Loving Lily Lavender

by Deanna Kinney

  “I don’t think this is amusing. I’m just happy to see that you’re okay. All I knew was I had to be with you. If I couldn’t get you out, then I had to get in.”

  “That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done. You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”

  “I think it’s romantic,” the woman lying next to me said.

  “Don’t encourage him,” I snapped.

  “Shhh, they’re coming back,” a man whispered from across the floor.

  Lucas pushed me down to the floor and we laid as still as possible. I could hear the nervous rumbles from the people around us. Suddenly, all four men burst back into the bank. The leader was angry and swearing.

  “Okay, who’s the one responsible for sounding the alarm?” he yelled. “Tell me now or all of you will start dying!”

  “It was me,” one of the tellers said, standing quickly. She was a tiny, fragile, young girl, maybe twenty, and she had a look of horror on her sweet face.

  “Well,” the leader said, turning to us. “Because of this brave one, it looks like we’re surrounded, which makes all of you—hostages,” he growled. He turned back to her. “You’ll be the first one when we have to start killing people,” he said smiling at her. She put her face in her hands and began to cry.

  “Leave her alone!” I yelled out before thinking.

  “Lily, shhh,” Lucas whispered, grabbing my arm.

  “Who said that?” the leader demanded, turning toward me.

  “Don’t say anything,” Lucas whispered softly.

  “Who said that?” He demanded again, becoming angry.

  “I did,” I said as I rose up slightly.

  He sharply met my gaze. “Stand up.”

  I stood up quickly and Lucas joined me, putting his arms around me protectively.

  “No, you lay back down,” I whispered to him sternly.

  “No.”

  The leader approached us, stopping just inches from my face. Lucas put both hands on my waist and pulled me back.

  “What is it you said to me?” He took off his sunglasses and stared at me. His gaze was intense, but it sounded as if his anger was less extreme.

  “I said to leave her alone, she’s just a child. There’s no need to scare her like that.”

  His eyes began scanning me up and down. “Mmm, you’re a looker.” He reached up to touch my face. “Nice—seeing as how we’re going to be here a while, I’ll have to make time for you later.”

  Lucas pulled me back against his chest protectively.

  The leader just looked amused, his creepy, dark eyes smirking at us. “You don’t look much older than the girl. What’s your name?”

  “Lilianna, and I would like it if you and your friends would leave now,” I said, squaring my jaw.

  He laughed an exuberant laugh.

  “Boss,” one of the men interrupted, “this is the couple who distracted us earlier. I bet that’s when the girl sounded the alarm.”

  The leader's eyes turned angry. “Well, Lilianna, we can’t leave now, and it looks like we have you—and your lover, to blame.” He shifted his eyes to Lucas, noting his protective grip on me.

  “My husband,” I corrected, drawing his gaze back to me. Lucas’s grip tightened around my waist as if he was ready to pull me out of the way at any moment.

  “Boss, what are we going to do now?” the shorter man interrupted.

  “We’re not going to panic. We’ll wait for them to call us and then we’ll make our demands. If they don’t meet them then we’ll start shooting.” He looked at me and smiled, and I instantly felt uneasy.

  “Okay, listen up! I want all of you sitting down against that wall where I can see you!” Without delay we all moved and sat down against the wall.

  “What were you thinking?” Lucas whispered. “You could’ve been killed just now.”

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. It just made me mad how he was scaring that girl.”

  “Yes, thank you,” the girl said, scooting next to me on my other side.

  “Oh, you’re welcome. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. And thank you for the distraction earlier too.”

  “Oh, you’ll have to thank my husband for that one,” I said, teeth clenched.

  My heart jumped as the phone at the front desk rang. The leader walked over and answered it. I strained to hear but was unsuccessful. He talked only for a few minutes before hanging up the phone.

  An hour passed before the phone rang again. By this time, lot’s of commotion was building outside. I imagined every cop in the area was out there, probably a camera crew as well.

