Walker hung up the phone and laughed. It was going to be easier then he thought. Jennifer was sitting in the same chair Jonathan had once been tied to. Walker walked over to her and lifted her chin so that she was looking into his eyes. She averted her eyes, as he spoke. "Don’t worry, you’ll be back with that husband of yours before you know it." Since her husband was dead Jennifer was sure he was going to kill her.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Why not?" Walker laughed and pulled Jennifer to her feet. "Come on we have to get out of here."
"Where are we going?" She struggled as Walker pushed her out of the room.
"Don’t you worry about that, I’ve got everything taken care of."
Jonathan was nervously pacing around the living room. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Jessica was sitting on the couch watching him curiously. Ian had opted to go into the kitchen and make some sandwiches. Jessica was so engrossed in watching Jonathan pace she jumped slightly when the front door opened. Jonathan and Jessica both looked at the door and were surprised when Jennifer didn’t walk through it.
"Where’s Jennifer?" Jonathan asked.
"It’s true then, you really are alive." Steven exclaimed. He pulled Jonathan into a tight hug and then released him angrily. "How dare you put my little girl through all this?"
"Steven, I didn’t put her through this. Where is she?"
Steven looked nervous. "Jessie, why don’t you take Sarah into the kitchen and make some sandwiches?"
"Ian’s already making the sandwiches." Jessica said. "Where’s my mom?"
"I don’t know." Steven said without looking at either Jonathan or Jessica.
"You don’t know?" Jonathan repeated.
Steven remained silent. Sarah, realizing Steven’s discomfiture spoke up. "He got a phone call…she’s been kidnapped."
Walker drove the car quickly. He didn’t want to waste any unnecessary time. He had to get to the meeting place before Jonathan Hart. He looked at the gas gauge and cursed. It was practically on empty. Walker pulled into the nearest gas station and got out of the car.
Jennifer had already managed to untie her hands. Walker came around to the passenger side of the car to fill up the tank. Jennifer swung the door open quickly and knocked him out. She ran away from the gas station and into the woods. Walker recovered, but not in time to see where Jennifer had run off to. He slammed the door shut and after the gas had been filled he sped off in the direction of the Whitfield Corporation Building. He may not have Jennifer Hart any longer, but Jonathan Hart wouldn’t know that.
The police arrived at the house and Jonathan was making preparations to go to Whitfield Corporation.
"Don’t worry, we’ll get her back." Jonathan assured Jessica.
"I know."
Jonathan hugged Jessica.
"Go to Sarah’s house, okay? I don’t want you to be alone until this is all over."
"Okay." Jessica said. When Jonathan got ready to leave Jessica stopped him. "Wait, I just, I wanted to say I’m sorry."
"Sorry? For what?" Jonathan asked.
"For everything I said the other day. I didn’t mean it."
"I know." Jonathan smiled.
"I love you…" Jessica paused and then added "Dad."
Jonathan kissed Jessica on the forehead. "I love you." Then he and Steven left with the police.
After they had gone Sarah suggested they head for her house.
"Actually, I want to hang out here for a little while."
"But, he just said."
"I know, come on, we won’t stay long."
"Okay, just let me call my mom and tell her where we are."
"Thanks." Jessica smiled.
Jennifer ran through the woods without looking behind her. She didn’t know where she was, but she kept running until she saw a house in the distance. Deciding to see if anyone was home and use his or her phone, Jennifer ran towards the house. As she got closer to the house she became puzzled. The house looked just like the first house she and Jonathan had shared. Memories came flooding to the surface, memories of their first night in the house, of finding Freeway, of Max. She fought back the tears that threatened to overflow and continued running to the house. She ended up behind the house, near the garage. She wasn’t just puzzled any more, she was extremely confused. This house didn’t just look like her old house. It was her old house. She had never seen such a perfect reproduction of anything. Jennifer walked around to the front of the house and her confusion just grew larger when she recognized the landscape. She looked at the number on the house and gasped…3100. Jennifer tried to think of where she was. When she escaped from Walker, she saw a street sign that said Grove’s Hill Road. Grove’s Hill Road was only about a mile from her old house on Willow Pond Drive.
