witness protection part three

Sitting on the front porch Sarah Campbell drank her cup of tea and chatted with her friend and neighbour Emily Scott as their children played in the garden. Emily’s twins Anna and David four years old played with Sarah’s daughter Katie who was fifteen months old. Katie was lying on a blanket playing with some soft toys that rattled and the twins were sitting on the blanket with their own toys. Emily watched the children play and Sarah let one hand drop to stroke her German shepherd jack, her guide dog who lay by her side. “Katie is looking more and more like you every day Sarah she is beautiful.” Said Emily. Sarah said thank you then took another sip of tea. “It is a real shame you lost everything even the photos of her father in that fire. I would have loved to see what he looked like” Emily continued. Sticking to her cover story Sarah replied “if it wasn’t for the fire we wouldn’t have moved here and I wouldn’t have met you my best friend”. “Very true, good things can come from bad situations” Emily beamed. The phone rang and Sarah went to answer it. She walked along the hall rug ad she felt the change from the rug to the hard wood floor and knew she was in the living room she felt her way past a chair and to the unit where the phone was. When the house had been set up for her the flooring had been set out so she could follow a carpet and feel with her feet the different flooring for each room. The living room was wood flooring and the kitchen was tiles, the bedroom was soft carpet and the bathroom was lino. When she had discovered she was pregnant she had another soft carpet put in the spare room. Everything in the house had a place and was kept neat and tidy so she could remember where things were. Sarah had learnt Braille and had gotten jack to help her when she was out. It was hard for her to cope when Katie was born but her friend had helped and she had learnt ways of doing things. On the phone was Amanda the woman who came twice a week to clean the house as Sarah couldn't see where was dirty or not. Amanda was confirming that she was going to be an hour late tomorrow but would defiantly be there. Back outside Emily was down with the kids in the garden her short blonde hair being blown in the slight wind and her

skirt drifted as she bent down and picked up Katie who was crying as she had been shaking a toy and it had flown out of her hand and hit her on the head. Jack had reached her first and was whimpering letting Emily know that Katie needed someone; he was a good guide dog and very protective of Katie. The radio played in the background some adverts were on just now for a local fair day at the weekend. Sitting down again Sarah searched for her cup of tea. Emily returned with Katie and explained what had happened and handed her to Sarah. Katie sat on her mum’s knee and the crying stopped, Emily sat back in her chair and finished her cup of tea. A song came on the radio which made Sarah pay attention it was jack with his new song about the love he lost and would never forget. “I feel so sorry for him” Emily said. “All he sings about now is this woman who left him and broke his heart. How could a woman do that he is a babe and such a sweetie” she continued. “Maybe she had a good reason for leaving him like she did” Sarah said. “Well whatever her reason it has improved his career. His female audience has increased and he has really sucked you in you never miss when he is on TV or the radio and you own

every album and single he has” Emily replied. “You’re hooked on him” she added. They both let out a giggle. “oh by the way I have a surprise for your birthday next Friday and I have arranged for a baby sitter to watch the kids and I’m taking you out” Emily announced. “Where are we going” asked Sarah. “If I told you that it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it” Emily told her. Letting out a sigh Sarah put her empty cup on the table and gave Katie a hug. Putting Katie to bed later that night Sarah sat in the rocking chair for a while listening to their daughter breathing as she slept. How Sarah wished she could let him know about his daughter, she played his music every night to her and it calmed her and helped her to sleep, somehow Sarah knew that Katie knew it was her daddy. Climbing into bed she snuggled down into the cosy covers jack jumped up onto the bed and curled up on the bottom like he did every night. In her dreams Sarah could always see and she dreamt of jack and his touch his smell almost every night. For the past two years she had thought about him every day wishing she could just pick up the phone and tell him where she was so that he could come and get her but she realised that he was safer not knowing where she was. She had to live with the pain and knowledge of him to herself. Her fake birthday had passed and she was now dressed and waiting on Emily to come and get her to take her to her surprise. The babysitter had picked up Katie and took her over to Emily’s and Emily would be over shortly. Jack the dog was not going this time so Sarah had put her stick in her bag. Emily finally arrived and they headed for her car. It took a while to get to where they were going and once there Sarah could hear crowds of people talking and laughing. They qued up and eventually got into where Sarah could only guess was a very large building. “I hope you don’t mind but I used the fact that you are classed as disabled due to your blindness to get us better seats near the front” Emily said to her friend. “That’s ok, the front of where” replied Sarah. They took their seats and Emily finally told her where they were. “We are at a concert I know you like who is playing and I thought you would like front row seats”. Panic began to build inside of her and it almost exploded when Emily told her who was playing. “Jack walker”. “You have to get me out of here Emily please” Sarah begged. “Why what’s wrong “asked Emily. It was too late, the music began and the crowd began screaming as jack walker

walked on the stage. His voice took Sarah’s attention from her friend he talked to the crowd to get them riled up then he began singing the first song he wrote about her. The sorrow and pain in his voice screamed to her she recognised it as it was mirrored in her own sorrow and pain. Hoping he wouldn’t recognise her now she had red hair cut to her shoulders instead of her long brown hair. She sat and listened till she could bare no more and got Emily to take her out of there. They stood and walked to the doors, jack happened to look in that direction and he recognised her unable to just run off the stage he moved to the edge of the stage and sent Jim after her. Outside the concert room Jim caught up with them in the concession hall. “Kate” he called out to her but she ignored him and kept going so he ran after them and grabbed her by the arm. “Kate please waits” he said. “I’m sorry you have me mistaken for someone else” Sarah replied trying to sound calm. “I know it’s you he really wants to talk with you” Jim pleaded. “I can’t just tell him it wasn’t me” Sarah said and pulled free and walked away with Emily. Getting into the car and driving home Sarah knew what was coming next. “What was all that about

Sarah” Emily asked. “I can’t tell you Emily I’m sorry but it would put you in danger”. “I don’t care, I’m your friend you have to tell me after what happened” Emily begged. “Ok, but you cannot tell anyone not even Kevin” Sarah told her friend. Going through the story of her past made her heart ache as she relived the death of her parents and meeting jack then losing him. Emily was quiet for a while and they were almost home now. They stopped outside of Emily’s and sat in the car. “Are you ok” Sarah asked Emily. “Yes. I’m just shocked; you have been through so much.” She replied. “So does that mean that jack walker is Katie’s father” Emily asked. Sarah gave a nod in confirmation. “No wonder that you are hooked on his music. It’s you he is singing about” Emily said. “I’m so sorry I dragged you to his concert without asking you first” Emily apologised. “That’s ok you didn’t know” Sarah consoled her friend. “Are you going to be able to keep it a secret” Sarah asked hoping she would so she didn’t have to move. “Of course I will what are friends for” was her reply.