Chapter 5

The next morning, I woke up around ten o'clock. The sun was shining beautifully. Wow! I had such a good night's sleep. I got up and put on some leggings and my work out t-shirt. Today should be a good day to go for a run. I skipped down the stairs and found my dad still at the kitchen table. This was not unusual however. My dad was a trucker. He goes out of town a lot. He is on this new schedule where he works two weeks on and two weeks off right now.

My dad looks very similar to Jason Statham. If he was to ever shave his go-tee off, I think he would be a dead ringer. He even sports the same haircut. My dad is big into fitness to. He always says that since he sits for two weeks at a time, he should work out for two weeks when he is home. He turned our garage into his own personal work out studio. He is in there most of the day, when he is not watching tv, reading the paper, or goofing off with me. He is pretty in shape.

I gave him a quick kiss on his for head, as I grab my shoes out from under the table and slip them on. "Gross dad! I did not know you had just got through working out. Your all sweaty!"

My dad gets up and gives me his famous dad bear hug, "You are going running right! What is a little extra sweat? Ha, you want some company?"

I laughed as I pushed my him away. I had not noticed just how sweaty he really was. His shirt was soaked. He left some of his sweat on my shirt when I pulled away too. Gross dad! I laughed in my head. I think he should sit there and enjoy his coffee. "Dad, I think your sweaty enough." I laughed back with him. I pulled my hair back into a loose pony tail, "Let's go on a run together this weekend." He nod's to me and grins as he goes back to reading his newspaper.

I get my shoes on and am about to head out the door when I hear my mother come down the stairs. She is a petite woman standing 5'3" tall. She has short black hair and is fit for her age and height. She is wearing her snoopy scrubs today. She quickly kisses my dad. "Honey, I am sorry! I just got called into work." She grabbed a piece of toast and heads to the front door. My mother is a nurse at the local hospital. She is the shift lead. But she works some crazy hours.

When she sees me she kisses my for head and gives me a quick hug as she runs out of the door. I follow her out and watch as she hops in her car and heads up the street. I decide I will jog in the opposite direction. As I am heading up the hill towards the high school, I have my ear buds playing in my ears.

My entire town sets on the outskirts of the forest. As a matter of fact, the roads I like to run along, all are adjacent to the forest. I like watching the scenery as I run. I have the events of last night running through my head. And I got the weirdest feeling. I stopped and looked around. But I did not see anything. For the first time ever, I looked towards the woods and I felt scared. I felt like something was watching me.

I took my ear buds out and forced myself to breathe. Then I heard something. I looked back behind me. There was a van with no back windows heading my direction. They were moving pretty fast too. The van had left tread as they took off. I do not know what came over me. But I took off running! I felt like I did not have any other choice. The van was getting closer and closer.

I turned up a thin alleyway. The van turned up here too. I heard the back door of the van open. I swear! My only though was, "Oh, hell no! Not today!" I put on a burst of speed I did not know I had in me. I jumped one of the fenced in yards and kept running and jumping. As soon as I got back to a side road I ran back the way I had come. I was going to get myself home. In the back of my mind though a little girl was screaming, "What is happening!"

The van was on my heels again. I could hear men laughing from inside the van. I was very nearly home. I was maybe three houses away. There was a man dressed in a tailored to fit suit, standing in my front lawn talking to my dad. I did not have time to figure out who he was. Dad is all that mattered! The van swerved at me trying to knock me over. I screamed out, "Daddy!!!!!!" My dad and the man he was talking to, looked up and at me. Just then the van swerved again and almost ran me over.

My dad reached inside the front door and grabbed his shot gun. He always kept the shot gun locked and loaded next to the front door. He came running down the driveway. The man that had been talking with him ran with my dad throwing his suit jacket to the ground behind him. I tried to cross the street but the van would not let me. Finally, with pure will and determination I jumped.

The van hit me and I rolled up and over the hood of the van. I felt several hands trying to grab at me. But none of them were able to grab me. I rolled off the back of the van just as they hit the brakes. The man that had been talking with my dad caught me before I could hit the ground. To him it was as if I was lighter than a feather, or so that is how he acted. My father shot bird shot at the van. They peeled off out of there. My father got one more good shot in before they disappeared out of sight. The back and the driver side rear end of the van was riddled with holes from the bird shot.

The man that had caught me looked so familiar. He looked remarkably like the man from my dream last night. He had the sexiest voice when he asked me if I was alright. I nodded. He carried me into the house while my father called the police. He quickly ran into the kitchen and brought me back a bottle of water. "Joyce are you okay?" I nodded; I know I was flushed. Not all of it was from the run either. I was completely out of breath, and my legs were in one big cramp.

My father called my mother. She came straight home and checked me out. After the police came and took our statements, they left. My mother and father thanked and thanked the man. He smiled replying, "no problem!"

My mother asked him, "Look after saving my daughter the way you did, you have to at least stay for supper. Let us repay you in some way!"

The man laughed, "Well that is easy enough. I came this morning under an invite from your daughter anyway. Well, that is to say, I asked her if she would have breakfast with me."

My mother looked at me proudly. Her look was that of a mother saying good job. My father looked at me like cute, you have a boyfriend. Then he looked at the man with shot gun eyes. "What is your name son? I do not believe I have heard of you before."

"Sorry, Sir! My name is Abel Adalwolf. I have only just met your daughter yesterday Sir. She is so impressive and amazing, that my company has offered her a secretarial position for the Owner of Beastmen enterprises."

My mother and father gasped in surprise! They both know the Beastmen enterprises company. They are very well known nationally. They both turned to me. My brain was still a bit fuzzy from yesterday. They both hugged me and congratulated me.

