I dialled Mr. Adam's contact number on my phone and after a couple of rings, he answered the call.

"Good morning Mr. Adam." I assumed a professional voice.

"Yes Florence, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing OK, thanks."

"Your mom told me you were a little unwell."

"Actually, I'm fine now, I called to apologize for the inconveniences caused by my absence, I'll be resuming tomorrow."

"That's good news."

"About the meeting tomorrow..." I began.

"Yes, it'll still holding and... "

I discussed at length with Adam who revealed that everything was going smoothly at 'Florence'.

I strolled to mom's room to check on her. After knocking twice on the door and getting no response, I pushed the door open and entered her magnificent room. The white curtains covering the glass windows fluttered due to the breeze forcing itself into the room

The floor of her room was covered with a white rug which was regularly cleaned out, her bed possessed a large peach furry blanket on it and carried two furry pillows too. Her room was simply a 'furry paradise'. I guess I and Tam got our love for furry objects from her, though I wasn't as obsessed with them as Tam.

I scanned the room for mom's slender figure in vain. Hearing grunts of frustration from her closet, I approached it cautiously and just as I got to the entrance, mom appeared with a few clothes in her arms, a strap heel was dangling from one of her fingers. She smiled coyly like a six year old caught stealing chocolate bars, trying to hide her clothes behind her back but I wagged a finger at her.

"Oh no you don't, mom." I scolded and her hands released the clothes to the floor.

"What are you up to mom?" The tone of my voice made it seem like I was the 'mother' while mom was me.

"Uh... I... I... I" She stammered and I forced out a snicker which made a scowl appear on her face.

It was so funny seeing my mom flustered.

"Stop mocking me Florence!" She reprimanded and bent to snatch her clothes from the rug.

"Fine, but spill." I snapped my fingers and helped her with the clothes.

"I'm just going somewhere, someone invited me over for dinner, I think I need to calm my nerves."

I smirked. "Who's the person? A man?"

Instead of replying, she lowered her head and a smirk found its way to my lips.

Mom lifted her head and nodded. Steering her eyes clear of mine, she dumped the clothes on her bed, alongside the ones in my hands.

My eyes dilated in surprise and my jaws became slack. Seeing my astonishment, she immediately picked up a beige short-sleeved gown, and inspected it closely.

"But I'm still worried about Tam, where's she? Is she still alive? What do they want from us..."

Way to modify the topic mom.

I set an inner reminder to assail her with questions later.

"Mom, relax, I know it's difficult for you, it's not easy on Michael, neither on me, do not fret yourself too much, fretting won't bring Tam back."

I marched to her closet and stood gazing at the countless clothes hanging from the thin silver rod running across from one wall to the other.

Her shoes consisting mostly of heels were at another corner, properly arranged on their racks. I would have envied her vast heels collection if I wasn't an enemy to them. Especially the stilettos.

"Have you spoken with him?"
Mom stood at the closet's entrance with both her hands placed firmly on her waist.

"Yeah, I did, he was in a fit, an angry one."

I weaved my hands through the clothes, occasionally pulling out their lower parts for examination. My hands settled for a white sleeveless gown which judging from mere observation would stop at mom's knees. I knew she would protest against my choice knowing it would enhance the body curves she seldom displayed.

"Why haven't they called? I mean the idiots."

I sighed and twirled around to meet her disapproving gaze on the gown I chose. I half-danced and half- walked to the shoes proudly displayed on the racks.

"Maybe they're still figuring out things..." After picking up a pair of black stilettos, I marched out of the closet, with mom trailing behind me.

"What do they need to figure out?" She lamely asked and I scoffed, running my hands vertically on the fabrics still imprisoned in the crook of my arm. I dumped the clothes in the chair opposite mom's dresser and settled in another chair next to the window. I tucked the curtains into the 'curtain-holders'situated at the side of the window frame, so they wouldn't obstruct my vision of the horizon.

"Go get dressed mom, I'll handle everything, I assure you."

She observed the expression on my face which was as blank as a white paper. Before walking away from me, she placed a hand on my shoulder and kissed my forehead.

I smiled as I watched her enter her bathroom which I knew had an endless supply of shampoos, soaps and towels.

My phone beeped on the bed where I kept it and with lazy steps, I fetched it and returned to my position at the window.

I seldom received calls, except for business calls which poured in incessantly at times, although they never came to my personal phone number, but to the business one.

Clicking on the Message App, I saw a text which made me swoon.

