Her Betrothed Prince CHAPTER 18 by Jennifer Brunner (classic books for 7th graders .txt) 📕

Chapter 18
Landon’s P.O.V.
***
Symphony spoke words I didn’t expect to hear. “You love me?” I said breathlessly. She nodded and I looked into the eyes of my parents then her mother and David. “Guys, you can party all you want but the bride and groom are out!” I shouted with glee.
There were laughs from the family and friends around us.
I lifted Symphony bridal style and ran as fast as I could into our house, Erik forgotten.
***
It has been a month since we got married. A month since Symphony said she loves me.
And today I was taking her to find a house. If she didn’t want a new house then we would just look for a nice quiet vacation house in the middle of, what seemed like, nowhere.
We were headed to a small country town called Galien located in southern Michigan. I had been here many times before in my child hood and it was not too far away from Indiana.
It was safe to say this town was small but it mainly had country side roads. It is a town that consists of less than 6oo people and privacy was always around.
It was more than three hours away from all of my family and friends and more than four hours away from hers.
It was the type of place we would want to go if drama was at a climax.
Speaking of which Mick’s trial is in six days and Symph and I had to attend to so we could testify against him.
She would probably be a little shaken after seeing him so I plan on finding a place today that way we can go right away.
Symphony grabbed my hand and I brought it up to my mouth and gave her a small kiss on each knuckle, not taking my eyes off the road. “So, I have this list of houses that we can choose from…” I started but she was looking out the passenger side window. “Babe?”
She didn’t look at me but she answered with a whisper, “I want to go back to school.” It was random but I knew why she said it. This was her chance to be a teenager, the teenager she never got to be with Mick.
I nodded. “Okay. We will put you back in your old school. I will find a house to rent for the nine months until you graduate and it will be all set.”
“I don’t want to go back there. I want to start fresh, make new friends. That way no one can talk crap about me because they don’t know about Mick. Everyone back home will know that I was keeping this secret now. And what would they think if I go back and there is a ring on my finger and I have a twenty-two year old husband who is practically famous?
“Then Olivia will be all over you like she was Erik and I will lose you because let’s face it she is way prettier then I am. She has those ginger eyes and her hair falls perfectly. I mean every guy drools over her and she is always trying to take what is mine. It has been this way since fifth grade and I don’t know why.”
I held up my hand and waved it. “First off, I am your husband who so happens to love you. And don’t you ever think that I will give you up for what seems like a slut. And the most important rule to never forget is that you are a diamond comparing yourself to dung.” She giggled and smiled at me.
“Thank you.” She leaned over and gave me a kiss. “Landon?” I lifted my eyebrows for her to know I was listening. “This is boring. Can we go to the mall?”
I laughed and answered her with a nod. “Sure thing, Lois.”
I did a small U-turn and drove down the winding road and she turned on the radio.
She busted out in laughter when a song that I didn’t know came on and she sang her heart out.
I heard something about hips swinging and junk like that. When I asked her what we were listening to she shook her head and waved her hands around letting random words about gypsies and savages.
The song was good, I am not going to lie, but it was a song I hadn’t heard.
“Now will you tell me?” I asked as the song went off and the radio announcers started rambling about some random nonsense.
“It’s a song from a few years ago. It’s Swing by Savage.” She did a double take and looked at me like I was crazy. “How do you not know that? This song like blew up when it first came out.”
“Sorry. I am more of a rock and roll type of guy.” I shrugged.
“Ha ha.” She said in a mocking tone.
I pulled into the mall’s parking lot and roamed around for a space to park. “Wow this place is super busy.”
“Yep.” She replied and her cell phone rang. She checked the caller ID. Her brows knit together and she slid it open. “Hello?”
“Who is it?” I asked. She put it on speaker.
The phones speaker let a man’s voice leak into the now parked car. “Hello. Is this Symphony Jacobs?”
“Uh, it’s Symphony Taylor now but yes this is she.” I heard her gulp. “May I ask who is calling?”
“My name is Drake Pendergrass and I am from Mason Police Department. I am calling about the crimes your father has committed towards you. If you can I would like to meet up with you and your mother sometime this week. Is that alright with you?”
She looked at me out the corner of her eye. I nodded. This was important and she needed to talk about the abuse with someone. Lord knows she wouldn’t talk to me.
“Is it okay if my husband Landon tags along?”
“Sure thing. Where and when do you want to meet up?”
“Can we make an appointment on next Friday at three and go to the café shop on Jefferson St. in Mason?”
“That is fine. Don’t worry Symphony, it is just to insure that we got all the information we need to put him away for good.”
“So you’re trying to help me?” She said with a tear rolling down her cheek.
“Yes we are. Our best interest is in the victim’s well being.”
“Thank you Officer.” She said with a smile. “Landon can you find me a Kleenex?” She asked wiping at her nose.
I rummaged around in the glove department until I found a pack of portable tissues and I handed them to her. She pulled out the light blue napkin, set down the pack and turned away to blow her nose.
“Sorry Officer Pendergrass. I mean I would do it sooner but I have an appointment tomorrow so they can take a closer look at my cancer and give me treatment.” She let out a heavy sigh and for the first time I noticed her eyes had dark bags under them. “I have to admit I am more scared right now than I have ever been.”
“You don’t have to be scared Mrs. Taylor. My wife is a 26 year old cancer patient and she is a fighter just like you.”
“Thank you Sir. Be sure to tell your wife that I will pray for her.”
“I sure will sweetie. And I’m sure she will pray for you too. I know I will. Have a good night and I will see you soon.”
“Bye.”
We got out the car and she smiled awkwardly at me. “Come on.” She said in a chirpy tone. “I need a new outfit.”
As I grabbed her hand we passed a chick with purple and bleach blonde hair who gave us a look that made me look at Symph, who had stopped dead in her tracks. The blonde looked into my eyes with her own ginger ones and I knew exactly who she was.
Great, I could just smell more drama.

Publication Date: 08-08-2011

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Dedication:
To all of my friends and fans. For all the difficalt situations that we all have been through.