Chapter 5: A Temporary Refuge

As they pulled back from the hug, Rachel's eyes scanned Nicole's face, taking in the dark circles under her eyes and the pale complexion. "You look like you've been through hell," she said, her voice filled with concern. "What happened with Coop? How did he find out about the baby?" Nicole took a deep breath and sat down in the chair across from Rachel, trying to gather her thoughts. "It's a long story," she said, "but basically, he found out about the pregnancy and he's been manipulating me ever since. He's been controlling what I eat, what I wear, even what I think. He's been making me feel like I'm losing my mind." Rachel's eyes widened in shock. "That's abuse," she said, her voice firm. "You need to get out of this situation, Nicole. You're not alone anymore. I'm here for you." The barista from the coffee shop came over to take their order, and Rachel asked for a couple of lattes and a plate of pastries. As they waited for their order, Rachel leaned in, her voice low. "We need to get you to a safe place. Somewhere Coop won't think to look. Do you have any family members or friends who could take you in?" Nicole shook her head. "No, I don't have any family left, and my friends are all either in league with Coop or too scared to help me. You're my only hope, Rach." Rachel nodded, her face set in determination. "Okay, we'll figure something out. But first, we need to get you cleaned up and looking like yourself again. You can't stay looking like a scared rabbit. It'll draw attention to us." As they sipped their lattes and nibbled on the pastries, Rachel pulled out her phone and started typing away. "I'm booking us a room at a motel on the outskirts of town," she said. "It's not the Ritz, but it's safe and it's anonymous. We can figure out the next step from there." Nicole nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in weeks. Maybe, just maybe, she could escape Coop's grasp and start fresh. But as they finished up their snack and prepared to leave, Nicole couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She glanced around the coffee shop, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. That was, until she spotted a piece of paper on the table, slipped under the edge of the tablecloth. It was a note, scribbled in Coop's familiar handwriting: "I'll always find you, Nicole. You can't hide from me forever." Nicole's heart sank as she showed the note to Rachel. "He's already found us," she whispered, her eyes scanning the coffee shop for any sign of Coop.