Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 73311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
She disrupted the trash bag that was covering my seat—my light gray cloth seats—and sat down.
I didn't even care that she was getting my seats stained with stuff that I’d really rather not think about.
Why?
Because I had the most perfect, tiny, beautiful version of Masen in my hands, and I was finding it hard to breathe.
“She’s perfect,” My wife whispered.
I silently agreed as I repositioned the tiny child in my hands, unsure what I was supposed to do with her.
Red and blue lights lit up the area behind my truck, and I closed my eyes in silent thanks.
Downy, the redheaded cop that was on the SWAT team with me, stepped out of his SUV, and started to round the front of the truck.
The minute he saw it was me, he stopped and stared.
“You okay?” Downy asked.
I held up the baby that was still crying and wiggling in my arms, and Downy’s eyes widened.
He took one look at my half-clothed wife, then reached for the mic on his chest.
“Call a medic,” he said to dispatch. “Side of the road on The Loop.”
Then, he stayed back as my wife and I studied the newest member of our family in private.
***
Downy
“You’re never going to believe what I just…what’s wrong?” I asked, staring at my wife that was being held by another man.
Our kids were running around wild in the house beyond where they were standing in the middle of the living room, but I couldn’t find it in me to care.
Not when there was tears of agony running down my wife’s cheeks.
“My dad,” Memphis cried. “He was shot, and he died a little over seven hours ago.”
That explained the multitude of bikes that were outside.
“Oh, baby.” I went to her.
She abandoned Aaron’s arms, and stared at me with such pain in her eyes that it was hard to find a breath to pull into my lungs.
“Why him?” she cried out, pain leeching into her every word.
I looked over at Aaron.
“What happened?”
“Stone was shot by a gang member on the street. We did everything we could, but he died. Bled out on the street,” Aaron murmured, trying to talk quietly.
Memphis’ shoulders shook harder.
I dropped my mouth to the top of her head, and held her while she cried.
Aaron nodded once to me, and then slipped out silently.
All the while I wondered if a body could break from sobbing, because that’s what it felt like my wife was doing. Breaking.
***
Booth
Nearly six hours later, I was staring at my brother with very little strength left in my body.
“Shit,” I said. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, feeling sick.
He’d just left Downy with a heartbroken Memphis.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Aaron grunted. “I…fuck. I had to tell Memphis that her father died, and she cried in my arms. I held her like that for over an hour until her husband got home. I should’ve fucking waited for him, but dammit. Shit, I was in a hurry to see you, and my head wasn’t on straight.”
Downy, the man that’d been there to offer his help when Daniela was born, had just lost his father-in-law in a gang related shooting. He’d died, and Aaron had ridden over six hours to tell his wife about it in person.
At the time that I’d called Aaron, I thought this day was perfect.
But now, there was a pall on this beautiful day, stained by the loss of a great man that the world would surely miss.
“That’s terrible,” I finally choked out.
He shouldered past me into the hospital room, coming to a halt next to the bed where Masen was holding Daniela to her chest.
She took one look at Aaron, then stood up and wrapped her single free arm around him.
Aaron wasn’t much of a toucher, so it surprised me when he not only allowed the touch, but returned it.
“Fuck.” I said softly, watching my two best friends in the entire world hold each other and offer the other comfort.
Then Aaron stepped back, and reached a lone, scarred finger to trail down Daniela’s cheek.
“She’s beautiful.”
Masen moved, and placed Daniela into Aaron’s arms.
The moment that Daniela was safely ensconced in her uncle’s arms, he sat down on the side of the bed and stared at her, studying her every feature, just as I had done.
“He’s going to be okay,” Masen whispered.
I looked down at Masen, surprised to find her at my side.
“Yeah?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
***
Masen
Daniela made a startled sound in my arms as I opened the door, upset that I’d jostled her in my rush to open the front door. The moment the door opened to reveal the visitor, tears sprang to my eyes.
“Hey, Memphis,” I greeted my sweet friend, opening the door wider. “How are you holding up?”
Her eyes watered.
“The funeral was a week and a half ago,” she said. “I thought it was about time to come say hi.”