Lex (Unconventional Hearts)

by S. K. Logsdon

  I love when she calls me that. Mommy. I’m Emma’s mommy. I love the sound of that.

  Ding dong–bang—bang—bang—ding dong.

  Somebody is at my front door. Emma looks back at me and I set the laptop on the coffee table. Guess I won’t be working right now after all.

  “Stay here and play, I’ll be right back.” I tell her, padding my way bare feet around the side of the couch, toward the door.

  Ding dong–bang—bang.

  “Hold on. I’m coming.” I call out to the impatient guest.

  Unlocking my stained glass front door, I pull it open.

  Oh!!!! God!!!!

  “Open the fucking door, bitch!”

  “Melissa, you need to leave.” I instinctively blurt, my eyes zoning in on the matte black shotgun she has pointed right at me.

  “No bitch, I don’t. Surprised you recognize me.” She yanks my screen door open, breaking the flimsy lock. Coming though my front door, she stalks me, and I tiptoe backward, slowly, keeping my eyes on her hands. On the gun!

  “Not here to kill you, boy. I’m here for my daughter.”

  “You can’t have her.” I snarl.

  I don’t give a shit; she’s not taking her if that’s what she’s here for.

  “What’s going on mommy? Who’s here?” I hear Emma sweetly ask, emerging from the living room and into the foyer.

  “Emma, go upstairs.” I order, side stepping so I can block her tiny body from the gun and the monster that birthed her into existence.

  “Put the gun away, Melissa. Your issue is with me, not to scare Emma.”

  A dark sadistic laugh breaks into the air from between Melissa’s taut lips. “Funny, boy. You steal my husband and now you are telling me what to do?”

  I don’t have time to deal with that right now. I just need to her to leave or get Emma safely out of the room before I deal with crazy pants. This isn’t my first rodeo with a deadly weapon or a psycho. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I attract them.

  “Emma…”

  Emma breaks my train of thought as I feel her tiny hand touch mine, wrapping her fingers around two of my mine.

  “Emma, go upstairs.”

  “No Emma, come here to mommy.” Melissa changes her tone to a soft mothering one.

  The conniving lunatic! My heart is hammering in my chest, and the mere thought of Melissa calling herself mommy has the hair on the back of my neck standing attention. The nerve of this deranged psychopath!

  I raise my brow to the aimed gun and Melissa lowers it to her side. Tucking it against her leg, the nuzzle resting on my floor. Thank God!

  Finally, safely able to break my concrete stare on Melissa, I turn to the side and kneel. Emma doesn’t waste a second to have her arms wrapped around my neck. Her head buried into the curve my neck.

  “It’s okay, Sweetie.” I whisper into her ear, holding onto her little body, protectively enveloping her in my everlasting love.

  Emma’s body begins to tremble, wetness from tears dampen my neck. Emma’s scared and she’s crying, and this monster did this to her. Come hell or high water, one way or another I will make sure this never happens to Emma again.

  Rubbing my hand along Emma’s back to soothe her. I keep the corner of my eye latched onto Melissa. She’s just standing in a pair of dark jeans and a yellow t-shirt. Her facial expression unmistakably dumbfounded, watching Emma hold onto me for dear life.

  “That’s enough. Come to mommy, Emma. I’m taking you with me.” Melissa orders, hardness cloaking her tone this time.

  Emma sobs into my neck and Melissa takes a step forward.

  “No.” I warn Melissa, as I hold onto Emma tighter.

  If this bitch think’s she is going to win, she has another thing coming.

  “Leave Melissa and go home. You’re scaring her.”

  “She’s coming with me.”

  Oh no she’s not!

  Turning my head so my lips are pressed to the shell of Emma’s ear, I whisper. “Emma, go upstairs, go into your bedroom, lock the door, and hide in your closet. Don’t leave there until daddy or I come and find you.”

  Emma sluggishly shakes her head.

  “Yes, Princess.”

  “She has a gun.” Emma whisper whines into my shoulder, sucking in a whimpering breath.

  “I know, Princess. But I promise I’ll be fine. Just go upstairs. Do as I tell you.”

