by Leanne Davis
“What hope is there if she doesn’t tell the police what happened to her because she fears how I might take the news? She seems more afraid of me finding out than catching the asshole who stabbed her. She thinks I can’t handle it.”
“Then handle it. Prove to her you can handle it. Don’t go off half-cocked; and don’t let your hot temper rule your actions. Do what Erica thinks should be done. Whether you agree or not.”
“She waited until you got here, so you could babysit me before she’d even tell Nick the truth.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m here now and I handled you. Now go prove to Erica you don’t need me, but you do need her.”
Spencer stared down at the carpet. “You know what that entails.”
“Yeah. I’d imagine it entails telling her you love her. About time you did. Christ, Spencer, she was stabbed tonight! She was kidnapped and almost killed. Tell me why now isn’t the best time to fall on your knees and declare how you feel about her to her face? What more does it take?”
“What if I say it, which is what she wants, but it’s just because I’m reacting to this event? How bad it was.”
Rob rolled his eyes. “Well, at least you’d show more humanity than not reacting at all.”
Spencer stood up, his fists clenched. “How can you say I’m not reacting? You don’t think I’m not going crazy? My girlfriend was stabbed! Twice. And left for dead on the cold, hard ground. And the only reason I don’t know who did this to her is because she’s afraid to tell me!”
Rob nodded. “See? You really mean it. Now go tell her that she’s your girlfriend. God, give her a break, Spencer. Just fucking tell her already! Quit making her guess or hope or wait any longer. Just fucking tell her that you love her.”
Spencer stared at Rob, his mouth twisting, until finally he snapped, “Fine! I’ll tell her.”
Rob smiled, nearly sagging with relief. After thirteen long years, Spencer was finally taking a step forward.
****
Spencer walked into the hospital room to find Nick sitting near Erica’s head. They were talking and Joelle was on the other side. Spencer didn’t knock and Rob came in quietly behind him. Spencer stood there, his legs apart, and his arms crossed over his chest, glaring down at Erica.
“You’re going to tell me what happened to you, Erica. And then we’ll decide what to do about it.”
Erica’s startled gaze met his. “Spencer—”
“What happened, Erica? You want me to trust you? Then you’re going to have to do me the favor in return. Trust me. I won’t make this any worse for you. Give me that much credit. You’re lying in a hospital bed, stabbed; that isn’t lost on me. I’m not going to make things worse for you. Tell me this: how can we expect things to work for us, if we’re together and you think I’d do that? I want things to improve for you, not worsen.”
Erica’s mouth fell open. He never talked so long, or passionately, or in front of anyone else. She eyed him, her eyes growing big as saucers. “You said we, as in, the future tense.”
His eyes fastened on her, pinning her, intense, dark, and clearly focused. “For as long as you want.”
“As long I want? I want forever, Spencer. I thought I made that pretty clear.”
“Like I said, as long as you want.”
Erica laughed, despite the grogginess from the medication, the stress, her aching body, and the overall solemnity of the day. She laughed. Spencer sounded so surly, so angry, and so annoyed, yet he still proclaimed to everyone in attendance, in his abrasive, irritated way, that he wanted her… forever. He had his arms crossed over his chest.
He felt vulnerable to her, which he hated. But still, he said it, and Erica’s heart flew with joy, lifting a huge burden off her chest and filling her with genuine happiness.
Nick and Joelle’s eyes grew huge, as they looked alternately between Spencer and Erica. No one, except maybe Rob, had any notion of how serious they were, until that critical moment.
Nick cleared his throat. “I had no idea.”
“Neither did he,” Erica said, still smiling.
Spencer wouldn’t smile, but stood there with his arms crossed like a commando, waiting for his next orders. “I repeat, what happened?”
“Sit down beside me and I’ll tell you.”
Spencer did finally, taking the chair that Nick vacated. He held Erica’s hand and looked into her eyes. She stared right back into his.
