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It was all a nightmare, and each day she would wake up hoping that everything she just experienced was a horrible dream. But then, each day, her heart would break when she realized that this was her reality. Cade would bring her food that she first would refuse to eat. Finally, he pointed out that her mother would never want her to starve, and Ariella tentatively began eating. Cade would also provide her with clothes, and the log cabin had running water. Ariella mostly spent the first month sobbing in her bed. Then, with Cade’s encouragement, she would sometimes get up, eat, take a shower, and change her clothes. It seemed ridiculous that just a little while ago, she was just a girl who was excited over the prospect of meeting a boy and complaining about her overprotective mother. It was all so mundane and beautiful now. Why did she go out for art supplies and stay out so late? If she had been home, maybe her mother would have still been alive. She expressed these feelings to Cade, and he pointed out that nothing could be done, and her being home could have resulted in Ariella’s death. But, of course, this would lead to more tears.
After a month, Ariella was able to leave the bedroom and sit in the living area of the log cabin. Her grief had cleared enough that she wanted answers. She always knew the way she lived with her mother was not normal. Some part of her realized early on they were hiding. Finally, Ariella was ready to talk. She pulled a blanket over her shoulders and sat on the couch.
“I’m ready to listen,” she said tentatively.
Cade looked at her, “Are you sure, Ariella? The things I am about to tell you will be hard for you to digest, particularly in your vulnerable state of mind.”
Ariella nodded, “I’m tired of living in lies and mysteries. I need to know the truth, and I need to know it now”.
Cade sighed and pulled up a chair beside her. “The first thing I want you to know is that I loved your mother and you very much. Nothing is more important to me than to keep you both safe in the world. That is why we were apart. Lydia and I decided it was best that I stayed away from you two.”
Ariella looked at him, confused. Why would it be good for a father to stay away from his beloved family? “I had to stay away to attract less attention, and I could…
