by Kara Hart
“Ma’am, if you don’t stay back, we’ll be forced to restrain you,” the officer says. “I don’t want to have to do that, but you’re really giving me no choice here.”
I crawl to the corner of the room, stricken with fear and despair. There’s no hope left, I think to myself. I’m going to be stuck with this mad man forever. I don’t even cry. I just sit there, feeling numb.
“Ma’am, hand over the girl. She needs to be with her father,” the cops says.
I keep saying “Look at my face. Look at what he’s done to me.” But they don’t give a damn. They don’t believe an “erratic” woman. They just take away my daughter and hand it to the man who wishes to hurt us.
“Do you want to press charges?” the cop says to Danny.
Danny fakes a concerned smile. “No, officers,” he says. “Thank you so much for coming here and helping me. It’s been tough lately. I’ve been, you know, working a lot on Wall Street. There’s been some late nights of me at the office, just punching in those numbers. My wife, she doesn’t understand how hard I have to work to put food on the table.”
The cops laugh. “Our wives don’t either,” the officer says, smiling. “Marriage. Shit is tough sometimes. Hey, before I send you guys off. Do you mind signing something for me, man?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Danny smiles.
137
Payton
The next thing I know, I’m being thrown face first into a jail cell, getting my picture taken, and my fingerprints checked out. This is all for standing up for the woman I love. Well, there’s more fight where that came from. I don’t give a damn what he does to me. It’s Dakota I’m worried about.
Sharing the cell with me is a meth-addled lunatic who keeps repeating the phrase: “Gonna get ya, gonna get ya, gonna get ya…” It’s nonstop and when the 23rd hour hits, I’m about to lose it. Luckily, my story checks out and the police come to my cell to talk to me.
“So, you’re a vet?” one of the guys asks me.
“It’s like I said earlier. I’m a fucking veteran. I died protecting your incapable ass,” I say with malice. It’s not the smartest thing to say while being held in jail, but I don’t back down. “You just locked away the wrong guy.”
“Is that right?” he laughs and turns to his partner. “Hey Bobby, this guy says we got the wrong guy.” They’re both laughing now. Even the guy in my cell is laughing his crazy ass off.
“If you aren’t letting me out, then I’ll need to call a lawyer,” I tell him calmly. “And I’m suing your department.”
“No need,” he says, chewing loudly on some gum he just threw into his mouth. “We’re letting you off the hook this time. Your friend came to pick you up. The one you called.”
“What a perfect time to let someone off the hook,” I sneer at the cop as he opens the jail cell. Dobbins comes from around the corner and I shake his hand. He’s got my wallet, shoes, and some loose change of mine.
“You guys waste your time locking veterans up?” Dobbins asks. “Shit, you know what he did over there?”
“It’s all good, Dobbins,” I pat him on the back. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“Goodbye, ladies,” the cop blows us a kiss. I ignore him and walk out of the building, back into the warm heart of the city. I hate this place, truth be told. It’s beautiful and all, and it’s really nice if you’ve got some money to spend. But if you’ve come out here to win over a special girl, and all you have is some low-paying construction job, you’re pretty much fucked.
“So, what happened? Did you punch him out or what? Was there an epic knife fight?” he asks, smiling at me.
“No, but I guess I should have,” I say. “I’m the one who called the fucking cops.”
“You?!” He chuckles. “Oh, man. You have to tell me how that went down.”
“It’s not funny,” I explain. “The fucking guy pounded on the door, started threatening us, so I called the cops. I thought they’d take care of everything.”
“Buddy, in this city?” He’s shocked. “Hell no. The cops out here don’t give a shit about people like you. They don’t want to be hassled. They like to take the easy way out.”
“I guess I learned that the hard way.” I shake my head and continue walking with him. “Back home, cops are a little different. They’re not great, but they don’t just tase you out of nowhere.”
“They tased you? Shit, man. You’re getting hurt and heartbroken left and right. You sure you aren’t a glutton for punishment?” he laughs.