“It was Tamira’s dad.”
Spencer jerked back. No one even considered that avenue as a possible suspect with a motive for harassing and injuring her.
“I didn’t see his face. Not once. He wore a black hood, and he told me not to look at him. I don’t think that’s enough for the police to make an arrest. He snuck up behind me at the clinic, in the parking lot. I didn’t follow your advice, and I was all alone out there at night, not being careful or looking out for myself. I’m sorry I didn’t take your warnings to heart.”
“I should have been there.”
“Don’t start that again! Even if you were, after seeing my sister with you, I wouldn’t have gone near you.”
“Your sister? Morgan? She’s causing problems again?” Nick’s voice interrupted them and they both glanced over at him.
“Again?”
“Yeah.” Nick looked at Spencer and grinned. “She give you a peek too?”
“How did you…?”
“Know? She flashed it at me too. And on more than one occasion. I learned pretty quickly to sit beside her, and never across from her!”
“Flashed what?” Erica asked, looking confused.
Spencer wouldn’t look at her, but Nick did, and laughed. “Your sister prefers not to wear any undergarments. And she also enjoys showing strange men that she isn’t.”
“Oh,” Erica said, as her eyes got huge, before covering her face in unanticipated horror. “Oh my God! My sister? My little sister did that to both of you?”
Nick shrugged. “She’s kind of a slut, Erica. I mean, you knew that already, right?”
“But to my boyfriends? Why didn’t either of you ever tell me?”
Spencer shifted and Nick looked down. Finally, Spencer answered, “It’s not something you want to tell your girl, that her sister gave you a beaver shot for no particular reason.”
“Where was I?”
Nick and Spencer looked at each other. “She has no problem doing it in a room full of people.”
Erica’s eyes went huge. “Oh my God. I can’t process this.”
“You can’t process this? Some stupid prank by a little, bratty sister? How about processing getting attacked and almost killed tonight?”
“But she’s my sister. Why then, Spencer, was she at your house?”
“Well, you weren’t too far off the mark. She came on to me. I was trying to kick her out when you showed up and you just assumed the worst.”
“So did you! My name is not unknown to the public and I make the newspapers and sometimes, local news stations, even. Your mother tracked me down. She heard I was dating someone named Spencer Mattox, and she came to my office as Lydia Briggs. I had no idea who she was.”
Spencer looked down at the floor, then back up at Erica. “I’m sorry I thought the worst.”
“It was enlightening. Now I know why you so distrust women.”
“I don’t…”
“You do so. All women, but me. You’ve got to start trusting me. I won’t go behind your back for anything. I wouldn’t do that, even if I thought it was in your best interests.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? Do you trust me now?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “What did she want? My... Lydia: what did she want?”
“First, to make sure you were really her son, and still alive. And after she got over that shock, she wanted to see you. She loves you, Spencer.”
“She wants some kind of reunion? And you agreed?”
“No,” Erica said, her voice softer. “No, you should do what you want to. It
’s your pain. Your mother. And your tragedy.”
Nick, Joelle and Rob were having trouble following the thread of conversation. They were staring at Spencer and Erica, but remained very quiet.
“But whatever you do, I’ll be right beside you.” Spencer’s head shot up at Erica’s words. “That’s what it’ll be like from now on, we’ll be there for each other, no matter what.”
“No matter what,” he repeated. “Like telling Nick to find Tamira’s dad, not me, because that’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I can’t prove to the police what happened. But I know it was him. And I don’t think he’s done. Nick can find him, and maybe see a way to prove that he did it. Or at the least keep him under surveillance twenty-four/seven. I can afford it, after all.”
“Your pain, your tragedy, huh?”
“Yes.”
“All right.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Spencer glanced at Nick. “What exactly can you do?”
“Might be able to monitor all of Tobison’s internet accounts, his bank transactions, and movements. Pretty much, his life in general.”
