They hung up. He joined Eilene in the bedroom. This time, she was holding panties—black, barely there—he'd taken them off with his teeth a time or two.
"Question?" she prompted.
"Two. First things first." Someone rang the bell. "No!"
Eilene moved to answer, but he caught the hand holding the panties.
"Move in with me?" He moved to kiss her, but the bell rang again.
"Dammit!"
It was the floral delivery guy. Eilene opened the door, delighted with the bouquet.
"What a lovely surprise!" She turned to thank Newton, still smiling, ready to kiss him. The delivery guy dropped the bouquet. Flowers and vase fell, shattering on the porch.
"Gun!" Newton yelled. He couldn't get there fast enough, couldn't save her! No weapon. "No!" he roared. His hand closed over a sturdy stone bookend.
Everything happened in slow motion. Eilene dropped. The gunman raised his weapon, and Newton threw the bookend, hitting the man in the head. The gun went off. Blood sprayed. Suddenly it sped up, seeming to happen too fast. Seconds rushed by. Eilene lay on the floor, the gunman nearby. Blood spread across the tile of the foyer. Newton dug for his phone, panties in hand. Those went in his pocket. Phone out, call 911, he gave himself orders to follow. It was the only way he could cope. Get the weapon away from the perp. Check Eilene. "Breathing. Bleeding." He looked her over carefully as he talked to dispatch. He checked again for a bullet wound, but didn't find one. But she was covered in blood!
The gunman's head lay open in a huge, bloody gash. There was a dent in his skull where the bookend had connected. Newton left the man where he lay. He wouldn't be coming to anytime soon. Eilene stirred and sat up, dazed.
"Oh, thank god! Are you hurt?"
"No. No." she felt her body, realizing she was bloody. "His blood. I'm fine."
A cop car pulled up. Another followed. Their pals, Jones and Estevez, who had backed them up at the Rivera house, rushed up.
"I'm okay," Eilene said. "It's his blood." She pointed to the gunman.
"He's got a pulse," Estevez said after checking him. "The f**k did you hit him with?"
"Bookend. He pulled a gun on Eilene."
They called for an ambulance and the gunman was taken off, cuffed to the gurney. Jones took their statements. Estevez worked the scene.
"Scared a year off my life," Newton said, kissing Eilene.
"My fault for not paying attention. You always bring flowers, you don't send them."
"Don't scare me like that. I love you!" He kissed her forehead.
Eilene got very still. "You—you never said that before."
"I'm always saying it."
"No—it's love ya...."
"Then I'm a f**ktard, because I love you. And I want you to move in with me."
"I—a—"
"He saved your life by bringing a rock to a gunfight. The only answer is yes," Estevez said.
"Yes," Eilene replied shyly. "Yes."
The police officers gathered their things and left. It was almost time for the party. While Eilene showered and changed, Newton mopped up the foyer. He couldn't get the blood out of the grout, but at least the worst was up. Surprisingly, not bloody himself, he threw her things in a cold water soak.
Eilene got their food contribution, a big antipasto platter, and they headed to Anton and Tabitha's house. Party music filled the air and the grills were already fired up, ready to go.
Together, they made the rounds, hugging, kissing, joking. Somewhere along the line, Newton ended up with a beer in hand. Eilene was on the other side of the yard, talking to the Roeder Sisters. A heavy hand clapped his shoulder.
"I hear you had some excitement at your place," Canon said.
"Yeah. It's all good, though."
"Think it was Oats?"
"A little too coincidental not to be, don't you think?"
"Worries me some."
"Me, too. Is this shit ever going to be over?"
"Who knows? I hope. But why just you and Eilene?"
"Been wondering that. Maybe because I arrested him?"
"Could it be something else catching up with you?"
Newton's hand stopped a few inches from his mouth.
"Old flames? Grudges?"
"Probably. But someone who wants me dead?" he shook his head.
"Not you, Eilene. That was her home, a trap laid for her."
"So, not Oats?"
"There are more criminals in this life than him. You ever ask her why that address scared her?"
"No. I forgot. Why?"
"Time to ask." Canon whistled at Eilene.
©2021 Dellani Oakes
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