by TJ Weeks
“Mom!” Her daughter squealed as she walked in and saw her mother holding up the dress.
Both quickly ran upstairs past Richard to pick out accessories for the evening.
All of the children giggled with excitement as their mother made it to them.
Milissa was excited and began getting ready at four o’clock that afternoon. She sat in front of her old vanity of her grandmothers and looked into the mirror that Richard had replaced in it years before for her.
Milissa’s hair was a dark brown and straight as a board. She had not worn make up in quite some time and was not sure what the hell she was going to do besides put on the phenomenal dress her husband had gotten her. She took off her glasses and set them on the old wood. She lifted her hair up past her neck thinking that she could pin it up, she let it fall back down to her mid back and took a heavy breath not sure of what she could to make herself look sexy for her husband of thirty years.
She began to pull strands of her hair up and bobby pin it to the sides and back of her head. She warmed up her rusted curling iron she had not used in years and began curling the small tendrils that fell off of to the sides. She sprayed and moved her head from side to side with each curl that she completed. She smiled as she completed the last curl and turned her head from one side to the other to watch the spirals bounce around. She picked up the can and sprayed all around to make sure that they stayed.
She sat up straight and felt great. She opened a small make up bag that she had not used since her daughter’s graduation. She poured it across that small vanity table and began picking out the things that she needed. She powdered her face and blushed her cheeks, she smeared some eye liner across her bottom lids and eye shadow across her top, she chose an earth tone lip gloss and lined her lips with a bit darker of a pencil. She leaned back and peered into the mirror. She quickly stood and looked at herself in the mirror.
“Wow!” She said to herself.
She grabbed her glasses and slipped on a pair of red heels that she had stashed away in her closet, she put on the red bracelet that her daughter had picked out and a small string of red pearls. She glanced at the clock that sat on Richard’s side.
“Ha, five forty five.” She said out loud with a laugh.
Milissa walked down the stairs carefully, making sure that she could still walk in heels. She held onto the rail and rounded the last step to the tile in the foyer. Richard stood at the kitchen doorway with two glasses of wine.
“I just about dropped this wine on your carpet. Milissa you look amazing!” He told her from across the room.
She smiled at the grin that spread across his face. She felt so proud that he loved her as much as he did, and had wanted to show him how beautiful she could be after thirty years of marriage.
Richard brought her the wine and handed her a glass.
“A little toast before we head out. I have loved you since the VERY first moment I saw you. Even though you shunned me away, I still tried every day, and was so excited when you finally said yes to going out with me. I still love you the same as I did then and am thankful that you decided to spend your life with me. Thank you.” Richard raised his glass to his wife.
Milissa clinked her glass to his and took a small dainty swallow. She stared at her husband in adoration and could not believe that they had been together for so long.
“I love you.” She stated to her amazing man.
“I love you too, drink the rest of your wine though, because we are going to be late.” He demanded.
“So are you going to tell me where we are going?” Milissa asked as he started opening the front door.
“Nope. But I will tell you I need you to get in the car.” He pointed to the street.
A white limo sat at the curb waiting for them.
“Richard, we can’t afford this right now. But damn that is awesome looking.” Milissa smiled.
“I called in a favor.” Richard shot back at her and smiled.
He took Milissa’s hand and guided her down the step to the sidewalk and to the limo. A man in a white uniform rounded the front of the car and opened the door for them. Two glasses of champagne waited for them inside along with some soft playing music. The seats were white, the carpet was white, along with the fully stocked cabinet of liquor.
“I’ve never been in a limo before, this is amazing!” Milissa almost cried.
The limo left and headed out of their small old timey neighborhood. They finished their glasses about the time the limo stopped. Miliissa peered out of the dark tinted window.
“Richard, this is where we had our first date, I mean the name is different, but it’s the place.” She looked back at him.
“Well, it is now some kind of fancy place that you have to have reservations to get into instead of the small diner, but I figure we can overlook the fanciness.” He laughed.
The door to the limo opened and Richard slid out and reached in to help his wife out. She stood and smoothed her new dress and wrapped her arm around his.
“Mr. Stockholm reservation.” Richard stated to the maîter’d.
“Yes, sir, your table is ready as you requested.” The man led them both to a back table.
The man pulled a chair out for Milissa and allowed her to sit before handing them both a menu. Both of them laughed as the man walked away, since neither could read the French menu.
“Can I take your order?” A man with a thick accent asked.
“You will have to excuse us, we are unable to read the menu. Can we have a good bottle of wine and how about two of your best dishes.” Richard stated to the waiter.
The man nodded and went on his way. A short time went by and the man brought them a bottle of wine and poured it into their glasses.
“Our special is what I have put an order in for. It will be like your American food, with a bit of French twist. Okay with you sir?” He asked.