"This is crazy!" She exclaimed. Jennifer tried the knob and was surprised when it opened easily. She walked inside the house and was shocked to find that the inside of the house was just as identical to her house as the outside was.
Jonathan and the rest of the rescue team arrived at the lot where Whitfield Corporation once stood. Now, it was just a pile of rubble with a sign proclaiming it private property. They looked around for signs of anyone when a car pulled up about 20 feet away. A man got out of the car and held a gun towards the car.
"Don’t move or she’s dead!" Walker stated.
"What do you want, Whitfield?"
"How did you know who I was?"
"Who else would call me here?"
"Aah, you are perceptive Mr. Hart, but do you know why I’ve called you here?"
"Where’s my daughter?" Steven yelled. Jonathan tried to quiet him.
"In the car, stupid." Walker yelled.
"No, why here? What do you want?" Jonathan repeated while he tried to see Jennifer in the car.
"I want you to pay for killing my father."
"I didn’t kill your father, Walker. It was an accident. It was no one’s fault."
"You’re wrong!" Walker screamed. "It was your fault! You did it!"
While Walker and Jonathan talked the police were sneaking around to get to the car.
"Walker!" Ian called as he came out from his hiding place.
"What are you doing here?" Jonathan whispered. "You were supposed to stay at the house!"
"I couldn’t just wait." Ian said. "You know you’re not thinking straight, brother."
"I’m not thinking straight?" Walker laughed, "You’re the one trading sides! I don’t think Mr. Hart will be to happy with your punishment."
"My punishment?" Ian asked.
"Mmm, hmm, say goodbye to your wife Mr. Hart!" It seemed like the world was moving in slow motion as Walker shot his gun into the car.
"No!" Jonathan screamed as he and Steven ran towards the car. The police quickly came up behind Walker and grabbed him.
Jennifer’s face wore a look of sheer perplexity as she noticed the pictures on the coffee table in the living room. She decided to explore the house, although a part of her felt as if she had just entered the twilight zone. She walked around the first floor, moving from room to room. Everywhere she went reminded her of her old house, the same furniture, and the same woodwork. The pictures of her family that had been placed around the house just added an eerie atmosphere to it all.
"Did you hear that?" Jessica asked Sarah. They were upstairs in the room Jonathan had fixed up for her.
"Hear what?"
"The door, I thought I heard someone come in."
"I didn’t hear anything."
"Come on." Jessica began to walk out of the room.
"Wait, if someone did come in they could be dangerous."
"Come on!" Jessica said as she dragged Sarah out of the room.
The girls tiptoed down the stairs. They both jumped when they heard the kitchen door slam.
"Jess? Ya think maybe it’s the dog?"
"Freeway? He’s at the other house."
"Oh." Sarah gulped and began sweating.
Jessica and Sarah walked down the stairs and reached the kitchen door. The door swung open suddenly and hid the girls behind it.
"Mom!" Jessica exclaimed when she saw Jennifer come out of the kitchen.
Jennifer spun around quickly. "Jessica? What’s going on here?"
"Are you okay? Where’s everyone else?" Jessica asked, excitedly.
"Everyone else?"
"Yeah, you’re rescuers…the knights on the white horses swooping in to save the damsel in distress?"
"I don’t know. I got away."
"That’s not very romantic. The lady’s supposed to be rescued by her white knight, she’s not supposed to escape on her own." Jessica giggled.
"So sorry!" Jennifer laughed. "Now, can you tell me what is going on here?"
"It was supposed to be a surprise."
"A surprise?"
"Yeah, isn’t it cool?" Sarah exclaimed.
"Very. Whose surprise?"
