Just Perfection

by Heather Guimond

  My eyes still trained on the group outside the car, I nodded as I spoke. “Hi, Alan. Yes, it is. Justin and I arrived home to find three of the Ortega brothers or at least, I assume they’re all brothers, on our front doorstep. I...” My words were cut off when I gasped as I watched Armando shove Justin back a step. Justin eased with the motion, but drew himself up to his full height, his arms held slightly out from his sides, signaling to me he was ready to react should anyone touch him again. I wanted to roll my window down, so I could hear what they were shouting about, but I didn’t think that would go over too well with Justin.

  “What is it, Mimi? What’s happening?” Alan asked urgently.

  “We need you to prepare a restraining order. As we speak, I’m still sitting in the car while Justin is trying to find out what they want. Armando Ortega pushed Justin, and I’m afraid this is going to go downhill fast.”

  “Okay. I’ll get my secretary to start drafting the documents. I need you to get me the names of all of Delia’s immediate family right away. If we hurry, I can get these over to the court before they close for the day.”

  Just as I agreed, Armando took a step back and threw a punch directed at Justin’s face. I screamed, dropping the phone. I immediately scrambled for it, disconnected my call with Alan without another word and dialed nine-one-one. As I continued to watch, I saw Justin had caught Armando’s fist before it ever landed. Armando’s arm was now squarely wrenched behind his back, while the other two tried to force Justin to let go. Justin kicked out at the shortest one in the group, the guy presently trying to tear his hand from Armando’s arm, while the third man wrapped his own arm around Justin’s neck. Just as they finally dragged him off Armando and down to the ground, the emergency dispatch officer answered my call.

  “Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?” the operator asked.

  “I need police officers at my boyfriend’s house immediately,” I said in a tumble of words. “There are three men here and they are attacking him. Please hurry. They have him on the ground. Two are beating on him with their fists while the ring-leader keeps kicking him.”

  “Where are you, ma’am? Are you safe? What is your name?”

  “My name is Mimi. I’m locked in the car—everyone is in the front yard. I don’t know how long I’ll be safe if they hurt him badly.”

  “Stay where you are as long as it’s safe. I’m sending a couple cars over right now. They are in the area, so they should be there shortly. I’ll stay on the line with you until they arrive.”

  Though she couldn’t see me, I nodded anyway. “Okay.” Suddenly the sight before me made me shriek wildly. “Oh my god, he kicked him in the head! Blood is pouring out of the gash all over the place. Please, please tell them to hurry. I think they intend to kill him!”

  “They’re three minutes out, Mimi. Just hang on tight. I’m here. Keep telling me what’s happening.”

  “Now they’re all stomping on him. I have to do something! I have to… I have to go!” I exclaimed as I readied to drop the phone. I’d keep the line open, but somehow, I had to go help Justin.

  “No! No, Mimi. Stay where you are!” the dispatcher urged me.

  “I can’t watch this. They’re really hurting him.” I said as tears poured down my cheeks and I began to sob. I was terrified, but overwhelmed by the urge to go do something, anything. I tossed the phone on the dashboard and opened my door and heard sirens in the near distance. Apparently, the Ortega brothers did, too, because they suddenly stopped and ran to the blue truck parked at the curb. Two quickly got into the cab, Armando at the wheel, while the third jumped in the truck bed. They sped away from the curb as two police cars came down the street from the other direction. One pulled into the driveway, while the other sped after the truck, lights still flashing and siren blaring. I prayed they would catch them.

  I ran to Justin’s side, where he lay groaning. The wound on his forehead was wide, and blood still flowed rapidly from it. His left eye was swollen, almost to the point where it was completely shut. He clutched his abdomen as he writhed in pain. I sobbed harder, not knowing what to do, whether I should touch him or not. In the end, I grabbed hold of one of his hands and squeezed it gently, unsure if he was hurt there, too.