Richard nodded and thanked him. Soon their plates were sat in front of them both with a piece of chicken covered in a white sauce, asparagus spears covered with an orange sauce and potatoes that were sprinkled with some kind of spice that they could both smell right away.
“Thank you, it looks great.” Milissa assured the waiter.
Richard and Milissa sat together enjoying each other’s company; which seemed like forever that they had done since both worked almost nonstop to keep up with trying to pay off their house by next year to be able to possibly follow their plan of retiring soon and traveling the country.
“Thank you for this Richard.” Milissa stated taking her last bite of luxury from her plate.
Richard smiled at his wife and blew her a kiss across the table.
The waiter offered them dessert and brought them their bill after they declined. Richard paid for their meal and pulled out a small box and sat on the table in front of his wife.
“This is my last and final surprise until we get home that is and I can get you out of that dress.” He stated.
Milissa opened the box to a diamond ring.
“I already have a wedding ring Richard.” She stated.
“I know, but it has gotten old and you needed a new one. I want to get that one maybe melted down into something and have it made into a necklace or something and you are to start wearing this new one. I am sorry that I have made you wear that small one for so long because my love for you is so much more than that.” Richard admitted.
Milissa took it out of the box and put it on top of her other ring and straightened her arm out in front of her.
“Richard I love it!” Tears streamed from her face.
The two rose from their table and headed back to the waiting limo. Richard opened the door and both climbed inside and waited for the limo to start moving. The two shared a passionate kiss as they waited, once things got a little heated, Richard knocked on the small window that separated them from the driver with no response. Richard and Milissa tore themselves away from each other. Richard exited the limo and walked around the front and knocked on the drive
r’s side window. There was still no response, Richard opened the door and the white uniformed man was not there. He peered around the street and was unable to spot him. He went back and opened Milissa’s side.
“Let’s grab a cab. Not sure where this douche bag went.” Richard reached for her hand and led her out.
Milissa began scanning her phone to call for a cab and they began walking down the sidewalk. She called for a cab and gave them the address that they stood in front of next door to the restaurant.
“It’s on its way.” She told Richard.
Richard nodded and still scanned the area for the prick that had left them with no ride.
Milissa laughed at his crinkled forehead that said he was annoyed. “It’s fine babe.”
The cab ride home they were like two high school kids not able to contain themselves. Richard’s hands roamed all over his wife and he realized quickly that she had nothing underneath her new dress which enticed him even more. He paid the cab and picked his wife up and carried her to the porch. He set her down and fumbled for his keys.
Milissa heard a noise coming from nearby and turned to the street and watched a man walking in the glow of the street light. He was dragging both his feet and stumbling.
“Guess we haven’t had as much to drink as that poor guy.” Milissa laughed.
Richard turned after unlocking the door and peered at the man, he was quite concerned with the man as he stumbled through the middle of the street.
“Maybe we should call the cops, or get him out of the street or something, someone is going to hit him.” Richard expressed.
“Well, I’m not going to get him in these heels. Let me change and I’ll be right back.” Milissa headed in the house.
Richard pulled the door closed and watched the man stumble around a bit more then run into the pole and turn around. Richard stepped off of the porch and headed for the man. He figured he would at least lead him off the street and maybe try and help him home.
“Hey buddy!” Richard shouted.
The man turned towards him and began to shuffle his feet his way. The shadows fell over his face as he made his way out of the light from overhead.
“Let me help you man.” Richard grabbed the man’s shoulder and tried to stand him up straight.
The man stared up at Richard, his face was horrific; the skin had been peeled from his forehead and part of his skull showed, parts of his hair had been ripped from his head and bald spots were over the part that had not been peeled off, his neck had a slice across his neck and his head flopped from side to side as he tried to keep his focus on Richard. His nose had been broken and pulled over to the side of his face. The man finally gained a bit of balance and slowly leaned forward, he opened his mouth that showed horridly jagged dirty teeth and tried to make his way to Richard.
Richard placed his hand on the man’s peeled skin and pushed him backwards. The man fell to his knees and leaned forward again to try and take a bite out from Richard’s thigh. Richard kneed the man in the face and made his way back to the house.
Milissa came out onto the porch.
“Call the cops.” Richard stated dusting off his dress pants.
Milissa pulled her phone out and dialed for emergency and handed Richard the phone.
“Yes, there is a man in the street that is badly hurt and possibly drunk or something. I tried to help and he tried to attack me.” Richard stated. “2682 Herring Street is the address.”
He hung up the phone and handed it back to his wife.
“He tried to attack you?” Milissa leaned over to see the man squirming in the street.
“Yep, he looks like he has been pretty badly beaten.” He explained.
The two stood on the porch and watched the man, hoping that the law showed up before another car came down the street. Milissa stood close to Richard concerned about the poor man.
“Should we try and drag him out of the street?” She asked.
“Nope, I tried to help him. He tried to bite me; we don’t know if he is homeless or what.” Richard told her. “You aren’t going out there either before you even ask.”
