The Guard To My Sanctuary - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"Hello," my father's deep yet kind voice boomed into the phone's speaker. I immediately remembered him coaching the little league team that I was only a part of but for two games since I found it more interesting to do cartwheels in the grass and chase after dragonflies.
"Daddy," I said into the phone a little emotional at hearing the sound of my father speaking.
"Who the hell is this. I swear to god if you sick people are playing a joke on my phone I will find you and arrest you for harassment," he said using his domineering tone like he used to do when he was tired and we weren't listening. I had a feeling that voice had become more common to him than it used to be.
"No daddy it's me Elm," I said desperately into the voice.
"Yeah right I've played this game before, what you are doing is sick and cruel my family has been hurting for ten years and now you want to call my phone thinking this is a joke do you have no humanity," he asked into the phone sounding tired.
"Daddy it's me I can prove it," I said. Marco slowly put his hands over my shoulder I looked up at him and saw his features highlighted by the amber glow of the twilight sky.
"I'm hanging up," he said.
"NO, remember what mommy used to sing. He chaacha chaand, yahaan aate hain, vahaan aa. Nadee baink dvaara aao. Sone kee katoree mein doodh aur chaaval le aao. To main jaldee se mere bachche ko khila sakate hain. He neeche aate hain aur reling par baithate hain," I sang into the phone."And uncle Kunaal has to wear his coral-colored Dastar or he believed that the East Bengal club wouldn't win. Pine starts pacing when he gets nervous and hums the macarena in a deep tone. Alder hates Uncle's veggie burger unless it's with the spicy brown mustard along with Mayo mixed with olive oil. You kept a picture of mommy in your wallet with all of her bangles on her hand just before she found out she was pregnant with Pine. She named us all after trees because she said trees are the purest forms of life," I said into the phone.
"Oh my god, " my dad said and I heard his phone drop. He must have been scrambling to get it because I heard it get knocked around a few times. Marco squeezed me a few times and I felt comfortable in his arms even though I should not have been.  He was just so warm and welcoming and he seemed genuine in his efforts to help me out. Maybe I was just too starved from someone actually giving a damn so I was just soaking the energy in. My father picked up the phone and I heard the sound of him sniffling.
"Oh my god Elm," he exclaimed," where are you, where have you been. We have missed you so much and have been searching for years since you have been gone. Everyone blamed one another for losing you I can't believe I'm hearing your voice you still sound like you used to," he said into the phone obviously crying on the other end.
"Daddy I've missed you so much, I'm on my way back right now to San Jose if you still live there. It's not your fault someone was stalking me that day and took the smallest opening and nabbed me. I was in Trenton but now we're somewhere outside of Chicago I will be there in two days," I said smiling harder than I had ever smiled in my life.
"Trenton you've been in New Jersey this whole time what happened to you," he asked getting serious. I took in a deep nervous breath knowing what I was about to say would be hard for him. I told him the general information of what had happened to me over the years all the way to my escape and how Marco saved me and found my Dad's number. He sounded heartbroken when I told him about the trafficking but I managed to get him to focus on me coming back home in two days.
"We all will be there! Me, your brothers, and your uncle," he said into the phone.
"I can't wait to see you guys," I said with tears of joy falling down my face.
"Me either Darling, why are you rushing me off the phone," he asked jokingly.
"I don't want to hog his phone," I said causing Marco to scoff. The truth was I was tired of crying in public rather it be happy or sad. Also hearing his voice made the two days seem like it would feel like two weeks.
"Let me speak to him," My dad ask/told.
"Okay daddy," I said.
"He wants to speak with you," I  told Marco. He smiled and put his hand out for the phone. I placed the phone in his large strong hands and sat back in my seat imagining being able to fly home and sleep in my bed and hug my dad. All I heard from Marco was yes and no sirs and smiled at the sound of his voice and immediately stopping.
'I can't be happy with him here he's just being nice and helping me get home'
He tapped my shoulder and handed me the phone back. I placed it on my ear and heard my dad breathing into the phone.
"Darling, I love you and I'm only hanging up because I want your brothers to know you're safe and on your way back. Stick with Marco and don't do anything stupid I can't lose you again okay," he said.
"Alright, I will and I'll call you the moment I wake up it's like nine here and I didn't sleep so well," I said already feeling tired from the tears.
"Alright I love you Elm and can't wait till I have you home," he said.
"I love you too," I said and waited a full minute before hanging up.
"How do you feel," Marco asked with a smile.
"Happy in a way I haven't been in a long time, I said honestly.
"Also hungry and tired," I added.
"Well, let's fix the hunger and get you to bed. Your Dad asked me to keep you safe and I promised him I would. One thing you should know about Marco Tafferty is that I keep my promises," he said getting up and holding out the tip of his shirt for me to grab. I felt so weak needing to hold onto him just to walk around but my hunger beat out my shame and I held on to him all the way to the dining cart where we sat and ate burgers. An hour later we were back in our seats and ready to go to bed. I was freezing cold and doing my best to keep warm but the sweater wasn't working.
