“Ma’am, try to stay calm. Can you give me your address?”
I rattled off our location, then added, “Please hurry. I don’t know what she’s planning.”
After I hung up, I noticed something on the table. It was a note scribbled in Valerie’s handwriting.
It read: “IN 2 HOURS, YOUR SON WILL BE MINE FOREVER.”
My knees buckled, and I gripped the counter to keep from collapsing. What did she mean? Where was she taking him?
I paced in the living room, waiting for the cops to arrive. At that point, I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think straight. All I knew was that I had to get my son back before it was too late.
The terror that gripped me in those moments is something I’ll never forget. To this day, I’m not sure how I kept myself from falling apart completely.
As time ticked by, my mind raced with horrible possibilities.
What did “mine forever” mean? Was she planning to leave the country with him? Take him to Billy, even though he’d shown no interest in being a father?
When the cops finally arrived, I showed the note to them, struggling to keep my voice steady as I explained everything.
Thank God they took it seriously and immediately started tracing her phone.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, the police got a lead. Valerie’s car had been spotted near the town cemetery. It was about 20 miles from our house.
What on earth is Valerie doing there with Tyler? I thought.
In no time, the police officers drove me to the cemetery. As we pulled up, I saw Valerie standing near a gravestone with Tyler, who looked half-asleep. She was talking to him in a low voice.
“Tyler!” I screamed, jumping out of the car before it had fully stopped.
Valerie’s head snapped up. She was angry.
“No!” she shouted. “He needs to be with his daddy!”
The police were right behind me. They grabbed Valerie before she could do anything else, and I scooped Tyler into my arms, sobbing with relief.
As they led her away, Valerie kept muttering about how Billy “wanted his son back.” It was clear she’d lost touch with reality long ago.
That day, I vowed never to let Valerie neat my son again. She’s in custody now, but the memory of that morning still haunts me.
I don’t know if I’ll ever truly feel safe again.
