by Lucy Rinaldi
“Maya, what you did cannot be fixed, you know this.”
“It can. I made a mistake, Greg!” Tears are falling from her eyes and down her cosmetically enhanced cheeks. “I love you!”
“Love me? You don't love me, Maya. If you loved me, you wouldn't have cheated on me with the same guy our entire marriage and even before that.” My voice is calm, there's no need for me to get angry, I've moved on from this.
My mother's mouth is hanging open. I never revealed this to anyone. My brother is the only one who knows the whole truth. I couldn't bring myself to tell my mother, it would have hurt her too much. So I'm guessing this next piece of information is going to come as a massive shock to everyone.
“You passed his son off as mine for three damn years!”
Almost everyone yells at the same time, “What?!”
Whenever anyone asked why I hadn't seen Dean since Kory dragged me here, I told them that Maya wouldn't allow it, that I was sorting myself out then I'd seek access. Now they know the truth.
“He is yours! I lied!” Maya yells, screams even while pointing the gun at my chest. If she's going to shoot me, then she'll shoot me, but I won't make it easy for her. She's a lot of things, but I don't think she has murder in her.
“You're lying now, Maya.“
“I'm not.” She's shaking her head like a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “He made me do it, Greg. He made me let him fake DNA and say Dean was his. But it's too hard. I can't do this anymore, Dean looks too much like you. Even he can't deny it anymore. He doesn't even want Dean around because he looks like you.”
I scrub my hands over my face, ignoring those who are throwing in what they think of Maya and what she's done. How the hell am I supposed to believe what she's saying after everything she's done to me, after how many lies she's told in the past?
“I was weak, Greg. He made me feel special. He always did. I was wrong when I thought I'd be happy with him. I'm not happy, Dean's not happy. God, I'm sorry. But Dean misses you. He misses his daddy. He still asks for you. He still asks when he can go home to his daddy.”
That hurts like you wouldn't believe. But I don't believe her. She made sure that little boy knew I wasn't his father, he was even calling me Greg in the days before she upped and left. She'd been getting him to call his real father as such for months before she left me.
I wouldn't even have known anything if it hadn't been for that little boy.
We were sat eating dinner one night, me the idiot oblivious to what she'd been up to, little Dean looked at his mother and asked when he'd be seeing his real daddy again.
My eyes narrowed as I asked her, “What the hell is he talking about?”
She sighed, looked at me, arms folded around her body, and told me, “I can't carry on like this, Greg. It's time you knew the truth, even if I did want to wait a while longer until everything was sorted. Dean isn't your son. I've been sleeping with someone else since before we even got together.”
I sat in shock as I listened to her. I was in literal shock not knowing what to say to her.
“I thought he'd left me for someone else, that's why I was in the bar that night, that's why I slept with you, that's why I told you the baby was yours, even though I was already pregnant. He found out about you and me and he left. Went to Paris with his job. I married you because I wanted a father for my son.
“We've had a good run, Greg. You've treated us like gold. But the truth is, a few months ago, Dean's real father came back and I told him everything. We took DNA tests, they were positive. He applied to have Dean's birth certificate change so he could be named as his father. The judge awarded this yesterday. Dean and I are leaving, Greg. We're going to be with Dean's real father.”
I said nothing. I was too shocked. Didn't even say anything when she picked Dean up and left. She'd already packed her bags without my knowledge. She simply took them with her and never looked back.
Wasn't until the next day that I came out of shock. I called Kory and asked him to check everything she'd said. I wanted to make sure she wasn't lying to me about Dean.
She wasn't.
Kory called me a few hours later after he'd done his digging and told me that she really had taken those tests, really had applied to the courts to have me removed from the birth certificate and have this other guy added as the father.
Kory set about sorting the divorce right away, took a good while but I was finally granted it. The judge felt under the circumstances it was wise.
Maya destroyed me the day she told me what she'd done, and I spent months mourning that little boy. I will not let her use him to get at me now. I won't fall for her lies, I won't be sucked in, even though I wish with all my heart that she was telling the truth, I know she isn't.
“He doesn't even know me anymore, Maya. You saw to that. I mourned the loss of my son. I've put to rest that he was never mine, and I won't let you guilt me into something I don't want. You chose to lie to me, to leave me. I've moved on...”
“To that fat thing, I saw you with?” The look of disgust on her face has me grinding my teeth. Dani is the most beautiful, perfect woman I have ever known. She's not fat, she's what my sisters call, “Thick.” She's perfect, everything I ever wanted. “You have to be kidding me!”
“She is everything you will never be!” Now I am yelling. I won't have this crazy bitch saying anything about Dani!
“You don't need her, Greg, you have me. Come home with me. We can pretend none of this happened. We can...”
“No!” She jumps, shocked. I'm not the kind of man who yells at women, but this one is insane if she thinks I'll take her back after everything she's done. “Go back to your son, take care of him, but don't come looking for me again. It's over, Maya. There is no going back.”
Tears fall from her eyes, and I'd feel sorry for her if I didn't know it was all an act. Just her way to get everyone here on her side. This woman has no conscience, she doesn't care who she hurts to get what she wants. It took me too damn long to realize that.