Milissa put her hands up in agreement.
A police car drove up with his blue and reds lighting up the neighborhood. They turned on a spotlight attached to the car and shined it on the man.
“Did you call?” The officer shouted.
“Yes sir, be careful with that one!” Richard advised.
The cop pulled his gun and advised the man to stand and turn around and put his hands interlocked behind his head.
The man laid on the ground still squirming.
“SIR GETUP!” The officer shouted again.
The man didn’t make any effort to move except for moving his legs. The officer walked to the man with his gun aimed at him, He rolled the man over with his foot and jumped back quickly.
“What did you do to him?” the cop shouted at Richard.
“He looked like that when I got to him sir.” Richard informed quickly.
The officer reached down and grabbed the man by his arm to try and help him stand. The beaten man’s mouth turned and bit the officer’s hand.
“Son of a bitch!” The officer hollered.
He backed away and holstered his gun and grabbed his hand. Another squad car pulled up and two officer’s got out with guns pulled.
“What the hell happened?” The driver asked.
“He fucking bit me!” The first officer on scene yelled. “Be careful!” He warned them.
The two new officer walked to the man and glared down at him. The torn apart man laid on the ground, his jaw opened and closed while he lifted his head up towards them. With each thrust of the man’s head, the two officers backed up a step trying to figure out what to do.
“Ambulance?” One stated.
“Yea, we need one anyway.” The other sent him on his way.
The passenger hurried to the car he had just came out of and called for an ambulance on the radio from the car.
“On its way. You okay buddy?” He asked the hurt officer leaned up against the hood of his car.
The hurt officer nodded his head.
The two newly arrived officers stood closer to the man than they wanted to be.
“We are going to have to cuff him.” One said to the other.
They both looked at each other and one pulled their cuffs while the other held his gun on him.
“Alright, turn him over.” The driver stated.
“Why me?” The other asked.
“Cause I’ll have to cuff him.”
The first officer reached down and grabbed one of his hands and bent it up to have him turn him over. The torn apart man’s hand broke at the wrist and the crack echoed through the night.
Milissa and Richard winced with the sound that the break made.
The officer dropped the man’s hand and backed away in horror.
“Pick his ass up off the ground and we will just cuff him.” The officer suggested.
The officer that had taken his hand earlier, grabbed him under his arm and started to lift him from the ground. The still chomping man’s shoulder popped loudly and the officer dropped him back to the ground.
“I’m done!” The officer backed away.
Still lying on the ground, no one was sure what to do with him at this point. He rolled over to his stomach and seemed to have a bit more control over his legs; he looked almost like a newborn calf trying to figure out how to use them, but it was control none the less. He rolled against the pole that held the street light that Milissa had initially found him under. He used the pole as a bit of leverage and pushed his back up against it and his wobbly legs finally made themselves under his body. He stood for a moment to make sure his legs were going to hold him up. He took one step and stabled himself, and then took another step. He stopped for a moment and focused his eyes on the two officers that stood in front of him. He quickly gained more confidence and took two more steps towards them. His broken shoulder swun
g freely by his side while the broken hand attached to the other arm flung through the air at the men that stood in front of him. His pace quickened as he gained more control of his legs. The officers stayed a safe distance from the man and shouted at him to stop. The man would not do as he was told and was warned that they would shoot.
One officer warned him one last time and shot the man in the leg. The now limping man continued toward them. The other officer aimed and shot the man in the shoulder and watched him fall backwards from the force of the bullet. The shot man now didn’t move. The officers both crept over to the man. The driver of the car leaned down and reached over the man’s face to place a finger on his neck to feel for a pulse. The man’s eyes opened and his head lifted off the ground and bit the officer’s wrist. The officer fell to the ground and scooted away from the man that has now injured two officers. The ambulance was pulling up with sirens blaring.
“Shoot him!” The fallen officer screamed.
BOOM! Sounded through the air.
Milissa and Richard were already backed into their doorway ready to close the door and take cover in case a shootout took place. They both ducked and covered their heads. Yelling started in the streets after the gun shot went off. Milissa and Richard looked back up at the man’s head had busted open and its contents had spread over the street.
The ambulance driver jumped from his vehicle and ran to the shot man; the passenger of the ambulance ran to the first officer that had been bit and then to the second one.
“This one first!” The EMT screamed.
He picked up the officer that had been bitten on the wrist and led him to the back of the ambulance while the other EMT headed to the one that had been bit on the hand and took him to the ambulance as well.
Milissa, Richard and the shooting officer all stood at a standstill now; none of them sure on what to do.
The officer looked at Milissa and Richard and the crowd that had now gathered in their front yards watching the action unfold.
Screams suddenly sounded from the back of the EMS truck where the two officers were being tended to. All of the groups, including Milissa and Richard, backed away and into their homes and instead peeked out of their windows at what was causing the screams.
