Chapter Twenty Three

Bella woke Jayme up one more time before morning, then had her up again at six, wanting to be changed and fed again. Rex climbed out of bed knowing he had to work that day. As Jayme changed and fed Bella, Rex showered and dressed in a clean uniform. After the quick breakfast Jayme made, Rex was out the door, headed to work.
Jayme cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast then started in the living room, cleaning and straightening up. The apartment was tidy but needed dusted. She spent the first two hours just dusting the shelves, tables, and window sills. She wiped down the picture frames and nick knacks. Then she washed the windows.
Just before lunchtime, Jayme relaxed on the couch to change and feed Bella. She put soothing music on the radio and leaned her head back. As Bella was finished, Jayme laid her in the bassinet that was attached to the play pen. Then she went into the bathroom to relieve herself.
As she sat on the toilet, she heard strange noises but pushed them to the side, being a new apartment with new noises. Flushing the toilet, she pulled her sweat pants up as she came from the bathroom. Instantly, she saw him standing in the living room. He was holding Bella.
“She’s really beautiful.” Jim said.
Jayme froze with fear but the anger she felt melted the fear as she came toward him. “You son of a bitch, it’s one thing to fuck with me but now, you’ve gone too far. You’ve touched my daughter.” Jayme said and stopped just before him.
“What are you going to do?” Jim said.
Closing her fist, she mustered all the strength she had and punched him across the face but it didn’t seem to phase him. “I’m leaving and I’m taking my daughter with me. If you want to be with her, you’d better come too.” Jim said and walked to the door.
Jayme ran towards him and did everything she could do to get her daughter from him but it was a failed attempt. Grabbing her shoes and coat, Jayme ran out the door after him. Jim got into his car, still holding Bella, and shut his door. Starting the car, Jim looked as Jayme climbed into the passenger side.
It wasn’t until they were at least three miles from the house before Jim handed Jayme her daughter. “Please, Jim, you have to stop and get some things for Bella. I have no diapers, wipes, clothes, anything…”
“When we get closer to where we’re going, we’ll stop.” Jim said.
“Where are we going?” Jayme asked.
“You’ll see when we get there.” Jim said.
Jayme was scared to death and sick to her stomach. She couldn’t fathom how to get out of this situation, especially with Bella. And she knew Jim wouldn’t tell her where they were going. Although trembling, Jayme sat quietly as Jim drove the forty miles to his destination. Stopping at a motel, Jim parked at the doors furthest from the office. “Give her to me.” Jim said.
Reluctantly, Jayme handed Jim the small child then climbed out of the car. Jayme was too afraid to scream or even draw attention to them as she followed Jim to the room. Unlocking the door, Jim allowed Jayme to enter first before he shut the door behind them.
Once inside the room, Jim laid Bella down on the bed then went toward the dresser below the TV where he pulled out some rope. As he walked toward Jayme, she objected. “Is that really necessary?” She asked.
“I believe it is, yes.” Jim said and pulled Jayme’s arms behind her.
“How am I going to feed my daughter?” Jayme asked.
“When that time comes, we’ll figure it out.” Jim said.
“And what about diapers, wipes, clothes?” Jayme asked. “You didn’t stop.”
“I’ll go get some, after I do what I’m going to do.” Jim said.
“What are you going to do?” Jayme asked.
“I’m going to tie you in the bathroom so you cannot escape.” Jim said. “Come on…”
Grabbing her by the arm, Jim forcefully pulled her into the bathroom and set her on the toilet. “I’m tying you here to keep you from the phone. I’m taking Bella with me to the store.”
“What? No!” Jayme said.
But her objection was in vain as Jim shut the bathroom door. She could hear as he gathered Bella up from the bed and took her out the door. In that moment, Jayme had never heard such quietness. She broke out in tears knowing her daughter was with the man who killed her daughter’s father.
Jayme did everything she could do to try and loosen the ropes enough to get out but she couldn’t even budge it. Her wrists were feeling sore from the roughness of the rope rubbing against her skin as she tried to escape the rope.
What was an hour in reality felt more like three hours to Jayme as she finally heard the door open and shut. Then she heard the cry from her daughter. Jayme knew she was hungry and it made her breasts leak more. Almost immediately after he came in the door, Jim went to untie Jayme. ‘Come on, she needs changed and fed.” Jim said.
Feeling her wrists, Jayme knew there were rope burns on them. Walking directly to Bella, Jayme picked her up and sat on the bed with her back against the wall. First, Jayme changed Bella, cleaning her off. Then she felt apprehensive about breastfeeding in front of him but she exposed one nipple and pulled her up to it.
“You make a beautiful mother.” Jim said.
Jayme said nothing, only merely looked up at him and pulled a blanket over her and Bella. Jim looked through the drawers, looking for local restaurant menu’s. Locating a flier, he picked up the phone and ordered pizza for delivery.
Jayme was sitting on the other bed when they heard a knock on the door. Jim looked at her, pointed at her then lifted his finger to his lips signifying for her to be quiet. Opening the door, he handed the teenage boy the money and told him to keep the change. Taking the boxes, Jim shut the door and locked it.
Jayme was starving but didn’t get up to get some until he coaxed her to. She knew she needed to keep up her strength and milk production for her daughter. Taking three pieces and placing them on a paper plate, Jayme returned to the bed with her food. Jim handed her a can of pop and she accepted and took it.
After eating, Jayme threw her plate away then returned to the bed where she laid down, careful not to bother Bella, who was asleep on the other side of the bed. With her back to Jim, Jayme closed her eyes and cried silently. Twenty minutes later, she cried herself to sleep.
Waking to Bella’s cries, Jayme opened her eyes and looked around the dark room. Picking up Bella, Jayme tried to comfort and quiet her as she moved around to find supplies and clothes. Laying her back on the bed, Jayme sat before her, unwrapping the blanket. Changing Bella’s diaper, Jayme cleaned her off and replaced it. Dressing her in new, clean clothes, Jayme prepared her for feeding.
Glancing over at Jim, she saw he was still asleep. As she brought Bella to her breast for feeding, Jayme quietly and carefully got up off the bed and tiptoed toward the door, stopping to grab a few diapers and the small container of wipes. Quietly, she unlocked the chain lock, then the knob lock. Opening the door, she glanced back at Jim and saw him tossing in bed.
Jayme wanted to freeze but she was already at the door. Stepping outside, she pulled the door closed but didn’t shut it, she left it cracked. From there, she sprinted toward the street and down the sidewalk. Not recognizing the town she was in, she had no idea where she was. Walking down the sidewalk, she would hide in the shadows when she saw a car coming. However, it was roughly three in the morning and there was hardly any traffic.
Seeing a police officer, Jayme flagged them down. As they pulled up to the curb, she identified herself as well as Jim, explaining where he was. After calling in the information, they heard the report from dispatch and knew they needed to act now to arrest him.
With Jayme in the back seat of one police car, they called for backup as they drove to the motel. Jayme watched as the police raided the room, only to find nothing except baby supplies and empty pizza boxes. There was nothing to justify her story so they let her out of the car and left the scene.