Out of The Box Awakening

by Theriot, Jennifer

  “Yeah, boy-band fuck-head! I did! Whatcha gonna do, pretty boy? Huh? Beat me with your guitar? Strangle me with the strings?”

  “Well, for starters, I’m gonna fuck you up big time, you slime bag Goombah!”

  About that time, Tommy comes over. He is focused and confident and looks like he’s fixing to get another piece of Tony. He just stands there almost in a trance and I believe he is going to do something foolish. Emily is trying to hold him back. I grab her arm…

  “Emily, go in and get Ash and Ross, now!” She hesitates and looks at me, stunned.

  “Now! Goddamnit, hurry! Run!” I give her a little push to get her going.

  She doesn’t move.

  “Go!” I scream.

  It startles her and she hops to it and runs inside. As she’s running, I can hear her scream, as she’s crying, “I knew this would happen, I tried to tell you!”

  Todd takes my arm and tells me to go inside as well. “Olivia, it’s probably best if you head inside as well. This ain’t gonna be pretty, babe.”

  I pull away from him. “Todd, Tommy, I want you both to stop it now! He isn’t worth it! Let’s just let the police handle this, really guys. Come on!”

  Tommy comes over to me and puts his arm around me. He takes my face in his hands…

  “Olivia, we got this. Please, go inside. Todd’s right. This isn’t where you should be right now. Please…go take care of Emily for me. Come on, please?”

  Tony wants me gone, too. “Yeah, bitch! Go take care of the whore! Get the fuck out of here!”

  I can tell Todd is at his limit

  “Oh, you mother fucking piece of shit…you’re mine, now!” Todd says.

  Tony pulls a knife, then, and I know this is going from bad to worse really fast. I try one last attempt.

  “Look, Tony, please don’t do this. These guys can and will fuck you up really bad. Don’t you realize that?”

  Todd shoots me a look at me like, “Wait…you didn’t just say that did you?’

  I stare right back at him and glare, ‘”Yes! I fucking just did say that!”

  Call it the motherly protective instinct. A mother lion, rearing her ugly head! Don’t mess with my kids!

  Todd smiles, cocks his head and gives me the “Oh, hell-yeah” look.

  Just then, Ash and Ross run out in the parking lot with Emily in tow.

  Emily comes over to me and puts her arms around me. “See, Olivia, I told you this is why I need to let Tommy go! It isn’t gonna get better, it’s only gonna get worse!”

  Ash and Ross go up to Tony.

  “Give me the knife, son, now!” Ash says. “Throw it on the ground. Do it! I swear you’ll regret it if you don’t!”

  Ash is dead serious and isn’t backing down one bit. He’s staring Tony down, and he’s really, really angry. I’ve never seen him like this. He has an intimidating presence and is just waiting for Tony to move an inch. Tommy and Todd are fighting ready, and this is escalating fast.

  My heart is beating its way out of my chest, and I’m struggling to think rationally. One wrong move here and someone could get killed. Emily is crying uncontrollably and I’m trying to comfort her while trying to control my own emotions. Ellen and David peek out the back door.

  “Oh, my God! What’s going on out here?”

  “Ellen, David! Back inside, please!” Ash shouts.

  Ellen, sensing her brother is dead serious, does just as he says. Tony starts swinging the knife. Before I know it, Ash does some martial arts move that totally immobilizes Tony and renders him defenseless.

  I’m scared to death that someone is seriously going to get hurt badly. Tony is on the ground, helpless, bleeding, and wincing in pain.

  “Son, I asked you nicely to put the damn knife down, but you didn’t listen. You left me no choice.” Ash has his foot on him, now, pinning him. He looks at Todd and winks. “Now, here’s the deal...all four of us here are black belts. I really don’t think you realize it, but at this very moment, we could goddamn kill you with our bare hands. Now, I know you’re probably a pretty smart guy, huh? And I don’t think you want to get torn up by four guys just for doing something stupid am I correct?”

  Tony nods.

  “Okay, then. Good. You just lie there and don’t move, because if you do, you’re gonna be very sorry. Get my drift? Comprende?”

  Tommy comes over, joining his father, still hot for a fight. “Dad, just let me fuck him up! Just let me have another piece of him!”

