A Lesson In Love

by Meg Jones



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    Chapter 7

"Are you sure it was Meg that called you?" Ben asked for the third time. "Yes I'm bloody sure! I think I would recognize my own wife's voice you know!" I snapped, getting fed up with him. "Daniel, calm down, your face is getting red again." Anna Maria warned. "I know!" I snapped at her. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. None of us had slept very much last night. They were all gathered at my house at 6:00 am. I was sitting closet to the phone, hoping for another phone call from Meg that might insure that she hadn't actually gotten caught last night. But I knew that I was dreaming. "Juice anyone?" Darren came into the room, carrying a tray. He was pale faced and red eyed, his facial expression drawn and his lips dry and cracked. He certainly looked the picture perfect immitation...of death. Anna nodded and handed him some lip gloss. He pushed it away and rubbed Carmex over his lips. I had never seen him act that way. He despised Carmex! He said it made his lips feel all waxy and fake! The phone rang all of the sudden. Everyone jumped and I dashed for it, almost knocking over Karl's drink. "Hello?" I gasped. "My my, up so early, aren't we Jonesy?" Jonesy, he knew my nickname! "What do you want me to do now?" I asked. "Get all of the money I asked for, first." the mechanical, unhumanlike voice answered. "Sure anything you want, just tell me, is my wife ok?" "Well, I would not exactly say ok, but she is alive." I sighed relief, even though those words weren't what I wanted to hear. I wanted her to be O K. "Listen slick, no more cute tricks of yours. Put all the money back in the bank account by 12:00 and then wait outside by the pay phone. Get everyone's account passwords. I'll call you at exactly 12:01." and he hung up. I listened to the dial tone for a moment and then hung up too. No one said anything, they just looked at me. "We have to put the money back into the bank for some reason." I explained. They all looked confused, but did as they were told. One by one they went to the bank and put all of the money back. I was the last to deposit mine. By that time it was nearly 12, so I sat on the stone bench beside the pay phone. At 12:02 according to my watch, the phone rang. I jumped to quickly to the phone and answered it. Some people passing by gave me a funny look, but I turned my backs to them. "Alright, good job hero. Now I'm sending someone to come and draw the money out of the bank accounts. You let him take it. I'm not trusting you with it anymore. I'm not stupid. You'll know it's my assistant because they will come up to you on that little stone bench and say, 'G'day mate, like the weather we're having?' You must answer, 'Yes but it could be better.' If you don't, you'll die. Remember this. See you soon. Oh and by the way, I love that black overcoat on you. You look so grown up in it!" Laughter on the other end, and then the dial tone. "Shit." I mumbeled as I hung up. He was watching me somehow. I stepped out of the booth and sat back down on the bench, staring at the faces that passed me. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing at all. How could everything be so normal, when my life was such hell right now? A warm salty breeze floated past my nose, making me feel almost relaxed. It made me remember the time I had skipped school to go surfing with my friends. I was so wrapped up in the memory that I barely took any notice to the guy who came and sat down next to me. That is, until he said, "G'day mate, like the weather we're having?" I almost forgot my reply in shock. "Yes, but it could be better." I gratefully replied. I sighed with relief. He smiled evilly and led me into the bank. Someone got me up there immediatly. I gave the women all the account numbers and passwords. As she counted out the money she gave me the weirdest look, like: 'Are you crazy to be going anywhere in this town with all this money?' I tried to look away and memorize the peaceful country hillside paintings that stood out against the gray walls of the bank. I could still feel her eyes burning into my flesh as she continued to stare. "Here you go sir, have a nice day." The woman's voice snapped me back to reality. "Oh, um, ok, thank you." I mumbled and let the man with me take it. "Come with me, Mr.Jones." he said and led me down about two blocks to a silver Lincoln. He threw the money bags into the back seat and continued to blind fold me. This is it! He's taking me finally to my wife! My mind screamed. "Don't get so excited Mr. Jones." the man warned as he bound my hands together behind my back. I forced myself stop smiling...even though inside I could hardly contain myself. The car started and we began to drive through the streets of the city. Further and further we went until I could barely even hear the traffic anymore. I could tell we had turned onto a country road because we drove over a large bump and I bounced a little in my seat. "Mr. Jones, do you know what chloroform is?" Before I could react, a cloth was pressed hard over my mouth, and then everything went blank. Knp. point of view: "He's here boss, we got the bastard and the money." "Good good, throw him downstairs with the whore, we have some work to do." I replied happily, rubbing my hands together. They picked up Mr.Jones's limp body and drug him down the hall. At the top of the basement stairs, they fumbled with the door a moment before they finally got it open. "Imbeciles." I muttered under my breath and continued to sit down and sort through the money for any types of tracking devices. The door down the hall