“Can we just get a drink or something?” I ask him. “I’m fucking parched. I need to relax before I go and hunt that guy down.”
“Sure thing, brother,” he pats my back. “I was just meeting Jeff down there.”
We walk, take a metro down, away from this part of the city, and I end up in that same bar with Jeff and Dobbins, the only friends I have in this crazy city. When I sit down at the table, Jeff tosses a beer at me, foam spilling over.
“Thanks, man,” I nod at him.
He’s got an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He takes a drink from his beer and smiles at me. “So you did it. You got yourself thrown in jail, huh?”
“You know it,” I laugh.
“Well, shit. Welcome to New York, baby,” he cackles and takes another swig of his beer. “Anyway, that’s how you know you gotta continue fighting. It’s just one small setback.”
“He wants to kill the guy now,” Dobbins gives a knowing smile.
“Don’t kill the guy,” Jeff warns me.
“I’m not going to kill the guy,” I laugh and take a moment to myself. “I’m just going to tear his throat out and feed it to the pigeons in Central Park.”
“There we go!” Jeff yells. “There’s the rage I want to see! Come on, get it all out now.”
“I want to throw him off the damn Statue of Liberty!” I scream. People in the bar start clapping and whistling at me. “I’ll do anything for my girl. I’ll do anything for my child.”
It’s as if the record stops playing. Jeff and Dobbins both look at me like I’m insane. “Wait, what? Child? What the hell are you talking about?” Jeff asks me.
“Yeah, you never mentioned any kids,” Dobbins says.
“A bit of news,” I mutter. “I didn’t know it, but apparently I have a three-year-old daughter. Life throws unexpected punches at you, right?”
I laugh and set my empty beer bottle down on the table. Jeff slides a fresh one over to me. “Well I’ll be damned,” he whispers. “This shit is getting crazy! Okay, take back everything I said earlier. Go and kill the guy. Tear his throat out, or whatever.”
I shake my head and look at the TV. On the screen is a new season of Wedded and I can’t help but laugh at the irony. Life just loves to twist things in your face.
“I have to get her back, but I’ll be in contempt of the law,” I say. “Still, it’s my daughter, you know? You should have seen her. She’s sweeter than anything. I never thought I’d like kids, but when I took one look at her, it’s like everything changed. She’s a part of me.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a daughter in Ohio,” Jeff says. “She’s my little bundle of joy.” He throws a picture at me and I look at it and nod.
“Listen,” he leans over the table and points his cigarette at me. “If anyone laid a finger on her, I’d murder them right then and there. I don’t know what you’re doing wasting time drinking with us losers. You need to go out into the night and get her,” he says, suddenly turning very serious.
“What about the cops? What if I get thrown in jail again?” I ask him.
“Man, fuck the law!” he slams his hand against the wood table. “They don’t know shit. They don’t know you or your situation. All they know is that they’ve got a gun and some other toys, and they want to use it on people. Grab your daughter and your woman, and drive out of this country to Canada or some shit. Take a cargo boat to Europe.”
“Nah, I’m going back home to Texas with them. It’
s where I want to be,” I say. “No more foreign cities. It’s too much for a small town guy like me.”
“Well, whatever you do,” he says, “make sure they’re safe. You gotta get that Danny guy out of the picture forever.”
“You know what?” I suddenly stand up, downing the cold beer in one big gulp. “You’re right. I’m doing this. Guys, it’s been a pleasure.”
I slam a ten-dollar bill on the table and walk out of the bar. I’m getting my girl back. I’m saving her from that asshole, Danny.
138
Dakota
I’m huddled in the corner of the penthouse, clutching onto Angela with my life. I swear if he tries hurting any of us, I’ll kill him. This is the last straw. I won’t be held prisoner like this anymore.
He’s acting much different than he normally does. He’s at the kitchen table, drinking a bottle of Jim, and he’s just staring at us. Every so often, he sets the bottle back on the table and examines the label, pursing his lips. He glances at us and smiles, and continues drinking.