  Todd approaches, too, chiming in, “Yeah, let me cut his fuckin’dick off and stuff it in his goombah mouth. Or better yet, let’s cut his balls off and see if he can grow another set!” He picks up Tony’s knife.

  Ash looks really angry. “Todd, put the knife down now!” He sees no humor in this at all, and it would be best if Todd just listened to him.

  Todd senses that Ash is dead serious. He backs down and does as he says, but protests, “Mr. H., he’s a fuckin’ piece of shit! We can take him out.”

  “I know that. But let’s just wait for the police. Just cool off, son! He’s not going anywhere.”

  It takes a little while, but the police finally pull up. Ash has called Dominic, and he shows up as well. He walks over to where Tony is laid out on the ground.

  “Well, well, well, we meet again paisano! Cosac’e? Didn’t learn your lesson last time?”

  Tony looks up at him and spits.

  Dominic bends down and gets right in his face. He’s rubbing his chin. “Hmmmm maybe we should just leave and pretend we weren’t called and let these boys finish what they didn’t finish last time. Capiche?”

  “Sounds like a fuckin’ plan, Dominic!” Todd says.

  Tony looks scared and defeated, yet still has a defiant look on his face. He spits blood, gets a second wind and spouts off at Dominic “Vaffanculo! You asshole!”

  Dominic laughs. “Yeah, back atcha, Stronzo!”

  While Ash and Dominic are standing over him, Emily asks, “Tony, why, why, are you doing this? Can’t you just leave me alone?”

  “Oh, hell no, bitch! You made my life miserable when you left me, so it’s time for payback! You and I belong together and we had a good thing till you fucked everything up!”

  Emily starts to say something, but realizes that there’s no need to say any more. It won’t do any good.

  Tommy rushes over after that remark. Ash puts his arm out to stop him. Ash is angry, and I think he just wishes the police would just handcuff Tony and get him out of here.

  “Son, that’s enough! He’s a piece of crap and not worth it!”

  Emily goes to Tommy. She grabs his arm and hugs him.

  “Tommy, your dad’s right…he’s not worth it.”

  Todd walks over to Emily. “Em, why don’t you take Tommy and go inside.”

  Tommy resists. “Not a chance man! I’m not goin anywhere until this sack of shit is cuffed and back off to jail…you do realize that’s where you’re going, don’t you, you piece of shit?”

  “Fuck you, asshole!” Tony belts out.

  Tommy kicks him in the face, and Ash gets really angry. “Tommy! Go inside—now! Todd, that goes for you too!”

  I’m not sure what to do, so I take Emily and we go stand by the back door.

  “Olivia, what am I going to do? As long as I’m with Tommy, this is what our lives are going to be like. He doesn’t deserve this…when are you going to listen to me! How did he even get out of jail? I thought they were supposed to let us know if he made bail.”

  “I know, Emily. I don’t know why this happened. All I know is that we need to let Dominic and the police take care of it.”

  “Yeah, just like they took care of it before, right?”

  I kind of share that same sentiment. How did he get out of jail, and why didn’t Dominic let Emily know? Things slip through the cracks. I realize that, but, geez! Couldn’t someone at least let her know?

  After an hour or so, Tony is hauled back to jail. The police search his car and find
drugs. Not surprising. They also find a gun, also not surprising. They confiscate everything and his car is towed away.

  I tell Dominic that I have everything on my phone video. He looks at it and looks down his glasses at me…

  “Well, yes, you certainly do have everything, but you also have Tommy and Todd here threatening the scumbag’s life, so I suggest you do us all a favor ma’am and just delete that lovely little video. He puts his arm around me and we walk over toward Ash.

  “Olivia, I promise you, we have this all under control. Besides, there’s a security camera out here, see it?” He points over to the corner of the building and I shake my head that I see it. “So, we’ll get the tape from Ross and see what’s on it. I suspect it’ll show just what Mr. Tony was up to.”

  Ash comes over to Emily, Ross, and me. “Honey, please go inside. Get Emily some coffee or something, and we’ll be in shortly. Let us finish up out here. Please, listen to me!”

  Dominic echoes Ash’s request. “Olivia, Ash is right. There’s nothing else you gals can do. Just let us do our job.”

  I’m pretty sure Ash is dead serious. I don’t want a confrontation with him, so I reluctantly steer Emily inside. He gives me a hug and a kiss.

