by Ali Vali
"You want to stay in tonight, honey?" asked Harry.
"Not really, but I have someone here who's dying to see you, so would you be opposed to company at dinner?" Desi smiled at the excitement on Butch's face at the prospect of spending the evening with Harry.
"Is my favorite person under five there with you?"
"That he is, love, and he misses you, so call and up our reservations for two more." Desi hung up and offered Serena and her son an invitation to join them for dinner that evening. Accepting, much to Butch's delight, Serena promised they would be back as soon as they went home and changed.
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Sitting in the Palace Restaurant on Canal Street downtown, Harry tried to hide the smile threatening to come out in full force once she noticed that Serena was developing a crush on their last minute addition to dinner. Rachel had arrived as Desi was getting dressed and waiting for Harry to come home, so she had asked her sister if she wanted to join them. The siblings had had a long talk about Serena and her part in Harry's past as Rachel fixed Desi's hair and makeup.
"Doesn't it bother you that she slept with Harry?" asked Rachel as she put Desi's hair in a twist. Experience told Rachel that you shouldn't tempt the fates by having dinner with one of your partner's old lovers. It was going feel funny enough sitting at the table knowing you were the only one in the group who hadn't seen Harry naked.
"Yes it bothers me. Have you seen her? The woman is gorgeous, and everything else I'm not, but Harry loves me not her. Even Serena is quick to acknowledge that fact, but it doesn't change me wanting to gouge her eyes out if she looks at Harry a little too long. Butch just loves Harry to death though, so I couldn't deprive her of that relationship. It's too important to the both of them." Desi lifted the linen dress Tony had helped her pick out on one of their shopping excursions over her head then slipped into one flat shoe. It would be nice to finally be rid of all her medical equipment so she could go back to wearing matching footwear.
"Well if you want, I'll keep an eye on her too. I've waited as long as you have for you and Harry to get back together and we don't need any wrinkles now."
"Uncle Harry, can we order our special dessert now?" asked Butch from his seat next to hers. He had been a perfect gentleman all night sitting quietly with his blue blazer and slicked back hair. Desi had looked at him often, thinking that maybe she was ready to have children now that she had a loving partner to help her raise one.
"Yes, my man, we can do that. We have a special tasks before us, Butch," said Harry seriously. She lifted Desi's and kissed the knuckles before putting it back on the table. Desi smiled at Harry's affectionate side, amazing herself in how quickly she had come to crave it.
"What?" asked Butch just as seriously.
"Let's go to the bathroom and I'll explain," said Harry noticing, that while Butch was well behaved, he was also squirming a bit in his booster seat. Excusing themselves from the table Harry escorted him to the bathroom after they had made a detour to seek out their waiter to talk to him a moment.
Back at the table Desi watched Harry walk around the room with Butch by her side as they made their way to the restrooms. She wished now she'd gone with them, not because she had a need to go, but because with all the flirting going on at the table, her tablemates didn't know she was even there. It seemed obvious to Desi, that while it bothered Rachel that Harry had gone out with Serena, it didn't bother her enough to prevent her from flinging herself at her. If she keeps any closer an eye on her, they'll be sharing a chair, thought Desi.
Entertaining herself by looking at the murals of famous musicians adorning the walls, Desi waited for her date to get back. It had been a pleasant evening so far with good food and good company, but she was looking forward to getting home and spending some time alone with the good doctor.
Noticing the object of her desire coming out of the restroom with her little charge, Desi was temporarily distracted from watching them with the arrival of two of the wait staff. They placed before everyone at the table the specialty of the house, a white chocolate bread pudding drenched in a creamy sauce. Desi looked up from the delicious looking plate in front of her when she heard Harry putting Butch back into his seat.
"Now, ladies, Butch has something very important to tell you," said Harry as she tapped her water glass with her butter knife. The look in Harry's eyes told Serena her friend was getting ready to have a good time and her son was part of the plan. "But before he can explain this very important thing, you must first pick up an eating utensil and finish this little piece of heaven they have placed before you."
Harry and Desi exchanged looks as they continued to watch the interaction between Rachel and Serena. The bread pudding was wonderful and once everyone's plate was empty Butch started with his instructions. "This is the best part, Desi, Uncle Harry says so. Watch me okay?" Picking up the sides of the plate with small hands, Butch lifted it and gave it a healthy lick.
Serena just dropped her head into her hands as Harry picked up her plate next. The other diners seated around their table had to laugh at the strange behavior going on at the table of laughing adults and one child. In the end Desi could see the pride in Butch's eyes that he had introduced her to the fine art of plate licking.
They offered to take Butch home with them so Serena could accompany Rachel to a small jazz club Rachel liked, hearing no complaints from the two as they waited for Harry to settle the bill. Desi promised they would leave Butch with Mona in the morning and they would meet her in court. Kissing her sister goodnight, Desi got into the elevator with Harry and Butch.
