Chapter 8 - The Puppet Strings Are Breaking

Willow had always been a free-spirit, believing in her dreams, following signs along the way and celebrating simple ways to achieve her ultimate happiness. She also had a strong love for Zodiac Astrology, finding some truths to the various personal attributes and flaws. She didn’t live by it but was amused by some of the real-life accuracies. She was a Leo-born woman - determined and strong and nothing would stop her from defending her cubs.

While Willow was terrified of Mitch, as she clearly knew what he was capable of, her inner fears ran deep but the love for her children was much deeper. She knew she had no choice other than to stand up to this monster.

This monster that she once loved who slowly revealed his true colors through the years.

She was the type of woman who was easily misjudged as being weak because she was kind to others, while being an occasional doormat. But what people did not know about Willow was her fierce strength to defend her boundaries and loved ones without hesitation. Make no mistake – Willow chose her battles carefully.

It was a chilly Monday morning as Jack Frost was knocking on their door. Another day at the pit of hell, and another much needed pep talk from her mother before she headed to work. She hit speed dial and it didn’t take long for mother to answer.

“Good morning, Mom. I’m headed out for another day of torture.”

“Tell yourself it’s going to be a great day! Nothing is going to bring you down today.”

Willow knew her mother was trying to be helpful but she was truly clueless to the backstabbing power struggles behind the scenes. It was a waste of breath to try and explain the unfortunate situation.

Bundled in layers of clothes and wearing her favorite fingerless gloves, she noticed a shiny metal object perfectly aligned behind her front driver’s side tire. Bending down, feeling blessed the morning sun caught this intentional wicked act; she quickly ran around her car and looked at her remaining three tires.

“That son of a bitch.”

Her mother continued with her “good intentioned” pep talk, not seeming to hear Willow’s comment.

“Did you hear me – tell yourself it’s going to be a great day? Are you there?”

“Mom, listen. I need to call the police. I have four fat screws lined up to pop all four of my tires, so I need to take pictures and document with the police.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll explain later. I have to go. I’m already going to be late for work.”

Willow handled the situation and the police come out to her home, took some pictures of the screws and police wrote a report on the matter. She felt some comfort knowing the incident was documented.

Before she darted off to work, she decided to ask the elderly woman across the street if she noticed anything peculiar last night or early that morning. She was a homebody, a neighborhood gossip who lived vicariously through others by peering through her front window ten of the twenty four hours in a day.

“You know, I did see that same truck that drops your son off every other weekend. But he was parked in front of your neighbor’s house.”

“Bingo!”

“Why I would love to play Bingo,” the sweet elderly woman replied.

Willow laughed and it felt damn good. She hadn’t laughed in a long time. She knew Martha (the elderly neighbor) was also hard of hearing.

“Thank you Martha. You’ve been a big help. I have to go. I’m running late for work.”

“Have a good day, Dear.”

The day was filled with the usual politics and heavy deadlines.

Penny was her sweet self, always checking in to see how Willow’s weekend was, hoping Mitch was not continuing to torture her with his shenanigans.

“I had more to document on him with the constant harassment. That’s why I was late for work this lovely morning.”

“What happened?”

“I was getting ready for work and the sun perfectly caught a snapshot of four fat shiny screws perfectly placed behind each one of my tires. I had the police come out and the elderly lady across the street saw Mitch’s truck parked in from of my neighbor’s house late last night.”

“He is so creepy. I wish he would just move on with his life and leave you alone.”

“I wish and pray for peace everyday but he won’t stop until he wins. You don’t know what he is capable of.”

Penny walked from around her cubicle and gave Willow a long hug to show her support.

“You know I am here for you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do.”

“Thank you. It means a lot. You’ve done more than enough though. Tonight is parent’s night at Louie’s school and I wish I didn’t dread it so. He and his wicked sidekick will be there to antagonize me. I wish I didn’t want (what should be a positive night for Louie) the event to be over.”

“You tried to reason with him and get counseling but it’s on him. He doesn’t want to change. You have done all you can do.”

That night at Louie’s school, the taunting and glares from the dynamic duo were dosed out just as she knew they would.

When the classroom visits were over, Mitch and Jane follow Willow and Louie to the dark parking lot. She can hear their footsteps close behind. Louie runs for the car and unlocks the door.

“Be careful backing your car out. It’s dark and you may run over some sharp objects. I’d hate to see that happen.”

Mitch intentionally lowers his voice – low enough so other parents walking to their cars would not be able to hear his threatening sarcasm. His image is everything to him and so is the absence of any witnesses.

Mitch and Jane laugh as they watch Willow scurry to her car when Louie quickly hits the door lock button. With trembling hands she fidgets to put the key in the ignition, dropping the entire set of keys on the floorboard.

“I got it, Mom.”

He reaches down for the bunch of keys, handing them to his frazzled mother.

“Thanks Lou.”

“We’re safe, Mom. There are too many people around for them to try anything.”

As she starts her car, the headlights brighten the immediate area, illuminating the two troublemakers as they notice both of them staring directly at them…waiting…

“Just go Mom.”

She pulls out of her parking space and waits her turn amongst the endless line of cars also waiting to safely pull out.

It seems like an eternity until they finally leave the school parking lot and are close to home. Willow continues to glance in her rearview mirror every opportunity she gets. She doesn’t notice any familiar cars following them home as her heart rate slowly returns to normal.

“Home sweet home.”

Louie wastes no time going inside as Willow gathers her things. As she opens her car door, she notices a broad man with baggy pants on her next door neighbor’s lawn holding a manila envelope.

She has seen enough manila envelopes to last a lifetime and knows exactly who this strange young man is looking for.

“Shit.”

He seems to be looking for someone, hollering out to her as he picks up his pace toward her. He is now at a rather slow jog.

“Hey, do you know where Willow Williams lives?”

“No. Not on this street.”

She quickly makes her way for her front door and he is at her heels, terrified but still thinking to herself – he knows damn well that Williams is no longer my last name.

“Don’t know, huh?”

He grabs her by the arm and pulls her close.

“Mitch wanted me to give this to you. You better watch your back.”

She falls to the porch, pounds on the front door for help when the strange thug runs away. Louie opens the door and sees his mother lying there.

“What happened?”

“Mitch had one of his ex-felons from his karate class serve me papers. He chased me to the front door.”

Louie runs out to the lawn and then to the street but the perpetrator is gone.

“What did he look like Mom?”

“He was dressed in black with a hoodie over his head, baggie pants and he was big.”

Louie gets her inside and deadbolts the door, sitting beside her on the couch. She places her face in her shaking hands, sobbing, knowing they will never have peace until they move from the only town they have ever called home.

Living undercover must be done delicately, wisely planned and well-thought out.

She is in for the fight of her life.