Courageous Love

by KC Richardson

  “Hey, baby. Jordan invited us over for dinner so we can go over some stuff for the team.”

  “Wait a second. You’re not ready to play basketball.”

  “Why can’t I?”

  “I don’t want you to get hurt again. What about your rib?”

  “Don’t worry, Alex. I saw the doctor earlier, and x-rays showed I’m all better. He released me back to full duty.”

  “That’s great, honey. I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks. So, are you coming with me tonight?”

  “Of course. What time shall I pick you up?”

  “You’re coming to get me?”

  “Well, yeah. I figured I’d spend the night. Was I being presumptuous?”

  “No, no. I’d love for you to stay with me tonight. In case I haven’t told you, I really appreciate your willingness to sleep at my place. Having Bella prevents me from being able to sleep over at your house.”

  “It’s no problem. I like her kisses in the morning almost as much as I like yours.”

  The melodious tone in Alex’s laughter warmed Frank’s heart. So far, things were going well between them. “Jordan said to come over around six.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there soon.”

  Frank had a surge of energy and needed to work it off. She was greeted at her door by Bella, and somehow she seemed to know her person was back to her old self. Bella followed Frank into the bedroom and began to bark excitedly when she pulled her running shoes out of the closet and changed into her running clothes. “I’m a little out of shape, girl, but let’s see how long we can go.” After doing a few stretches, she attached Bella’s leash and headed out the front door. She started off with a slow jog, but after five minutes, she hit her pace, and Bella kept right up. The runs Julie took Bella on hadn’t hindered her stamina one bit. Frank was able to clear her mind of any thoughts fairly quickly and was able to enjoy the sound of her feet hitting the pavement along with the even tempo of her breathing. As good as it felt to run again, she didn’t want to push herself too hard. She knew from experience how sore her muscles would be the next day after such a long layoff. Bella didn’t seem too happy to have her run cut short when they got back to their house.

  Frank rubbed Bella’s ears, as if that would appease her. “I’m sorry, girl, but obviously I’m not in as good shape as you. Don’t worry. I’ll get there.” She stripped out of her clothes and turned on the shower. Despite her overheated body, she kept the water as hot as she could tolerate to try to lessen some of her muscle soreness that was sure to arrive. She stood under the hot spray and allowed the strong pulse to penetrate her tired body. She downed a bottle of Gatorade as she got dressed, then went into the kitchen to feed Bella.

  Shortly after, the knock on the door signaled Alex’s arrival. Her pulse quickened the closer she got to the door, and she smiled when she saw Alex standing there looking sexy as could be. Alex stepped into her arms and gave her a luxurious kiss, one that spoke of promises for later. “Hi, baby.”

  “Hi, yourself. You look and smell great.” Alex began nibbling on her neck.

  Frank couldn’t help but groan at the exquisite assault on her skin. She was quickly becoming aroused and reluctantly broke away. “Don’t get me started ’cause we don’t have time to finish.”

  “You just remember something. When we get back here tonight, all bets are off and you’re mine.”

  She grabbed Alex by her hips and pulled her closer. “Maybe we can skip dinner tonight.”

  Alex tapped the tip of Frank’s nose with her finger. “I don’t think so, Sarge. You’re going to need nourishment for what I have planned later. Now, go grab your bathing suit so we can go for a swim after dinner, and I’m gonna give Bella some love.”

  Frank returned a few minutes later with her swimwear and a towel, and after Alex gave Bella a kiss on the head, they left for Jordan and Kirsten’s. When they arrived, Jordan opened the door and welcomed them in. Aiden toddled over and held his arms up to Alex. She picked him up, and after she made him laugh with her kisses and tickles, she handed him over to Frank. She gladly accepted him and he threw his little arms around her neck to give her a squeeze.

  “Aiden, you are such a cute boy.”