  The officers approached and one of them gently lifted me away from Justin, so he could examine him while the other radioed for an ambulance. I heard a disembodied voice crackle over his walkie-talkie thing, confirming emergency services had already been dispatched and would be there shortly. Once he finished that exchange, the officer led me to sit on the porch and asked for my description of what happened.

  “We came back from a weekend out of town to find them waiting on our doorstep,” I began.

  “Do you know them?”

  My words came gushing out rapidly. “Well, I’ve met one of them before. My fiancé, his name is Justin Sever, has a baby with his sister. She’s in prison, so he has sole custody. Her family has been trying to take the baby away, but their petition was recently denied. I assume the other two men were her other brothers though I’ve never seen them before. They all looked alike to me, so…”

  “Why would they want to hurt Justin?” he asked calmly.

  I took a deep shuddering breath, trying to calm myself. “Even before the custody battle, Armando, the brother I know, has been trying to visit the baby, Sammy. Justin wouldn’t let him.”

  “Is there any specific reason why or does he just not like him?”

  I closed my eyes and inhaled again, still grasping for some semblance of composure. I looked over at Justin who remained on the ground, moaning. My heart ripped in two to see him so broken.

  “Delia, Sammy’s mother, is in jail for trying to kill me. She harassed both Justin and me for months until she snapped completely and broke into my home. She stabbed me. He’s wary of her family having any contact with Sammy because they’ll give information to Delia. She petitioned for visitation rights earlier this year, but that was denied too because she had a violent outburst during the hearing.”

  The officer scribbled notes on a pad he’d pulled out of his pocket when I started talking. Just as he was asking for my contact information, the ambulance and firetruck pulled up. The EMTs hurried to Justin, their equipment in hand. I immediately wanted to join them to see how badly he was injured, but the officer instructed me to stay put until they were done with their triage. In the end, they didn’t feel that he had any life-threatening injuries, but they were going to transport him to the hospital for additional assessment. I was ready to jump in the ambulance with him, but the officer recommended I drive over separately, so I didn’t end up stranded at the hospital in case he needed to be admitted. Begrudgingly, I saw the wisdom in his suggestion, so I went back to my car and followed along.

  I sat in the emergency waiting room for what seemed like an eternity. They did every type of medical scan known to man, in my opinion. While he did end up with a concussion, there was no sign of internal bleeding and there were no broken bones. The worst of his injuries was the laceration on his forehead, which required twenty-five stitches. It was close to midnight by the time they released him. I was worn out and exhausted from all the emotions I’d experienced that day. I’d felt the entire gamut—elation at Justin’s proposal, terror during his attack, worry over his condition, and anxiety about whether the Ortega brothers had been caught. The officers who’d been on the scene did eventually come to the hospital to let us know they’d been apprehended and were in custody. The knowledge provided some relief, but I was wiped out. As weary as I was, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. I was still too worried about Justin. No matter how much anguish I was in, he was in real physical pain. He was such a stoic man, he never complained once. During the ride home and while getting him settled in his bed, he moved slowly and winced a few times, but other than that if I hadn’t seen the beating or his obvious injuries, I’d never have been able to guess he was in pain at all.

  I tried to give him the medication
the ER doctor gave him, but he refused it. I had to wonder if it was because he thought himself to be such a tough guy, or if it was because of his experiences with Elise and me. Whatever his reasons were, I didn’t push it. I left the bottle and a glass of water on his nightstand, in case he changed his mind at some point in the night.

  I wanted to sit and talk with him about what happened. I wanted to know what he was feeling inside, to help shoulder whatever was on his mind, but knew he needed to rest. I kissed him softly and promised I’d be in the next room if he needed me.

  I went out to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. There were only a handful of hours left before dawn by the time I sat down. I slumped in my chair and rested my head on my hand. The next thing I knew, I opened my eyes to a sun-brightened room and a cold mug in front of me. I’d never even taken a sip.