“Maya,” My father speaks softly to her, but her eyes don't leave mine. “Give me the gun. You don't want to do this, Dean needs you. If you pull that trigger, if you shoot my son, I will prosecute you with the full strength of the law. I will see you in prison for many years to come. Who then will Dean have?”
She turns to look at him. “I just wanted him to come home.”
“That isn't possible, Maya, not after what you did. Hand me the gun and all this will go away. You can go home to your son.”
“I will not leave here without my husband!” The gun is on me again. I'd be a liar if I said my stomach hasn't sunk to my feet. I think she might just shoot me. “If I can't have him, no one will!”
In slow motion, I see her finger twitch, my father, Freddy, Kory, Enzo all rushing toward her. But it's too late, the bullet has left the gun, my mother is screaming, and I watch and wait for it to hit me.
I close my eyes, I should move but it all happens too fast, I have no chance. I feel something, someone fall back against me. My eyes shoot open as my arms grab the person falling... Dani! Where the hell did she come from?!
“Dani! Oh, my god!” I lay her down, searching for where she's been hit. She took a fucking bullet for me!
“Dani, keep your eyes open!” Enzo. He already has his hands pressed against Dani's left side while his wife checks her vitals. “Don't close your eyes. Talk to her, Greg!”
I swallow hard and stroke her face with my free hand as I hold her as best I can. “Why did you do this, you silly girl? Why didn't you just wait until I came to find you?”
She smiles at me while blinking. God, she's so pale. “I came... to find you... Thought about... it... knew you had your... reasons not to say... same as I have mine.” She closes her heavy eyes.
“Don't close your eyes, baby. Keep looking at me.”
“That's it, Greg, keep her talking.” Paige smiles encouragingly.
“I'm cold.” She's shak
ing, blood is spurting out of her mouth as she makes a choking sound. I'm panicking.
“What the fuck is happening?!”
“She's bleeding out and going into shock. Where the fuck is that ambulance!?” Enzo yells.
People all around are rushing, talking, crying, my dad has Maya in handcuffs, Freddy has the gun. The crazy bitch is crying, screaming.
What the fuck did I do?
Dani took a damn bullet meant for me, and now she's lying in my arms dying. There's blood all over me, all over Enzo and Paige. Dani can no longer keep her eyes open, she's so damn pale, and I know I'm losing her.
“Don't leave me, baby, I only just found you. God, don't leave me.”
“She's not going anywhere if I have anything to do with it.”
“Enzo? What we got here? Oh, god, Dani.” A huge bear of a guy mutters in shock while sliding a mask over Dani's face. Of course, he'd know her, they work together.
“Jeff, thank god. Gunshot wound to the upper left side. The bullet is lodged, lung is deflating slowly, heart rate shallow. We need to get her to the hospital right now.”
“JC, hurry up with that gurney!”
She's taken from me, hooked up to machines, strapped to a bed, rushed to the ambulance, and I'm in more shock than I ever have been in my life.
Someone grabs me from behind and drags me to my feet, then to a car. I'm not sure who because I can't seem to bring myself out of shock.
My ex-wife shot the woman I love, the woman who has brought me to life, the woman who saved me.
She's can't die.
I won't let her leave me.
I need her.
I don't give a damn how weak that makes me sound, I need her more than I have ever needed anyone in my life.
No one will ever understand how she makes me feel, how alive I feel when I'm around her. Just being near her is like breathing in the freshest air known to man. It's like walking a tightrope between two skyscrapers and not falling off. It's the adrenaline rush you get from jumping out of an airplane. The thrill of a bungee jump. She is everything to me.
She cannot leave me.
Greg
Dani has been in surgery for hours. No one has told me anything. Not one person has been in this room to tell me how she's doing.
My dad arrived about a half hour ago. He'd just finished interviewing and charging Maya. I'm not fully sure what with, I wasn't really listening. But I assume it's bad. She'll be going to prison for this for a long time. She shot and could have killed Dani.
God, she could die!
I hope Maya gets fucking years for this!
What's going to happen to Dean?
Yeah, he's got his real father, but can that man really take care of Dean the way he deserves?
It's not my business. I can't go poking my nose where it's not wanted. I don't even know the guy's name, I never wanted to know, but he'll take care of Dean. He'll make sure that little boy is taken care of, happy and safe. I don't know how long he'll be without his mother, but I know he'll be all right.
“Here, I got you some coffee.” I take it from my brother's hand without looking at him.
The room is full of people. I'm not totally sure who all is here. I know Enzo had to go to work, he can't get out of it, so he left. My parents are here, my brother, Callie, and Roya, three out of the four of my brothers-in-law. Freddy is back at the station working.
I scrub the back of my neck with my free hand. I've gone through everything in my head over and over again. Why would Maya have a gun? Why would she think we could get back together after everything?
She was always a little unhinged, always a little hyper, but I never thought for a second Maya could do something like this. I didn't even know she knew where to get a gun from. I sure never had one. What the hell would I need one for?