  He rewarded her with a slobbery kiss on her mouth that made them all laugh. Jordan and Kirsten kissed Alex, then hugged Frank, and led them to the kitchen table. Aiden was still hanging on to Frank when she took a seat. She didn’t have much experience with babies, but she couldn’t seem to get enough of the soft skin against her own. It seemed to soothe her.

  Jordan opened the refrigerator and asked, “Do any of you want a beer? We’re having tacos for dinner tonight.”

  They all said yes and she pulled out four beers. Jordan brought them to the table and took a seat across from Frank. “So, are you sure you’re feeling up to playing ball?”

  Frank chuckled. “Well, it’s been forever since I’ve played, but it’ll be fun. After your team sees me play in practice tomorrow, you might change your mind about asking me to play.”

  Jordan waved her hand in the air, obviously dismissing Frank’s assessment. “It’s like riding a bike, Frank. You’re a pure shooter, and it’ll take no time to get your stroke back.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Practice starts at two tomorrow, so I’ll meet you about fifteen minutes early to introduce you to the other women. You met some of them at our party, and they’re a great bunch to play with.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Alex and Kirsten excused themselves to go finish dinner, which allowed Frank and Jordan to speak privately.

  “Hey, I’m sorry about telling Alex about your sister. I hope you weren’t upset with me.”

  “No, but I was surprised when she came over that night. I wasn’t in the right space to tell her about Toni that night, but I told Alex about her the next time we saw each other.” Frank ran her hand across her forehead and blew out a breath. “It’s been only a few years, but I still miss her so much.” She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

  Jordan reached across the table for her hand. “I can’t imagine what that would be like, but I want you to know that you mean a lot to me, and I can tell you mean a lot to Alex. We’re not your family by blood, but we’ll be your family by choice.”

  She squeezed Jordan’s hand and just nodded, not trusting herself with words at that moment.

  “So, you and Alex, huh?” Jordan asked.

  Frank grinned. “Yeah. You okay with that?”

  Frank almost laughed at the serious look on Jordan’s face, but she refrained, knowing a serious talk about her relationship with Alex was about to occur.

  “It depends. What are your intentions?”

  She held up her right hand. “Only the best, Jordan. I care about her and we have a great time together. I like that we can have a serious conversation one minute then joke around the next. So far, the only thing I’d change is the time we get to spend together. Her shifts at the hospital can be crazy sometimes, and we might not get to see each other for a few days, but other than that, I think things are going well.”

  “That’s good. And just for the record, I think you’re good for her.”

  Kirsten called out that dinner was ready, saving Frank from having to come up with a response. Jordan took Aiden from Frank and set him up in his high chair while they fixed their plates. Jordan and Frank told stories of each other during their college playing days, playfully insulting each other, which made Alex and Kirsten roll their eyes.

  When they were done with dinner, Alex led Frank to the guest room to change into their bathing suits. No sooner had the door closed than Alex grabbed her and kissed her hard, all thoughts of them being in Jordan and Kirsten’s home leaving her mind. She pulled Alex’s shirt above her head and dropped it on the floor. Alex cupped her ass and pulled her close, gyrating into her pelvis, making her moan in pleasure. Frank pulled her own shirt over her head and dropped it next to Alex’s be
fore resuming their kissing. She felt like a teenage boy that was about to have sex for the first time. What was it about Alex that made her lose all control and just want to ravish her? As she was reaching the point of no return, Alex broke the kiss and stepped back. Her breathing was ragged as she took a step closer to Alex, only to have her put her hand on Frank’s chest, preventing her from further advancement.

  “They’ll be waiting for us.”

  “Who?”

  Alex laughed. “Jordan and Kirsten.”

  “Shit! I forgot about them.”

  “Come on. We’ll get back to that later.”

