Starting Over Trilogy Boxset

by Kennedy, Brenda

  I look at Brea and then at Jim. Brea slowly lays her phone on the bar out of Jim’s view.

  “Jim, please let them go. It’s me you want, not them. I’ll leave with you right now, just please let them go.”

  “Get over there next to Ang so I can see you both,” he waves his gun to Brea then to Sara. They slowly start walking towards me.

  Sara is to my right, and Brea is to my left.

  Mason, Vincent, and Donovan walk into the house.

  Jim holds the gun up to them. “Don’t you fucking think about it.”

  Vincent holds his hands up and walks slowly to Brea who is only a few steps from him.

  “Be careful, this belongs to me,” Vincent says while standing in front of Brea so she is out of Jim’s view.

  Donovan also holds his hands up and walks the short distance to Sara, “And she belongs to me.” Donovan also stands in front of Sara.

  Vincent and Donovan step backward, moving Brea and Sara further away from Jim.

  “Don’t fucking move,” Jim says and slowly looks up at Mason who is standing beside me.

  “As you already know, Angel is mine,” Mason says while trying to pull the wheelchair in back of him. “If you hurt her, you will have a life expectancy of approximately five minutes.”

  “Oh no, you don’t. Don’t move her. She stays right where she is,” Jim says while waving the gun towards Mason. “I’m going to kill her first, then you, Dickhead.”

  He is going to kill me this time, I have no doubt. He’s going to kill all of us. The look in his eyes is very familiar; I have seen it many times before. I tap the gun lying on my lap hidden from Jim’s view. It’s now or never, Angel, I tell myself. I raise the loaded gun from my lap, aim, and shoot. At the sound of the gun, I close my eyes.

  When I open my eyes, Jim drops his gun and falls to the floor. He is rolling around on the floor, holding his left arm. Blood is pooling on the floor under his arm; he tries to get up but can’t.

  “I’m going to kill you, you fucking bitch!”

  Donovan lunges forward to retrieve the gun that Jim has dropped.

  Vincent yells and falls to the ground. He is holding an unconscious Brea in his arms. I start to shake, and tears flow from my eyes. Mason gently takes the gun from me and pulls me away from the table. “It’s ok, Angel. I’m calling 911.”

  Sara runs over and starts cursing and kicking Jim, “That’s what you get, and from now on you leave Angel alone — and shut up, you cry like a girl!”

  Donovan runs over to Sara and says, “Come on, killer. I think he got what he deserves.”

  Donovan walks Sara over to me near the front door.

  I can’t figure out what happened. Mason is checking Brea out while Vincent and Donovan watch in horror. Donovan runs into Mason’s bedroom and returns with Mason’s medical bag. Jim is still on the floor cursing and crying.

  “What is wrong with her?” Sara asks, crying and sitting down on the floor near me.

  “I don’t know. Did I shoot her?”

  “No, you shot that asshole,” Sara says, looking over at Jim, who is on the floor crying like a little girl. “I said to shut up,” Sara screams at Jim. “If you hurt Brea, I swear, I’ll shoot you in the other arm.”

  Did Brea get shot? Did Jim shoot her? I look at her, but I don’t see any blood on her or the floor surrounding her.

  Vincent looks over at Jim, stands, and walks over to him, ever so calmly. Vincent grabs Jim by the hair with his left hand and starts punching him with his right fist over and over again. Donovan rushes over and pulls Vincent off of Jim. Jim lies there with a bloody nose and mouth.

  I hear sirens outside and police come rushing in through the front door with guns drawn. They quickly assess the situation before putting their weapons away. A few officers rush over to Brea and call for another ambulance. Someone puts handcuffs on Jim before putting him in one ambulance and Brea in the other, I think. I can’t see beyond the front door. Mason walks over to me, kneels down in front of me, and pulls me into his chest. I hug him, fisting my hands in his shirt, sobbing but trying to ask about Brea. Donovan runs over to Sara and scoops her up from the floor and takes her to one of the bedrooms. I pull away from Mason and look for Vincent.

  “Where’s Vincent?”

