by Ali Vali
"Nothing would make me happier than that. I was going to ask, but it seemed terribly old fashioned. The thought of people knowing we are permanently partnered is thrilling to me young lady. Now maybe my residents will stop giving you the eye," said Harry before placing another soft kiss on Desi’s lips.
"It doesn’t matter if any one else is giving me the eye Dr. Basantes, I only have eyes for you," said Desi leaning in for another kiss.
Harry walked her back to the car once they had gotten dressed and repacked the basket. Before she turned back toward the gate to get her car, which was parked on the street, Harry gave Desi a rose along with another kiss. The romantic afternoons happened often, but were always spontaneous. That alone told Desi that her gallant surgeon put some thought into the time they spent together.
"Desiree Basantes, you can’t have meant that last statement. I wouldn’t have picked anyone else but you. Byron was a mistake that wasn’t your fault. I swear sometimes I wish Clyde were still alive so I could beat the shit out of him. What kind of father pushes his child into that kind of abusive relationship?" Harry hated when Desi beat herself up over the past, one that she had been forced into by emotional blackmail.
"Still my champion even after all this my love?" asked Desi as she snuggled closer to Harry. "I’m sure our child will experience some better parenting than I got."
"For as long as you want me, I’ll fight for you baby." Harry pulled Desi as close as the blonde’s bulging midsection would allow. "How’s my little guy doing in there?"
"It could be a little girl you know. We are doing just fine worrywart. Us in the Basantes family are made of tough stuff." Desi pushed off of Harry’s body to lie on her back then pulled Harry down over her. In times of stress this was where Desi found her comfort. In Harry’s soft lips and equally gentle touch, Desi always found her lifeline. "We will want you forever honey."
The next morning Maria winced at the sound of Harry’s hand hitting the bag swinging in front of her. Whenever Harry went after a workout like this, there was a face she was imagining on the punching bag. The tall body bouncing on tiptoes as it delivered blow after blow was glistening with sweat and every muscle was showing in vivid detail. Maria had to admit that Harry was quite a beautiful specimen to behold. So much like Raul it’s scary sometimes, thought the older woman. Her husband was out in the pool doing his morning laps despite the dropping temperatures. Raul was into his sixties, but like his daughter, still looked good.
"What are you going to do Harry?" The litany of punches paused for a moment when Harry realized she wasn’t alone, but continued just as quickly.
"I didn’t think I needed to do anything just yet. Unless you think I should put on some hip boots and join the search party maybe?" Harry delivered a triple combination to the bag that made the walls rattle.
"Harry, don’t get smart with me. I want what’s best for you and Desi, so I think we should head to Florida until this is all resolved." Maria crossed her arms and threw her weight onto one foot waiting for the protest that was coming. Harry hadn’t just inherited the Basantes’s signature looks, but their obstinate nature as well.
"No." It was a simple enough answer, one that told Maria, Harry would not be drawn into this conversation, or argument, depending on how you looked at it.
"Harry, you know this is the best solution to keep Desi safe. There is no telling what these people will do if they make it into the city. They blame both of you for what happened to them, so why not take the easy way out?" Maria walked up to her tall daughter and pushed back some of the sweat slicked hair. Looking at Harry now, like this, Maria could see why Byron’s jaw had been wired shut for ten weeks.
"Bastar Mami, aqui vivimos y aqui los vamos a quedar," said Harry. Enough Mami, here is where we live and here is where we will stay.
"Yo se mi amor, per piensa en tu familia. Piensa de tu mujer y tu hijo," answered Maria. I know my love, but think of you family. Think of your wife and your child.
"Maria, leave Harry alone, she has enough to concern her now without our interference," said Raul from the doorway. In her father’s eyes, Harry was capable of anything once she set her mind to it. The man with the compassionate blue eyes walked into the workout room and embraced his daughter. "I’m sure she won’t let anything happen to our grandbaby or to Desi. Isn’t that right Harry?"