  She couldn’t keep her eyes off Alex’s sexy body as they finished disrobing. She was ready to say good night to Jordan and Kirsten and take Alex home where they could resume what they started. Miraculously, common sense reintegrated its way into her brain, and she was able to control her lust-filled body. They walked out to the pool, where Jordan was carrying Aiden through the water and making motor boat sounds. Kirsten was sitting in the hot tub, looking blissful amongst the bubbling water. She watched Alex descend the steps into the pool and decided to join Kirsten. The hot water and jet stream would feel great against her body after her earlier run.

  She sat next to Kirsten and was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m really glad you and Jordan got to know each other and that you’ve come into our lives.”

  A lump formed in Frank’s throat. “Thank you. That means a lot to me. You have a very lovely family.” She looked across the pool to watch Jordan and Alex play with Aiden. “Your son is adorable.”

  “We think so too, but I guess we’re a little biased.”

  “Are you planning on having more?” Frank cringed. “God, I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”

  Kirsten smiled and made Frank more at ease. “That’s okay. We’re thinking about it. We’d love to give Aiden a little sister or brother, but we’ll have to see if it’s in the cards.”

  “Well, I bet he would make a great big brother. It seems Jordan was made to be a parent.”

  “Yes, I think she was. She’s a great mom. I’m not sure what I did in this life to deserve them, but I’m grateful every moment of the day for being this blessed.”

  “You both are very lucky.”

  “You know,” Kirsten had an amused look in her eyes, “Alex would be a wonderful mom too.”

  Frank chuckled. “I know she would. She loves Aiden like he was hers. But we just started seeing each other, so we’ll have to see where this goes.”

  “And where do you see this going?”

  “I like her very much, and as I told Jordan before dinner, I have only honorable intentions. But we’ve only been dating for a few weeks. I don’t think either one of us is ready to rent a U-Haul just yet.” Frank’s heart began to pound as she thought of a future with Alex.

  “I don’t expect you two to get married next week, but you won’t find anyone kinder than Alex. That woman,” she discreetly pointed at Alex, “is as good as they come.”

  Frank looked at Alex playing with Aiden. She turned and locked her eyes with Frank, and Frank saw the soft smile meant only for her. “I already know that,” she said, unable to tear her gaze away from Alex.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Alex pulled back the curtain from cubicle two to see Frank standing at the nurses’ station. She stopped to observe Frank looking so gorgeous and commanding in her uniform. Since Frank had resumed patrol, she’d seen her a few times in the ER. The difference in Frank’s officer personality and lover personality aroused Alex, but for different reasons. When Frank was working, she exuded confidence and control, especially when she was dealing with a suspect. Her “take no shit” attitude was something Alex absolutely loved. As her lover, Frank also held a commanding presence, but was flexible enough to let Alex lead when she wanted to. Frank was attentive, inventive, and unselfish in bed.

  As talented as Frank was when it came to their bedroom activities, the moments that followed were what really got to Alex. Cuddling, gently caressing, and intimate conversations were the norm, but occasionally one of them would make a sarcastic comment that would lead to a bout of tickling that would lead to another bout of lovemaking before they’d collapse for the night in each other’s arms. In Frank’s case, she was hot in the streets and even hotter in the sheets. Alex could feel the flush overcome her face as Frank turned to her and caught her staring. The look on Frank’s face told her she wasn’t there to see her; she was all business.

  She approached her, and as much as she wanted to reach out and pull her into a heartfelt hug, she kept a respectable distance. “What’s going on?”

  “We brought a baby in. Unconscious. Shaken by her mother’s asshole boyfriend.”

  “Oh, Frank, I’m so sorry. Have you heard anything?”

  Frank shook her head. “I’m waiting for someone to come out and give me an update.”

  This time Alex did reach out and take Frank’s hand to hold for a moment. “Let me go see if I can find out anything.”

  Alex noticed on the board that the baby was in trauma two, and she quickly headed that way. When she approached, she saw a distraught woman looking through the glass window in the door. She went a little farther down the hall to the second door and entered to see various medical personnel surrounding the unmoving child. The constant shrilling tone on the monitor told her all she needed to know, but the quiet voice from the doctor confirmed it.

