Falling in Love Again: A Valentine's Day Proposal

“Fuck!” Gun shots ring out. That’s unmistakable. I don’t know if they are police shots or from the gang which scares the living hell out of me. “Fucking hell, what do I do…?”

I don’t want to get out of the car, the last thing this situation needs is me making it worse, so I call Lee once more. I just need to speak to him, to have him making me feel better.

“Carter, what’s happened? Are you in danger? Did you get out okay?”

“I just pulled up and it looks like the police are already here. As you can probably hear, there’s a shootout already. I don’t know what I should do for the best.”

“Don’t go in there. Of course, you know that, don’t you? Let the police do their job.”

“Yeah, I thought that. I’m just sitting in the car now with the cash. Do you think I should leave?”

“Are you going to leave, even if I tell you that you should? Or are you more likely to stay?”

“Well, I want to see Raelyn come out,” I admit. “I need to know that she’s okay, but I’m worried about fucking things up for everyone. I seem to keep making the wrong decisions over and over again.”

Lee chuckles. “I think this time; you will be okay to just wait. But be prepared.”

Be prepared? I don’t want to be prepared for anything other than Raelyn coming out of that building okay.

“Yep, sure,” I reply tartly. “I will be prepared. Thank you.”

I hang up and stare intently at the building. Each shot brings with it a spike of anxiety, but I just about manage to hold it together. My leg shakes, my fingers tap, my muscles twitch, but I remain where I am. Well, that is until I hear sirens ringing out behind me and I see more blue lights in the mirror. More emergency services are coming… this time its ambulances speeding in my direction.

I jump out the car then, without thinking about it, just in case Raelyn is hurt. Lee said to be prepared, but I’m not and I’m never going to be. I try to swallow down the intense fear in my chest, but it remains firmly stuck. Even as people pile out of the building, it stays exactly where it is.

“Raelyn,” I whisper, not that anyone can hear me. “Raelyn, please be okay.”

There’s a lot of screaming and yelling, a lot of panic coming from the police. I so want to go and ask them what’s happening, I really want to know, but at the same time I don’t know if I do.

“Oh my God.” Officer Brady finally exits the building with a woman under his arm. “Raelyn!”

I race to her, ignoring the look that Officer Brady gives me. He can be pissed off with me all he wants, right now the only person who matters is the one looking at me with wide shocked eyes.

“Raelyn, you’re okay.” I throw my arms around her, hugging her hard. “What happened? What did they do?”

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she leans against me, hugging me tight. We’re reunited again and it feels incredible. It doesn’t even matter that I wasn’t the one to save her directly, she’s alright and that’s all that matters.

“Oh, Raelyn, I’ve been so worried, this has been horrible. I just need you to be okay.”

“She has to go to the hospital,” Officer Brady booms. “Just to see if everything is okay.”

“Right, sure I will come with you.”

“You cannot come in the ambulance. You will have to travel to the hospital alone.”

I don’t want to let Raelyn go, even for a second. But if this is what I have to do, then so be it. I nod and step backwards, but before I can let her go completely, I lean in one last time and kiss her. I press my lips lightly to hers, feeling everything all at once. The relief, the love, all of it.

“I will be there for you, Raelyn, you don’t have to worry. I won’t be long behind you.”

She nods, but I don’t know how much she really hears me. Her eyes are glazed over, the horrifying experience is still on top of her, so I will wait to say anything serious. For now, she just needs to heal.

36

Raelyn

Where am I? I don’t like this feeling. It’s unsettling. The last time I didn’t know where I was, I ended up in my own personal hell. Trapped by a mad man who was threatening to kill me at all times… Is that where I am?

I snap my eyes open, ice cold panic rushing over me, but it quickly becomes clear that’s it’s unnecessary. This definitely isn’t that little box room and I can move my arms. I’m not attached to a pole anymore. I’m okay. I might even be safe which is a concept I haven’t experienced in far too long.