  I immediately ran to Justin’s room, cursing myself all the way. I had intended to check on him periodically. I was supposed to make sure he didn’t fall asleep because of the concussion. When I skidded into the room, he was lying there, resting against the headboard, remote in hand once more. I was quickly beginning to think of that position as ‘Every Man’s Real Favorite Position.’

  “You’re awake,” I observed lamely.

  He nodded slowly. “Yes, Peaches. I am. I have been all night, like a good boy.”

  Well, it was nice to see he hadn’t lost his smart-assery in the attack. “I’m sorry. I was supposed to check on you throughout the night, and I fell asleep,” I admitted.

  Justin attempted to wave the remark off, but it produced a grimace from him. His hand dropped heavily back to his side. “It’s fine. I know yesterday was traumatic for you. It’s understandable you’d be exhausted.”

  “I was, but nowhere near as bad as you must be. I was safe in the car the whole time.”

  “Which I thank you for. I don’t even want to think what they might have done to you if you’d been easy to get to. And yes, I am exhausted too, but I have excellent reminders not to sleep every time I move.”

  I walked over and gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, facing him. “Is it that bad?”

  He shook his head roughly. “No, it’s only a little painful. I’ve taken worse beatings in my day. At least my ribs are only bruised this time. I was in a bar fight in a pretty rough place filled with a bunch of bikers once. That one required an overnight hospital stay because one of my broken ribs punctured a lung. All things considered, the Ortega brothers are pussies. It took three of them to bring me down, and all I ended up with is what amounts to a few bruises.” He tried to stretch, but immediately winced. He tilted his head toward me and raised his brows. “Any more word on the assholes?” he asked.

  “I don’t know since I’ve been asleep. I imagine the phone would have woken me if they’d called.” I replied.

  He nodded slowly. “Well, it’s Monday, so I bet they’ll be arraigned today. They’ll probably get bonded out by somebody though. I want you to be extra careful, Peaches. No going anywhere without me.”

  “Justin, you’re hardly in the shape to go anywhere right now. Besides, what would you do if something did happen? You’re too injured to fight again.”

  He chuckled as he dropped the remote and picked up my hand. He squeezed it briefly. “After all these years, you still don’t really know your man, do you?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, before bringing the back of his hand to my mouth and kissing it.

  “Peaches, we never really talked about my life between the time I lost Elise and not too long before I met you. Someday I’ll tell you. Until then, know I am more than capable of handling my business and protecting my woman.”

  “Okay, badass,” I giggled as I listened to him flex his machismo. “However, I do need to get Sammy from your mom and you need to stay in bed. I doubt the Ortegas have gotten out just yet as it’s still early,” I said as I glanced at the clock on Justin’s bedside table. “Your mom knows everything, by the way. I called her last night while I was waiting for you to finish all your tests, so she would know why we hadn’t picked Sammy up. She’s very worried about you, so you’re going to have to give her a call sometime today.”

  “I will before you go over there, otherwise, she’ll give you the third-degree and a plethora of instructions on how to nurse me back to health.”

  “Oh,” I grinned slyly at him and winked, “I have plenty of ideas about how to do that. You need to do a tiny bit of healing first. Maybe we’ll start tomorrow.”

  He laughed, though I could tell it hurt by the way he clutched his stomach. “You really are an animal, aren’t you?”

  “It’s your fault, you bring out the best in me.”

  “The beast is more like it, it seems,” he teased.

  As we snickered together, the doorbell rang. We were immediately on alert. I moved to stand, but Justin moved faster than I thought he should have been able to or was wise. “Stay here. We don’t know who that is, and I won’t have you taken by surprise.”

  Justin moved out of the room, and though I’d complied with his orders to stay in the car the day before, I was hot on his heels as he went to the door. I picked my cell phone up from the table in the foyer to have it ready in case it was trouble looking for us again.

  Justin looked out the peephole, then shook his head. “It’s worse than I suspected,” he said grimly. “Stand back if you know what’s good for you.”