"Dad’s. See, I found this note in a book…" Jessica stopped talking when she saw the sad look on Jennifer’s face.
"He did all this."
Jessica nodded her head. "Yup, see he knows how to be romantic!" She giggled again.
"Yes, he did." Jennifer looked solemn and then said "Why are you giggling so much today?"
"I’m not giggling." Jessica said as she giggled. She put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing even harder.
"Jessica Nicole Drayton!" Jennifer yelled.
"Hart."
"What?"
"Hart. I had my name changed."
"I’ve really been out of it lately! When did you do this?"
"Don’t worry, you’re not that out of it, I just did it this morning."
"Oh, Jessie." Jennifer smiled and pulled Jessica into an embrace. "Jonathan would be so happy."
Jessica just smiled up at her and returned her embrace.
Jonathan ran for the car at breakneck speed. The police were holding Walker and taking him to their car, which they had hidden. One of the other officers beat Jonathan to the car and looked inside. When Jonathan came up behind him the officer stopped him.
"There’s no one in there." The officer said. Jonathan looked into the car and saw only a bullet hole in the car’s upholstery.
"Where is she?" Steven asked as he joined Jonathan.
Jonathan walked over to the police officers that were holding Walker. He pushed them out of the way and grabbed Walker by the collar.
"What have you done with my wife?"
Walker didn’t say anything, he just grinned. Jonathan punched him square in the nose. The police pulled Walker away and put him into the car.
"We’ll put an APB out for your wife. Don’t worry. We’ll find her."
Jonathan nodded and he and Steven walked back to their car. The police arrested Ian and put him in the car with Walker.
Jonathan pulled into the driveway and went inside his house. He had half-expected to find Jennifer waiting for him as she had many times before. Instead the house was empty except for Freeway Jr. who lay sleeping beside the couch.
"I’m going to call Jessica at Sarah’s." Jonathan said as he went for the phone. He picked it up and dialed Sarah’s number.
"Hello." Sarah’s mother answered.
"This is Jonathan Hart, could I speak to Jessica?"
"I’m sorry, Mr. Hart, Jessica isn’t here."
"What? Is Sarah there?"
"No, she called a little while ago and said they were at your house. Is something wrong?"
"I don’t know. I just got here. I’ll call you back."
"Ok, thanks."
Jonathan hung up the phone and turned to Steven.
"They’re not there."
"Maybe they are still at the other house."
"Yeah, you stay here in case they come back. I’ll go check out the other house."
"I think I’m going to go home now." Sarah announced.
"Okay, thanks for everything, Sarah." Jessica said as she walked Sarah to the door.
"Bye, Mrs. Hart."
"Bye, Sarah." Jennifer smiled as she waved goodbye.
Sarah left and Jessica returned to the living room where Jennifer was sitting on the couch looking at the picture of her and Jonathan. Jennifer was touching the picture of Jonathan’s face lovingly. She smiled warmly as she remembered the day that picture had been taken. It was the summer before Max passed away and they had all gone out for a picnic. Max snuck away and gave them a few minutes to themselves before returning and taking a picture of them in the middle of a kiss. The tears started to fall as she wished for Jonathan to come back to her. If only Max were here, he’d know what to say to make her feel better.
"Are you going to be okay?" Jessica asked as she came up behind Jennifer.
Jennifer turned around to face Jessica and shrugged her shoulders. "I don’t know. Why don’t you go to bed? It’s getting late. I think I’m going to call my father."
"Ok. Good night." Jessica said. She wished she could tell Jennifer that Jonathan was alive, but she was sure Jonathan would want to tell her that himself. Jessica walked upstairs and into her bedroom.
Jennifer picked up the phone and dialed her number.
"Hello." Steven answered the phone.
"Pa."
"Jennifer! Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I’m fine. I’m at the old house."
"The old house?" Steven questioned.
"Yeah, Jonathan had it re-built. Jessie’s here, she just went to sleep."
Steven smiled on the other end of the line. "Alright, will you be okay there?"