  “It’ll be all right, hon. Just take her inside. Go on. Scoot!” He pats my butt and sends us inside.

  Ellen and David are out on the dance floor, waiting for us to come in and give them an update. They’re dancing like two teenagers totally in love. Ellen is smiling up into David’s face when we walk in, and then turns to me.

  “Sorry, but we figured we’d just dance until you guys came back in. We haven’t been dancing in forever. Had to find some light in this situation. Anyway, what the hell is going on? Is Tommy all right? Emily? And where is Ash? Still outside?”

  My answer to all of her questions is yes, yes, and yes. We go to sit at the bar and Liz brings us each a coffee. God, coffee smells so good right now. I wish I had a cigarette too! I give Ellen a little background on what’s going on with Tommy and Emily.

  “Wow! A wackadoo ex! Poor thing! What a bummer.”

  I tell her that Tommy and Emily are working through some relationship adjustment issues and she comments about Tommy’s choice of song tonight. “Well, then, that explains the song then and the way he sung it. I was beginning to wonder what the hell that was all about. Kinda nice to have a guy sing a song just for you, though, and look right at you while he’s singing? Totally cool!”

  Dominic and the police finish outside and come in the club briefly. Liz has made coffee for them all and gives them to-go cups. Ash disburses the party soon after and tells me that he thinks Emily needs to come home with us tonight. She’s over talking to Tommy, and they look like they’re in pretty intense conversation. He lifts her chin up and makes her look at him.

  “Just come to the condo with me tonight Em, please!”

  “No! I can’t! I’m fine. I’m going to my place! I’m not running away any more!”

  I go up to them and say, ”Emily, Tommy, Ash thinks she needs to come home with us tonight.”

  Tommy starts to say something, and then stops. I think he sees the logic in this and tells her, ”Look, Em, my dad’s probably right. Go home with them…please!”

  She has her arms crossed and looks frail and scared. I take her over to Ash. She tries to object.

  “Mr. Harper, look, I truly appreciate your offer, but realistically, things like this shouldn’t happen to folks like you. This doesn’t happen to people who live in Highland Park, Illinois. I’ve totally screwed up your lives and your son’s. It’s not your problem…it’s mine! I’m fine on my own, really. I can deal with this, I can. I promise.”

  Ash looks really perturbed and is losing patience fast. If I were Emily, I think I’d just be quiet and listen to him. I’ve never seen him like this. He takes a deep breath and pinches his forehead, Sternly, he responds, “Look, Emily, the remarks you just made—well, let’s just say that I really don’t think you mean that. ‘Things like this,’ as you say, shouldn’t happen to anyone. Period. But, that being said let me lay the facts out for you. First, as much as you don’t want to accept this, you and my son have something between you. I’m not going to get into your business on the detail, but I do know there is some kind of relationship. Second, you have an ex-boyfriend who is a complete and total whacko. Third, you have people who care about you. Fourth, you have no family here. From what Olivia tells me, you’re pretty much on your own. Fifth, and finally, you really don’t need to be arguing with me right now. I’m tired, I’m angry, I’m very short on patience and all I ask is that you please just listen to me! You and Tommy have to work this out, and I won’t interfere. Neither will Olivia. But, at this very moment, you really don’t need to be Joan of Arc! Tonight, just listen to me and do as I say. Tomorrow, you can do whatever you want. If you want to write my son off for good, then do it. If you just want to give up, it’s fine! Hell, if you want to walk home on your hands, that’s fine too. But tonight, you really, really need to come home with us. You don’t need to go back to your apartment and you don’t need to be with Tommy tonight. You need to be completely removed from the situation and the characters.”

  He takes her little face in his hands. “Can you just trust me on this? Just for tonight? Am I right Olivia?” He looks at me and I nod in agreement. He turns back to her. “We’re both parents, Emily. Olivia said you don’t have parents here and I don’t know of anyone else you can call at this point. It sucks, but its reality…am I correct? Is there anyone you want to call at this very moment? Because here’s my phone if you want to use it to call someone.” He holds his phone out to her.

  Shocked, she shakes her head and replies, “Yeeessss sir, you’re right. No, no there’s no one I can call.” She starts to cry.

  Ash has gotten his point across, thank God. “Well, then, let’s get in the car and go home.” He hugs her, kisses the top of her head and puts her in the back seat, then buckles her in.

