty was amazing, she had on no makeup, her hair was parted down the front, reaching past her shoulders she still had on that beautiful white dress he saw her in at the bar, she looked radiant but he sensed uncertainty in her eyes.

 

Zamera, he paused as he lifted his hand to cup her face she turned her face slowly away as her hair fell on her on cheek, Joel stepped closer to her, he was now entering her personal space a place where only he could enter and cause her to let down her guard. She felt her heart calling to him,but still her mind refused. He slowly reached out again, this time using both of his hands, as they touched her cheek she became weak, at this

Point Zamera could not refuse, she knew this place all to well she actually met his warm embrace, a place she has been longing for two years and to have him come to her was overwhelming.

 

Zamera pulled away and