"Oh god you're cold aren't you," Marco said getting up and reaching into his duffle bag and pulled out a camo blanket and pulled it on the both of us as he sat down.
"Just ask if you need something," he said throwing his arm around my shoulder and letting me lean on his side where I immediately felt comfortable. I hadn't been touched by a man that didn't want anything from me in a decade so being under his warm embrace was new and beautiful in a way I couldn't explain. His breathing patterns acted as a lullaby and lulled me into my first comfortable slumber in a long while...
"Elm," I heard my name get called and opened my eyes to see it was daylight and that I was leaning on the glass instead of Marco which for some reason disappointed me. I turned to see him holding a brown paper bag and a bottle of water at me. I smiled and grabbed it putting the items into my lap that was covered by the blanket.
"It's already four in the afternoon you slept well didn't you," he said sitting down with a big of spicy barbecue chips and a water.
"Yeah I did, I have been sleeping with one eye open for a while it felt good to know someone... It felt good to not have to worry," I said opening the bag which had a sandwich inside of it.
"I bet, so I was thinking how about we get to know each other a little better since we have nothing but time to waste," he asked with a smile.
"Umm sure," I said between bites.
"Okay what's your favorite color," he asked.
"Orchid I loved it since I was small, my room was even that color," I said. I surprised myself by being so open to the questions that were asked. Marco just had this calm about him that made you want to trust and confidence in him.
"That's a beautiful color my favorite is cerulean like the color of the sky," he said pointing out the window. I was more of a rainy day type of person but I liked how his eyes gleamed at the brightness of the outdoors. I wondered if I could ever be that optimistic.
"Do you like cats or dogs?"
"Dogs they are nicer, cats don't do anything but lay around and have an attitude from what I have seen on television," I responded.
"I like both, I plan to own one of each when I get out of the Air Force," he said.
"When do you get out, if you don't mind me asking. I'm sorry that may have been too personal a question to ask," I started to freak out.
"It's fine to ask, I get out in a few months," he said.
"You weren't good with people before all of this were you?"
I hung my head down in shame and felt tears start to well up.
"No no no, that's just fine with me. I like shy people. Shy people tend to think before they speak and have a better sense of others feelings in my experience," he said and patted my shoulder. I noticed I stopped flinching at his touch which was different.
"Where are you from," I asked him trying to focus on something that would keep me from crying.
"I'm from Newark, New Jersey, originally. I've been stationed in Okinawa, Japan. A few months in Syria of course. I also spent a little over a year in Germany," he rattled off a list of his places of residence.
"How old are you," I asked.
"Well I'm twenty-six years old," he answered.
"Oh, my oldest brother should be twenty-six by now," I stated.
"Oh cool, so you're gay right, I'm not asking to be rude or hit on you," he clarified his inquiry.
"Yes I am, but I didn't ask for any of this to happen to me at all it's not like I enjoyed any part of it. Being straight would have made life much easier," I started but he held his hand up.
"No, I wasn't going to say that but the contrary. I was going to tell you that some people might tell you homosexual people can't be raped but I want you to disregard those bigots, you hear me," he said and I nodded.
"Good, and trust me I understand not having a choice in being gay," he said and smirked.
"Oh," I said kinda blushing.
'Did he just flirt a little with me. Why am I happy. I just got out of an abusive situation I shouldn't be blushing at advances,' I thought to myself but my cheeks still turned pinkish.
"I'm just teasing you, I know you're in a vulnerable state right now," he said with a smile. I looked at him and felt a little spark as he pulled me into a side hug. I turned my attention to the movie that was playing on the monitor behind the seat trying to take my focus off of my confusing feelings.
"Here," he said holding out one of his earbuds. I looked at him strangely before he placed the earbud into my ear allowing me to hear the comedy I hadn't seen. He was gentle as he grabbed the blanket and covered us both.
"Can I use your phone," I asked.
"Of course," he said handing it to me with my father's number already dialed and ready. I pressed the call button and one ring my dad answered.
"Darling Marco told me you were sleeping well," he said.
"Yeah I was, I'm actually kind of ready to go back to sleep I haven't been able to sleep well in a while," I said.
"Well I'm not going to hold you I just wanted to hear your voice I can't wait to see your face tomorrow," he said and I could feel he was smiling through the phone.
"I can't wait for it either daddy, I love you," I said.
"I love you too, your brother's and uncle can't wait to see you we rented out a hotel so we could be in town in case you guys get in early. But I'm going to let you get some sleep, tell Marco that we are all grateful," he said.
"I will, I love you," I said before hanging up.
I handed back Marco his phone and he wrapped his arm around me protectively and I laid my head on his side taking in his clean but masculine scent and listened to his heartbeat until I fell into a deep slumber...