  Releasing Emma, I firmly stand and maneuver myself so Melissa can’t touch her. Emma reluctantly lets go of my hand and I hear her little footsteps hurriedly fleeing the room.

  “Where is she going?”

  Melissa is obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed.

  “Emma is changing her clothes right now. And you and I are going to talk.”

  “You fucking liar!” Melissa screams her face turning bright red as she swiftly swings the gun back into her hand, aiming the thick round barrel right at my chest.

  If I die today, please God, make Emma survive. I’m doing this for her.

  Gage

  “You’re sure she’s not on her way to the session today?”

  I’m speaking to Melissa’s anger management therapist that was court mandated last Thursday by a judge for her to attend. She has a twelve-week course she has to complete before she is granted visitation with Emma. Which, if you ask me, is getting off lightly.

  “No, I called her, texted, even sent a deputy by her house and nobody seems to be home.”

  FUCK! A rogue ex-wife, not on the top of my priority list to deal with today.

  “Okay, Jefferson, what do you want me to do?”

  The phone in my pocket begins to sing. ‘Butterfly kisses’. It’s Emma’s ringtone.

  Why is she calling me?

  “Well I—”

  I interrupt him, “Hold on Jefferson, my daughter is calling me.”

  Hitting the answer button, I hold my phone to my ear.

  “Hello? Emma? What—”

  “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Bad lady is downstairs. She has a gun! Daddy! Daddy! Help me. Daddy!”

  Emma is frantic, bawling profusely into the phone. Her voice is scratchy, like her mouth is on the receiver.

  Not wasting a precious second, I end my call with Jefferson without saying goodbye.

  “Daddy!”

  “Calm down, baby. What’s going on? Are you okay?” I’m trying to stay calm, although on the inside I’m freaking the fuck out!

  “Daddy! No, no. Bad lady has good mommy, downstairs. She has a gun!”

  “Who’s the bad lady?” I calmly ask. Fuck this is hard! My daughter is terrified.

  “The evil lady who hurt me.”

  “Melissa, your mom?”

  “Yes! She’s downstairs. She is pointing gun at her, Daddy. Help Lex, Daddy. Help her. Bad lady came to take me and Lex said no. She told me to hide in my bedroom. I’m in my closet. I got my phone from my backpack just like you taught me.”

  “Good girl. You’re not hurt?”

  “No….n…o…” Her tiny voice breaks, cracking my heart along with it.

  “I’m calling the cops, baby, daddy will be there soon. Don’t cry. Mommy is taking care of it. She would never let you get hurt.”

  “I know, Daddy, but I don’t want my mommy to die.”

  I swear to fucking God, if my woman dies at the hand of my ex-wife, I will kill that stupid, self-righteous cunt with my bare hands.

  “Keep talking baby; tell me about your ponies. Tell me about what you did today. Daddy is going to call Lincoln on his other phone.”

  I set Emma on speakerphone down on my desk. She listens to my instructions and begins to talk, telling me about her ponies. Her voice quickly evens out.

  Dialing my work phone, I put it to my ear.

  “That’s great baby, keep telling daddy.” I encourage Emma in the calmest tone I can conjure up.

  “This is Lincoln.”

  “Lincoln, it’s an emergency. Melissa is at Lex’s house, with a gun. Emma is upstairs hi
ding in the closet. She came to take Emma but Lex stood her ground. I’m not sure what’s going on there. But I’m calling you before I leave. You can call the cops, but I don’t want Melissa to shoot her. She’s unstable. Highly unstable.” I spit it all out a hundred miles an hour in one breath. Inhaling a big gulp of air, as the last word passes my lips.

  Loud huffing and the sound of something brushing up against the phone is all I hear through the phone. “Lincoln you there?”

  “Yeah! I’m running, I’m only three blocks from Lex’s. I have my dog with me, was out walking her. Call the station; tell them to get to Lex’s, hostage situation. I’m going in unarmed.”

  The phone call abruptly ends. FUCK!

  Lex

  “Listen you stupid bitch, get on the fucking floor.”

  “No, you need to put the gun down and go home Melissa.” I speak evenly, my hands held in the air.