  “Time of death, eighteen forty-six.”

  A nurse rushed past Alex with tears in her eyes, and she felt her own well up. It didn’t matter how long you were at this job, seeing a child die was the most difficult to endure. If that didn’t affect you, it was time to get out. She left and went to find Frank, and saw her standing at the end of the hall waiting. Her face fell when Alex got closer and shook her head. The scream behind her made her turn as the woman collapsed in the doctor’s arms. Frank turned and quickly vanished behind the door to the stairwell where Alex followed. She grabbed Frank from behind before she could pound the cement wall with her fist again.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry.”

  Frank turned around and threw her arms around Alex and cried into her shoulder. Alex cried too—for the loss of a child, for the hurt Frank was going through, for the mother who would never again tuck her child into bed at night. This was one of the reasons it made it so difficult to date someone who didn’t know what they went through on a daily basis. But they knew, and they would help each other, comfort each other through the nightmares they were sure to have from this senseless act.

  Frank stepped back and wiped her eyes. “I need to get back. I have to take a statement from the mother ,then go to the station to arrest that motherfucker for murder.” She put her hands over her face and screamed, “Goddamn it!”

  Alex held Frank in her arms again. “Call me when you get home and I’ll come over.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “I know I don’t, but I want to. Please, baby, let us help each other tonight.”

  Frank nodded her head once and kissed her on the cheek. “Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Alex could only stand and watch Frank’s retreating form, her heart breaking a little more with every step Frank took away from her.

  *

  Frank sat on the couch nursing a beer while Bella lay across her lap. When the doorbell rang, she slid out from under her and went to the door to let Alex in. She held up the bottle. “Do you want one?”

  “Where’d you get that? I thought you didn’t keep alcohol in the house.”

  “I don’t, but I figured I’d make an exception after the clusterfuck day we’ve had. Do you want one?”

  “Sure. Let me drop off my bag in your room and I’ll meet you on the couch.”

  Frank downed the rest of her beer on her way to the kitchen and took two bottles out of the fridge. She walked back to the living room to see Bella lying next to Alex with her head in her lap and A
lex running Bella’s soft, floppy ear through her fingers. She handed the beer to Alex, then sat on the other end of the couch.

  They didn’t speak a word for a few minutes. Frank sat silently looking into space, desperately wishing she could start that day over, that she didn’t have to catch that call. Of all the things she had to deal with on a daily basis, an attack on a poor, defenseless child was the worst. Frank reflected back to when she had returned to the station after leaving the hospital. She normally had a calm demeanor, but she honestly wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep for killing that bastard, to beat the living shit out of him the way he did that baby. That was exactly her intention as she pushed through the doors of the station house. The determined strides she took on her way to the holding cell were stopped abruptly by Katie. Her body shook with fury as Katie led them into the women’s locker room and locked the door behind them.

  Frank stalked the floor like a caged animal, ready to let loose on anyone who tried to stand in her way. But it was the fury on Katie’s face, the fire in her eyes that stopped Frank from throwing away her career on that scum. They sat on the bench together and released tears of anger and frustration at having to deal with reckless violence day in and day out. It sometimes felt like an uphill battle that they would never overcome. Katie said to her before she left the locker room, “Frank, for every piece of shit that commits a crime like this, there’re another one or two that we put away before they can. We have to continue to fight for the victims. If we don’t, who will?”

  She contained her anger as she drove the suspect to the county jail to have him booked. She wanted the satisfaction of seeing him humiliated by the officers before being locked behind bars. It was of little consolation to her. At least he had the good sense to keep his mouth shut during the ride over. On the way home, she stopped for a six-pack, knowing Alex would want a beer or two to help wind down from her day. She had every intention of waiting for her, but found herself popping the top off a bottle before she put the other five in the refrigerator.