Not for me

“What are you doing, Sweetie” – Rhonda asked her daughter, who she saw put on gloves.

“I’m going outside” – Martha replied.

“Outside? Why? It’s cold out there.”

Before Martha could reply, Arthur, her father, and Rhonda’s husband walked through the door.

“Where are you going?” – he asked Martha.

“Outside” – she answered without hesitation.

“It’s cold out there” – he announced, taking off his hat, gloves, and scarf.

“Yes, I already told her that” – Rhonda said, taking the winter accessories from her husband’s hands and putting them on the shelf in the closet.

“What do you plan on doing out there, anyway?” – Arthur asked.

Martha shrugged. She didn’t want to tell her parents what she planned on doing. She wouldn’t know how to explain it anyway.

“The Robinsons are coming over for dinner” – Rhonda broke the silence.

“Don’t they have a daughter Martha’s age?” – Arthur asked.

“Yes. Yes, they do” – Rhonda replied.

They both looked at Martha, but that piece of news seemed to have no effect on her. She was still determined to go outside, tightening the scarf around her neck that Rhonda made for her for Christmas.

“Well, if you insist on going out, will you be back shortly? We want to spend as much time with you as we can, now that you’re back” – Rhonda said to her daughter.

Arthur looked at both of them and gave them a tight squeeze.

“Awe, Arthur” – Rhonda said with a smile, but Martha simply looked uncomfortable.

“Go, Kiddo, but be back soon. Dinner’s at 6.30 sharp” – Arthur said and opened the door for his daughter.

Martha nodded slightly, pulled her hat over her ears a little more, and walked outside, leaving her parents behind the threshold of a home.

***

“Where is she?” – Rhonda asked impatiently.

“She still has five minutes” – Arthur replied calmly.

“What if something happened to her?” – she asked him.

“Stop thinking like that. Everything’s alright. She’s safe.” – he replied.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. Would you mind if we waited a little while longer before serving dinner?” – Rhonda directed her question and the guests.

“Vivian and Victor” – the tall, black-haired lady replied.

“Huh?” – Rhonda asked.

“Vivian and Victor. Not Mr. and Mrs. Robinson” – Vivian explained.

“Ah” – Rhonda muttered.

“And of course. Not at all. We should wait for…” – the neighbor continued.

“Martha. Her name is Martha” – Arthur interjected.

“Martha” – Vivian nodded.

“And you can call us by our first names, too. Naturally” – Arthur added.

“Vicki just texted me that she wants to come over, after all” – Victor announced.

“Splendid!” – Rhonda exclaimed.

“That way Martha won’t be bored. How old is Vicki, again?” – she asked.

“16” – Vivian replied.

“Perfect. Martha’s 15” – Rhonda announced.

“They’ll probably spend the whole time chatting about makeup and boys” – Victor said and looked to Rhonda and Arthur for approval but did not get it.

Martha’s parents both grunted confusingly.

“Coffee?” – Rhonda finally asked.

“Sure. I’ll have an espresso, but Victor will have green tea. He can’t sleep if he ingests caffeine after 4pm” – Vivian answered.

Rhonda nodded and hurried towards the kitchen.

“So, Victor, what did you think about the game last night?” – Arthur asked to make small talk.

“The game? I’m afraid I’m not much of a sports guy” – Victor answered.

Vivian, Victor, and Arthur sat in silence until Rhonda came in with coffee, tea, and biscuits.

“Don’t snack too much. Save your appetites for dinner” – Rhonda announced and sternly looked towards Arthur.

“Yes, ma’am” – Arthur responded with a giggle.

At 7pm there was still no sign of Martha. Arthur put on the TV and they watched the news for a while.

“Vicki’s at the door” – Vivian announced after looking at her phone.

Her and Rhonda both greeted Vicki at the door.

“Come on in, Sweetie” – Rhonda said to the teenage girl in front of her.

“They have a daughter –Martha. She’s a year older than you, she should be back home soon” – Vivian said promptly.

At a quarter to eight, there was still no sign of Martha.

“Arthur, we have to go look for her” – Rhonda announced, putting on her shoes.

“Have you checked in with her friends?” – Vicki asked.

Rhonda and Arthur looked at each other and then finished up dressing up to go outside.

“Is there a place where she likes to go?” – Vivian asked.

“Not really” – Arthur answered as they walked outside.

Once they got to the gate, they turned to the right and then to the left.

“Which way?” – Rhonda’s eyes asked Arthur.

“You and Vivian go left and Victor and I will go right. We will meet back here in half an hour” – Arthur replied out loud.

“What about me?” – Vickie asked.

“You can come with us” – Rhonda answered.

They parted and started walking in silence.

“What is that?” – Vickie asked, pointing to the shed in the backyard.

“It’s Arthur’s tool shed” – Rhonda replied.

“He must have left the light on by accident when he was tooling around earlier today” – she added.

“No” – said Vickie shaking her head.

“The light was not on when I came. I would have noticed” – she added.

“Arthur?” – Rhonda called out and waved towards her husband.

Once they reunited, Rhonda told Arthur Vickie’s theory.

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to check” – said Victor.

Rhonda walked swiftly. Arthur was right behind her. The neighbors fell behind, whispering to one another.

“Martha, sweetie!” – Rhonda exclaimed as she opened the door to the shed.

The teenage girl lay on the floor with her lips taped over. Her legs bound tightly with a rope. Her hands brought together in prayer. Her eyes looking to the heavens.

“What happened here? Who did this to you?” – Arthur asked, pulling the tape off his daughter’s mouth.

“It was me. I did this to myself” – Martha explained.

“Just leave me be. Please” – she added.

After a while, they managed to persuade her to come back inside.

“Did you not want to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us?” – Vicki asked.

Martha slightly shook her head.

“That’s not it” – Martha replied after a moment.

“Celebrating New Year’s is not for me. I am not worthy” – she added.

“Not worthy?” – Arthur asked, hugging his daughter.

“No. Patrick said so” – she continued.

“Who’s Patrick?” – Vicki asked and looked to her parents for answers.

Vivian and Victor shrugged.

Rhonda breathed in and out audibly.

The neighbors looked around the table.

“Patrick was the guy who kidnapped her and held her hostage for over a year” – Rhonda said.

Vicki blushed.

“I had no idea. I’m… I’m sorry” – she said.

Vivian and Victor sat in uncomfortable silence, unsure of what to say.

“He’d host a New Year’s Eve party but would tie me up and lock me in a shed behind the house so that no one from his guest list would find me. He wanted me to pray for him. The moment I let my hands fall to my sides, he’d slap me” – Martha explained.

No one knew what to say to that.

“Can I go to bed now?” – Martha asked, pushing her chair away from the table.

“I don’t feel like celebrating tonight” – she added.

“Of course” – Rhonda and Arthur replied in unison.

The neighbors all nodded in agreement.