  My eyes went wide, and I did as he asked while he threw open the door. Audrey was on the other side, holding Sammy, a serious look plastered on her face. She marched right in and handed the baby to me before turning to Justin in a flurry of motherly fussing at him about not being in bed resting.

  Brooking no argument, she herded him down the hallway and back into his room. I laughed to myself as I put Sammy down and led him into the kitchen. I was pretty sure Audrey had already fed him before coming over even though it was barely six-thirty. Nevertheless, I put him in his highchair and filled a sippy cup with juice for him. I’d make sure he’d eaten as soon as Audrey took a break from cosseting her son.

  Justin’s mom stayed most of the day, leaving me with nothing to do but take care of Sammy. I couldn’t really blame her. Justin may have been thirty-nine years old, but he was still her baby. She barely let me near him. Being benched from nursing duty, I took a nap when Sammy went down for his. As I’d only slept a couple hours the night before, at the kitchen table no less, I gratefully sank into my bed and was out in seconds.

  I woke to Audrey gently shaking my shoulder. “Wake up, Mimi,” she called softly. “It’s after five now, and I need to go feed my husband.” She snorted. “You’d think at his age he’d be able to microwave something, but no, not him. He’s gotta have his meat and potatoes.”

  I sat up and stretched, yawning while I came awake. “Why did you let me sleep so long? I had planned to be up when Sammy got up.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. After yesterday, you needed it. What a day!” she remarked, then a mischievous grin spread across her face, and her eyes twinkled. “Justin told me the good news.”

  I smiled back. With everything that happened, our engagement had been pushed to the back of my mind. It felt good to see Audrey so pleased by it. It brought back my excitement, knowing I was going to be Justin’s wife. “I was absolutely stupefied. Did you know he was going to ask me?”

  “That boy has always been so tight-lipped.” She looked disgruntled for a moment. “He didn’t say a word to me or his Dad. If I weren’t so happy about the idea of you becoming my daughter, I’d beat that man up myself!”

  “Well,” I couldn’t help but laugh, “hopefully, in the near future, you can help me plan for the big day. I don’t know when we’ll set a date, but I’d like you to be a part of the whole thing. My mom would kill me if I don’t have a traditional wedding this time.”

  “As would I, Missy. Justin is my only child. I’m entitled to sit in a front-row pew in a real church, blubbering my mascara off in front of a
t least a hundred people while my baby gets married.”

  “Audrey, between Justin and I, I don’t think we even know one-hundred people.”

  She winked at me again. “You might not, but I do!” She leaned forward and gave me a big hug. “Okay, I’m going now. I’d welcome you to the family, but you’ve been family for years. Go take care of that stubborn mule. He’s already trying to get out of bed and do some fool thing around the house.”

  I hugged her back and promised to henpeck Justin for at least the rest of the evening, which I took great delight in doing, much to his annoyance.

  Audrey dropped by the next day to check on her son again. She brought a small stuffed polar bear for Sammy since he had been so enchanted by them when they went to the zoo. I was initially skeptical he would play with the toy, given his limited interest in nearly all the things we ever bought him. This time, however, he latched onto the bear. I don’t think he put it down for the next three days. He routinely brought it to me, putting it in my hands as if to tell me something. I’d make a show of hugging it and giving it play kisses on the nose before he’d get fussy and want it back.

  Justin was feeling much better by Saturday. Sure, his bruises were still visible although the cut on his head had dulled to a soft pink color and the stitches seemed to be dissolving already. Having been cooped up in the house for the whole week, he was restless and itching to get out and do something. Tired of his constant complaining, I encouraged him to call Griffin or Bryant to go play a game of pool or something. He wasn’t wild about the idea, not wanting them to see the obvious injuries he had. At a loss for anything else to do, he finally broke down and followed my advice. Griffin was busy with Dara for the day, but Bryant had nothing going on. He was all too excited to meet with Justin as he had met a new woman and wanted to tell him all about her. Justin gave me a sardonic look after he told me about Bryant’s new love interest.

  “You realize this is all your fault, don’t you?”