by Ali Vali
"You fucking, conniving bitch." He started there and worked his way through everything he thought was wrong with her. Unlike the other times she had angered him, Desi didn’t have the protection of clothing, and he railed against naked skin.
Rachel had found her two hours later dazed and bleeding and had driven her to the hospital. For what seemed to be the hundredth time, her sister refused to press charges scared that it would only make their situation worse. The one that had started out to be the protector now counted on her younger sister to take care of her.
Byron had given her a grace period of three months to recover from her lesson before he tried to initiate any intimacies between them again. A week after that, he had broken her leg with a baseball bat, and the pills that had made him so mad had become a permanent part of her of her past, just like Bryon.
The sight of Desi’s battered face was still fresh in Mike’s mind, and now Desi had given Harry the one thing she had solidly refused his brother. A child. Not only a child, but a son to carry on this woman’s name. He looked at the picture again reflecting on how much the baby looked like the woman he had seen at Desi’s side during the trials. That was the one thing Bryon had wanted more than anything, a little boy that he could show off to his friends and mold to be like him.
"I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think now more than ever that we need to leave here. She made her choice Byron, and it wasn’t you. Desi has a life now with this doctor, enough of one that they had a baby. Who knows, maybe it was this Dr. Basantes that had the kid because it sure looks like her in coloring." Mike stared at the picture in his hand. The thought of having a family and someone to share his life seemed like something so remote and foreign because of the mess he was in, it depressed him.
"Does that bull dyke look like someone that would get pregnant to you Michael?" Byron didn’t raise his voice and he didn’t turn to face his brother.
Great, this is all I need. Mike tried to reach Byron even though it was futile. Once the rage took over he was a lot like their father. "Why don’t you grab a shower and I’ll try and find us something to eat. Go on it will make you feel better. After you get some rest things will look better in the morning."
************************************************************************
"If you say so honey, but that looks like one big branch and one big hole in our roof." Desi looked at the damage from behind Harry using the big body to block the cold wind coming through the damaged section of the roofline.
"Baby if it can be fixed by money, then there is nothing to worry about. If that branch had fallen on one of us, then we would have problems. The only thing that won’t be salvageable will be our Christmas decorations I’m afraid. The house needed a new roof anyway, this will only speed up our timeline. Let’s go down and move my parents into another room. If this rain keeps up it’s bound to start leaking through their ceiling before too long." They all moved down the stairs and into the master bedroom where Maria had gone with Jack when it started to get cold in the hall.
Harry helped her father move he and her mother’s possessions into the last empty bedroom while the rest of the household went down to finish dinner. Jack had been fed and was taking a nap in his carrier oblivious to the two women looking at him.
"He looks so much like Harry did when she was a baby. I brought her home from the hospital and wondered if there was something wrong since she didn’t cry and carry on like Raul had done. Harry and her brother both have their father’s coloring and looks, but they couldn’t be more different if I had set out to accomplish just that. Looking at this little guy it seems almost impossible that he doesn’t belong to her. Not even Raul’s children look this much like the Basantes clan. They have the dark hair and the eyes yes, but their looks favor their mother more. Jackson will be the spitting image of Harry." Maria ran her finger along the dark hair softy so as not to wake him. The child she spoke of seemed to have achieved such happiness and a sense of peace in the last year, that it made Maria happy in return. Amazing that all it took was one small blonde to bring back the Harry I remember.
"You don’t know how much I prayed for that Maria. Harry is the kind of person you want more of in the world. I was just happy to do my part in making it happen. I promise to do everything I can to make her happy, I hope you know that."
"I know Desi, you don’t have to try to hard. Harry loves you and will move the heavens to make you and this baby happy, of that I have no doubt. It is time I think, for you to forget the past and live like Harry does for the future. A mother knows her child. I look into those blue eyes now and I see nothing but peace, you have given her that and so much more. Now, my wish is to look into yours and see the same thing. I can’t pretend to know what you went through sweetheart, but now you have a family that loves you, a son that needs you and a woman that worships you. Think of that, and let it finally heal you." Maria moved her caress from the baby to Harry’s partner.
Desi was happy the older woman knew even after all that she had suffered, but there were times when Maria looked at Desi and saw that haunted pained look that broke her heart. With a gentle hand she wiped away the tears that had fallen down the smooth cheeks, and was glad that everyone had given them the privacy to have this talk.
"Thank you Maria." Desi had wondered if Harry’s parents would truly accept her, this put her fears to rest.
"No my dear, thank you. In about twenty-five years or more you will understand why it is so important to have a good person steal the heart of your child. Jackson will always love you, but one day he will not need you. That will fall to the person that he loves. Harry needs you Desi, more than anyone or anything else in her life. My comfort now comes in knowing it is you she can turn to. You are a strong and special woman Desiree Basantes, remember that when you think there are things in this world that might hurt you. That is what stole Harry’s heart when she was barely seven." Maria smiled through her own tears and welcomed the embrace Desi wrapped her in. She was a little angry with herself for waiting so long to have this talk with her daughter-in-law, and that was who she regarded Desi as now.