“Using your mysterious computer skills? Why didn’t you just admit you’re a first rate hacker?”
Nick smiled. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Joelle elbowed him. “You’re not so dark and mysterious anymore, Nick and everyone here knows it. You can illegally go anywhere you want in cyberspace. And whenever you want.”
“So is that your permission to do so now?” Nick asked Erica.
“You’d better be brilliant at it.”
Nick grinned, and grabbed his wife’s hand. “Come on, let’s go. I’ve got some major stuff to do.”
Joelle rolled her eyes. “You know, you might try and hide your glee at the challenge, just a little.”
“Still don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Joelle and Nick kissed Erica goodbye, wishing her a speedy recovery as they made their exit. Spencer walked them out and Rob came to Erica’s side.
He smiled at her kindly.
“Thank you, Rob. For coming on short notice,” she said quietly.
“How did you know? To wait for me?”
“I know him.”
He gently touched her arm. “I don’t think you’ll need me again.”
Erica smiled. “I don’t either. You’re a good friend.”
“It’s not a chore. I owe Spencer for saving my life.”
“I meant, to me, Rob. You’re a good friend to me.”
Rob looked at Erica, unconcealed surprise on his face. “Thank you for that. I can’t imagine how that happened after our first introduction.”
“Things change. People change. Look at Spencer. Look at you. Hell, look at me.”
“I’m sorry about this.” Rob indicated her injuries.
“Me too. But I’m going to be okay and it brought Spencer to me in a way nothing else would have.”
Rob kissed her on the cheek and Erica lay back, succumbing to her exhaustion and falling sound asleep.
****
Spencer stopped in the doorway, seeing Erica’s face was pale again. Her eyes were closed and her blond hair was messy around her face. His heart skipped a beat. Erica almost died tonight, and such a violent death by stabbing. His actions had a hand in it although he knew he hadn’t caused it. He didn’t tell Tamira’s dad to hurt Erica, but his negligence didn’t help her either.
And it was all because he never worried about how his actions or words affected anyone. Even Rob. Now suddenly, he cared. A lot. He’d been wrong for a lot of years. Rude, crude, and dissociating with everyone who tried to get to know him. Until Erica Heathersby. She, for some reason, bothered to take a longer, deeper look at him. She reminded him of who he could be, and what he should be. Suddenly being rude, inconsiderate, and difficult didn’t seem cool anymore, but stupid, and pointless. And he was done. Totally done with it.
Erica’s eyelashes fluttered open and her gaze found his and held it. When she smiled eventually, she said softly, “Take me home, Spencer.”
“You can’t.”
“I’m the doctor. I know what’s best for me. I want you to take me home. Then I want you to stay there with me tonight. Tomorrow. Forever.”
“Erica…”
“Please, Spencer?”
As usual, he was lost when her green eyes widened and became so vulnerable and innocent. “Okay, Erica, we’ll go home.”
“We? As in, for good?”
With a smile, he answered, “Yeah. We as in for good.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Spencer glanced up at Erica when she walked into their condo with her arms full, and her keys hanging from her teeth. She threw all the stuff down, including the mail. Except for one envelope, which she held, and brought over to him. Spencer was watching the evening news. He slid his feet off the coffee table and sat up straighter.
“Open it,” she said without preamble, her mouth already grinning eagerly.
He took the envelope and glanced at the return address. “Did you open it?”
“I couldn’t wait.”
“You couldn’t wait for the five minutes it takes to get from the mailboxes, up the elevator, and into here?”
“No, I couldn’t wait,” she repeated. He smiled. She couldn’t wait. Erica could never wait. She always opened his mail, listened to his messages, looked through anything he left sitting around, whether it was the music he wrote, or his homework. She thought anything that was his was hers. She never did it out of distrust, but rather, curiosity. She wanted to know everything she could about him. And damn if he wasn’t getting used to it. And liking it. He didn’t even consider it a lack of privacy anymore.