  For the last ten minutes, Melissa has tried to get past me to go upstairs. I’ve blocked her way. She may think she’s a badass, carrying the gun. She’s not used it as a weapon, only for intimidation tactics. My father did that to me a few times when I was a teenager, held me at gunpoint. I was more afraid of him, than I am of Melissa and she’s got the bigger gun. If she were to use it at point blank range, I would be dead in minutes. A shotgun slug isn’t something to trifle with. It’s not because I’ve used one before. My all-adoring best friend, who’s at work today, happens to hunt.

  Lincoln

  Tying up my tame pup on the railing attached to Lex’s back steps. I hear a loud commotion coming from inside. Wish I had a weapon, but I left it at home. I’m off duty today not the best day for that. I’m a master at hand-to-hand combat. However, it being a woman, I’d be going up against, I’d rather have a gun. Not a circumstance I’m very comfortable with going in unarmed. I’m not particularly happy about hitting a woman skin-on-skin. It’s not the same as when I do it inside the safe consensual confines of my playroom. But it’s Lex’s safety at stake and I will do anything for my girl.

  Quietly pressing the button on Lex’s back screen door, I open it just enough to fit my body between it and the back door. Then I carefully turn the nob on her house door, gliding it wide-open. Stealthily stepping in my tennis shoes onto her hardwood, I gently close both doors behind me. The only noise I make is the click of the backdoor coming to a full close. Good thing she had her backdoor replaced a few years ago. An older one would have just broadcasted my entrance to the entire house with a loud squeak.

  Now standing in her kitchen, I get the full gist of Melissa yelling.

  “You think you can take my husband and my daughter? Who in the hell do you think you are?”

  The anxious cracking in Melissa’s murderous voice is a clear indication she is off her rocker. I’ve seen this time and time again. Logical people’s tones don’t clearly justify holding someone at gunpoint as Melissa is doing right now. So to keep the woman from becoming trigger happy, I do the smartest thing I can in this sticky situation. I announce my arrival.

  Lex

  “Hey Lex, you home?”

  Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Not now! This can’t be happening! Lincoln cannot be here! Out of all the days to drop by unexpectedly this is the worst.

  Dear god, please make him leave, please keep him and Emma safe.

  Unable to keep my eyes from cautiously watching twitchy fingers on the semi-automatic shot gun Melissa is wielding, I evenly, without deflection reply, “Yes, Linc, I am but you need to go home.”

  “Why?” he questions, nearing my location. Then I hear it. The Lincoln ‘tell’. A low deep agitated grumble that starts in his belly and rolls into his throat, a noise I’ve heard a hundred times over.

  “What’s going on here?” Friendly, loving Lincoln is gone, replaced by the terrifying no-nonsense cop. Even though I can’t see him with my tunnel vision singularly attached to shaky barrel of the shotgun that is still firmly aimed at my chest. I know he’s standing a few feet away, most likely in the doorway of my kitchen.

  Melissa’s eyes switch from Lincoln and back to me. They widen further a contemplative gesture, her hands unable to maintain perfectly still more than a few seconds at a time. Riding high on nerves, little beads of sweat have formed and begun to drip down the sides of her face. She stands approximately ten feet directly in front of me, her body blocking the locked front door. The hope of her leaving without a scuffle is slowly diminishing as her expression hazes over into hardness.

  “I’m not going to repeat myself. What is going on here?”

  Why does he have to pull her attention from me, even for a moment? I don’t want that. I don’t want him anywhere near this place.

  I don’t respond to his question. I watch in slow motion as the gun that was pointed at me is cunningly readjusted to a new target. Lincoln!

  Something suddenly snaps inside of me. I feel myself lose it as the protective all-consuming mama bear residing deep within rears its massive head. I drop my raised arms to my sides, set my jaw, align my spine to stand tall and tighten my fists. It’s show time!

  “Hey bitchy, bitchy, bitchy. Don’t you fucking point that gun at him! I’m the one you want.” I taunt her, my words steeped in the most poisonous venom.

  “What did you say to me?” Melissa seethes, a rolling tremor wafting through her body as she snaps the gun back toward me.

  “You heard me, bitch.” I mock, playing this dangerous game.

  “Lex, shut up!” Lincoln, orders heatedly from a few feet away. I can almost feel his own protectiveness surging in the air surrounding us. Jesus, he’s a powerful man.

