All it Took Was You

by Ali Vali

  "I loved it, almost as much as I love you." Desi picked Jack up and laid him on his activity blanket by the fire. He was too young to enjoy it, but the thick colorful blanket had served as his bed that afternoon as the movers set up the bedroom. When Desi was sure he wasn’t going to cry, she moved back to Harry and sat on her lap. "Want to tell me a story?"

  "What fairytale do you want to hear, little girl?" Harry pulled Desi closer and kissed her softly on the lips. Her bad mood that Byron had brought on that morning was starting to melt under Desi’s tender care.

  "I live a fairytale, honey, you don’t have to spin any tales for me. What’s got you in such a bad mood tonight?" The cut on Harry’s brow had healed nicely and all that was left was a small bump and scar that went through the brow. Desi liked to run her fingers over it to remind her of the false alarm that with time had turned out to be Jack.

  "During rounds today I took the brood over to the prison infirmary to check on Mike, and I had a talk with Byron." Harry held Desi in place when she tried to move off her lap. The one thing Harry hoped for was the resolution to all of it and soon. "I didn’t tell you that so you would blame yourself because I’m in a bad mood, I told you because I don’t want there to be secrets between us. Why do want to go?"

  "It’s embarrassing that my past keeps haunting us like this. I can only imagine what he told you today. You forget that I am familiar with Byron’s tactics on how to worm into your brain to get a rise out of a person. Hell, he perfected his technique on me." Desi was almost angry with herself because of the tears running down her face. It was time to be stronger as proof she belonged in Harry’s life.

  "Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to." Putting two fingers under Desi’s chin, Harry gently lifted her head up so that she could look directly into Desi’s eyes.

  "You know that you don’t have to preface your questions to me with that. There isn’t anything you can’t ask me, Harry."

  "If you had had a choice way back when, would you have married Byron?"

  "At the expense of breaking your heart you mean?"

  "Forget about me for a minute. If it had been your choice, free and clear, would you have married him?"

  "No, you know that. I thought you understood why I did what I did. I loved you more than anything when I was barely eighteen honey, and it wasn’t because you were my way out of that house. It’s just that I was stronger than Rachel was, and I couldn’t just leave her there. For the longest time I wanted you to just come driving up in that small car of yours and take me away from the nightmare that had become my life. Once daddy found out what my preferences were, that’s what my life became, a nightmare that you just don’t wake up from. If I had known about my mother and Bobbie it would have all made sense to me, but I didn’t, and you didn’t come back."

  "But I did come back. You weren’t the only one that didn’t understand what happened baby. It’s important to me that you know I tried. The fact that I didn’t try hard enough is plainly evident now, but I did keep coming back until I knew you had gotten married. I figured I owed you the chance to be happy if that’s what you wanted." It was Desi’s turn to lift Harry’s face so she could look into the eyes that had haunted her dreams for years. She always wondered if she would have just jumped into Harry’s car if she had shown up after getting a taste of life with just her father and Rachel.

  "He told me you did."

  "What? Who told you I came back?" Harry couldn’t believe that it had been Byron, unless he had used it to torment Desi more than he already had.

  "Daddy, he told me about that talk you two had on the swing outside the house. He told me that you were happy in school and had just come by to say hi. Later when he was working on getting me married off to Byron, he told me he had seen you at one of the restaurants where he tended bar. Clyde told me that you were with a girl and the two of you were making spectacles of yourselves in public. I guess he wanted to show me what he was saving me from. So if I had had a choice, no, honey, I would have stayed with you. Who knows, maybe we would have had a gaggle of kids by now and you would have other regrets." Desi felt the body under hers tense and stand up still holding her close. Harry walked them over to where Jack was sleeping and kneeled down putting Desi next to him.

  "How could I ever regret this?" Harry lay down with them and put a protective arm over both of them. "I didn’t ask you that question to make you think I have regrets with how my life turned out, but to show you that sometimes when you are a loving person that cares more for other people, then people take advantage of that. They strip you of the power to change the things, or people in your life that are wrong. What I want more than anything for you and our boy Jackson, is that you always hold the power to mold your life into something that you find fulfilling and happy. To share your life with only those people that are there to make it better and enrich it more than you could alone."

  "Did he upset you much?"

  "Not really. I think that fact upset him more than anything. After our little talk, my goonies went in and roughed him up a little for hurting my feeling and for talking bad about my girl. You my, little pixie, are ruining my reputation around the hospital."

  "How about if your little pixie puts you two to bed?" Desi rolled over so that she was lying on top of Harry giving her the perfect opening for a kiss.

  "That’s the best offer I’ve had all day." Harry pulled her head up and kissed Desi again, feeling her partner’s rib cage expand when she took a deep breath. It was their first official night in their house and Harry wanted to make it special.

  "If you want to counter offer, that would be ok too." Desi ran her tongue along Harry’s mouth as she made her suggestion.

  "Really, so your offer isn’t written in stone?"

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  "Taking into consideration what has happened, no I’m open to offers."

  "Any new charges against my client are off the table to begin with. I think he has proven himself to be an honorable person."

