Free Patiently I Wait by J.W. Stephens Page A

just how deep they were in this elaborate plan. They were never going to go to Julie’s parents house on Christmas Day. Julie’s parents were not even in Michigan anymore. Julie had led her straight to the place that would forever change her life. Julie made it seem as if Megan was the one with all of the money and benefits of having an amazing home. This plan was well thought out, mainly by Dan, Shannon presumed.
    “How long have you been working this plan out Megan?” Shannon asked, pausing her train of thought momentarily.
    “For a couple of years now honestly. Since you broke up with Dan, Julie and I both wanted to help him get back at you. She always liked him and he was my brother, so we started conspiring from there. I am completely done with it now though after getting to know you and falling in love with you. At the time, I didn’t like the person Dan told me you were, but I love the person you actually are. I can see he was hurt by you, but it couldn’t have been intentional. You are the sweetest, most caring person I have ever met.”
    Shannon gave Megan a smile, even though the situation wasn’t a happy one in the least bit.
    “Okay Megan, we have got to get out of here, we will talk more once we are away from this place.”
    “Sounds like a plan babe. I’ll tell Dan I am going to the car to get something, and you will have to follow me when there is a chance. I will leave the door open behind me. Once we get out, run for the woods behind the house and we will make our way to the town from here. I’m going to grab my coat from the car while I’m out there and we will have to switch off wearing it to stay warm.”
    “Alright Megan, sounds like a plan to me. Try to time it well so I have enough time to get out with you.”
    Megan nodded as if to say not to worry. “I got it babe, I won’t let him hurt you.”
    She walked out of the door and left it cracked so Shannon could hear everything in the living room. She heard Dan talking with her, telling her that she did a great job and that everything was going to be perfect from this moment on. Megan agreed with him, playing along for the time being. Shannon heard Megan asking questions, trying to get Dan to leave the room by subtly giving hints as to why he should.
    “Are you hanging Dan?” she asked first.
    He replied quickly, almost as if he knew what was going on. “No, I’m good for now.”
    Of course he had know way of knowing what the girls were scheming, but he wasn’t budging from his post just outside the room with Shannon inside.
    “Well, I am thinking about getting a shower really quick, do you want to get one before or after me?” she asked, as if she was giving him an option. Shannon was surprised when it worked like a charm.
    “I’ll get one first because you always take all the damn hot water!” Dan said, chuckling at his sister. “Don’t leave this room though, just in case she tries to leave.”
    Megan laughed back at him, “Aye aye Captain, I will stand guard until you come back.”
    Shannon heard footsteps throughout the house as Dan walked back into another room, most likely where the shower was located. She heard water turn on as the pipes ran through her room as well. It was quite loud, giving her the green light to get out of the house. Just as she was walking to the door to peak out, it swung open, startling her and sending her falling backwards onto the ground.
    Megan laughed and said, “let’s go angel, we don’t have long!”
    Shannon got up, breathing heavily, grabbed Megan’s hand as they rushed towards the door.
    They headed to the car and opened it up, looking for anything they could use on the long walk ahead of him.
    “Wait Megan, why don’t we just take the car? He wouldn’t know until he got out that we were gone.”
    Shannon had a good point, but Megan had a better one.
    “He has a GPS unit attached to it. We may get away quicker, but he would come find us.”
    Shannon thought for a second and then