Call to Life
The streets of Orenburg were dark as Ella sat with her phone in her hand, back in her own room for some privacy, trying to figure out how to tell her aunts she wasn’t dead. She had to be careful that they didn’t find out where she was and that the call wasn’t traceable. If her father ever found out that she was alive, he’d pressure them to tell him everything they knew about where she was, and she didn’t want either one of the women she loved so much to go through that.
She decided to call Aunt Suzette first. It would be easier to explain to her because she wasn’t grieving the loss of a son. A nephew, yes, one she didn’t get to fly to America to say goodbye to either, for that matter, but not a son the way Aunt Genevieve was.
She did everything she could to block her phone number and location and then dialed her aunt’s number.
Since it was an unknown number, she wasn’t sure if Suzette would answer. But she did, her voice hesitant. In French, she asked, “Hello? Who is this?”
Knowing her aunt would recognize her voice, Ella said, “Aunt Suzette? Be calm. It’s me.”
There was a long pause and then sobbing. “Ella?’
“No one else is there, are they?” she asked, hoping she hadn’t given anything away.
“No, no just me. Oh, my God! I thought you were dead! I was told you were dead! I couldn’t go to the funeral. It was all so fast. Tim and then you….”
“I know. I know. I’m so sorry. I hate that you had to go through all of that. But I’m alive. I faked my death to get away from my dad. You can’t tell anyone, okay? He doesn’t know. They can’t know.”
“Okay. Okay,” she said, still sobbing. “Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you because if my father figures out that I’m still alive, I don’t want him to try to track me down. If he thinks you know, he’ll pressure you into telling him. So I don’t want you to know where I am. But I’m safe.”
“Thank God. Oh, Ella! If I had had any idea that you were in such trouble… I never would’ve let you go back.”
“I know, Aunt Suzette. It’s okay, though. If I hadn’t gone through that, I never would’ve met Rome.”
“Is he with you, dear?”
“Yes, he is.”
“But Tim… Tim really is gone, isn’t he?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.”
“Rome didn’t… kill him, did he?”
“No. Tim drowned. It was an accident. Rome tried to save him, but he couldn’t.”
“I see.” She was quiet for several seconds. “God, I’m so glad you called.”
“I would’ve called before, but I had to make sure I was someplace safe.”
“I understand. Your father doesn’t seem to think you’re alive, honey. He called me a few days ago, distraught, wanting me to tell him this wasn’t his fault, but I couldn’t do that.”
She wasn’t sure what to think about that. It was his fault. If he would’ve consented to her being with Rome, she wouldn’t have had to do any of this. “Do you think you can keep the secret?”
“Yes, of course. But what about Gen? Does she know?”
“No, but I’m planning to call her. How is she?” Ella wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
“Not well. You might actually want to let me call her. It might be too much for her, dear.”
Ella raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I can ask you to do that.”
“I don’t mind, honey. She’s my sister. I can tell her. And I’ll make sure she understands that it’s a secret.”
“Gosh, Aunt Suzette, if you don’t mind….”
“I don’t mind. Thank you for calling me, sweetheart. I’m so thankful you’re alive. Will you be able to call again sometime? When you’re sure it’s safe?”
“I will. I just have to make sure that Rome’s dad isn’t following us.”
“I see. All right. If there’s anything at all that I can do to help you, please let me know. Okay?”
“I will, Aunt Suzette. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Ella hung up and took a deep breath. She was so thankful to have that over with, and she was glad that Aunt Suzette was willing to call Aunt Gen, too. She took a few deep breaths and put her phone in her pocket, ready to go back to Rome’s room. Making that phone call made her feel free from her family in a way she hadn’t before. Now, she just had to figure out how to free Rome from his past, and then, maybe they’d be able to ride off into the sunset together, leaving everything else far behind.
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