"That’s right Papi. Ma, don’t get mad. I thought about your idea, and I won’t do that to Desi. She’s too far along to fly, and a drive that far would be beyond cruel." Harry leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek as she stripped her gloves off.
"A drive how far?" asked Desi when she joined the group. She soaked up the warm hugs that were instantly given by Harry’s parents, saving the sweaty Basantes for last.
"Fort Lauderdale," answered Harry. She kissed the crown of Desi’s head and enjoyed the small flutters coming from the baby.
"I know you both mean well, but I won’t let Byron drive me out of our home. I’m through being afraid, besides the Spanish raging bull here pulverized him the last time they met." The chest Desi was leaning on puffed up a little making her want to laugh. The big mush ball really was easy to please. "Come on honey, you can help me wash this big body of mine, not to mention you could use a good rub down yourself." Harry blushed scarlet, making the three other people in the room laugh.
"It’s not funny."
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"This is not funny at all guys. I say we turn back and just accept whatever they want to dish out at us. Whatever the consequences are they have to be better than this," said Mike. The man beside him was bleeding profusely from the large gash in his leg. Their walk through the swamp the night before had been too tempting for the local wildlife, and one of the larger alligators had taken a bite out of the crack dealer that had escaped with them. The blood loss had weakened Chuck to the point they had had to stop. At sunrise they found the only little bit of land available, and surprisingly their surroundings looked even scarier in the light of day. During the day you could see the ripple in the water as the snakes swam lazily by, and the dark bumps that topped the bodies of the gators. The cold weather had thinned the reptilian population considerably, but there was still enough to have all their hair standing on end.
"Shut the fuck up little brother, we ain’t going nowhere. You always were a bit of a pussy, and don’t think I’m going to forget anytime soon that you testified against me. We are going to push on, but Chucky here stays. We are going to have enough problems getting out of here, without having to carry his ass too," said Byron. He glared at his brother as he pulled leaches off his legs. The buzz of the mosquitoes around them was about to drive Byron mad, but he had bigger problems as he looked in his briefs and found more of the black slimy things that had attached themselves to more than just his legs. "Fucking great," said Byron as he started pulling them off in the sensitive areas of his body. The warmer the sun grew, the more things around them came to life.
"Both of you shut the fuck up. We have to keep moving while the sun is up. I sure as hell don’t want to spend another night crawling around out here," said Byron Sr. from the water’s edge. His time behind Angola’s walls had been spent cursing his wife. He knew she wasn’t dead, but she would be when he was done with her for putting him in a cage with these animals. "Monique, I’m coming for you baby."
"She’s dead you crazy shit, let it go." Byron shook his head; the old man had lost it in the ten by eight space he spent most of his time in. Mike had it easier with his job in the prison library, but the younger Byron was sent out every day to work in the fields. Angola was known around the state as ‘The Farm’ and Byron had gotten a good taste as to why on his arrival. The prison was completely self reliant when it came to food, and raised money for the inmates expenses by selling cotton and whatever surplus was left.
"She ain’t dead boy. Now let’s get going." Byron Sr. waded out into the water expecting everyone else to
follow.
"Listen old man, you may order these two sweet boys around, but watch you tone with me," said Tyrell. The six foot four African American looked like a walking wall of muscle. Convicted of a murder he readily admitted to, Tyrell was serving a forty-year sentence. He would stick with the group until they reached the road and then leave them to fend for themselves. He still had friends in the Treme neighborhood who would come and get him, and help him get on with his life. The man he had killed had beaten his sister until he had broken her back. Tyrell knew his sister Diana felt bad for the outcome, but he wouldn’t change what he had done given the opportunity. The sucker had died by the same fate he liked to inflict on women.
The other two in the group were drug dealers who jumped at the chance to run. The law handed down life sentences for certain amounts of drugs you were caught with, and Roland and Gazette had been two ounces over the limit. What had started as a quick money scheme, had turned into a hellish existence. "Well come on if we’re going. The sooner I get away from you freaks the better," said Roland. He was a smallish man that had not done well in the prison environment. People the size of Tyrell had used him as a play toy for the past three years and he was sick of it. Even if he died out here it was better than going back to the farm.