  "This is not saint Tyrell sitting next to you, Jerry, let’s be reasonable. The D.A. can live with ten, and I think it’s a good deal, considering there are two police officers still in the hospital recovering from injuries resulting from the escape." David Gauthier sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. One more year of dealing with these dirt bags and I’m out of here. It was beginning to be his mantra every time he sat down at a plea session. The District Attorney was planning on another run, but David was planning on retiring to his small bass boat in less than twelve months. There, the only decisions he would have to make would be which ones to throw back.

  "Come on, Davey, you aren’t going to pin that one on Tyrell, are you? The Simoneauxs were responsible for their own actions out of jail, Tyrell took the chance for humanitarian reasons." Jerry leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table trying to make David concede to the extra charges. It was the only way to make the reduction of the first set of charges make any sense time wise for his client.

  "I know you usually only deal with contract negotiations and civil matters, so I’ll take it easy on you. The actions of the one, impact the future of the whole list of defendants in this case. Another way to look at it is, the escape is the poisonous tree, and any fruit that sprung from that tree will be shared by all that are left alive." David leaned back further and put his feet on the table. He liked Jerry but the man was out of his element in this arena. The one thing that had kept the assistant awake for the whole proceeding was how a convicted killer, who had been incarcerated for years, could afford someone like Jerry Castle? He and his firm weren’t known for their pro bono work.

  "Does that mean you will show leniency to Byron for breaking into the Basantes home, since it was my client that kept the family safe?" David’s feet dropped to the floor as Jerry’s right brow arched upward.

  "Ah, no. Come on, Jerry, the D.A. could have asked for
another twenty. If you look at it that way, ten doesn’t sound all that bad," said David spreading his hands out.

  "We will concede to no extra time. Tyrell helped keep Desi and Harry safe from Byron. He kept Mona safe from any further injuries, and his arrival helped Desi’s sister escape with the Basantes baby." Jerry ticked off the good things Tyrell had done on his fingers. His counterpart looked fully engaged in the debate now that he realized Jerry would not be an easy rollover.

  "Mr. Lagrie helped the group navigate through the swamp getting three other inmates killed, he provided transportation back to the city and he provided the three Simoneaux family members with clothes. Seems to me if he were only interested in saving his sister, then he would have left all the others behind. I’m convinced they would have made it nowhere near New Orleans if he hadn’t helped." David did some ticking of his own leaning across the table to match Jerry’s aggressive posture.

  "I’m sure a jury will be sympathetic to the three drug dealers that perished in the swamps surrounding Angola. But that’s not what’s going to help my client out."

  "Really? Do tell, is it going to be the testimony of his sister that you think is going to set Mr. Lagrie free? Please, it didn’t work the last time and it isn’t going to now," said David.

  "How naïve do you think I am? Not Diana Lagrie, but Harry and Desi Basantes will testify on his behalf. Picture it," started Jerry putting his hands up as if framing a shot. "Dr. Basantes on the stand talking about walking into her house and Byron Simoneaux is in there threatening her partner with a big knife. The only thing keeping him from killing Desiree Basantes is my client. That’s not the best part though."

  "What would that be, no let me guess, you have a videotape of the whole thing?" asked David.

  "No, the best part is Desi sitting in the gallery holding their son Jackson."

  "God it could be a movie of the week when you describe it like that. Five years, Mr. Lagrie, that’s my final offer." David pushed away from the table and stood up. The meeting had taken longer than he had expected and he would have to skip lunch to make it to court on time.

  "We’ll take our chances in court thank you." Tyrell kept silent, like Jerry had instructed him to, though the ease in which the man was willing to take chances with his fate unnerved him a little. This was so far removed from his first experience in the criminal justice system when the court appointed defender assigned to his case had been almost afraid to question anything the prosecutor said. At least Harry is getting her money’s worth out of this guy if she’s paying by the word.

  The door of the small room slammed shut as David made his way back to his office. Jerry patted Tyrell on the hand trying to reassure him he had things under control. The situation wasn’t funny but Tyrell had observed the whole meeting like he was watching a tennis match, looking from one man to the other.

  "Tyrell, how do you feel about all this?"

  "I guess I have to trust you to do right by me. One thing I got going for me, is that you’re a much better talker than the first time around."

  "I’m glad you think so, and I’m glad you trust me. That’s important now because I want you to go back to your cell and not talk to anyone unless it’s Harry or me. Let the good doctor work her miracles on your behalf and you’ll be fine." Jerry snapped his briefcase closed and shook hands with Tyrell.

  "Do you think, I can be saved?" Tyrell asked with a laugh.

  "That’s not for me to say, but by keeping a baby and a small blonde woman from harm, you my friend have inherited a powerful guardian angel."

  "She’s powerful all right. Harry snapped that boy’s fingers and his arm like they were match sticks, but even so, I think Byron got off light. Though it will not improve his looks any with those two missing front teeth. I don’t think the prison system does great dental."

  "Is there anything I can get you?"

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  "No, I’m fine thank you."

  Yes, yes you are. "Please let me know if you do." The server walked off leaving Harry sipping a glass of water. She could see the blonde at the bar still staring at the seated woman in her station of tables. Not that she could blame her; the woman was incredibly good looking.