"It means so much to me that you think that. I doubt myself sometimes, you know? I wonder if I can make Harry really happy, if I’ll be a good mother and it scares me to think what will happen if Byron ever comes back." Desi stopped talking when she felt the two strong arms wrap around her and the kiss that was softly placed on her neck.
"If he comes back, I promise nothing will happen to you or to Jack my love. Not as long as I have breath will anything bad ever happen to you because of Byron." Desi turned and faced Harry intent to make her promise not to put herself in harms way because of her, when Harry put her fingers to her lips. "Nothing will happen to you I promise, and I have too much to live for to take stupid chances. I love you, and we will face whatever life throws at us together. Broken tree branches, escaped convicts and dirty diapers are no match for us baby. I’m looking forward to spending years with you Mrs. Basantes, you have to know that I adore you."
"I love you too, and you’re right. There is nothing we can’t beat if we do it together."
* * *
All It Took Was You
by
Ali Vali
Part 7
"I mean it Steven, I want you here by eight at the latest. I have a new baby and a wife that are upset because there is a big fricking hole in my roof. If not, the next time you fall off of one, don’t call me." Harry had waited as long as she was willing to call the contractor who had done most of the remodeling and repairs on the house when she had bought it. Over the years she had come to trust him after meeting him on the operating table more than once after on-the-job accidents. He was so appreciative of her services, his crew had finished in record time and on budget.
"Come on Harry, I have a million things going on in the city and this weather isn’t going to help any." Stephan paused, "Wait a minute, what baby?"
"Desi gave birth a little early, so you do
n’t want my boy shivering in the house do you? Eight o’clock Steve, I mean it." Harry took Jack from Desi and burped him while Desi buttoned her pajama top back up. They had made fires in all the rooms the night before and prayed for the rain to stop. The night had passed with them all staying fairly warm, but the rain had not cooperated and was still falling in sheets.
"All right doc, I’ll pull some guys and we’ll be over there before the rest of your roof caves in. The way my luck is running lately, I’ll break my leg by this afternoon and need you to put me back together. If that’s the case, I want it done right." Steven hung up already thinking of who he could send to St. Charles to work on Harry’s roof. He picked up his truck keys and his cell phone planning to make the calls on his way to the job site.
"Is he coming?" asked Desi. Harry had been on the phone rearranging her schedule all morning so that she could be there when the work crew arrived. With everything else going on, Harry didn’t want her to have to deal with putting the house back together alone.
"Yeah, he’ll be here in ten minutes if I know him. Once we get him here, the secret is to keep him here. Steven is a good guy but a little unfocused. If this was the building of something like bookshelves, I could see him taking weeks but I want this done by today if he can do it."
"Honey that’s one big hole." Desi took the baby back so that Harry could get dressed. Her partner had a way of doing the impossible and expected everyone else to do the same.
"I just want the hole patched today baby. He can take his time with the rest of it if he wants. Just remember that Maria and Raul will be right next door until the hole is fixed and the ceiling in their room is patched." Harry smiled at the look that crossed Desi’s face. The visiting Basantes couple had no intention of going back to Florida until the Simoneauxs were safely back behind bars, and the fact that they were only a wall away had just occurred to Desi.
"I’ll be willing to run out and get anything he needs. Not that I don’t love your parents Harry, I do honey. It’s just..." started Desi. Harry pressed two fingers to Desi’s lips as a smile creased her own lips.
"I know baby, but that still doesn’t mean that I want them right next door." Harry pointed over her shoulder to the wall of the bedroom. "I’m kind of ready to spend some time alone with you and Jackson without all this stuff to worry about."
"Really?"
"Desi, I love the fact your mother and her partner are here, and the fact that my parents wanted to come to meet Jack, but I’m ready for just us. I have you right here and I miss you, does that make sense?"
"Harry, I can honestly say that I now understand why women around this city look at me like they hate me." Harry smiled at her again and leaned down to kiss her.
"I’m thinking that we both found what we were looking for and leave it at that." The doorbell broke them apart as Harry checked her watch thinking Steven was ahead of schedule. She sat down on the bed to put her shoes on so that she could go down and meet her friend.
"Harry, are you decent?" asked Mona from outside the door. She had just checked the room that Raul and Maria had been staying in and the plaster on the ceiling was about to burst from the water it was holding. If that happened then the floor would have to be redone as well and Mona was not looking forward to a house full of sawdust.
"It depends on who you ask darlin’." Desi slapped Harry in the butt for her answer to their housekeeper. Desi was convinced Mona stayed so feisty because of Harry.
"I swear, one of these days I’m just going to walk out that door and keep on walking." Mona slapped Harry on the cheek Desi had missed and laughed at the never-ending comebacks the surgeon had.
"There is no way you could live without me. Is that Steven at the door?" asked Harry. She went to check on the ceiling in her parents’ old room when Mona grabbed her arm and kept her going down the hall. There was no reason to make a bad morning any worse just yet in Mona’s mind.