slammed shut. "Michelle, would you please whip us up something to eat? I'm starving! Oh, and, uh, add a couple of martinis to the meal, would ya love?" I asked, breathing in the intoxcating sent of 8.5 million dollars. "Sure thing boss." she replied, and set to work. Meg's point of view: Something heavy fell down the stairs and woke me from a light sleep with a start. "Who's there?" I called out meekly. They had not taped my mouth shut this time, said there was no need to, I was so weak I could barely talk anyways. No one answered my calls. I began to panick and tried to move to the other side of the room in the darkness. I couldn't even tell if I was going the right way. This blind fold was driving me crazy. I just wanted to see so badly! "Meg?" came a voice weaker than mine, half groggy like they just woke up. "Who, who are you? What do you want?" I cried out into the darkness. Silence. The shifting of whoever it was on the floor. "Oh God Meg, don't you recognize my voice? It's me, Daniel." I stopped right where I was. "Daniel? Are you really...Daniel?" I asked, my voice getting louder, more shrill. "Shhh, sweetheart, hush, they'll hear you. But yes it's me." he replied. I gasped. "Where are you at? I can't seem to find you." I could here him shuffleing around some more. "I don't know, I can't tell. Oh, damn this blindfold!" I cried, trying to rip it from my face. I felt a warm hand on my leg, and then the whole force as Daniel fell down on my lap. "Meg." he whispered, lying his hed in my lap. "Oh God Daniel, I thought I would...never...see you again..." my voice was choked out. I bent my head down and rubbed my cheek against his. He felt so warm, and it was so cold down here. "Shhh, don't cry Meg, I'm here now..." he shifted on my lap so that his entire upper half was on my legs. "Meg, can you get this blindfold off me?" he asked, wriggeling around so that his face was on my thigh. "You actually expect me to chew these off? I can't!" I hissed. "Yes you can, they're simple knots, undo them with your teeth." he said patiently. "Daniel, I can't, I have to see before I can." I whined. "Meg, it's pitch black down here, it won't make any difference if you can see." he replied, getting irratated quick. I wasn't about ready to fight with him in this situation so I quickly agreed and set to work. I ran my lips along the back of his head and found the knot. He was right, it was simple. I tried thinking back to child hood when I would have to do this when we would play Cowboys and Indians and I had to get my fellow companions free. I was so wrapped up in those fun times that I didn't realize that I had undid the knot and I was chewing on Daniel's hair. "Meeeeg? Meg? Stop now honey, you've ummm, you've got my hair." he laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry love, I wasn't paying any attention." I almost laughed myself. "Mmmm how does my hair taste? I used Herbal Essenses." he joked. I had to laugh this time. "Ah ok, now lemme get yours off." he said, gently bending my head down so he could find the knot. He got it off with much more ease than I did and the hot, sweaty blindfold slipped off my face. "Finally." I breathed and blinked several times. "Now for the ones around my wrist." he said, shoving his hands in my face. "Daniel are you crazy? If they find us down here and we don't have our blindfolds on...that's bad enough, but..." "We're going to get out of here." he said, pushing his hands to my lips. I began to chew. "What about the money?" I asked through gritted teeth. "We'll get that too." he said, wriggling his hands. Finally I loosened the knot enough so he could slide his skinny hands out of them. Before I knew it, my hands were free and he was holding me in his lap, rocking me gently back and forth, kissing my filthy, matted hair. For some reason began to cry hysterically into his shoulder. He didn't try to shush me, just soothed me and rocked me. "Hey Meg?" he whispered. "Hmmm?" I asked, sniffing and enjoying his body heat. "Are you in a fragile condition? That guy said you were...I don't know what he was talking about..." "Oh that, yes, I guess you could say I am." "Why?" "Well Daniel, remember I had something to tell you when you got home?" "Yeah, what is it? Are you sick?" he asked, sounding worried. I smiled. "Oh no, nothing that won't go away in nine months." "What are you...trying to say?" he asked. "Daniel, you're going to be a dad, I'm pregnant!" I cried, hugging him and kissing his cheeks. He was silent for a minute. All of a sudden he burst out with joy. "Oh my gosh! I had no idea! Ah, oh wow Meg, I'm so happy! I don't know what to say!" I laughed. "Oh wait, yes I do, I love you." he replied softly, kissing me deeply on the lips. Suddenly there were heavy footsteps overhead. The door was swung open upstairs and the lights flipped on. We froze where we were, praying they didn't come down. "Hey Michelle, where you going?" somebody upstairs called. "Feed the whore and her man boss!" she shouted back, lowering her foot down on the first step. "Let them starve! Come and look at your share of the cash!" he called again. She hesitated, and then, seeming reluctant, walked back up the stairs. She turned off the light and we were cast into darkness once again. I realized I had been holding my breath the whole time. I let it out in a wheeze. "That was close." Daniel whispered, hugging me tight. I nodded. "Sleep a little Meg, you look beat." he said. I shook my head. "When are we going to escape?" "Not any time soon love. They have a lot to do. We'll wait until they go to sleep. Now, you sleep." he rubbed my back and sang softly until finally, I did drift in to a light sleep.