  "She’s hot, isn’t she?"

  "I hadn’t noticed." The blonde turned her attention to her drink sitting on the bar when the restaurant worker addressed her. She tried to hide the smile at having been caught looking, and the smirk on the waitress’s face told her how believable her answer had been.

  "Would you like a table?"

  "No thank you, I’m waiting for someone." The blonde looked toward table five again and sighed.

  "Think she’s single?" The waitress thought she had found a comrade in the woman seated at the bar and kept on talking.

  "I don’t know, is she waiting for someone?"

  "I don’t think so, but she hasn’t ordered yet. Think I can get her to give me her phone number?" She whispered the question as she wiped down the bar. They were both looking at Harry now as she squeezed a piece of lemon into the glass of water sitting in front of her.

  "Tell you what, let me try and if I strike out she’s fair game. Deal?" The blonde stuck her hand out and the waitress shook it to seal their bargain. Maybe the lunch shift won’t be so boring after all.

  The waitress stayed near the bar as the woman she had been talking to slid off the barstool, picked up her stuff and headed toward the unsuspecting Harry’s table. There’s no way, the waitress thought as the woman neared the table. She pulled out her pen and a slip of paper getting ready for her turn knowing the other woman would be back in no time.

  "Excuse me."

  "Yes, is there something I can do for you?" asked Harry.

  "Would you mind holding my stuff while I go to the bathroom?" When Harry looked skeptical, the blonde ignored it and just kept talking. "Come on, it will only take me a couple of minutes."

  Harry looked toward the waitress before answering and shot a smile her way. "Ok, if you’ll only be a couple of minutes."

  "Thanks." She handed Harry the baby and walked toward the restrooms. Along the way she winked at the waitress and never looked back, she didn’t need to, to know Harry was watching the sway of her hips. After all, how could the woman resist?

  "That was incredibly trustworthy of her," commented the waitress as she poured more water into the glass Harry had been sipping from.

  "Yeah, but he’s a cute little guy isn’t he?"

  "Adorable." If all it takes is a kid to break the ice with someone like this, I got to get me one. She moved back to the bar to see how the blonde played it next.

  "Wish me luck," was all the woman said as she walked back to retrieve her baby.

  "Yeah, sure."

  "Do you mind if I sit with you a minute?"

  "Sure, but my wife should be here any minute, so you have to get up once she gets here." Harry never looked up from the little guy she had sitting on her placemat on the table.

  "So, you’re married?"

  "Yes, ma’am, I am. She’s a beautiful woman that I’ve known since grade school."

  "Can’t be too devoted to you, if she keeps you waiting around in restaurants."

  "Just because she can’t keep track of time, doesn’t mean she isn’t devoted. I don’t mind waiting, she’s worth it."

  "What does she do, your wife I mean?"

  "She’s an artist, or should I say, an incredibly talented artist."

  "She must be very trusting, this artist of yours." The blonde leaned forward and put her elbows on the table. She smiled when Harry’s eyes strayed to her cleavage for just a split second before returning to the baby.

  "Would you like to order now?" The waitress had her pad out ready to write something down. At the moment the order wasn’t as important as breaking up the chummy conversation going on before her chances were shot.

  "No, but those people are," said Harry pointing to three tables over. "
I’m sorry, why would you think my wife is trusting? I am by the way, but what about me screams that?"

  "No ring on your finger. The fact you don’t wear one makes another interested party assume you aren’t attached." The blonde making air quotes for the word attached made Harry laugh.

  "I think it would be presumptuous of me to go out and get myself a ring."

  "She hasn’t given you one? If I were you, I’d rethink that whole devotion thing."

  "Maybe you’re right. I did give her one after all, but then again, that’s a petty way to think. That whole tit for tat mindset." Harry’s eyes betrayed her again as the woman leaned forward.

  "I’ll give you one."

  "One what?" asked Harry.

  "A ring."

  "You will? Does that mean I get the kid too?"

  "Absolutely, we come as a package deal."

  "Ok, let’s see it." Harry smiled at her waitress, who was at the moment about to do a backbend trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

  "You want to see the ring now, before you give me an answer?"

  "Hell yes. You want me to leave my wife, who I’m madly in love with, for you and this kid for a ring. I want to see it."

  "Look in his front pants pocket." Harry shifted the baby to her lap and reached into the tiny khakis he had on. The small black velvet bag felt heavy in her hand. "Let me." Desi pulled it open and let the ring fall to her waiting palm. "Will you have us?" she asked holding up the gold band.

  "Yes." The answer was simple, but it went beyond the question, it was an agreement to everything Desi had to offer. Before Desi slipped it onto Harry’s finger, she read the inscription.

  "We love you." When Harry looked down, she saw the simple gold band was part of a set. She took the other one and slipped it onto Desi’s finger letting it come to rest next to the ring she had given her before. Neither of them heard the elderly woman at the table next to them sigh as they shared a kiss. The woman leaned over and pecked her husband on the cheek. It’s wonderful to see that there is still love left in the world.