  “I know who you guys are,” the girl beside me whispered.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Marie.”

  “Well, Marie, it’s very important that they not know or they might try to use that somehow. It could put my husband and me in serious danger.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say anything. You guys can’t seem to get a break though, can you?”

  “It sure seems that way.” I turned to Lucas. “Do you think they’ll find out about us?”

  “I’m not sure.” He looked deep in thought.

  “Do you think the media already knows we’re in here?”

  “Well, I don’t know, but Randall knows and if he called Meagan then she would be out there demanding they do something to get her famous friends out. Since the police don’t seem to be meeting their demands, she might get desperate and turn to the media for help.

  “If Meagan knows, then Cody knows and he’s got friends on the force, so someone’s bound to talk. So I would say, yes, the media knows, and it’s most likely on every station around. So as long as they don’t turn on the T.V. we should be fine.”

  We jumped in unison as the leader slammed the phone down and began pacing.

  “What’d they say?” one man asked.

  “They’re not ready. They need more time.” He was talking through clenched teeth.

  “What’d you tell them?”

  “I told them they had one hour, then we kill a hostage.”

  There were gasps all around us and some of the women, including Marie, began to cry. I grabbed Lucas’s hand and held it tightly, then closed my eyes and began counting in an effort to calm myself. We both looked at the clock, it was ten after seven.

  At seven forty-five the phone rang again. At first the leader was angry, but then he started to calm down, though we couldn’t hear anything, we could read his body language. Whoever the negotiator was, he was good.

  “What did he say?” the short man asked.

  “They’re almost ready, I gave them one more hour.”

  “You did what? You can’t give them more time! I say we take out one of the hostages now. Let’s show them we’re not messing around.”

  “I gave them one more hour!” the leader snapped.

  “Lily, they’re getting desperate. They don’t see a way out of this. Things could turn bad real fast. Whatever happens, stay right by my side.”

  I looked at him in sheer panic. What did he mean, things could turn bad? I was too afraid to ask.

  I watched the clock with such anxiety I though my heart would explode. Finally, the phone rang.

  “Who do you think you’re dealing with? The leader yelled. “No more negotiating! This person’s death is on your hands! I want the car here and ready in fifteen minutes or another person will die!” He slammed the phone down and charged over to us causing everyone to freeze in panic.

  “Okay, you come with me!” he demanded, pointing at Marie.

  She began to cry and plead.

  “I said come on!” he yelled, pulling her to her feet. She pulled frantically against him and begged for mercy.

  My heart broke, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. What I did next, not only can I not believe I did, but don’t remember doing it. I just went on instinct. “Take me instead! Leave her and take me!” I quickly stood up before I could change my mind.

  “N
o!” Lucas yelled, jumping up and grabbing me.

  Everything went very silent as the leader contemplated my offer.

  “Lily, don’t be ridiculous. Sit down,” Lucas demanded, clear panic in his voice.

  “Okay,” the leader said as he turned to look at two of his men. “Guys, come help.”

  “You can sit back down,” he told Marie.

  “Take her.” He pointed to me.

  “No! Don’t touch her!” Lucas protested, taking a protective stance in front of me. Before I realized it, a man had crept up from behind him and swung, hitting him in the head with his gun; he fell to the floor in pain.

  “No!! Don’t hurt him!” I fought against the leader as he grabbed me and began to drag me across the room. Lucas recovered enough to look at me. Tears flooded his eyes, and a trickle of blood ran down the side of his stricken face.

  “Lily, no, please,” he pleaded, reaching for me.

  I began to cry as I watched his pain and heartbreak, unable, at that moment, to think of my own.

  “Take me!!” he yelled. “I’m a famous actor. I’m Lucas Lavender. You can use me to bargain—to get what you want. Take me!” he pleaded.

  “No! Don’t listen to him! He’ll say anything to save me!”

  “Hey,” one of the men said, “he does look familiar.”