Chapter 8

 What a sweet sweet sight, watching Meg sleep, I thought. I had moved her head a little so I could lie down, but she was still snuggled close to me. Time was passing slowly, and I was getting kind of bored. It had only been an hour since I was tossed down the stairs. The noises upstairs still went on, they hadn't left to go anywhere yet. My mind was still foggy from the chloroform and I felt slightly sick to my stomach because I hadn't eaten. I kept the four blind folds near me, in case I heard footsteps overhead. I didn't actually believe that I could get all four blindfolds back on before they got down here, but it was worth a try. Meg stirred a little in her sleep and mumbled something. I tried to make out what she was saying, but it was slurred as if she was drunk. I smiled. I wished that I could see her in the pitch blackness down here. It was so creepy, only God knew what was down here. I kept getting a tingly feeling in my back, as if I could feel someone watching me. But that was silly, Meg and I were the only people own here...or were we? I began to creep myself out and shook my head to clear the foggy images. There were sudden sharp, distinct footsteps overhead. I fumbeled with the blindfolds and tied them around Meg first, so at least she'd be safe if they caught us.

I had just finished tying the strip around my wrist when the upstairs door was unlocked and heavy footsteps banged down the stairs. At the bottom they flipped on the light. I turned my head around to face the noise of the person. "Well I'll be damned, isn't that precious? Hey boss, Michelle, come take a look at this!" a man screamed. I laid my head down, across Meg's breast, to protect her from any harm. She had awakened now, but pretended still to be asleep. Her heart beat rapidly and was like thunder in my ear. I heard two more pairs of footsteps coming down the steep stairs. "Ewww, that's so disgusting!" a girl shrieked. Someone laughed. "Indeed my dear." they agreed. "Should we seperate them?" the girl asked again. My heart beat through my chest as they paused. Please Good Lord in Heaven no, don't let them seperate us! I begged silently. "Ah, not yet, wait till it gets darker, then we'll seperate them. After all, we don't want them doing anything nasty, now would we?" came the sickening answer. I could tell by the silence that everyone was agreeing. Meg's heart beat slowed down. "Are we going to kill them tonight?" someone suddenly asked in a hushed whisper, yet I could hear them perfectly. An evil laugh. "But of course." came the smooth reply. They laughed and walked back up the stairs, shutting off the lights and locking the door behind them. Meg let out a weak cry. "No Daniel, don't let them!" she cried, writhering under me. "Shh shhh Meg I won't, they can't, they don't have the guts!" I whispered back, feeling the hot sting of tears against the blind fold. She began to cry softly. "Meg, it'll be alright. Everything will be fine. We still have each other, and if we do die, then we'll be together." This was meant to comfort her but it made her cry all the more. "Daniel I don't want to die, we have such a life to live! Pop stars, parents, our best friends, retiring, grandparents. Daniel I don't know what I would do if I lost you!" she sobbed, doing her best to bury her face in my chest. I ran my nose down her face and located her lips and kissed them. Then I kissed her neck, her ears, her small petite nose, her wet eyes through the blindfolds that we had silently decided not to take off. "We are not going to die Meg." I whispered firmly, for reassurance on both sides. She sniffed and nosed my lips. "Somehow, I still feel, that this is our last hours together." she whispered, her voice sounding so final and confident