They both told him a story before putting him down for the night when they got home, then retired to the comfort of their own room for the evening. Harry helped Desi with her dress, then kneeled down to take off her brace. "You know, honey, I think you can start to walk a little without this thing on now if it doesn't cause you any pain. Now that the weather has warmed up you can start working out in the pool to help with your recovery." Harry was looking at the leg with a physician's eye noticing the way Desi balanced without the brace.
"I owe it all to my brilliant surgeon. I plan to run away with her you know," said Desi. She stood before Harry without anything on and waited to see what the reaction would be. Any fear about her body was swept away by the fact that she was being carried to the bed in Harry's arms. They spent the night just holding each other and sharing a series of long kisses. There was no need for anything else.
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"You don't seem to understand, Mr. Simoneaux, if he's not there tomorrow morning at precisely eight you stand to lose a lot. If you have any idea where he is then it'd be in your best interest, not to mention your son's, to be there," said Bradley into the phone.
He had been home for over an hour and his wife didn't look pleased that he'd brought his work home with him. She had been stuck in the house all day with a twenty-month-old and a three-month-old, both of whom had been screaming their heads off all day for some reason or another. So the fact that Bradley didn't seem keen on the idea of taking care of them was working on her last nerve.
Bradley was aggravated himself that his wife couldn't understand his mushrooming dilemma. The simple truth was if he managed to piss off two judges in such a short span of time, he could kiss his budding career goodbye. And that's exactly what was going to happen if the stupid grease monkey he was talking to didn't come up with any better answers than he had given him so far.
"I keep telling you, you goddamn idiot, I don't know where Byron is, so how in the hell can I call him. If I did, I'd kill him myself and save the court the trouble of having to deal with him, and believe me, Bradley, that's what's gonna happen if I lose my garage. What's got this judge all in an uproar all of sudden anyway?" asked Byron, Sr.
"Your sons broke into Judge Rose's house last night and kidnapped his wife thinking it was Desiree Simoneau
x." He was beginning to believe the missing link theory of evolution the more time he spent on the phone with his client's father. The only talent the old man seemed to possess was knowing his way around an engine. "Then in a moment of pure genius, Byron physically accosted the judge before making off with his wife."
"What in the hell does that mean in English?"
Bradley looked at the receiver as if to verify he'd heard the man correctly. "If you want it in simpler terms, I'll give it a shot. Last night your boys broke into Judge Jude Rose's house…with me so far?"
"All right, smart ass, get on with it."
"They broke in, dragged the judge's naked wife out of her bed then punched the judge in the eye." He pulled a copy of the captain's report from the night before so he wouldn't miss out on any of the details. "Before they could make their getaway, the judge was able to read the license plate off and call it in. If that wasn't enough, they called each other by name while they rode around in their car with the judge's wife. They wanted to make sure the one witness who could testify to the whole thing could verify their identity so that could be added to the mountain of other evidence they left behind. Did I leave anything out?"
"They did what? Those fucking idiots! I am going to lose my livelihood over this I just know it," screamed Byron Sr. into the phone. Now it didn't seem like such a good idea to not demand to know where his two sons where going.
They had failed to mention this interesting bit of information when they asked him for the car and money to leave town. They had told him they had broken into Desi's new house and the cops were on to them, not that they had kidnapped some judge's wife then attacked the guy. The only thing he did know was they were in Florida somewhere, but there was no way he could call every dive hotel in Pensacola before the next morning.
"Just try and get in touch with them before tomorrow, and if you do, tell Byron to meet me in the morning," Bradley told him before hanging up. Once the receiver was back in the cradle his wife handed him his youngest son who promptly spit up on him. Life just sucked sometimes.
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"Mike, I think that chick over there is giving you the eye, man," said Byron from his barstool. They had spent the majority of the money their father had given them bar hopping since they had gotten to Florida. The sun and sand made it easy to forget the trouble that awaited them once they got home. The drunken man only hoped things had calmed down since their departure.
"Forget that, Byron, don't you think we should call the old man and see if the police have come by and questioned him about what happened? Maybe things are all right now and we could kick back and enjoy ourselves." The thought of a long prison sentence was killing Mike's need to be with any woman who might be interested in him, and driving his need to drink.
"Let's wait a few days, little brother. I mean, what could happen before that? If the police are looking for us it won't make any difference if we keep them waiting. Because trust me, this little vacation is our ticket to staying out of jail. That loser old man and his young play thing have no idea who it was in their house, so relax and have a good time." He lifted his hand to get the bartender's attention and ordered another round of drinks.
"I guess you're right. What could happen in the next couple of days to make things worse?" agreed Mike as he took a large gulp of the drink placed in front of him.
Back in New Orleans, a night clerk started compiling names for a grand jury to weigh in on the new charges being filed against the Simoneauxs. The police had finished their investigation and felt they had enough evidence to hand over to the District Attorney.
Serena's boss offered to second chair for Serena if she needed assistance, which was a miracle since once he was elected he rarely stepped foot in the courtroom. But in this case, the DA thought there was no way officers of the court were going to tolerate the insult and injure Jude and Victoria had without handing out severe penalties, so he was pulling out all the big guns.