  I became desperate, and without thinking, reached up and slapped the leader’s face as hard as I could. That got his attention and he jerked me so hard I struggled to keep my footing. He resumed pulling me toward the back office.

  “No!!” Lucas yelled. “Take me!!” He jumped up and made a mad dash toward me. At once, two men tackled him to the ground.

  I pulled against the man long enough to say to Lucas, as our eyes locked, “Lucas, forgive me. I love you. Take care of my heart.” I clenched at my chest, tears streaming down both of our faces. For that brief moment, it felt as if time had frozen and there was no one but us, but the pain in his eyes was unbearable.

  “Bring the bag,” the leader told the shorter man as he continued to drag me into the back office. The other man entered the room with the black duffle bag, closing the door behind him. I could hear Lucas struggling while pleading with the two men in the other room. His heart was breaking. I could hear it—I could feel it.

  The leader pushed me down into a chair.

  “Clever girl, slapping me like that to save your man. How can I kill such a brave girl as yourself, even if you have caused me so much trouble? Tie her up.”

  After my feet and hands were duck taped together, the leader pulled out his gun. My eyes grew wide with panic and flooded with tears as he aimed the gun directly at me.

  “Now, Lilianna, I want you to let out a loud scream for me, okay?”

  “No.”

  “I want you to scream so the police will hear you and take us serious. Now scream!” he demanded, taking a step closer, putting his gun against my temple.

  I knew if I screamed it would hurt Lucas even more. I clenched my eyes tightly shut. “No, I can’t do that.”

  “If you don’t scream, then your lover is next.” I peered up at him in horror, and then, after a brief pause, I let out a blood-curdling scream. He pointed the gun over my shoulder and fired two shots into the sofa behind me.

  I heard gasps and screams from the other side of the door, then silence, as they began processing my so-called death. I was relieved but only for a moment as I felt the shock and pain that Lucas must’ve felt. I opened my mouth to scream out to Lucas, but the leader anticipated my move, quickly covering my mouth with duck tape.

  “Oh, no you don’t. We spared your life, now I need you to keep quiet.”

  I concentrated to hear Lucas and focused in until I heard his quiet sobs of pain. I began to cry and plead with my eyes to my captor.

  “You know, Lilianna, you are very brave. I admire that.” He gently rubbed my tears from my cheek.

  For that brief moment, I almost felt something for the man, like maybe he had some decency somewhere deep inside him. Maybe he wasn’t what he seemed. He never really intended to kill anyone. Perhaps there was still hope for him after all.

  “Now, Lilianna, I know you’re going to want to make noise when we open this door, so that your husband will know that you’re alive, but it’s very important that you remain quiet, so we can get out of here. I know you want these people to go home now, don’t you?”

  I nodded my head slowly.

  “Good girl.” Then the two of them left the room and closed the door behind them. Then the sobs intensified.

  I heard the phone ring again. After about fifteen minutes, chaos and screams broke out from the other side of the door. It sounded as if the robbers were leaving, because the commotion went from inside the bank to the outside of the bank. Within seconds, I heard a vehicle speed away and what appeared to be other vehicles in pursuit. There was a frenzied commotion inside the bank as well, though I couldn’t determine what was happening.

  Finally, the office door opened and a man in a dark S.W.A.T. uniform entered the room with his gun pointing. When he spotted me, he yelled out to another officer who came in cautiously behind him. Without delay they cut the tape from my hands and feet.

  “Ma’am, this is going to hurt,” the first man said before yanking the tape from my mouth. He was right—it hurt. I licked and tasted blood.

  “I have to find my husband,” I demanded as I got up. My legs were weak and wobbly, and I leaned heavily on the officers as they led me out of the building.

  Outside it was chaos. People were everywhere—police, united loved ones, and camera crews. At that very moment I saw the camera hone in on me, but all I cared about was finding Lucas.

