The Path to Love Ch. 07

"Mom are you okay?" Serenity asked after Ashira's eyes fluttered open.

Serenity helped her mother sit up and Mark offered her a glass of water.

"Sip slowly," Mark advised. Jake sat on the floor next to Ashira, his hand in hers, concern and anger written all over his face.

"Mom?" Serenity asked again. She couldn't remember ever seeing her mother looking as pale and afraid as she did at that moment.

"I'm okay. What happened?" Ashira asked after a moment.

"You fainted. Who's Joe Johnson?" Serenity wanted to know. Ashira, Mark and Jake exchanged glances.

"He's the one responsible for all the pain and terror your mother has lived with over the last decade," Mark answered, evading the question as best he could for now.

Ashira's eyes widened.

"Sunny! Someone has to call Sunny!" she gasped. Mark nodded and pressed a kiss to the top of Ashira's head.

"I'll call Sunny, but I'm sure she'll be fine," Mark murmured, glancing at Jake. He saw his feelings and anger mirrored on Jake's face.

"Dad, who's Joe Johnson?" Serenity asked as Jake took the now empty glass into the kitchen. Jake sighed. He had been hoping he would never need to have this conversation.

"Let me get your mother to the guest room and then I'll come back and Mark and I will tell you everything," Jake said, letting out a ragged breath.

When Jake returned from taking Ashira to the guest room, Mark was pouring two glasses of scotch. "I figured we could use some liquid courage," Mark said, handing a glass to Jake who took it with a grateful smile.

Mark and Jake sat down on couch across from Serenity who was looking at them, a look of worry on her face. Mark and Jake took turns telling Serenity about what had happened all those years ago.

"So he raped mom in the tanning salon back in Chicago and followed you guys out here and kidnapped her?" Serenity asked. The look on her face was one of shock.

"Yes," Mark answered.

"Then how do you know he isn't my father?" Serenity asked, feeling sick to her stomach.

Jake smiled. "Your mom had an amniocentisis done and it confirmed that Mark is your biological father, not Johnson," Jake said.

"You're sure?" Serenity asked.

Mark nodded. "We're very sure. Haven't you noticed how much you look like Chrissy?" Mark murmured.

Serenity nodded and gave a sigh of relief.

"So what do we do now?" Serenity wanted to know.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Mark admitted.

"We call the police here and in San Diego and let them know about Joe's break out and what he's done in the past. They will probably send someone out to patrol past the houses," Jake said. Mark nodded, walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can't believe this," Serenity grumbled under her breath. Gavin had called in sick so she had to close up alone and they'd been so busy that she hadn't been able to call her family to let them know so Jake or Mark could meet her at the restaurant. Serenity looked out over the bar at her one remaining customer. He had come in half an hour before closing and was still eating, taking his dear sweet time; savoring the food. The cook who had covered for Gavin had to leave as soon as the restaurant was scheduled to close so that his wife could get to work. "Sir, I don't mean to rush you, but we closed ten minutes ago and I have a curfew," Serenity said, walking over to him with his bill.

He took the bill from her and looked it over as Serenity finished putting up the chairs onto the tables. Serenity turned around to take the bill from him when something hit her on the head, hard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where is she?" Ashira growled, pacing the living room.

"I'm sure she just got caught up with a last minute customer. It happens from time to time," Melinda said, also pacing, only she was pacing to quiet the new baby.

"He's awfully fussy tonight," Jake observed.

"I know," Melinda grumbled. She gazed down at her new son as David came down the stairs.

"David, can you take Wyatt for me please? Your father isn't back yet and I just can't get him to settle down," Melinda murmured. David nodded and took his brother and walked carefully upstairs.

Everyone looked up when Mark ran into the house.

"Did you talk to Gavin?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah, he's in the hospital with a severe bout of bronchitis. Serenity closed alone," Mark answered.

"Shira, Mel, you stay here while Mark and I check out Heaven," Jake said, grabbing his jacket and following Mark out of the house without waiting for protests.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where, where am I?" Serenity asked, wincing as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"You're with me, at my new home," Joe replied calmly.

"I want to go home," Serenity demanded. Joe chuckled.

"You are home," Joe said with a cheeky grin.

"I want to go back to my mother!" Serenity screamed. Joe just laughed.

"Nobody will hear you scream so go right ahead," he taunted.