  My heart hurts for her. Ash has just spit some pretty hard facts at her, and while he was rather stern and unyielding, he was also caring, as is his nature. He has this innate way of commanding respect and being authoritative, while letting you know that he has a teddy bear heart. I think Emily gets it and deep down, I think she’s glad that we’re here for her.

  Todd, Tommy, and the rest of the guys come up to the car before we leave. Todd tells Emily, ”We’re taking Tommy to Brady’s for the night. I think we’re all crashing over there, so don’t worry about us. You just go with Mr. H. and Olivia. You’re in good hands. We’ll hook up tomorrow. Night, Sweet Em! Hey, and no matter what, you’re always our Sweet Em!”

  Brady goes to the window. “Emily, geez! So sorry about tonight. What a bummer! You know that we’re all here for you. Tommy’s our main man. We’ll take care of him. You just go with Olivia and Ash and call us tomorrow. We’re probably gonna just get trashed at my place, so you got nothin’ to worry about.”

  Ash rolls the windows up and we are ready to drive off. Emily puts her hand up to the window and Tommy puts his up to hers. He puts his fingers to his lips just as she did to him when he sang his song. We drive off, headed home.

  No one utters a word on the way. No music, no sounds. You could hear a pin drop in the car. Emily is just blankly staring out the window and Ash is concentrating on the road. I don’t know if it’s because we are worn out, coming off of the adrenaline high, or because we just don’t know what to say. Once we get back to the house, I get Emily settled in her room. I’ve gotten out something for her to sleep in, and bring her some face wash and a toothbrush.

  “If you need anything, just let us know. You know that we’re here for you, right?”

  “I do, Olivia! I’m just so embarrassed!” She puts her hand over her eyes and tears rise.

  I put my arm around her. “Just try and get a good night’s sleep. I’ll tell you what I used to tell my kids. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!” She laughs and I t
ell her “This too will pass, Emily…I promise! I give her a big hug and a kiss.

  “Thanks! And Olivia??”

  “Yes?”

  “Please tell Mr. Harper that I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect, honest!”

  “I will sweetie. No need to apologize! He knows that.”

  I slip into our room. Ash is getting undressed. I come up behind him, wrap my arms around him, and say,“Bad night, tonight, huh?”

  “Started out good. Just ended badly. Listen, Olivia, I don’t want to interfere in this ordeal with Tommy and Emily. I’m sorry, but tonight, I just, well, I guess I sort of was short on patience. Tommy was high strung, and keeping him and Todd off that kid was about all I could handle.”

  I rub his shoulders. “And you did great, Ash! You handled the situation so well.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not one of Emily’s favorite people right now, and I’m sorry but she just wasn’t listening to reason.”

  I tell Ash that I totally support him. He tells me that this will pass and he has every confidence that Tommy and Emily will patch things up.

  “Come on, hon, let’s go to bed…I want you really bad right now,” he says.

  Chapter 24

  The next week flies by. I have a feeling that our Houston home will be put up for sale really soon. I tell Ash that I’m probably going to have to take a trip to get the house listed, and he offers to come for moral support. I can’t even fathom selling the house. It’s so surreal that the home where I raised my kids will soon belong to someone else…to some other family, who will probably re-do everything and make it their own. They will make their own memories and erase those made by the Petersen family.

  Ash tells me that this is all part of the process, and that I shouldn’t over-think things. He already knows me too well!

  Saturday, Lainey and Kellan will be here, and Bradley will get in on Sunday. I have them for two weeks, and I can’t wait! Sarah has said that I can take whatever time off I need. She has a couple of teachers who do moonlighting design work for her, and she told me they are happy to fill in over the holidays, since they’ll be off from their school jobs. Nancy and Laura have free-lanced for her since she opened the shop, so she’s totally okay with me being off. Emily, God love her, has been at work every day. She hasn’t missed any time, an impressive thing, given the turn of events she’s been faced with. Tony, it seems, is in quite a bit of trouble. They found cocaine and heroin in his car, along with another stolen gun. He violated the restraining order that was placed on him after the first incident, so he’s pretty much in jail for a long time, thank God! Emily says that she’s relieved and has finally started to come out of her funk. She and Tommy are still working through their issues and I haven’t tried to get involved, as per Ash’s instructions.