  “Lucas!” I yelled, leaving the officers behind and moving feverishly through the crowd, searching.

  “Lucas! Lucas!”

  A policeman approached me, taking my arms in his hands. “Ma’am, are you okay? Can I help you?”

  “I need to find my husband, Lucas Lavender,” I said in desperation. I barely noticed the cameras following my every move.

  “I believe ma’am, he was injured. I think the ambulance is about to take him to the hospital.” I looked over my shoulder to see the camera crew pointing me in the direction. I took off running, dodging and pushing through the crowd. I stumbled and fell to my knees and screamed as someone stepped across my fingers, but even this didn’t stop me. I got up and continued through the crowd until finally I came to the ambulance just as it was starting to pull away. I was desperate to see him, to make sure he was okay, and to let him know I was alive. I couldn’t let him spend one more minute thinking I was dead. I could only imagine his pain.

  “No!!” I yelled as the ambulance pulled away. “Lucas!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, running after it as fast as my weak and trembling legs would take me.

  “Lucas!!” I screamed one last time before surrendering and coming to a stop. I lowered my head, and wept.

  Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted break lights on the pavement. I looked up and gasped. Lucas was peering through the back window of the ambulance, his expression full of shock and disbelief. His eyes were wide as he swung the ambulance door open.

  “Lily?” He was clearly dazed and confused.

  “Yes, Luke, it’s me. I’m here, and I’m fine.” I laughed a sigh of relief.

  As reality dawned, he jumped out of the ambulance and stumbled as he hit the pavement. He was hurt but rose quickly, racing to meet me. I too bolted in his direction. The distance between us closed at a painfully slow pace. I couldn’t seem to will my legs to run fast enough. We reached out and embraced each other with the most spectacular emotion you can imagine, falling to our knees sobbing. I buried my face in his neck while he grabbed hands full of my hair and buried his face in it.

  After a few minutes, he pulled back to look at me, holding my face in his hands. “I thought I’d lost you,” the look of wonder replacing grief.

  “I know, but I’m here.”
I wiped his tears with my thumbs. All at once, his lips crushed mine in the fiercest kiss I’ve ever felt. I didn’t care that a crowd of spectators had gathered and were clapping around us. I didn’t care that my lips hurt, or that a camera crew was filming. In that moment, my only thought was on this moment—this kiss—this man. In the history of reunions there has never been one so beautiful as this.

  When we pulled from our embrace and looked at each other, his lips were covered with blood—my blood.

  “You’re hurt.” He looked sad as he traced his finger along the outline of my bottom lip.

  “So are you.”

  Finally he smiled. “Let’s go to the hospital.”

  “Yes,” I responded as we got up and walked arm in arm to the ambulance, got in, and shut the door behind us.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lucas had to have four stitches in is head and had a mild concussion. The doctor wanted him to stay overnight, but we used our influence to convince him that I could take care of him just as well at home. Since both of our cars were still at the bank, we had to call a cab to drive us home.

  When we arrived in the driveway, I recognized Cody’s car.

  I gasped. “Lucas, I’ve been so wrapped up in you that I forgot about Meagan. She still thinks I’m dead.”

  “Yes, I saw her when I came out of the bank. When she embraced me she quickly realized, by my expression, that you were dead.” He winced at the memory, and I could tell that his emotions were still very raw.

  “I’m glad Cody was with her. I’m afraid I wasn’t very good at consoling her. They left right after I got into the ambulance.”

  I helped Lucas out of the cab. He held onto me tightly, not even releasing me as I reached in to pay the cab driver. I wrapped my arms around him as we slowly made our way to the back door. It was unlocked. When we entered, Meagan looked up in shock and then screamed at the sight of me.

  “Lily? Is that you?”

  “Yes, Meg, it’s me. I’m okay.”

  She jumped up and ran to me. Lucas loosened his grip on my arm so I could embrace her, but never released me fully.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay. Never do that to me again! Do you hear me?”