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To
say life gave Bethany Rosehart lemons would be an understatement.
With her father soon to be released from prison and her mother showing signs of a mental breakdown, Bethany could only wish she was adopted. But when a strange man chases Bethany into a deserted parking garage, her mind can only conceive the worst, but when he calls her by a different name and hands her a birthday gift from her mother, she begins to think her wish may be coming true… But not all wishes have happy endings.
With her father soon to be released from prison and her mother showing signs of a mental breakdown, Bethany could only wish she was adopted. But when a strange man chases Bethany into a deserted parking garage, her mind can only conceive the worst, but when he calls her by a different name and hands her a birthday gift from her mother, she begins to think her wish may be coming true… But not all wishes have happy endings.
Sample
Betrayed
The Bethany Rosehart Story
By Wade Faubert
Chapter 1
Robert Knight quickly pulled the car to the curb and fumbled
through the photos he meticulously took of his next subject. The girl reminded
him of his own daughter with her shoulder-length blond hair and petite figure.
However, the one thing that stuck in Robert’s mind was her smile. In every
picture she had a big grin on her face, one that caused both her cheeks to
break into dimples. Robert traced his finger over the picture and wondered how
one person could be so happy. Happiness was something that seemed to elude his
life. He was content with the sorrow and misery that each day brought with it.
Robert had done similar jobs before, but this one had
the potential to blow up in his face.
Momentarily he wondered what would’ve become of his
own daughter if only she’d never set foot in that car. The memory brought with
it tears of grief, which he quickly packed away. After all, he had a job to do,
one he’d failed the previous day.
As the school bell rang, Robert glanced at his watch
then packed the pictures away. He checked the contents of the bag beside and
quickly ran through his list.
Chapter 2
The ringing of the bell echoed through the streets of
London, sending the kids rushing from the high school, breathing a collective
sigh of relief as the school year came to an abrupt end.
Bethany Rosehart dashed through the doors, flying down
the front steps two at a time. Quickly she snagged Ryan’s lanky arm,
interrupting his conversation and drawing his attention away from the others.
She just knew he would be patiently waiting for her.
Ryan locked his piercing blue eyes on Bethany, giving
her the crooked smile she’d come to adore. He grasped her hand, gripping it
tightly and inching her toward a secluded corner by the building. Normally they
would walk hand in hand until their ways parted, but today was different. Today
was the last day of school. Bethany wanted more than to hold hands during the
walk home, she wanted to bring Ryan home, introduce him to her mother and have
him stay for the evening. But she knew that would never happen. There was no
way her mother would ever allow a boy in their home. Her mother had made the
point perfectly clear everyday for the last two years.
Her mother has always been controlling, but lately
she’s been getting worse with each passing day. Ever since the last letter
arrived from her father, her mother is determined to keep her under wraps.
It’s almost as if she thinks I
might run away. Well, she’s not wrong to assume that, but where would I go? How
would I live?
If only Ryan would take me
away. We could live a secluded life where Mother wouldn’t find me.
Bethany cleared her throat and smiled coyly up into
Ryan’s face, the one she’s dreamt about constantly for the last six months. “Mary
got a promise ring. Susan got flowers. I was wondering…”
“Oh, I was supposed to get you something?” Ryan held
his peach-fuzzed jaw tight and brushed his dark, wavy hair back from his face. “I
didn’t know.”
Bethany could see right through his facade. She gave
him her best smile and tilted her head so her blond hair just touched the top
of her shoulder. She knew how to work him. She narrowed her hazel eyes and
placed her hands firmly on her hips. He was putty in her hands.
Reaching into his pocket, Ryan pulled out a small
heart shaped box. His upper lip quivered and Bethany knew this was a sure sign
of nerves, but when she squealed with excitement at the glimmering sight
within, his body relaxed to normal.
Looking at the necklace with the heart shaped pendant,
Bethany was ecstatic, not for the object itself but for what it signified. “Ryan,
you didn’t have to.”
“Now you tell me.” Ryan quickly clasped the
necklace around her neck and waited for a kiss, but something in the distance
caught Bethany’s eye. Quickly she grasped Ryan’s hand and rushed him down the
sidewalk.
“What’s wrong?” Ryan finally asked, looking over his
shoulder at the empty street behind. Empty, except for a few parked cars on the
side streets.
“Nothing, I thought I saw something. I’m sorry, Ryan,”
Bethany said, stopping suddenly. As if the moment hadn’t been disturbed, she
wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down into her. Her lips met his
and the contact brought that same tingle down her spine and into the deepest
parts of her body. The minutes ticked past until they emerged from their dream
world and Bethany spotted the black car from before. It triggered the same
feeling, one of being violated.