that it scared me. She was thinking the exact same thing that I was. "Oh God, we pray you be with us, and if we must leave, welcome us into your loving arms and watch out for our dearly beloved ones." I prayed over and over again. Meg joined me and soon our two voices had become one, and the simple prayer became more like Death's music for us. After awhile my voice began to choke and I broke out crying. She did her best to comfort me, with her lips, her telapathic thoughts, her silences, her motherly scent. "All I wanted was to have a family with you Meg, what did we do to deserve this?" I cried into her torn sweater. "Shhhh there there Daniel. We'll be together forever, I swear." It was her turn to soothe me. "Meg, in case I don't get a chance to say this in the future, I want to say it now. I love you more than anything on the face of this planet, and that you're the one that keeps me going every day, the one that I wake up for. And if we do make it through this together, alive, I swear to you, on the life of the little child growing inside of you, I will be the faithful, loving, caring, father and husband you've ever wanted."

Relief flooded through my veins. I had been wanting to say those words to her for a very long time. "Well I guess I should say this then, my dearly beloved Daniel. I you, in all the things you just said. I will be faithful until the day I die, and herafter, my love for you will never die with my body. And if I happen to die, and you make it, I want you to know that I will always be watching and that I don't want you to be afraid to move on and marry another women. I will watch over you and your children, and help you through every day of your life. Just make sure that the women is of good quality and good to you, and I will approve. You also should love her, like you do me. But please, promise you will not forget me, nor kill yourself, or bury yourself in grief and death. Because my love, there is love and life after death." With that she trailed off and began to cry again, snuggeling closer to me and kisssing me every now and then. "I promise you my baby." I whispered to her and joined her in crying.

Chapter 9

 I awoke with a start. Had I fallen asleep? Yes I had. I felt so groggy and out of tune. My body ached from being tied up and I was sweating. It was dead silent all around me. So what had made me wake up in a panic? I strained to listen for any type of noise. The slow, soft breathing of Meg, but that was it. No voices upstairs, no footsteps, nothing. It's got to be some kind of prank, I thought. Surely they wouldn't leave us here...or would they? My heart began to thump noisly in my ears. Should I go and listen up to the door? I pondered the questioon for a minute. This could be our only chance...after all, tonight was doom's night for us. Yes, I'm going up there. I struggled to move out from underneath Meg's warm, soft body. I paused to make sure she hadn't awaken. Her soft breathing continued at it's normal pace. Good. I rolled over on my right side and used my legs to push myself up. This blindfold! How would I be able to see my way over there? I didn't want to wake Meg up just quite yet. Didn't want to alarm or excite her or anything. No, I'd have to make it there using my other senses. I shakly stood up and took small steps in the way I had been facing when I was lying down. I walked for a matter of minutes, and still felt no stairs. Was I even in the basement anymore? I began to get scared...where was I?! Just as I was about to run back to where Meg was and hide myself against her, I banged my knee up against a wooden step. I bit back a loud scream and swear. My knee began to throb badly. Had the noise been heard any where else? I stopped to listen. Still nothing.

