Saving Little Jenna by Ruth Kennedy
Chapter 20: Jenna
As I watched Michael and Kristen call me their friend from the balcony, I couldn't help but smile. There was no way their Daddies would've let them come to such a dangerous situation, so it was touching that they had come against their orders. They put their own safety aside to come to aid my rescue. There was a time when I was desperate for friendship back in the cult, and that Jenna from the past would've been so proud for fulfilling my lifelong desire.
When I pictured being saved from Otis, I always thought it would be Daddy who'd be doing all the ass-whooping, but it was satisfying to watch Michael and Kristen do it.
"Thank you, Uncle John," I said quietly and he just nodded. "Thank you for risking your life to save me."
When Daddy looked up at me with a smile, I gave him a disapproving shake of my head. He frowned and ran up the stairs. When Uncle John saw Daddy running towards us, he left us alone and joined Michael downstairs. Two police officers rushed to them and Michael pointed at Otis, who was then handcuffed.
I ran into daddy's arms and we threw our arms around each other.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" He broke the hug and kissed me on the forehead.
"You risked your life, Daddy!" I scolded. "I was so scared I'd never see you again. You should've listened when Otis threatened to shoot you. What would I have done without my Daddy? How could I have lived with myself knowing I was the cause of your death. Don't you see why I ran away weeks ago? I'd rather be happily locked up in a dark basement for the rest of my life than watch you die."
"How could I have just listened to him, Little one?" He shrugged and took my face in his hands, caressing my cheek with a thumb. "I promised to keep you safe and I was just fulfilling it. I was so close to breaking it, but I'll never let that happen again. It didn't matter that my life was on the line. I'd gladly sacrifice it to keep you safe."
I put a hand over his mouth. "Let's not talk about you dying anymore. I'm glad we're both out of danger."
"Well, then let's talk about you not saying you love me back when Otis held me at gunpoint."
"I could barely think I was so traumatized seeing a gun pointed at you, Daddy. I realized you were saying it to me because you were going to do something stupid that would get you shot and killed. I was about to pass out from the trauma alone. But yes, I can say it now. I love you too, Daddy."
We both smiled brightly, knowing this was our happily ever after. No more Otis to run away from meant it was just me, Daddy, and our ever-growing love going forward.
When he leaned in, we kissed passionately with our faces in each other's hands. I cuddled into him when it ended, watching Michael and Kristen talk to the officers from the balcony.
"We should probably go down there and tell them everything," he said. "Tell them about the cult too. They should be able to save your siblings. With Otis locked away for good, the cult won't last very long."
Hand in hand, we went downstairs and obliged when we were asked to give a statement down at the police station. I told them everything. I knew no amount of punishment would be enough for the crimes he had committed, but it was enough if he was never allowed back into society. He always encouraged people to bring out their evil side and it was no way to live.
I had also given them the location of the cult and just as I hoped, they were going to help get my siblings out of there.
Back at Michael's place, the Daddies all sat on the couch in the living room while we stood before them. They all had their stern Daddy faces on.
"Let's begin with you, Michael," Uncle John said with crossed arms. "We gave you clear instructions about remaining here to stay out of danger. Yet, you convinced Kristen within seconds to defy our instructions and followed us to the motel. You not only put your own life in danger but also Kristen's. For that alone, you deserve the biggest punishment of your life."
All three of us shivered in unison, feeling bad for how sore Michael's bottom was going to be. Michael pulled out the paddle from the dresser nearby before his Daddy could finish.
"It was worth having a busted bottom, Daddy." Michael slowly began walking towards the nursery, the poor boy's gait so slow he was barely moving. "In fact, I would've done it all over again if it meant saving my best friend."
Snatching the paddle out of Michael's hands, his Daddy put it back in the dresser. "You didn't let me finish, boy. So as I was saying, you deserve the biggest punishment of your life. However, what you did was well-intentioned and it helped bring justice. So good job, both of you. No punishment and I'm very proud of you, but only because you got lucky. This could’ve all gone south easily. Next time there's danger, you stay out of it and follow instructions."