The group of six set out leaving the wounded Chuck behind on the small mud island. Through dark brown eyes, Chuck could see the large black snake sunning itself on the branch above his head. Growing up with an innate fear of them, he didn’t have the strength to move much less be afraid. Beyond the cypress trees, the sky was a brilliant blue with no clouds giving Chuck some small comfort that it would be his last sight. He closed his eyes and whispered a childhood prayer his mother had taught him hoping the prison authorities weren’t too far behind them. He blinked his eyes open momentarily and curled his lips into a faint smile when he heard the terrified "Ahh" coming from the direction the six men had headed.
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* * *
All It Took Was You
by
Ali Vali
Please see part 1 for disclaimers.
Part 2
"Ahh! You aren’t wearing that to dinner are you?" Tony asked with his hands covering his chest from the small sofa in the master suite. Harry had been ordered down stairs after an appropriate outfit had been found for her, leaving Tony behind to help Desi get ready. Desi held up the outfit laughing at Tony’s dramatic display, making Harry’s threat pop into her head. She loved it when Harry was overprotective of her, and the look on Tony’s face when Harry had called him a fruitcake had been priceless. Tony had been given strict orders not to let her pick up anything that weighed more than an egg, and she wasn’t allowed to stoop for anything.
"You are so mean," said Desi sticking her tongue out at him. Harry’s parents were treating them all to dinner at one of the French Quarter Restaurants that night. After a vigorous shower, she and Harry had taken a nap for most of the afternoon. It was nice to not have any medical emergencies take Harry away for the weekend since she had talked one of the other doctors into taking her calls.
"And you love it, but believe me girl, Harry would not love you in that. Makes you look fat." Tony pointed his finger at the dress in her hand while shaking his head.
"Tony unless you’ve missed it, I am fat. As in, I’ve gained forty pounds in eight months." Desi waved her other hand along her midsection to make her point. "It’s a wonder Harry still sleeps in the same bed with me."
"No, that’s pregnant, not fat. And you know that tall, dark and rude is crazy about you. My little love bug tells me she goes around the hospital talking about you and that baby adnauseam. You’ve turned our prickly pear into a veritable chatterbox I tell you. Now go get that green number we picked up a couple of weeks ago and I’ll zip you up. And for God’s sakes, don’t bend down to get the shoes. I’m sure Kenneth would find some benefit to me having no teeth, but it would ruin my look." Tony wiggled his blonde eyebrows at her when she arched one of her own at the last comment he had made. "Oh like you don’t know what I’m talking about Mrs. Basantes."
"You will not be allowed around my child at this rate pumpkin, and I thought you called Kenneth, ‘Sugar Pants’?" Desi asked as she stepped into the large closet and stripped off her robe.
"Where did you hear that name?" demanded Tony. Since she was in the closet, Desi missed him stomping his foot for emphasis. These verbal sparring matches with Desi were the highlight of his day. They were planning to open a gallery together as soon as Desi was able, they just hadn’t told their partners yet.
"From me, sweet tooth. Go share your company with the others and I’ll take over the zipping duties from you." Harry held the dress for Desi to step into as Tony left the room grumbling. As soon as he closed the door, Harry dropped the dress and swept Desi into her arms. Their alone time had been somewhat diminished with all the guests they had been having, so Harry liked to sneak some in whenever she could. "How’s my little mommy doing?"
"Hungry, but that’s not unusual. What are you doing up here?" Desi tugged on Harry’s belt to make her step closer. "How about you kiss me first, then answer." After they broke off for lack of air, Desi ran her nail along the crisp cotton of Harry’s shirt trying to ignore the voice that was screaming at her to go back to bed. "You know Harry, you have a way of turning me on even in this state."
"What, with my hand in your panties? I thought that’s how I usually did it?" teased Harry. She wiggled her fingers to drive her point home.