“I’m curious,” he finally says. “What exactly did you think was going to happen? Did you think you’d really run away together and live a happy life without me? We’re married, Dakota. I won’t sign any divorce papers. You know that right?”
“All I want is a life for me and my daughter,” I state. “That’s all. I don’t want to anger you. I just want to leave.”
“Well you are angering me!” he screams, clutching at the bottle as if he’s going to break the glass with his fingers. “You’re causing me a lot of harm, Dakota. Why would you want to do that to me? Do you want to hurt me? I’ve got a very stressful job and the last thing I want is for my wife to be running around with some loser who joined the Navy.”
“He’s not a loser,” I tell him. “He’s everything you wish you could be. And I love him. I don’t care what you have to say. I love him.”
The words sting his ego. I can see it in his eyes, in the way his hands shake against the table. He’s tapping his feet on the tile erratically and there’s a fire in his eyes. “Love?” he asks. “You love him? What the fuck do you know about love? I have sacrificed over and over again for you!” He stands up and I can feel how much he hates me. So why does he keep me here to suffer? If he can’t stand me or Angela, why does he insist on us staying? The simple answer is that he wants to make the world feel his pain.
He walks toward us slowly, with the bottle in his right hand. With his left, he has a cigarette. He lights it and takes a big drag. “I’ve got news for you, baby. You’re staying with me. We’re growing old together. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
The thought of growing old with him makes me sick to my stomach. “I don’t want to.” I don’t know how else to say it. “I won’t let you make our daughter a prisoner to your delusional ideas. She’s going to grow up someday, Danny. And when she does, she’s going to recognize who you are. And she’ll hate you for the rest of her life. Do you really want that for our daughter?”
“All kids hate their parents,” he laughs, blowing smoke in my face. He leans down next to me and places his hand against my cheek. I shiver with repulsion. “So, naturally, she’ll hate me too. Big fucking deal. I guess I’ll have to live with it.”
There’s no other choice, but to lay it on him thick. I’m not scared of him anymore. I’m not going to let him take advantage of my life. “She’s not your fucking daughter, you asshole. Don’t you get it?”
“What did you just say to me?” he snarls, mouth near my face. He’s repulsive in every way. I hate his guts.
“I said, she’s not your daughter,” I whisper. “She’s Payton’s. He fucked my brains out right before the shooting of that stupid show. I hate to break it to you like this, but it’s the truth.”
He grabs my cheeks and squeezes down hard. “You’re lying,” he says. “She’s mine. She has the same eyes as me.”
“Stop,” I tell him. “Just stop. I want a divorce, Danny. I want to be with the one I think about constantly, the man who wrote me every single day in Afghanistan. The man who would take a bullet for me. You can’t be that man for me.”
He goes crazy. He slaps me and takes Angela. He puts her in her room and then comes back for me. I can hear her crying and I want to scream with her, but I don’t lose sight. I’m getting out of this if it’s the last thing I do.
He grabs my wrist and forces me in the room with her. “You don’t want to play nice? Fine. But I’m not dealing with your shit. In you go,” he says. “I’m leaving. When I come back, I want to see my loving wife on her knees, begging for forgiveness. I want your mouth open for me. We’re going to have some fun.”
He slams the door, locks it, and heads out of the apartment. “Fuck,” I whisper to myself. “It’s okay, baby.” I comfort Angela, holding her and kissing her. “Everything is going to be alright. Momma has you now.”
Now it’s time to figure a way out. I glance out the window and see the drop. It’s a long way down. I open the window and step out onto the fire escape. It’s locked shut. “Fuck,” I whisper.
I look down again and feel my heart go crazy. I try to scream, but no one seems to care. A few wandering heads look up, but they continue walking. This is New York City. They see crazy stuff happen on a day-to-day basis. This isn’t anything new for them.