"Yeah, we’ll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure. Bye."
"I love you, Pa."
"I love you."
Steven and Jennifer both hung up the phones.
Jennifer went upstairs and walked into the master bedroom. Her breath was taken away when she saw that the room looked exactly as it had so many years ago. The tears that seemed to be never-ending these days came again as she changed into a nightgown and went to bed.
Jonathan walked into the house and was dismayed at how dark and quiet it was. He started to search the house to see if Jessica or Sarah were there. When he didn’t find them on the first floor he climbed the steps. He walked quietly towards Jessica’s room and opened the door. He peeked inside and was surprised to see Jessica sound asleep in her bed. Or at least he thought she was asleep until she turned to see who had opened her door.
"Jessie? Are you awake?"
"Dad!" she called. "You’re back!"
Jonathan walked over and sat on the edge of Jessica’s bed. She sat up to talk to him. "I thought I told you to go to Sarah’s?"
"You did, but you’ll be glad I didn’t."
"Oh, I will?" He smiled.
"Yep." Jessica grinned.
"Are you going to tell me why?" Jonathan laughed.
"Nope, you’ll have to see for yourself."
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing at all. I’m tired, good night." Jessica giggled as she closed her eyes and lay back down on the bed.
"Good night." Jonathan said as he got up and left the room. He walked down the hall to his own room and stopped at the door. "Why didn’t she ask about Jennifer?" He thought to himself before going into his room.
The room was dark and Jonathan stubbed his toe on the end table as he fumbled for the light switch.
"Jessie? What’s wrong?" Jennifer asked sleepily from the bed.
Jonathan was shocked to hear his wife’s voice. He switched on the light as quick as he could and he saw Jennifer lying in bed with her eyes closed.
"Jess, did ya really need to turn on the lights?" Jennifer asked as she peeked out from behind her eyelids. Her eyes opened wide, however, when she saw Jonathan standing at the foot of the bed.
"Jonathan!" She half-whispered, half-yelled.
"Darling." Jonathan cooed as he sat on the bed and pulled Jennifer into his arms. Jennifer held onto him tightly, but then pulled out from the embrace.
"I wish this were real." She whispered while tears caressed her cheeks.
"It is real." Jonathan grinned.
"What are you talking about? You’re d…dead. This is just a dream."
Jonathan pressed his lips to Jennifer’s and kissed her passionately.
"Still think this is a dream?" He asked.
Jennifer was speechless. "How?" was the only word that she could find to say.
"It’s a long story. Right now, I just want to hold you in my arms again."
"Who am I to argue with that?" Jennifer smiled as she kissed Jonathan as passionately as he had kissed her. Neither of them would get much sleep that night.
"So, it’s all over now, right?" Jessica asked as she and the Harts sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast.
"Yeah, Walker and Ian are both behind bars and we’re all together again." Jonathan answered.
"Isn’t it marvelous?" Jennifer smiled broadly.
"What about Hart Industries?" Jessica asked.
"We’re going to re-build."
"And, we all know how excellent you are at re-building, Darling." Jennifer said.
Jonathan grinned. "But, of course." He said.
"What day is it?" Jessica asked, suddenly.
"Monday?" Jennifer said, unsure.
Jonathan looked at the calendar and confirmed that it was Monday.
"Shucks!" Jessica exclaimed.
"What?" Jennifer asked.
"I have to go to school."
"I don’t know, I think it’s okay to miss a day of school now and then."
"I missed almost all of last week!"
"Since when are you so worried about going to school?" Jonathan laughed.
"You’re right. What shall we do today?" Jessica smiled.
"I thought we could officially move in."
"Really?" Jennifer asked excitedly.
"Of course." Jonathan said assuredly.
Jennifer giggled and kissed Jonathan. "I love you, Darling, forever." Jonathan told her.
"I wouldn’t have it any other way." Jennifer said as she kissed him back.