Michael listened with his mouth half-open in surprise, a smile slowly forming on his face as he realized what it meant.
"Yay, I saved my friend and no punishment!" Michael bounced and clapped in excitement, shaking his butt in the air to do a happy little dance where he stood. "Best day ever! This is the longest I've gone without punishment, and boy does it feel great to be able to sit."
Kristen and I giggled in unison, glad everything had turned out so well in the end.
When everyone drove in pairs back to our house, I didn't suspect anything. But the moment Daddy opened the door and turned on the lights, I wiggled in excitement at the sight before me.
"Surprise!" Everyone shouted in unison as they stepped in.
Michael began singing the birthday song but stopped when he realized no one else was.
"Oh, the song comes later then?" He giggled as he ran up to the fancy decorations, soon joined by his Daddy.
Kristen and Marcus got busy getting the cake ready.
"Aw, don't you like your surprise?" Daddy said as tears suddenly formed in my eyes. "I shouldn't have, knowing how you find public gatherings overwhelming."
I shook my head and buried my face in his chest before looking up at him. "I'm just so happy that I get to celebrate my birthday instead of mourning it like I did all my life. I sometimes think of a younger version of myself sitting in the dark basement, dreaming about escaping to a life of light and happiness. Back then I knew it was just a fantasy. I just never thought I would ever get to live such a life. Yet here I am, and it's all because you helped me get the life I wanted. I'm so glad I got my happily ever after in the end."
"No, Little one," he said with a smile. "You did that all by yourself when you decided to run away. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you either, but this isn't the end. It's just the beginning of our love. The best part is that we'll have each other every step of the way."
We stood there for a few minutes as Daddy hugged me, rocking me side to side as I cried tears of joy to my heart's content.
When we finished checking out all the colorful decorations together, everyone sang as I cut the beautifully decorated giant cake. I could hardly believe the huge pile of presents by the Christmas tree. I got emotional opening the twenty-one presents because they were meant to be one for each birthday I'd missed. Little had I known as I cried every birthday that I'd get all my yearly presents together in the future, but back then I was too preoccupied with the struggle of staring in the dark and doing nothing. Brightness and darkness were both an important part of life because it was what made a person. Darkness had led me to Daddy and now we had nothing but brightness and joy to look forward to.
Each present was bigger and better than the previous one, but it didn't matter what the gift was. All that mattered was what it symbolized.
After everyone else gifted me, uncle John stood up and cleared his throat. Silence fell in the living room and when he extended his hand to Michael, he looked just as confused as me.
When Michael took his hand and stood next to uncle John, they just stood there and looked at each other for a moment with love in their eyes. My father had once said that two men couldn't love each other, but I knew without a doubt that what Michael and John had was true love, just as true as mine and Daddy’s.
"Watching Jenna in trouble today made me realize something." He pulled Michael in closer until he was practically cuddling him, Michael looking up at his Daddy with big loving eyes. "That life is short. I got to call Michael my boyfriend, Little, and fiancé. The truth is I've always wanted to call him my husband since the day I fell in love with him. There's no point in waiting when life is so unpredictable. One day you have everything you want and the next, it might all be taken away from you. So I'm glad to announce that Michael and I are getting married next month."
"We are?" Michael's eyes got bigger if it was even possible.
When he nodded with a smile, Michael turned into a ball of energy. He was so excited he didn't know what to do with himself. He could barely stand still, bouncing and throwing his arms around his body as he vibrated with joy.
When they kissed, I was the first to jump out of my seat and clap. I turned around and looked at Daddy. Was he thinking what I was thinking? That he and I were going to have this special moment too one day. It might be years down the line but I knew I'd be just as excited as Michael now was.
"Congrats!" I hugged him when his Daddy let him go.
"Can you imagine me in a tuxedo?" Michael said when I broke the hug. "I mean, I'd look cute in anything. Oh, you have to come shopping with me, Jenna. There's so much to do and so little time! How can a boy get camera-ready for a wedding in a month?"
He went on a tangent about wedding arrangements, but I knew it was just a front for how excited and nervous he was about getting married to his Daddy.