A great sigh escpaed my lips and I began to walk up the steep steps. I didn't have any trouble till the last step, which groaned and threatend to give out under my weight. I stopped and held my breath. No noise, and I was still standing on the steps, not lying below them in a mass of broken boards. Finally, one foot up onto the tiled landing. Teetered on the edge for a moment, and then took one quick step up to the door. I paused again, listening for any type of movement. Nothing. I pressed my ear up to the door and strained to listen. Not a sound. I stood that way for a long time, just listening, almost in a trance. A grand father's clock struck the hour somewhere, bringing me back to reality. I tried counting the strikes...5,6,7,8. 8:00! Oh thank Heaven, it would be much easier to escape now. This is your chance Daniel, go get Meg! I took another quick step to the top of the stairs, found the first step, and sat down on it. As quickly as I could, I began to scoot myself down the slick narrow steps. When I finally reached the bottom, almost out of breath, I scrambled to the middle of the room and found Meg. She was still asleep, breathing slightly quicker, but still peaceful. "Meg! Meg! Wake up!" I hissed, bending down to her side. She stirred a little. "Huh?" she asked groggily, her voice loud in the piercing silence. "Meg, wake up this is our chance to escape." She sat up quickly. "Daniel? Where are you? What are you talking about?" her voice was half drowned out from waking up. "They aren't here! Help me get this stupid blinfold off!" I answered impatiently, shoving my head in her face. She began to chew and within a few minutes, the blindfold fell to the ground. "Quick, now the ties!" I whispered, my voice getting louder and louder. Soon we were both free of blindfolds and ties and were making our ways up the stairs. Meg tripped, but I hastily pulled her up. She amazingly didn't object to my harsh actions, just went along. When we reached the door, I tried the knob. Locked, as I thought. Fury raged through my veins. I began pounding on the door, and then slamming my whole body into it. It was such a weak door, why wouldn't it open?! The last blast that I gave it, which I intended to give up after I had delivered it, was filled with all the power I had left. The door gave out under me and I crashed to the floor with it, bringing Meg down on top of me. "I'm sorry Meg!" I cried, reaching around to see if she was ok. "Just go Jonesy!" she screamed, pulling me up. We ran to the front door and fumbled with the knob. Locked! There was no stregth left in me to knock this one down. Instead, Meg grabbed my hand. "Come on! We'll find a window!" she cried, dragging me down the pitch black hall. At the end of the passage we veered off to the left into a darkened room. Indeed it had a window. Dusk's pale shadows danced in the windows and smiled upon us. I was the first to the window. It opened easily with a thrust. A car drove over gravel in the front yard.

"Oh God!" I cried and helped Meg out the window, and then jumped down myself. At the end of the yard, the woods started, growing thick and providing enough shelter for us. If only we could make it! I began to run, dragging Meg every step of the way. Startled voices called out behind us. I looked back to see our kidnappers starting across the lawn after us, guns in hand. I tripped over a gopher hole in the ground and fell. "Daniel!" Meg screamed and ran back to help me. "Meg run!" I commanded her, pushing her away. She glanced from me to the advancing kidnappers. "Now!" I yelled, getting up. She began to run, as fast as she could, leaping branches and holes in the overgrown grass. Gunshots were ringing out now, firing passed me, straight for my love. She was almost to the forest! Yes! I was about 5 paces behind her, limping a little but keeping good pace. An extra loud shot rang out. I looked ahead of me, just in time to see Meg fall to the ground. "NO!!!!" I screamed and ran to her, kneeling beside her. Blood sprayed from the back of her head, covering my face and hands. No doubt, in that split second, my love was dead.