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How Do You Mend A Broken Heart
Ali Vali
Chapter 5
They walked into the courtroom side by side displaying for all who looked a show of strength. Harry was wearing a navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt underneath, and Desi had on another new dress she had picked out recently. Tony had definitely opened up a whole new world to her in the past few months and Desi was enjoying the attention and the new friendship.
As his anger toward Desi faded, Tony had found a confidant and friend he'd come to depend on. Desi was grateful to him for helping her to find her own style that would help ease her into Harry's life. She found it amazing Tony was not only knowledgeable about clothes and decorating, but he seemed a virtual fount of information when it came to makeup as well. She was so transformed that Byron's parents almost didn't recognize her when she and Harry passed them on the way to the front of the courtroom.
"You're coherent enough to function aren't you, Serena? Or did you have a late night last night?" asked Harry, arching an eyebrow. She wasn't above tweaking her friend a little even in light of why they were there. Harry figured it might lighten up the situation and bring a smile to Desi's face, which it did.
"My night is none of your business, Harry, and yes I'm coherent enough to get through the next two seconds. Cause believe me, ladies, after the pep talk I'm sure Jude gave the Grim Reaper this morning, that's how long it'll take for him to revoke Byron's bail. And rumor has it; both Byron and his brother are wanted for questioning in the Rose kidnapping case. Not to mention my boss has a grand jury almost ready to go. Translation, they's in some deep shit," said Serena a bit too gleefully. She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back on the table behind her. Life was so sweet sometimes when people like Byron found out there was a bigger bully on the block.
"Desiree Simoneaux, you should be ashamed of yourself, girl. Look at you, flaunting yourself like some common whore while your husband is being accused unjustly. It's time you start to remember your place and it starts with you coming home with us right now. I think you and I have a lot to discuss while we sit and wait for your husband to get back," said Byron, Sr. after he realized who the woman in the brace was. He had moved to the front where they were standing and grabbed Desi's upper arm in a vice like grip before Harry could stop him.
"Let her go," the voice sounded like it had been chilled on ice.
"Fuck off."
"Sir, I'm not sure who you are but if you don't let the lady go, I'll be forced to rip your arm out of the socket and stick it in your pocket for you." Harry's voice got lower and more menacing. She stepped closer to the two in challenge of Byron's father.
"Is that so, I don't recall asking for your opinion on the matter. This is family business and doesn't concern you so back off."
Harry placed her body between Desi's and the elder Simoneaux. Before the bailiff could make it over to them, she grabbed his wrist and squeezed. The action compressed on a few nerves and an instant shooting pain went up his arm. "Sir, I asked you nicely didn't I? But I find sometimes it takes a little action to get the perpetually stupid to catch on. From now on I want you to remember some very important facts. Desi is very much my business and if you come anywhere near her or put your hands on her it's going to make me really angry."
"Are you threatening me?" His voice came out in a whisper as he tried to break the hold she had on him. He stopped when it became clear that the more he tried to pull away, the sharper the pain got.
"No, I'm promising you I'll break every bone in your hand and name them as I do so if you touch her again."
"Harry, it's okay," pleaded Desi. She reached out just to make some contact with her trying to calm her down. The last thing they needed was for Harry to have any legal problems because of all this.
"It's not okay, Desi. No one is going to treat you this way again, especially this fat asshole who never learned any manners. Now back off." She pushed him back
making him stumble into a small woman behind him.
Something in Harry's eyes told him she wasn't kidding about anything she had said so he stayed back. Byron wasn't sure who this woman was, but it was clear she was Desi's attack dog and he wasn't about to find out if she could back up her threats.
"Desiree, you know I'm right. It's time for you to stop all this craziness and come home where you belong. You know how Byron is, he didn't mean anything and he's sorry if he hurt you. You're a Simoneaux now, girl, so let's go," said Byron, Sr. trying a sweeter approach this time.
Desi stepped next to Harry and felt the comfort and safety of an arm drape around her waist. Just like at that bus stop all those years before, Harry would keep her safe. "No, I am home now and I'll never go back to the life I had before. Your son is an animal, an animal who'll never get the opportunity to hurt me again." She jutted her jaw out a little and felt wonderful for having the courage to stand up to this man she had feared as much as her husband.
"Don't count on it, Desiree, life is funny like that sometimes," was Byron's only response before he went back to sit with his wife.
From there he took in the actions of the two women at the front of the room. He watched the way Desi leaned into her companion and the way the bitch talked to her softly trying to comfort Desi. There was more to this relationship than he was willing to admit at the moment, but before he gave it another thought he had to find out who the intimidating woman was.
They all stood as Judge Reaper walked into the room and quickly called the court to order. He wasted no time in motioning to his clerk to call forth the first case, with any luck the asshole Jude had told him about was still out of town. Looking at Serena and Bradley before him the judge broke out into a smile. Serena returned it with one of her own and Bradley only managed to break out into a sweat. He really needed to ask his wife to loosen the buttons on his collars before they choked him to death in court.