  “Shhh, he’s with Brea in the ambulance. They are heading to the hospital.”

  “Is she all right? Did she get shot? Did I shoot her?”

  “Shhh, no, Beauty, she didn’t get shot. She just collapsed. I think she’ll be fine.”

  “We need to get to the hospital and make sure she’s all right.”

  “The police are going to want to talk to us first, then we’ll go.”

  He hugs me even closer to him, if that’s even possible.

  “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” Mason asks while pulling away from me and searching my eyes. He cups my cheeks with his hands and wipes the tears with his thumbs.

  “No, I’m not hurt,” I say crying into him.

  “Beauty, don’t cry, it’s over.”

  Mason

  Standing up from Angel, I walk into the bedroom to get a couple of blankets. I look in on Donovan, who is cradling Sara in his arms. I toss him a blanket, and he wraps it tightly around her. Walking back over to Angel, I wrap her up in the blanket and just hold her.

  The detectives come in and talk to Sara and Angel with Donovan representing them as counsel. They learn that Brea gave Angel a loaded gun to use if she ever needed to.

  “Angel, you shot Jim in the arm. The paramedics said it’s not life threatening. Once he is released from the hospital, he’ll go straight to jail where he should live for a very long time,” Detective Farmer states.

  “Arm, huh? I was aiming for his crotch. I wanted to give him a free vasectomy.”

  “Ouch, how did you guys get here so fast?” I ask.

  “We traced the call from a cell phone.”

  “What cell phone?”

  We all look around, and Brea’s cell phone is on the counter. I walk over and pick up Brea’s phone. Sure enough it is still on, I speak briefly to the 911 operator before disconnecting the call and putting it in my pocket. We learn that after Jim entered the house, Brea dialed 911 and set her cell phone down where Jim could not see it in the kitchen.

  “We have everything we need on tape — when she called 911, it was ingenious. We shouldn’t have any problems prosecuting him now,” Detective Farmer states.

  “Well, that’s good to know.”

  The detectives swab everyone’s hands for gunpowder residue and then take their statements.

  We find out what hospital Brea is at, and the detectives tell us they’ll be in touch with Brea in a few days. The girls stop crying and seem to be doing better. I drive Vincent’s truck with Angel, and Donovan drives his own truck with Sara.

  We arrive at Lakewood Ranch Hospital, and Vincent tells us that Brea is still in the back getting labs drawn. They still don’t know anything yet. Vincent talks briefly before heading back to be with Brea.

  Donovan and I get some coffee for everyone and wait for news about Brea. After about an hour, Vincent and Brea walk into the waiting room hand in hand. They look at us and don’t say anything. The look on their faces is unreadable. Donovan and I stand up, and Brea and Vincent join us and sit in the chairs across from us.

  “Is everything all right?” I ask, sitting back down. Angel reaches her hand over for me, and I interlock our fingers together. I look over at Donovan, and he also looks concerned.

  Vincent rubs his hands on the legs of his jeans and looks at Brea.

  “Do you guys remember the recall on birth control pills about three months ago?” Brea asks, looking at Angel and Sara.

  Sara says, “Yes, I got a letter in the mail from the manufacturer two months ago.”

  “Because I was staying with Vincent, I didn’t get the recall letter until a couple days ago,” Brea says.

  We all look at each other and back to Brea and Vincent, who are both
smiling and holding hands.

  “Do you know where we are going with this, or do I need to continue?” Brea asks.

  “Oh, my God, we’re going to have a baby!” Sara stands and hugs Brea.

  Vincent laughs and says, “Well, we are glad you feel that way, because it will take all six of us to raise this child. So yes, we are having a baby.”

  Angel smiles and squeezes my hand. I lean over and hug her before standing to shake Vincent’s hand and hug Brea.

  Brea and Sara walk over to Angel and sit beside her. Angel leans in and hugs Brea. Soon the memory of the events of the day is replaced with news of a new baby.

  “Mason, you don’t seem as surprised as the rest of us,” Donovan says.

  “Oh, I am definitely surprised. But when Brea suffered from nausea a couple weeks ago, it did cross my mind that maybe she was pregnant. Are you guys all right with the news of the pregnancy?”

