Chapter 23: New Family

At night, Bright resumed his conversation with his wife after Jeffery had gone to sleep.

They sat a few yards away from a sleeping Sharon and talked about what to do. He wanted Sharon gone by tomorrow and was willing to take her to Broomfield, a town a few miles away from their home.

"Look dear, I understand your concerns but l don't think she'll be able to get very far in this state. Why don't we wait just a few more days till she's better?" Roseline pleaded with him.

"A few days might be too late. What if the people chasing after her find her here and drag us into their scuffle?"

"You don't know that for sure. What if the people chasing her don't trace her here? What if you're wrong?"

"He's not," Sharon said from where she lay.

Roseline and her husband moved closer to her.

"What do you mean by he's not wrong?" She asked Sharon.

Sharon managed to sit up and began to tell them everything, from her parent's murder to almost being raped and the deaths of the people who tried to help her leading up to this moment.

Roseline was so empathetic and even more determined to help her. Her husband, Bright also seemed to have been moved by her story and changed his mind.

He told her that she could stay as long as she needed and they would help her as much as they could. Sharon was thankful for their hospitality and they left her to rest.

.

.

.

In the couple's room, Roseline and her husband lay in bed getting ready to sleep.

"I'm so glad you changed your mind and allowed her to stay."

"l couldn't chase her off after hearing her story. I'm not a completely heartless monster, you know," Bright teased his wife.

"I know you're not, Dear. It's just nice to see it every once in a while," she said and kissed him on the cheek and they went to sleep.

**A week later, Sharon was feeling a lot better.

She was up on her feet and helped Roseline with the house chores. When she wasn't busy, she would play with Jeffery and Vikky and in that time, she forgot all about Addicus. She had found a place where she felt like she belonged with good people who seemed to care about her even though they barely knew her.

Even Bright who had been skeptical at first had warmed up to her and spent time with her showing her how to set traps for rodents, how to graze the fields, and how to feed the farm animals.

One evening after dinner, Sharon addressed the Winston's that she had enjoyed her time with them and that she was grateful for all the love and kindness they had shown her in

her time there but that the time had come for her to leave.

"You don't have to go," Bright was the first to object.

"You've been here for a week and no one's chased after you. I think this is the safest place for you," he added.

"l appreciate that, Bright, but my presence here will always put you and your family in danger. The man who's chasing after me is dangerous and relentless.

"Eventually, he'll find me here and he's capable of doing terrible things like what he did to my friends. I don't want that to happen to you. I must go. It's the only way to ensure your safety," Sharon explained, already in tears.

Jeffery ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"Please, don't go, Sharon. Please," he begged sweetly.

Roseline stared at her and waited for her to talk, but she just got up and left the house without saying anything.

"She's just sad, Sharon. She'll come around," Bright said to her trying to explain Roseline's silence.

"When will you be leaving?" Bright asked.

"Tomorrow morning," she answered.

"Then, you better get some sleep," he said and went to his wife.

The next morning, Sharon was ready to go. She carried a little bag and sat in the tractor. Bright was about to start the vehicle when Roseline ran out of the house.

As soon as Sharon saw her. she was overcome with emotion and ran to her. They embraced each other in a warm, long, and loving hug.

"I really don't want you to go, my dear girl, but I know that you have to. I will pray for you every single day, I will ask the heavens to watch over you. I really hope you find peace and Iiberty from this evil man who's after you. You'll always be welcome here," Roseline said with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Rose, for everything. If more people were like you then the world would be a better place. I'll miss you so much," Sharon said to her.

"I'll miss you too," Roseline replied.

The dog, Vikky also went to Sharon to say her goodbyes as well. Sharon bent down and petted her.

"I'll miss you too, Vikky. And why wouldn't I? You were the one who found me after all."

She hugged Roseline one last time who gave her a bag filled with food and some money.

"l can't take this, Rose. You and your family need it," she said modestly.

"None of that, Sharon. You'll need this money in order to leave the country and get to somewhere safer. It's a gift from the both of us and we wont take no for an answer," Sharon accepted the money.

She got on the tractor with Bright and they drove off to Broomfield so Sharon could take a train to Boulder.

As they drove off, she waved goodbye to Roseline who waved back and blew her a kiss.

"Good luck, my dear," Roseline said and went back inside.