“Thank you,” Bethany said, rushing Ryan down the wide
sidewalk.
“Maybe we could hang out tonight?” Ryan asked,
timidly.
“You know I can’t. Mother wants me home right away. I
argued, but it was no use. She’s paranoid that something’s going to happen to
me. Ever since she got that last letter from my father, she won’t let me out of
her sight.”
“Maybe I could talk to her. I’m sure she’ll understand
that I’ll take good care of you.”
“It’d be like talking to a tree—A tree on heavy
medication. She’s been acting so weird lately. Hopefully when Father gets out
of… gets home, he’ll be able to talk some sense into her.”
“And you’re not going to tell me where this mystery
father is?”
Bethany nodded. There was no way she could tell Ryan
that her father is serving a ten year sentence in prison for wrongful death.
As they came to the last corner, Bethany’s heart
fluttered at the thought of true love lasting for an eternity, but she knew
like their final path home they were bound to split and go their separate ways.
As Ryan’s fingers slipped reluctantly from hers, Bethany wished she still lived
on the rich side of the city.
When Bethany rounded the corner of the parking garage,
she realized her imagination wasn’t working overtime. The same black car she
spotted across from the school, slowly passed and jerked to a stop ten feet
ahead. Immediately she halted her footsteps and gasped for breath as the driver’s
door opened. Adrenalin surged through her veins and her mind raced to catch up
and devise a plan.
The man climbed slowly from the car, his broad
shoulders blocking out the street behind. Turning, he removed his sunglasses
and glared intently at Bethany’s face.
Maybe Mother hadn’t been
overprotective. Maybe she knew this man would be after me.
Bethany’s heart pounded with fear. He was huge. She
was no match against this bruit.
With nothing but fear guiding her, Bethany broke into
a mad dash around the parking garage and into the main entrance.
“Help!” Bethany screamed as her feet pounded the
cement floor. Between her labored breaths, she could make out her hunter’s
footfalls echoing off the walls.
“Jasmine, wait!” Bethany heard the man shout from
behind, but the words held no meaning as her mind raced with images of all the
bad things he could do.
She wove through the sparse cars and the cement
pillars, hoping to lose her attacker in the chaos, but his shouts continued to
near and wear down on her stamina. Quickly she turned toward the stairway to
the upper level and fought with the door, losing precious ground.
It wasn’t until she’d rounded the first flight of
stairs that she felt the attacker snag the bottom of her shirt. With a quick
turn, she managed to knock his grip loose and throw him off balance, sending
him stumbling up the next step. Bethany continued to forge ahead with renewed
confidence up the remaining stairs and out the upper level door.
The fresh air felt good in her lungs, but the sunlight
temporarily blinded her. Looking left then right, Bethany paused briefly
undecided where safety waited, but when the door thrust open, hitting her arm,
she bolted across the open lot.
The man’s pleas for her to stop ended when his hand
clasped tightly on her arm. She continued forward, ignoring the pain in her
shoulder but his weight soon slowed her progress. Turning, she drove her knee
hard into his crotch, but it had little effect on him.
Crying and pleading, Bethany cowered to the ground,
hoping to appeal to his human side.
“Jasmine, please. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Jasmine? He’s
after someone else, not me.
“I’m not Jasmine. I’m Bethany.” A wave of relief
flooded her body at the realization.
Quickly the man reached into his pocket and withdrew a
small folder then flipped it open. Reading the notes, he grunted in agreement.
Bethany inched closer to see what was written on his
instructions, but her eyes didn’t move from the pictures. There on the opposite
page was a collage of photos from her last two weeks. One was in front of the
school, another outside her house. Immediately she knew why she had recognized
the black car today. It’s because she’d spotted it around town everywhere she’d
gone.
“You… took my picture?” Bethany questioned, feeling
devastated at the violation.
“Standard procedure, um… Bethany, I guess.” His voice
wavered and almost took on a caring tone.
“But, why? Why, me?”
Clearing his throat he responded, “Your mother asked
me to.”
Not believing her mother would stoop to having her
watched, she couldn’t ask anything but, “Why?”
“I can’t answer that right now. Here, take this.” He
placed a shopping bag in Bethany’s hand then turned and started away.
“Wait! What’s this?”
Stopping momentarily, the man glanced back and smiled.
“A gift from your mother.”
“But she’s at home.”
Pausing as he entered the stairwell, he called back, “I
almost forgot. Happy birthday, Jasmine.”
Chapter 3
Bethany’s mind filled with questions as her body rode
the adrenaline rush. The rest of the walk home was like a dream. Moments before
she thought her life was about to end but now she wondered if it was just
beginning.