  Brea walks back over to Vincent, and we all sit back down. I automatically take Angel’s hand in mine.

  “You did want to start on a family right after the wedding, didn’t you?” Sara says, looking from Brea to Vincent.

  Brea looks at Vincent, “I forgot all about the wedding. Oh, my God, if we get married in October I’ll be pregnant or a Mom. I’ll be fat, I won’t be able to fit into a wedding dress, and I’ll have to wear a muumuu to my own wedding.” Brea starts to cry. “I’m going to be a Mom. I can’t be a Mom. I don’t know how to be someone’s Mom.”

  Vincent runs his hands through his hair before running them over his 5 o’clock shadow. He places his arm over Brea’s shoulder and holds her to him.

  Angel clears her throat and takes Brea’s hand. “Don’t cry, Brea. This baby was meant to be, and whether you give birth before or after the wedding won’t matter. This precious baby is a product of the love that you and Vincent have for each other. You will look beautiful no matter what you wear, and you’ll love this baby. I know you, and I know you will be an excellent mother. Carl Sandburg once said, ‘A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.’ When are you due?”

  “Around … I have no idea? When did he say, Vincent?”

  “November 1st. We need to make an appointment with an OB/Gyn tomorrow. We’ll know more after our first appointment.”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out later,” Angel says as she leans in to hug a crying Brea.

  “Really?”

  “Would I lie to you?” Angel asks, pulling away so Brea can see the seriousness in her expression.

  “After what we have been through tonight, this is nothing,” Sara says as she leans in to share in the hug.

  Vincent looks up and gives a thumbs-up sign. Angel and Sara did a great job calming Brea.

  Brea pulls away and wants to know what happened to Jim. We explain that the detectives want to speak to her. I tell her they traced her cell phone from the 911 call she made. Although she didn’t talk to the operator, she left the phone on the bar still connected. Vincent isn’t aware of any of this, since he was with Brea when Sara and Angel spoke with the police. Vincent runs his fingers through his hair while listening to this. I take Brea’s phone from my pocket and hand it to her.

  “How did you know to call 911?” Vincent asks.

  “When he entered the house, I was in the kitchen. I called 911 and laid my phone on the kitchen counter, hoping they would trace it.”

  “Good thinking. I am proud of you and glad everything worked out,” Vincent says, standing.

  “Come on, let’s go home. We have tied up the waiting room long enough,” Donovan says while taking Sara’s hand in his and walking towards the elevator.

  “I’m hungry. Where is the pizza you guys got from Verona’s?” Brea says while standing.

  “The pizza is still in the truck, but it is cold,” I say.

  “I like cold pizza from Verona’s; let’s go and eat.”

  I push Angel behind everyone, and we eat cold pizza in the parking lot of the hospital.

  We say our goodbyes, and Vincent and Brea take Angel and me home. He and Brea talk about setting up an appointment in the morning with an obstetrician and getting the wedding plans started. Once we arrive home, they come in and help with the blood cleanup on the floor from Jim. Vincent has some industrial floor cleaner in the back of his truck that works very well on the dried-on blood, and he has a box of latex gloves.

  Once they are gone, Angel and I get cleaned up and dressed for bed. She has been very quiet tonight.

  “Do you want to sit outside and have a glass of wine?” I ask.

  “Aren’t you tired? I thought maybe you would want to get to bed.”

  “Angel, as long as I do it with you, I don’t care what it is.” I kneel down next to her. “If you’re tired, we can go to bed, but if you want to relax and talk first, we can sit outside and talk.”

  “I would love a glass of wine, thank you.”

  “Good. Me, too.”

  I grab two wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and a blanket and push Angel outside. After covering her legs up with her quilt, I pour the wine and sit next to her. She tells me she was afraid to shoot Jim tonight but was more afraid of what would happen if she didn’t or if she missed him. She apologizes for putting me in this situation. I refill her glass when she gulps the first glass down. She tells me she had seen the look in Jim’s eyes many times before; she knew he would have killed her and me if she didn’t stop him. I just nod and squeeze her hand. I don’t say anything; I think she needs to say the things she is thinking.