"Stop it. I’m already regretting we have to go out after that kiss, don’t make it worse." Desi reached around and pinched Harry’s bottom. The fingers between her legs weren’t stopping, and she wasn’t moving away. "You could send me into labor."
"I’m dying to meet the little guy anyway, so think of something better than that." Harry walked them backward toward the sofa Tony had been occupying earlier. Easing Desi down, Harry dropped to her knees in front of her.
"Promise you won’t mess up my makeup?"
"I promise my mouth will go nowhere near your makeup baby," Harry swore. For the next twenty minutes their guests downstairs welcomed all the new arrivals, glad the girls were enjoying some time alone.
"Harry Basantes are you in there bothering that girl again? I swear to you that I’m going to start putting saltpeter in your coffee in the morning. Now get your curly hard head out here and go talk to your guests, and let Desi finished getting dressed," bellowed Mona from the hall. She knew better than to just walk in. These two went at it so much that the Lord Almighty could walk in on them and be told to wait a moment.
"I was helping the woman I love into her dress old woman, so leave me alone. Desi will vouch for me I’m sure." Harry opened the door and tried to look innocent.
"Yeah? Then why you wearing a different shirt than when you came up here?" asked Mona with her arms crossed over her chest tapping her foot.
"My shirt got wrinkled while I was helping with the dress, besides it didn’t match with what Desi has on," Harry shot back tapping her own foot. "Doesn’t she look beautiful?"
Harry pointed in Desi’s direction, in an attempt to change the subject.
"She always looks beautiful smarty pants. Though why the girl wants to bring another one of you into this world is beyond me?" teased Mona.
"That one’s easy Mona, it’s because I think she’s perfect." Desi was caught off guard when Harry swept her up into her arms and carried her down the stairs. She was giving her taxi service a thank you kiss when the doorbell rang. "Who are we missing?" asked Desi.
"Just Rach, Serena and their little man." Harry put Desi down but kept her arms around her when they reached the bottom of the steps.
Mona moved to open the door expecting to find the perpetually late Serena and Rachel. The moment she cracked the door, four-year-old Butch came racing through it straight to Harry and Desi.
"Hey Uncle Harry, guess what?"
"What’s up little buddy?" Har
ry let go of Desi momentarily to pick the little dynamo up and hug him. He was a little unsure of their feelings now that Harry and Desi were going to have a baby, so Harry had been lavishing more attention than usual on him. In his four years, Butch had enjoyed Harry’s full attention, so she wanted him to not feel any less important with the addition of another baby.
"We’re coming to eat with you, but you gotta talk to the new lady first." The little blonde kissed Harry then leaned over and greeted Desi. He had come to love Desi as much as he did Harry since Desi would spend a lot of time with the little boy she had come to regard as a nephew in the back studio whenever he come to visit. Together they had created some of the artwork that hung in both Harry and Serena’s offices.
"New lady?" asked Harry.
"Yeah sweetie, we ran into her coming up the walk, so we gave her an escort to the door. I just thought she was a friend of your mom and dad." Serena stepped aside to reveal a mature but attractive petite blonde woman dressed in an elegant outfit. When Maria shook her head in the negative, Harry stepped forward putting herself between Desi and this stranger at their door, and her father moved next to Desi. With everything going on, they weren’t taking any chances with anyone they didn’t know.
"I’m sorry to interrupt, but does Desiree Thompson live here?" The strap of the woman’s leather purse was twisted in her hand as she scanned the faces in the room.
"Who wants to know?" asked Harry staring the woman down.
"Her mother," was the quiet reply. Harry was about to tell the woman to get out for playing such a sick joke when she heard her father shout to her.
"Harry come quick!" When Harry turned around Desi was slumped against Raul. Wanting to get as much distance between this loon at her door and Desi, Harry picked up the limp form and carried her back up the stairs.
"Mona, my bag darlin’," was the only orders Harry issued as she moved quickly to their bedroom. Raul and Mona followed right behind, a black leather medical bag in the maid’s hand. Kenneth wanted to go and help but decided to stay behind to provide backup for Maria and the others if needed.