I can't help thinking that whoever the guy is she left me for has been filling her head with crap. What crap? I have no idea. I don't even want to think about it right now, there are more important things for me to worry about. Dani.
“Greg? Why don't you come with us to the cafeteria? You need to eat something.”
“I'm not hungry, Mom. I don't want to go anywhere until they tell me how Dani is.”
“You're no good to her if you pass out.”
I roll my eyes and get to my feet. I don't want to be angry with anyone, but I'm so worried right now that I can't think straight.
“Fine. We'll grab you something and bring it back.” I simply nod at her without looking at her. As long as I don't have to leave this room, she can do what she wants.
“Mr. Harper?”
“That's me.” I shoot out of my seat the second the doctor opens the door and calls my name.
“Danika's partner?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Well, Danika made it through surgery.” I let go of the breath I was holding inside of me, the pressure in my head eases a little. She made it. “Now, the bullet lodged in Danika's rib cage, breaking two in the process. Her lung collapsed, and she was slowly drowning in her own blood.”
Jesus Christ!
“She lost a lot of blood, but we gave her a transfusion. Everything went well and we're convinced she'll make a full recovery.”
Everyone is talking behind me, happy that Dani is going to be okay, and I close my eyes in relief. She's going to be okay.
“She's going to need some therapy and rehabilitation, her ribs were badly damaged from the impact of the bullet. It's going to take a few weeks for her to be back to full health. She's going to need someone there to take care of her when we release her.”
“When will that be?”
“At least a week, Mr. Harper.”
“I'll be there to take care of her.” I'll move into her damn house if I have to, but I'm not leaving her alone. “When can I see her?”
My brother squeezes my shoulder, letting me know that he's right by my side.
“I'll take you through now. But only you. I'd rather she didn't have many visitors over the next twenty-four hours, she needs her rest.”
I nod.
Turning to my family and friends, I tell them, “Thank you for being here. Thank you all for everything you've done, it means a lot. But I have to go see her, I need to see for myself that she's okay.”
“You're in love, aren't you?”
There has never been a question so easy to answer in my life. “Yes, Mom. I am.”
She smiles happily.
It's only been a couple months I've known Dani, but that girl has changed my life in ways I didn't know were possible. She makes me see the beauty in things, the fun that life can bring, simply by walking through the woods or skimming stones across the lake, swinging from the old tire swing that hangs from the oak tree in Cutters Ridge.
The way she smiles at me, light sparkling in her eyes, love even. She doesn't have to say the words for me to feel them. But I want to tell her now just how I feel about her.
And as I follow the doctor to Dani's room, I know I'm going to tell her. I'm going to tell that beautiful girl just how I feel about her.
“Now, before you go in, I must stress that Dani has to be kept calm. Try not to tire her out, and don't worry if she falls in and out of sleep, it's perfectly normal.”
I nod my head. I understand, I just want to get in there and see her. He opens the door, I walk in. The air leaves my lungs the second I look at her face. She's white as a sheet, machines beeping, wires coming out of her all over the place.
I smack my hand over my mouth to ward of the sob stuck in my throat. Tears clog my eyes. This isn't real. God, how can this have happened to her? It's all my fault. Maya did this to Dani because of me. Dani may have thrown herself in front of me, to protect me, but look where it led her.
I'm no good for her. I know that now. And I love her enough to know it's time to walk away.
Maya may be locked up right now, she may well go to prison, but there could be other things that come along and threaten to destroy w
hat Dani and I have. I may have been back at work just a few weeks, I may have moved home permanently, but it doesn't mean I won't be hired for a big case that could take me away from here for months on end. A case that could see me with death threats as my brother once received, causing him to hide his then six-year-long marriage to Aimee.
I'm not that strong or selfish. I couldn't do that to Dani, I'm man enough to let this beautiful woman move on and have a life away from me.
I know that it's doubtful there will ever be a threat of that magnitude against me or my family. Kory took on the wrong case, the kind of case I never have or will. It doesn't alter the fact I feel like hell because of this.
I should have told her about Maya, I should have told her about Dean. Fuck, I didn't even tell her I'm home now permanently! I wanted to surprise her with dinner and tell her that she had nothing to worry about, she'd be seeing me every damn day because I'd be working at my brother's offices here in town.
But it's all ruined now. I can't risk putting her through more of my shit. I can't risk hurting her any more than she's already been hurt. She'll move on from me, I won't be around and risk her bumping into me. I think that would just hurt both of us. I'll go back to Seattle. She'll get on with her life just the way I want her to. She deserves to be happy, she won't be happy with me. I know that now.
I take her limp hand in mine and bring it to my lips while stroking her hair back from her forehead. “I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry.” This time I can't stop the tears. I cry as I sink into the chair below me, Dani's hand against my forehead.
I don't know how long I sit here, but it's getting dark out. It's time I was going. It's time I walked away for good.
I kiss her head and tell her, “You're going to be okay, beautiful. Take care.” I love you. I turn and walk away, not once looking back.
Dani
I blink against the light in my room. I was sure when I woke up today this would all be a dream.
It's been four days since Greg's ex-wife shot me.