  “This is between me and the crazy bitch; stay out of it Lincoln and leave. Take Emma with you.”

  “Don’t you fucking dare.” Melissa clamors, twisting her body back in the direction of Lincoln.

  “Hey, bitch, do you want to hear all about how Gage and I made love this weekend.”

  My comment breaks her momentum and the aim is back on me.

  Good!

  I realize, I too, am out of my mind. Playing with fire, asking to get burned, I don’t care though. My self-preservation flies out the window when it comes to my family. I’ll do anything to keep them from being harmed. Even if that means impertinently slugging low blows to the psychopath with a loaded gun.

  “If you don’t shut that stupid mouth of yours, I will.” Melissa threatens; the haze in her eyes deepens, marking me the sole object of her hate and murderous desire, just as I had hoped.

  “Stop this right now!” a different, sexier voice commands in a growl. Breaking the hold I have on Melissa, she shakes her head as if she needs to clear it.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I question Gage in a tone I’ve never used with him before, one of pure anger. I don’t know how he knew she was here, or why he is here. But this is the worst-case scenario. Melissa’s hate for him may just be a fraction larger than the torch of animosity she proudly carries for me.

  I side step a few inches closer to the window to get a better view of the room and to place where not only Gage is now standing but Lincoln as well. Melissa’s face drops into one of serious contemplation as the gun that I had on me teeters back and forth between Gage and I. Rotating on my heel just enough, I get a clear view of everybody. Lincoln is half way between me and Gage. Gage is taking up the doorframe of the kitchen, taking tiny baby steps toward Melissa. He looks at me for a moment, locking eyes, conveying with the depths of our connection that he loves me. I don’t doubt that for a minute.

  Losing myself in the beauty of Gage’s eyes, an earsplitting gunshot is fired and I instinctively duck, covering my head with my hands, closing my eyes, my ears begin ringing, and then I feel it.

  Oh dear God!

  Glass starts to crash down from behind me as the window breaks, shards of glass cascading like a jagged waterfall to the ground. Pieces tearing at my flesh, my feet stabbed over and over with tiny fragments of falling sharp glass. I bite my lip to keep from screaming in agon
y as hot pain laden tears sting my eyes.

  My body begins to tremble, and I open my eyes to see the freshness of my blood oozing from deep cuts in my feet. Warmth coats my back. A warmth I’ve known before. I’m cut. Blood is surging from a stinging fiery inferno lodged in my back.

  My name is screamed. I register it though my painfully ringing ears. And I look up. In slow motion, Lincoln lunges for me and Gage dives at Melissa just as the gun unloads again and then again. Lincoln’s massive body hits me like a Mack truck, buckling my legs, and landing right on top of me. My head ricochets off the hardwood of my floor and by sheer force; his body knocks the wind out of me. The glass in my back is rooting itself deeper into my flesh, like a hot branding iron, melting butter.

  Taking in a deep breath, I turn my head to the side, and no on in the room is standing. Everybody is down. Where is Gage?!

  The large body on top of me doesn’t move. I shake Lincoln’s shoulder and he doesn’t budge. I can’t hear him even if I try.

  “Lincoln.” I cry out. The pain overtaking my body is too much. But the need to see him and Gage is much greater. I need to get him off me. My legs are slowly losing their feeling. His weight becomes too much. Warmth is overcoming me. Am I dying?

  “Lincoln.” I slowly force my way inch-by-inch out from under his unmoving body. Slithering my feet out the last tug I break free. Then I see it! Oh dear God! No! No!

  Lincoln has been shot! The warmth I was bathing in wasn’t my body giving out. It was Lincoln’s. Eye’s staring fixatedly right at me, he gasps for air and I crawl closer. His legs. Oh God his legs! The blood! He’s dying!

  Blood surges out of giant holes, turning my hardwood floor into a swimming pool of bright red blood.

  “Lincoln! No!” I screech, and I immediately tear my shirt from my body, and lunge for his mangled leg. Not caring about my own pain, I have to help him! He can’t die!

  Wrapping it like a tourniquet, I tie it tight and I hold onto him, my own body fading from blood loss and the sharp glass residing deep in the flesh grating on my insides.