Abel continued, "She excepted the position yesterday. She is starting Monday. I caught her on her way out of the building and asked her out on a date. We had decided that breakfast today would be the best because we were both off of work. However, we forgot to set a time." He chuckled, "I kind of slept in. Speaking of which, Joyce if you feel like it we could make it a lunch."

I was still in shock! I looked at both my parents who now looked extremely expectant. "Sure! Um, let me go clean up a little."

As I was walking out of the room, it was like the van incident never happened. "They were asking Abel, what is your job at Beastmen? How long have you worked there? ECT…"

I stood there and listened and about fell down the stairs when he answered bluntly and honestly. "I am the owner of Beastmen enterprises. I took over from my father about three years ago. Him and his father before him are who started the company and made it what it is today." He continued on talking about importing and exporting and other business practices.

I went on up to my room and took a shower quickly. I pulled my hair straight up in a messy bun. I threw on some black khaki pants and a floral t-shirt. I sprayed my rose perfume and quickly ran down the stairs. Abel had my parents riveted to their seats. They were so impressed!

I smiled as I came into the room and sat down on the couch. I began putting on my sandals. Abel came over and knelt down in front of me. He put my sandals on for me. It was such an intimate gesture. I know I blushed bright purple. My mother and father were both grinning from ear to ear. I could not take it anymore, "Um, if you are ready, why don't we get going?"

Abel smiled and stood up. He put a hand down to help me stand as well. He opened the door for me too. In front of my house, where there had not been a car when I went up to shower. There now set a black Ferrari GT. He grinned at me, "I had an associate bring over my play thing. I thought you might like to see what it felt like to ride in a Ferrari."

My parents were peaking over and under Abel's shoulders. My dad was whistling with elation. I laughed, "No"

Abel looked confused, "No?"

I walked around the car. "I do not want to ride in it. I want to drive it!" I laughed. He had opened the passenger side door.

He chuckled and closed the door. He walked around to the driver side door and opened it as I was rounding the front to get in the car. "Sweetie, come over here." I walked back to him. He handed me the keys. "You can drive, I like to go for a ride now and then myself. It will be nice to be driven around by you."

He helped me to sit down on the leather seats. He shut the door and walked around the car, getting in on the passenger side. He had to show me how to start the car. Which it was just a push button start. But boy that engine was smooth. I turned where he wanted and drove the way he asked. But in all reality, I knew driving this car gave me bragging rights with my dad. He was going to be so jealous!

He took me to an Applebee's. We got chicken Quesadilla appetizers, boneless wings, and chicken Alfredo. I did not even have to share. He ordered for both of us. He just ordered double of what I wanted. I did not even mean to order that much! I told him that it sounded good. He ordered it all. We both had half and half sweet tea too.

We talked about movies, books, games, video games. It was interesting though. For such a tech savvy guy, he does not really like video games. But to be honest neither do I. I do enjoy it when I sit down to play. But it is so rare, it is just not worth my time. He feels the same way. It was actually kind of eerie how much we had in common.

That brought back more memories of last night. He said he had been watching me for quite some time. I wonder if he planned this whole conversation. So, I threw him a ringer question. (a ringer question is a question about marriage and your life there after) Guys hate ringer questions on the first date. But I had to find out if he was genuine or a phony. "How many kids do you wish to have?"

He was drinking his tea. I expected a spit take. Instead, he smiled at me, "Let me think, as many as you want really. I would not mind a football team. But if something was to happen to me, splitting up their inheritance would be a nightmare. So, why don't we table that conversation until we have been married for five years or better. Let's see how many we decide we want to have together."

"I, um, I mean!" I was at a loss for words. We were sitting in a booth. He was sitting next to me. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly, "Sorry, I just don't have a set number. I think that needs to be set on how we feel in the moment. If something was to happen and you were unable to bare children, I would not want you disappointed. I will love you the same children or no children."

Again, I am struck speechless! He kissed me on the cheek and went back to eating. Where did this guy come from! Why aren't there more in this world! Wow! We finished eating and he ordered two extra plates of what we just ate.

This time he drove when we left. We stopped by my mother's hospital. He had me take him in and show him the way to her office. He gave her one of the plates of food he had ordered. She was so happy. She had only brought a bologna sandwich. She gave us both a hug but was called right back to work. We went on back to the house. He gave my father the other plate.

Dad had been in the garage working out. Abel got behind him and spotted him on the weight bench as dad finished up his reps. Dad sat up and gratefully took the plate. Abel and I went in our back yard while dad ate his food. We sat at the pick-nick table and just talked. Abel held my hand but kept some distance between us. You know for anytime my father looked out the back doors to check on us.

Abel was going all in to impress my entire family. He was doing a great job too. But could he, would he, did he possibly have that van attack me? I just have to know! "Abel, about that van from this morning."

Abel cut me off, "If you please dear, let's talk about literally anything else. I am still upset about it. I called it in to my boys. They are researching it. I think it might have been a rival pack. I want to put it out of my mind right now though. We are together, and it has been a wonderful day. You are in splendid company. I am very charming! I would kiss you but I think I am starting to win your dad over, maybe."

We both laughed, "Thank you for that my prince charming. My dad does not trust anyone with me."

"As well he shouldn't! They might try to drag you off. That's my job."

I laughed and smiled so hard my face was beginning to hurt. "You know you do not have to be prince charming with me all the time. I want to know the real you. Isn't that what dating is for? To get to know each other?"

Abel laughed and pulled our clasped hands in front of him. Then he kissed the back of my hand, "I am not perfect. But I want to put my best foot forward. You only get one chance at a first impression. Eventually you will see the ugly side of sears. But I hope that is a long time away. I want to be your prince charming for as long as possible. I really like treating you like Cinderella too."