"Gentlemen I suggest you take out the trash before I forget she's a woman." The police finally removed Karen from the condo. Julian and Clarissa finished giving their statements to the police.
"What do you think will happen to Karen?"
"I can predict with 100% certainty that Karen will get exactly what she deserves. Enough about her, I've reached the end of my patience. If you were in my house, Karen never would have breached the front door. You're moving into my house tomorrow."
Clarissa let him have his say, with her accident and Karen's attempt at murder he's been through a lot today. "Whatever you say Julian?"
Not pacified by her meekness, Julian decided to read her the riot at another time. "Let's go check on our son."
Clarissa clutched his hand and Julian pulled her into his arms as if he were afraid she would disappear. "I'm not going anywhere. You promised me 50-60 years and I plan to collect."
***
When Karen awakened, she was strapped to an operating table. What in the hell happened to her? The last thing she remembered is the police taking her into custody after she tried to kill that bitch Clarissa. It isn't over; her lawyer would have the charges dropped. She loved Julian, and she is the only woman that could make him happy.
"What's going on in that crazy little head of yours?"
Karen recognized Julian's voice anywhere. Dressed in scrubs, his eyes were cold, colder than she'd ever seen them. He observed her the way one would study a bug in a jar. He has to realize that she's the perfect woman for him. She sees him for what he truly is, and she didn't care. He removed the facemask and gave her an evil smile. She looked around the room as medical personnel entered.
"I can't let you get away with murder Karen. You have taken two lives, and now you have to pay. I just assumed you were a stupid, empty headed bitch, but you're much worse. You're a murdering bitch who try to kill my woman. It seems that Norman, your confidant and occasional lover cracked under pressure. After you sent those photos and news clipping to Clarissa, I convinced him to replace the bullets in your gun for blanks. A zebra can't change its stripes; you couldn't help your urge to strike at Clarissa once again. The police officers that took you into custody are also in my employ."
Karen watched as the people in the room began to prep her for surgery. She tried to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth.
"Did I ever tell you about my grandfather? He was a cleaner for the mafia back in Palermo. He met the love of his life and decided that he didn't want that life anymore. Fortunately for him the woman he fell in love with was the niece of the local mob boss. He gave my grandfather permission to leave, but only after he disposed of his enemies.
You seem shocked Karen. When I hooked up with Tanya, I was just beginning my life in the business. I was fond Tanya, but our relationship wouldn't have lasted. When I married Donna and Micah was born I had to step up my game, so I became an enforcer for a security firm out of Kansas. When Donna was murdered, I thought it was retaliation. You gave yourself away when you tried to hit Clarissa with your car.
I had you watched until I was ready to set up the little scene that will take you out of my life forever. One of my employees retrieved a donor card from your purse. I came up with an excellent solution for your punishment. Dr. Morrow here is going to harvest your body parts, from what he tells me, you're an excellent donor. Think of all the lives you'll save, the best part, you'll feel every nip and cut until he removes your heart. I would like to stay, but I have a wedding to plan. Like my grandfather before me, I'm ready to settle down with the woman I love."
***
Epilogue
Two years later...
Today's her wedding anniversary. Clarissa sat in her office flipping through her wedding photo album and watching the video of her wedding. Her father walked her down the aisle just as she had always envisioned. She wore a white, tea length, lace wedding dress. Julian stood at the altar, and Micah was his best man. Ali her matron of honor and Roberta her maid of honor wore cerulean blue spaghetti strap taffeta gowns.
Her mother and Aunt Helen couldn't stop beaming. Her grandparents sat in the second row full of pride. Aunt Reva, Uncle Charles, Ivan, Harland, and a few officers from Rosscom sat on the groom's side. The wedding was small and intimate, everything she wanted. That night, Julian presented her with her wedding gift. She was officially the sole owner of Lariat Games.
She has since created two new games and is currently working on another game called the Master Challenger. Of course, Julian is her muse as with all her previous games. Clarissa still works as an investigator for Harland, but she has her pick of assignments.
"Mom!"
Clarissa is pulled out of musings as Micah bounded into her office with his endless energy. He's taller than she is now. He looked quite grown up with his curly black hair closely cropped to his head. He's in junior high, quarterback for his football team, and his new love is drawing. She is so proud of all of his accomplishments, and she has a feeling he would become an extremely talented cartoonist one day. "Hey sweetheart, where's the fire?"
Micah loved his mom so much; she is everything he has always wanted in a mother. "Dad said it's time for dinner and that you need to stop getting googly-eyed over the wedding video." He helps her out of the chair, and he walks hand in hand with her back to the living area.
Julian is sitting at the piano. Aunt Reva and Uncle Charles were waiting patiently for her to waddle into the room. "Aunt Reva, Uncle Charles, I'm so glad you guys came to celebrate our anniversary." After hugging them and makes her way to the piano. Occasionally, Julian would play for her listening pleasure, and she is always suitably grateful.
Clarissa already knew that she's expecting twins. Yesterday she received the news that the twins are girls. She speaks with her parents almost every day, and they were the only ones who knew about the twin baby girls she's carrying. "Happy anniversary baby!" She hands him the small box and watches his face closely
Julian kisses her stomach before ripping the paper from the elaborately wrapped box. Inside is a pink bib that said 'Daddy's Girls'. "Girls! We're having girls." Julian is oblivious to the congratulations from his aunt and uncle. He would have been happy if their twins were boys, but he's ecstatic that they're girls. He rubbed Clarissa's stomach and kissed her before he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom. Suddenly he has the urge to make love to his wife.
Micah took it all in stride his parents behaved like this all the time. "Come on Nonna and Grandpa, Ethel said that dinner is ready."
"What about your parents?"
"He gave his grandmother a saucy grin, "if we wait for them to return we'll starve."
Reva winked at Micah, "I bet this sort of thing happens a lot."
Micah grinned at his grandmother, "All the time, isn't it cool."
"Yes dear, seeing two people so much in love is indeed very cool." They went into the dining room, ate their dinner, and didn't blink when Julian and Clarissa arrived just in time for dessert.
The End.
More Than A Four Letter Word Page 20