Unknown number :  you have twenty days to relinquish Amanda or consider Tamara dead. (2:03pm)

My breathing became unsteady as I relaxed my back in the chair, trembling violently. Just as mom danced cheerfully out of her bathroom, my phone fell to the furry rug and I reached downwards to grab it, allowing my fingers graze the furs underneath it.

"You look pale, I hope nothing's wrong."

Mom had a towel tied loosely around her chest and I was able to catch a glimpse of her cleavage from where I sat.

"Nothing's wrong mom..." I paused in my speech as an argument erupted in my head, as to whether I should tell her about the kidnappers' ultimatum. I made a mistake once in not telling either my mom or Tam about the evil messages I had been receiving from the cowards who undoubtedly are responsible for Tam's kidnap.

I don't want to make the same mistake of not telling mom, I never knew who they'll strike next. But then considering my mom's tendency to hyperventilate owing to her horrifying encounter with the person who inflicted severe injuries on her.

I had to tell her...

"Mom, a text just came in from the kidnappers."

💭💭💭
Tamara

I awoke to discover that different things were pounding in my head, paving way for an excruciating pain. I grunted, trying to push my head off the soft fabric beneath me.

After successfully raising my head, I took my eyes on a tour around the room, it was empty, there was nothing inside apart from myself and the bed beneath me. Twisting my body sideways, I saw the tiny window, not up to a feet wide. It reluctantly let in light to the room and I was temporarily tempted to take a peek out of the window to satisfy my curiosity.

Restraining myself, I continued studying the empty dark space around me. The floor were made entirely out of wood, the ceiling too. The walls had some creepy looking drawings on them and I shuddered when my eyes caught the portrait of a man shredding a human heart with a knife. Gross.

Losing interest in everything surrounding me, I lay back on the bed and hugged the blanket on it, to myself. The first thing that barged into my head was Mom, Florence and Michael.

My attention was transferred to the door which was opened carefully, a heavily built man with a menacing facial expression stared right into my eyes with his fingers still wrapped around the door handle which sloped downwards as a result of the of the pressure of his fingers on it. He had curly black hair and he had a moustache running from the from the sides of his face to his chin where it was denser.

A white singlet clung to his body, exposing the bulge of his powerful muscles that had numerous tattoo patterns on them. In addition,a pair of gray chinos trousers covered the lower part of his body and his feet were enclosed in a pair of black combat boots.

I defiantly stared back at him as he marched towards me, his muscles rippling rhythmically with each step. Within myself, I made a resolve never to appear to be feeble woman, I would show them the stuff that I possess, so they would know that not all women are to be tampered with.

"Hello Tamara." He positioned his large frame away from my bed, but not sufficiently far away for me to shoot out my leg and kick him in his 'family jewels'.

He spoke in a reverberating voice that didn't intimidate me at all. He raised a brow as he noticed I didn't fly away from him in fright. Maybe he was used to his voice making people scamper out of the Universe at the mere sound of his voice.

Ha! Not this woman .

"Hello Crook." My rebellious brain allocated the most suitable name it could procure, to him. A low growl was manufactured in his throat, causing a smirk to emerge on my face. I shifted comfortably under the blanket, still holding the intense gaze of his chocolate-coloured pupils.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Crook uttered each word with immense anger which didn't faze me at all. I nonchalantly played with a strand of my hair, twisting and untwisting it. Tearing the blanket away from my body, I took up a sitting position facing him.

"What should I call you then?" I smiled smugly as his fingers twitched beside him, his face turned red like a tomato. And no he wasn't blushing,, he was furious. Crook took two steps closer, then he bent over, making his face align with mine till we were just separated by the bridges of our noses, our lips barely touching.

I searched with my eyes for anything I could use to attack him in case he tried any funny business with me.

"Listen here you vixen." He gritted his teeth so hard that I was afraid, not of his threatening facial expression, I was scared that his teeth would fall out of his mouth.

"I'm not here for a friendly conversation, do you comprehend?" I nodded in fake-submission and a wicked smile materialized on his lips.

With his face still in close proximity with mine and his breath tickling my face, he unlocked his mouth to pour out more words.

"Good, now listen. Your life is suspended barely by a thread, no, a cobweb. Your life depends on the decision of your baby sister." On hearing 'baby sister', my heart missed a beat.

"A single mistake on her part, and you're..." He ended his speech with passing his fingers across his throat, mimicking the slitting action of a knife.