What can it be? It can’t be from Mother, can it? Why
wouldn’t she just give it to me when I get home instead of having some maniac
scare the crap out of me? And who’s Jasmine?
Stopping in front of the old house, Bethany looked at
the decaying building, one she called home despite it never feeling like that.
Her mind drifted to the memory of their previous house, the one they lived in
for the first thirteen years of her life. It had been huge, with so many rooms
to play in. And the yard, it seemed to go on forever.
Bethany glanced up and down the street. It wasn’t
in this neighborhood.
Climbing the crooked stairs, Bethany stopped halfway
and turned, breaking blistered paint from the porch step. She searched the
street for the black car.
Nothing.
Taking a deep breath, she entered the house. “Mother,
I’m home.”
Pots and pans clanged from the kitchen at the far end
of the hall, then Meredith emerged with a dishtowel in hand. Her once silky,
black hair was now haphazardly placed in a bun, which looked like a bird’s nest
strewn with gray hay. Bethany noticed the red spots on her mother’s olive skin
and wondered if those were the result of years of hardship and worry her life
had taken.
She hoped she wouldn’t look like that when she reached
her mother’s age, but she obviously didn’t take after her side of the family.
Her mother motioned to the bag. “Who’s that from?”
“Um… A boy at school.” I knew it wasn’t from Mother
after all, but then who is it really from?
“Is it from that Ryan boy you’ve been bugging about?”
Bethany nodded, shifting the bag behind her.
“Next time, maybe he could find a nicer bag. My god, a
shopping bag, really?” Meredith turned and walked back to her task.
“Yeah, presentation means everything to you, doesn’t
it,” Bethany mumbled on her way upstairs. “At least it used to.”
She could remember the way her mother used to dress
and act. It was like she was the Queen of England. She would prance around this
place in her evening dress, with her hair all done up, and enough makeup on to
cover a teenager’s acne. That was, until the dresses wore out and the makeup
containers were scraped to the bottom, then she didn’t have money to spend on
that kind of stuff.
Plopping down on the mattress, Bethany drew her legs
up as the springs sang a familiar song. She reached into the simple bag and
pulled the box of chocolates out. Her mind raced as her fingers traced the lid.
“I wonder what it could be.” She pictured plastic
snakes popping out with a shower of confetti.
Laughing, Bethany raised the side of the lid and
peered inside. Before she could see what it was, her nose picked up the scent.
It wasn’t that of chocolate—but money.
Ripping the top off and tossing it on the bed, Bethany
couldn’t believe her eyes. Her fingers felt the thickness of the paper as she
sifted through the pile of bills.
Twenties. All twenties. A whole pile of them.
“But, why?” Suddenly she remembered his last words. Happy
birthday.
But why would he think this is my birthday? I was born
in October.
The sound of footsteps on the rickety old stairs sent
Bethany into defense mode. Quickly she pulled the covers down and dumped the
money underneath, but the note on top caught her eye. Reaching for the note,
the door opened. Bethany quickly turned the covers up tight and faced her
mother.
“Bethany, you’ll ruin your dinner eating all that
chocolate.” Walking to the bedside, Meredith gasped. “My god, child! You ate
the entire box, already?”
“Um… We had some on the way home.” Bethany
nonchalantly moved over the bulge in her bed. “Me and Ryan.”
“Well, to buy a gift for a young lady then eat it.
That’s not what a gentleman would do.” Meredith walked to the doorway and
paused when Bethany spoke.
“Mother, where do you keep the photo albums? The one
from when I was a child.”
“Exactly where it’s supposed to be.” Meredith’s eyes
narrowed. “Beside the television. Why?”
“Oh, just thought I’d look through it.”
“Well, be sure to put it back in its place after you’re
done,” Meredith said, waving her hand as she closed the door.
I swear she’s going mental. Hopefully when Father gets
back, he can get her to change.
The crinkle of fresh money beneath brought renewed
faith in life, but when she pulled the covers down the letter brought reality,
Jasmine
I know money can’t replace love but know I’ve always
loved you.
“Maybe they have me confused with someone else?” But
as Bethany felt the money between her fingers, she secretly hoped she was
wrong.
With her mother busy in the kitchen, Bethany quietly
slipped down the stairs and made her way into the living room. She stood and
looked at the bindings of the photo albums, wondering if there would be any
answers inside, and if so, would she really want to know them.
Flipping through the photo album, Bethany paused to
remember the good times until she found the photos from her early childhood.
Turning to the section from her baby years, she searched for anything
suspicious, anything with a date or age written on it. There was nothing and
she was about to give up when she paused, shocked at her Christmas pictures.
There she stood all by herself beside her
dollhouse.
Pretty good for a three-month-old.