"No, it’s not Steven, it’s that detective that is working the Simoneaux case. I left him in the kitchen with your parents having coffee, so I thought I would come up and hurry the two of you along."
"You are feeling frisky today, aren’t you? My mother will know more about Roger before we get down there than he does about where Byron and his brother are." Harry took the baby and put her arm around Desi’s waist as they went down the stairs. Jack was becoming more alert by the day and seemed more so when he was in Harry’s arms. Desi looked up to see him putting a small finger into Harry’s ear while he chewed on her shoulder.
"Well it’s better than her asking me about what kind of underwear you use, now isn’t it bonehead?"
"Good move Mona." Harry laughed as she and Desi entered the kitchen. Roger Landry and another man were sitting with her parents having coffee and breakfast at the table. "Good morning everyone. Roger, what brings you out this morning?"
"Harry there’s a big hole in your roof." Roger pointed a finger up and popped a piece of bacon into his mouth.
"And here I thought you made detective because you were so good looking." Both Desi and Mona slapped Harry’s butt again as soon as her mouth clicked shut, getting her to take a step forward. "I bruise easily you know."
"How are you Roger? Please ignore Harry, she’s upset because there’s a big hole in our roof." Desi crossed the room and shook hands with the policeman who had played a big role in bringing Byron to justice the first time around.
"I’m great Desi and I don’t ever pay attention to Harry, don’t worry about it. Who is the little guy Harry is holding over there?"
"Meet my son, Jackson Harry Basantes," said Harry turning the baby around so that Roger could see him.
"What, you have a copy machine in this house somewhere?" Roger looked at the surgeon and baby together and was fascinated by the family resemblance; he knew that it had been Desi who had carried the baby.
"No, no copy machine, only the answer to a lot of prayers on my part in that he look like my favorite person." Desi smiled when Harry pulled out a chair for her to have a seat at the table next to the one she had taken. New Orleans police officers seldom dropped by just for the coffee, so Desi was waiting for the bad news.
"He’s beautiful Desi, congratulations. Let me introduce you both to my new partner Oscar Ravenwing." The tall man with midnight black hair and eyes stood and shook hands with both women before taking his seat again.
"Nice to meet you officer. Now how about you tell us what’s going on?" asked Harry. Desi pulled her chair closer to Harry and leaned back into her partner’s chest before Roger started talking.
"Well you watched the news I assume and saw what happened to the elder Simoneaux. The only thing that was missing from the whole thing is the whereabouts of his two sons. It seems Byron Sr. returned to the house alone and under some delusion that his wife Monique was still alive. The one conclusion we have come up with for sure is that, if he made it into the city then so did Byron and Mike." Harry held Jack in one arm and pulled the other tighter around Desi. It was time for this nightmare to end.
"What are you doing about trying to find him?" Harry spoke for the two of them feeling Desi growing tenser in her arms.
"We are combing the other spots where they might show up. The problem the two are going to face is that they didn’t have a close group of friends they could turn to. I am going to make sure your house is regularly patrolled, and if you want I can put you in touch with the dispatcher in charge of off duty cops that pull guard duty." Roger leaned over and took one of Desi’s hands into his before he went on. "I know what you went through honey, and I promise you he won’t get that close again."
"Thank you Roger, Harry and I appreciate what you are doing for us. It’s just that with Jack here now, it’s more important than ever for Byron not to get in here again. I just want to be left alone to live my life with Harry and our son."
"Don’t worry ma’am, Roger and I are working so that you can do just that. I owe you one Doctor Basantes. You fixed up my little brother after a
motorcycle accident a couple of years ago." Oscar broke his silence after he saw the lost look on the small blonde’s face. The doctor he remembered from the consult room at Mercy, he doubted she would remember him since his whole family had been crammed into the space when Harry had come out to tell them how his little brother made out.
"I thought your name sounded familiar. How is Jimmy doing?" Harry’s question made the detective smile at the fact she had remembered his little brother. There had been another family waiting along side of them that day for Harry to work her magic on their son as well. After so many patients he found it amazing she would remember one case from another.
"He’s great, only my mother is a little miffed that he bought another bike last month. I wanted to thank you again, my brother looked like a messed up puzzle when he came in and you put him back together just great." Desi patted Harry’s leg when the man sitting at their table got teary-eyed thinking about his younger brother.
"No need to thank me, I was just doing my job. It’s nice to see such a close family gather around the member that needs them the most." Harry was going to say more before the backdoor opened and a wet Steven walked in.
Harry looked out the windows in the kitchen and saw the troop of men setting up ladders to the roof. The dump truck was going to leave ruts in the grass but at least it was going to haul off the branch that had made a mess of their house. Desi watched as the young looking man with snow-white hair stood dripping in their kitchen with no one saying a word. It was obvious Harry knew him since she hadn’t made a move toward him, and Mona threw the man a towel and pulled down another mug from the cabinet knowing what the first thing out of his mouth was going to be.