Chapter 10

 My mind went numb. Oh God, please no. Take care of her! "I love you Meg." I whispered and bent down to kiss her bleeding head. The murders had fallen a few paces back, supposedly with shock of hitting there target. With one last glance at my dead wife, whom I would not be able to see ever again, at my unborn baby whom I would never hold and cuddle, I began to run for the woods, with such numbing speed that the scene flashed by me. They pursued me for a ways into the woods, then stopped, rendering it hopeless. After what seemed like hours, when I was sure I was away from the murders, I stopped. I fell to the ground and began to sob, clutching my heart, and screaming my wife's name over and over. I was so sure we would make it! What did she do to deserve this?! What?! I began to kick and scream. "God damn you son of a bitches! Die! Rot in Hell! She didn't deserve to die! She didn't deserve to die!" I screamed over and over. After ahwile I lay quiet, tears still running down my burning hot face, my chest on fire from running, my head spinning. All I could think of was Meg. So sweet and innocent. Suddenly, a voice spoke to me. It seemed inside my head at first. But as it progressed, it seemed as if it were right next to me. It was Meg's voice, calling my name.

"Daniel, I love you with all my heart. You promised Daniel. Don't be sad, I will live on forever my love." The last words faded away with the warm breeze that passed over me. "Meg." I whispered again, closing my eyes and clutching my shirt that was still soaked with her blood. Slowly I got up and began to walk in the way that I had been running. And that's how I walked, like that, all night until dawn peeked over the horizon and I walked out of the woods, into a pasture. Cows grazed quietly here and there, barely taking any notice of me as I passed them. Across the pasture was a small farm house, the lights inside on as the owner got ready for the mornings chores. And that's how the horrid nightmare came to an end, when I stumbled up onto that farmers porch, still clutching my bloody shirt, still in a daze, knocked on his door, and poured out my unbelievable story.

Epilogue

 It's been two years now since the death of my beloved. The kind old farmer had called the police after hearing my unbelievable story. They immediately went to the murder's house, only to find it empty. They were gone, money and all. It didn't matter then, and now, I really don't care anymore. The murderers still have not been found, even to this day. I just hope that they get what they deserve for doing this to me and my wife, and my unborn baby. The police did retrieve Meg's body, and we gave her a proper burial, just the way she'd have wanted it. It was a beautiful sunny day, and everyone attended. It all seemed so unreal, even then, such beauty, such love and death in the air. After the funeral, Darren and I cried for hours on end, as did the rest of the band members and family. I still visit her grave, putting fresh flowers on it, and sketching little things for her, talking to her, and just plain listening to the things that go on around the cemetary. I remember one time I even fell asleep on her stone, and wasn't found until the next day by Darren. I miss her so dearly, even now, when many of my wounds have been healed. And I have also kept my promise to her. I miss her terribly every day, but have learned there is life and love after death. Just as she told me there was. When the times are tough I just remember her sweet smiling face, her voice, her jokes, and my promise to her, and fight my way through it to happieness.

I have found another woman, whom I love and trust, almost as much as Meg. She loves me for who I am, trusts me, is funny and smart. I plan to marry her when the time comes. Everyone agrees, Meg would have approved. I think so too. In my dreams she is always smiling and nodding at me, though she doesn't say much. Nine months after her death, she came to me in a dream, holding a beautiful little blond haired, green eyed, baby girl in her arms. My baby. Our baby. Atleast I know what she looks like now.

The money was restored to every member by the state, and by people whom raised it for us. God bless them all. But even though the money is back, there is still a part of me that seems to be missing at times. Like when I look at a picture Meg drew, or a favorite ring of hers. Or the radio plays our song. But that part is slowly being filled by my new women, slowly regaining strength, happiness, the feeling of love. Yet I will never forget Meg, nor replace her in any way. I still live in the same house Meg and I were wed in. Some people say I'm stupid, because there would be so many painful memories. But I smile and laugh at them, because I know, in my heart and mind, that many more happy memories exist than do sad ones. And that Meg's spirit will live and be with me forever.


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