She never did anything after reading all of his correspondence, she just had to know. He knew it was because she cared about him so damn much, he sometimes had to pinch himself and wonder why. He only knew how lucky he felt that she did.
He tossed the envelope onto the coffee table, sat back, and raised his eyebrows. “Why don’t you just tell me then?”
“You did it!”
“I did what?”
“You’re in. You can start next fall at the University of Washington, if you want to. You did it, Spencer! God, I knew you could. You would. And you did.” She suddenly threw her arms around him, and climbed onto his lap. He laughed at her unrepressed joy, her sudden exuberance, and her obvious pride in him.
“You know everything, huh?”
“About what you can do? Yes, I know everything. God, I love you,” she said, smiling, and kissing him.
Nine months ago, he completed his GED at Erica’s insistence. She kept him focused on it, despite how often he tried to quit so he could be with her for the first weeks after the attack. And when he finished studying for it, he completed it. He then took all the pre-college entrance exams and surprisingly scored almost off the charts. He felt like he’d grown a few inches taller, and was suddenly stronger and so much more confident and proud. He was surprisingly better at the school work then he ever knew he could be. He was almost man enough to deserve being introduced as Dr. Erica Heathersby’s boyfriend. Something she did at every opportunity possible. She also said she would help get him a job, one that he liked. And damn if she didn’t do it! She inspired him and made him feel like playing the piano again. She insisted that he start writing songs again, which was something he loved. She spent hours just listening to him, encouraging him, and bragging about him. It was a becoming difficult for Spencer to remain so stoic, and indifferent when confronted by her unflagging loyalty and faith in him. He didn’t understand it, but was learning to get used to it, and even growing to like it. Okay, maybe love it. Hell, he could count on it, just as he counted on her now.
“Think I should do it?”
“Are you crazy? Of course, you should do it. Then everyone will see and hear how brilliant you are. How important your music, and you are.”
He smiled and ran a hand thr
ough her soft, blond hair. She was so happy for him. About him. He couldn’t help but feel the spark of her excitement and her pride. “All right. I guess I could.”
He had been living with Erica for nine months. The night they came home from the hospital, he stayed and never left. She recuperated slowly, and took a few weeks off work. He did too.
Nick turned up evidence on Tamira’s father: child porn and pictures of his own daughter as well as other girls. Little girls. How Nick obtained the evidence and tied it to Tobison was never questioned by the police. It only mattered that Nick got it. The police eventually were able to get a search warrant and found hundreds of pictures and chat rooms on Tobison’s laptop. They had the proof that he molested his own daughter, his neighbors’, and his friends’ kids. He was a monster who walked amongst them. He never confessed to stabbing Erica, but they all knew. He was awaiting trial for the rape of several girls, some now grown women, who finally mustered the courage to come forward. He was off the streets for good, and out of their lives. It wasn’t the justice Spencer would have liked for Erica, but it was justice for Tamira and the other young victims. The ones that Erica cared so much about.
Spencer quit his job with Erica, and was working at a restaurant, playing background music. It was low pay, and crappy hours for a crappy job. But at least, he was playing music again. All the while, he searched for more. He wanted so much more, it often made him dizzy. He wanted Erica, but he had to be worthy of her. He also wanted to like his job, and himself as much as Erica said he should.
Finally… this news today, gave him a glimmer of hope that he was getting closer to his goal of being good enough for Erica by pursuing his professional life. Maybe at last, he was there.
He pushed her back and looked into her eyes. “Will you marry me?”
Her mouth fell open, and her eyes went round, as she struggled to reply. He shocked her, which was something he hadn’t done in a while.
“You want to marry me?”
“That’s usually why someone asks.”
Her arms were suddenly around him, and she held him tightly for a long time. Her tears made his shirt wet, but he smiled and patted her. Finally, she pulled back, and cupped his face in her hands before kissing him. “Of course, I’ll marry you. I just didn’t think you ever wanted to.”