“Stay here, baby,” I whisper. “Momma’s going out for a second.” I close the window and look down again. The fire escape is locked, but there’s another ladder connected to the window below this one. If I hang off the balcony here, I can put my feet on the bottom level. If I balance right, I can jump onto it.
This is either the smartest plan I’ve ever had, or it’s suicide. Either way, I’m going to have to find out. I can’t let Danny take control of me any longer. I need to find Payton. And when I do, we’re getting Angela back.
I grab onto the metal bar and lower myself down. The tips of my feet hit the bar below me and I nearly slip and fall. I hold on with all my might, feeling my nerves go wild. “Here goes nothing,” I say to myself as I let go. I close my eyes and suddenly feel my feet hit the lower level. I did it. I’m in the clear.
I fiddle with the opening of the ladder and it comes barreling out. “Yes!” I scream, feeling the excitement rush into my body. I climb down the ladder and, finally, I’m out on the streets below.
I’m running. I’m running as fast as I ever have before. I cross the street, turn the corner, nearly falling flat on my face. I get to Payton’s place in no time. I ring the buzzer over and over again. There’s no answer. “Fuck!” I scream, falling to the cement, nearly giving up.
“What’s the plan?” I hear a voice. I look up to find Payton standing there, smiling. “Are you ready to run off with me or what?”
139
Payton
There’s a feeling one gets when things are about to go your way. It’s sort of like excitement, only it’s much better. It feels like… grace. Everything lines up before your eyes and it all just clicks into place. Well, that’s how I’m feeling now. When I see Dakota sitting on my steps, I know everything is going to work out.
“Danny can throw me into jail as much as he wants,” I tell her. “I’m still going to love you ‘til the day I die.”
“I know you will,” she says, picking herself up from the ground. She runs and kisses me, and I wrap my arms around her, feeling that good feeling once again. “He locked me and Angela in her room. He said he was going out for a while. We have to be quick. We have to get her.”
“You don’t have a key inside?” I ask her, trying to visualize everything. She pulls on my hand and we begin running toward the place.
“I don’t have a key, but there’s a way inside. It might require some climbing and maneuvering,” she says.
“I can do that,” I laugh.
We get to the place and everything looks just how she left it. “Up there,” she says, pointing. “All you have to do is climb up the fire escape and jump to the next leve
l when you get to the top.”
I look at her, astounded. “You climbed down from all the way up there?”
She nods, smiling slightly. “Yes, but hurry! We don’t have all the time in the world.”
“Alright,” I mutter, rubbing my hands together. “See you in a second.”
I climb up the damn building with little effort. At the top, I jump and grab the ledge, pulling myself up. Upstairs, I hear the sound of Angela crying. I hear the sound of talking, so I quiet myself.
“I don’t know,” Danny’s voice echoes. “I fucking left them here. I don’t know how she could have gotten out.”
Another voice, unfamiliar in tone, says, “Well, let’s go find them. She probably went out the window.
Oh, fuck. I see the window jiggling and I back up to the corner. I look down and feel my stomach dip. It’s a long way down. If I fall, I’m surely dead.
The window opens and I put up my fists. It’s about the only weapon I have. I don’t want anyone to die tonight, but I’m not opposed to knocking his head in. Danny’s friend, whoever the guy is, peaks his head out the window and glances my direction. “What the—”
I kick forward and connect with his temple. Instantly, he’s knocked out. I pull the guy’s body out and lay him on the balcony. I hear the sound of Danny’s laughter coming from inside and I know the jig is up.
“Bravo!” he exclaims. “I should’ve known you’d be here.”
I jump through the window and I’m inside a darkened room. Danny’s on the bed with Angela and he’s combing her hair. It takes me a second to realize it, but he’s not using a brush. Instead, he’s using a switchblade.
“Pretty girl, isn’t she?” he asks, looking at her. “I can’t believe how much she’s grown over the years. It really makes a father warm inside to see his daughter turn into something so wonderful.”
“Give it up, Danny,” I say. “It’s over. She’s coming with me. She’s my child.”