  After taking a sip of my wine, I tell her I texted Raúl and told him Jim is in the hospital and what happened. Standing up I walk over and cradle Angel in my arms before sitting her on my lap. We just sit quietly and listen to the ocean and watch the stars. Looking into her eyes, I tell her she is the strongest woman I have ever known and how proud I am of her. I tell her that her decision tonight saved our lives and that she is a true hero.

  After we finish off the bottle of wine, I carry her inside and sit her on the bed. We change into pajamas before I go back outside and clean up before bringing in her wheelchair. When I enter the bedroom, she is fast asleep on top of the comforter. I lie next to her and I tell her I love her. I can’t sleep. The things that could have gone wrong today are terrifying and very fresh in my mind. I can’t imagine what her life was like with him; the hell she must have gone through. What drives a man to act the way he does? Angel was right — he was there to finish what he started, I have no doubt about that.

  I reach for my phone and send Dad and Raúl a text about Jim. Dad and Raúl will need to let Frank and George know so they both can return to their jobs.

  Dad texts back that he’ll check with the Chief of Police about everything tomorrow. He says he’s glad it ended the way it did. He wants to see how long Jim will be in the hospital. Once Jim is released, he will be taken to jail and will appear in court for his arraignment and a bond hearing. Relieved, I can start my new practice next week with a lot less worry. Angel is no longer in danger from Jim. Dad tells me it would be a good idea to have him present the next time Sara and Angel talk with the detectives.

  Angel

  I wake up before Mason and just watch him. I don’t move but just lie there very still and look at him. He is an amazing man and he loves me. I have no idea why. I have brought nothing positive into this relationship thus far; however, I intend to change that today.

  I didn’t want to kill Jim, but I did want to hurt him terribly. I guess shooting him in the arm was just as good. Let’s see how he likes being in a cast and dependent on others. Months in a cast and in jail, now that is some sweet revenge.

  “What are you smiling at?” Mason asks while stretching.

  “Good morning to you, too. I was just thinking about yesterday.”

  “I’m sorry. Good morning, Beauty, and does yesterday really bring a smile to your beautiful face?”

  “It does. Jim is where he should be, and there will be a baby joining
our group soon.”

  “Wow, can you believe that? What a turn of events, huh?”

  “Oh, you can say that again.”

  Mason rolls over until we are touching each other. He takes my hand and traces small circles on my palm.

  “We still have a lot to deal with. There will be the excitement of the wedding, a baby/wedding shower, and the birth of the baby. That alone is pretty exciting. Plus the trial and prosecution of Jim. We have been through a lot together in a short amount of time.”

  “That we have. A baby? I wonder what they are thinking about this morning.”

  “I imagine Vincent is looking for land in the country to build a family home on.”

  “You think so?” I ask, intertwining our fingers together.

  “I do. He has everything he has ever wanted. Brea, a marriage, and a baby — a complete family. I’m sure that once the shock wears off he’ll be pretty excited.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. They are crazy about each other. Look where they will be in a year from now. They’ll be parents and married.” I grin.

  “And living in a house with a white picket fence.” Mason laughs. “That is what life’s all about. Having someone special enough to share it with.” Mason raises my hand to kiss it. “I think I am a little envious of him, of them.”

  “Don’t be. You’ll have that, too, one day.”

  “Yes, we will,” he says, winking at me.

  And there are the butterflies in my belly again.

  His phone dings to announce an incoming text. He reaches over for his phone. “It’s from Donovan.”

  D: Are you watching the news?

  M: No, I’m still in bed talking to Angel.

  D: Turn it on to Bay News 9.

  M: I don’t want to see that crap they are posting about last night.

  D: You are going to want to see this — it’s all over the news.

  “He wants us to watch Bay News 9.”

  Another text comes in. He says, “It’s from my Dad.”

  D: Mason, turn on the TV.

  M: Donovan just texted me — turning it on now.

  The intercom buzzes, alerting us that we have a visitor.

  “Here, turn the TV on to channel 9, and I’ll get the door,” Mason says, handing me the remote and running towards the front door.