The time I got kidnapped: part II

Once I was in the car, I was very confused.  You see, in my church there is an organization called the Relief Society.  It consists of the adult women in our church.  The purpose of the Relief Society is to aid, support and care for anyone in need.  Sometimes when people move, the Relief Society will organize dinners for those leaving and for those coming.  I thought in my head at this time that perhaps the Relief Society had arranged for this woman to come and help me.  Her kind of help was very bizarre to say the least, but I went with her. 

As we started to drive away I said "Wait!  My husband won't know where I am!  I have no way of getting a hold of him and he will be very worried when he gets back.  I also ordered a pizza!  I can't just leave and not pay for it!"

"My husband will come back with a note for your husband with instructions.  You will write a check and we will leave it on the door for the pizza boy."

"But, I don't want to leave the pizza on the doorstep!  That will be lunch for tomorrow if nothing else.  It would be ruined, dogs would get into it.  Please, take me back.  This is getting a little too weird for me."

"Nonsense.  I will be feeding you.  You just had a baby.  You are in no condition to put a house together.  You are staying with me for at least a month.  I will go down each day to your home and unpack one box for you.  It will be perfect.  You will then move into a perfectly organized home."  She said with a robotic like voice.

"No, that's not going to fly with me.   We really just need to get our kids settled.  They have been in limbo long enough.  Please take me home."  I should have screamed this at her, but no, I said it in the wimpiest voice I could muster.  

The way this woman spoke, it was hard to describe, but I knew that she was not going to bend or deviate from her agenda.  I wasn't quite sure what to do now.  Especially since I was in her car.  Her husband still had not said a word at this point.  

After driving for a while Annabelle (again, not her real name) spoke again.

"Thursday I will be putting on a puppet/magic show.  Admittance is free, but licorice whips are 10 cents a piece.  Lateness will not be tolerated and I will have to turn those who are not on time away.  You will be there at 10 am sharp.  That shouldn't be a problem since you will be staying in my home."  


I looked at her, waiting for her to bust up laughing.  Who talks like that? 

"Friday I will be putting on a dance performance.  Again, admittance will be free, but popcorn will be 25 cents.  I have made enough flyers for the whole neighborhood announcing my performances.  You will help me deliver them in the morning."

She handed me a flyer.  She was serious. 

"I really don't think I'll be able to help you tomorrow.  I have a really bad sprained ankle."  I pointed to my ankle.  She looked and her eyes narrowed.

After driving around for what seemed like an eternity we got to their house.  When we walked into the front I could see what would be the living and formal dining rooms.  They were void of furniture, but all over the carpet where these strange looking spots.  Tons of them!  Every few inches was a spot and I had to maneuver carefully to avoid them.  

When we walked into the kitchen, her dining table was set for a Thanksgiving feast; tablecloth, goblets, linen napkins, a centerpiece and enough food to feed an army.  "Wow, you have really been working today!"

She pushed me into my chair, dished up my plate and sat across the table.  Her husband was nowhere to be seen.  I noticed she wasn't dishing up for herself.  "Um, are you not going to eat?"  

"No!  This is for you and your family."  She looked at me like I should have already known.

"I really hate for this to go to waste.  I'm not sure when my family will get back."

"They will be here soon enough.  I left my instructions for your husband."

I ate while she stared at me.  It was uncomfortable to say the least.  I decided to ask her about the spots on the carpet.  It was totally rude, but if you saw them you would have asked as well.

"My cat.  My cat has been sick and I clean up her mess with a paper towel.  It leaves these spots and I don't know what to do."  She said in her calm robotic voice.

I started to dry heave.  I casually slid my plate away and told her that I was full and that I really wanted to go home.  

"How could you possibly get home?  You don't have a car with you."

"Could your husband take me back?"

"He couldn't.  You will wait here until your husband arrives with your children."

I waited for what seemed like hours when the doorbell rang.  I heard my husband at the door and I was so relieved!

"How did you find me?" I whispered to him.

"It's just down the street.  Why are we whispering?"

"What!  Down the street?  She drove me around for at least 20 minutes!" 

My husband and kids were escorted to the table where Annabelle dished up heaping plates of food.

"Don't eat it!"  I mouthed to my husband.  He looked at me very confused, but followed my urging and said "Oh, we just ate at the house we came from, thank you though."

At this point, without thinking, I asked my husband for the car keys, ran out of the house and drove down the street to my house.  I was so mad!  We were a short walk away!  I ran into the home to call the one person from our church that I had talked to a few times.  My sister had known her in Texas and asked her to look for me when I moved to Oregon.  She wasn't home, a babysitter answered.  I told her to please tell Kymberlee where I was and that I was in some sort of trouble.

Still not thinking clearly, I grabbed some more diapers and went back!  When I think about this story I can't for the life of me figure out why I didn't grab my husband and kids and run out the door as soon as he got there.  No, I went back.

Next time, the conclusion.  It gets even better!