The Birthday Gift

"At some fucking hospital in the damn Poconos? Raynata West. I didn't even know your real fucking name. And Maria wouldn't tell me shit. Not even when I almost beat her to death."

I tried to remember what about his little speech was so important as I forced myself to remember how to breathe. That's right, he had only paid attention to my name on the news, not the entire story. Thank goodness. He probably didn't know about Vic. I could feel my pulse slow down just a bit. Now I just had to get rid of him before she arrived.

"I have your money Darnell." I squeaked out. I'd deal with the missing $1,000 later. I just had to get him talking.

"You think I only want that money from you now? You owe me, you stupid fucking bitch. You owe me."

A kick this time, in the same general area. But he'd kicked me dozens of times before...there was more pain, but I was relieved that I didn't hear anything crack.

"I need some time to get the rest. I have 15 hundred now. I can get the rest."

"Fifteen?" He barked, almost laughing as he grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked my head back until I was staring up at him. "You took twenty-five bitch."

Agreeing with him was the best way to go for now, so I nodded enthusiastically. "I'll get it for you. Just give me a few days."

"You had months bitch. Months. What the fuck were you thinking?" He'd let me go and was pacing now.

"I wasn't thinking, you know that. And I didn't tell Maria anything. I just...I just left." The lies were tumbling into my head with amazing speed, "I couldn't work, couldn't make money for you. I felt useless."

It was working, whatever I was telling him to stroke his ego. I could see him calming down a little more. I wasn't even sure what I was saying. I just wanted him to leave.

"You come back with me." He decided suddenly. "Work off what you owe plus interest. Then we'll talk about whether or not you can go."

Whoa. Wait. What? I couldn't go back. Was he crazy? It had taken everything for me to leave. Everything. If I went back to New York, if I had to...I couldn't even imagine it. Just the thought of it had my stomach twisting in knots. Not after being on my own. I couldn't "belong" to anyone again. I just couldn't. And not after being with Vic...someone who actually cared about me...maybe even loved me on some level. I just couldn't.

But I didn't have to let Darnell know that.

"Okay. I'll come back. Just give me a few days to get my shit together here and—"

"Now. Give me what you got now and then we leave."

He would watch me like a hawk. I knew it. I wouldn't be free of him for months. I couldn't go with him. I just couldn't. I didn't know what to say. I looked around at my tiny, dark part of the world. I'd become so dependent on it. It meant independence. It meant safety. It meant freedom. And it meant Vic. It meant even the possibility of Vic. I couldn't go back. But I also couldn't have him here when she showed up. I couldn't imagine Vic having to deal with my former pimp. She didn't know I'd stolen money from him. She didn't know much about that part of my life at all actually. And I wanted to keep it that way. Especially considering her father's close scare just days earlier. I sighed, not sure what to do, not sure who I could turn to...but knowing I had to protect Vic. And so I decided, based on that.

"Let me get my stuff."

I could deal with it for a few months if I knew it would keep Vic safe.

I set about grabbing things without much thought. Some jeans, a few books, a ceramic little box with a dried rose...Vic had given me the rose. None of it was logical. All I could think about was moving quickly, trying to get him out of here and away from Pennsylvania before he found out about Vic...before he hurt her.

I was stunned to hear the click of a gun being cocked. I wasn't incredibly familiar with the sound, but I'd heard it a few times, especially when Darnell threatened one of us with his. I turned slowly, wondering why Darnell had pulled a gun on me when I'd agreed to go, and froze. It wasn't Darnell holding the gun. It was Vic. And the gun was pressed against Darnell's temple.

"You okay?" She asked me, her voice low and vibrating with anger. She was staring at the blood staining my shirt. I had already forgotten about it.

I nodded, not sure how to react, not sure what to do next. So I did nothing. I didn't move. I just waited, wondering how she knew he was here...wondering what she was doing with a gun.

"Darnell Williams. A friend of mine ran your plates. He says you're 42 years old, born in Brooklyn, New York, arrested for corrupting a minor and the promotion of prostitution at the age of 23. Arrested seven additional times, for similar offenses, between then and now. Does that sound right?"

I wasn't surprised when he tried to play the tough guy, even with a gun pressed against his head.

"Who the fuck are you, bitch?" He demanded.

She laughed softly, "I don't answer to you Darnell. I'm not one of your girls."

She nudged him toward the arm chair and then shoved him into it.

"What does he carry?"

I blinked, realizing she was directing the question at me.

"It should be in his back."

She searched for it and then removed his gun. She raised a brow at me for a moment and I saw a hint of what I thought was disappointment in those beautiful eyes before she turned them back to Darnell.

"What the fuck are you doing here Darnell?" She demanded softly.

"Fuck you."

She hit him, in the back of the head, hard, with the gun she still held. He winced, but didn't talk again. I didn't know what kind of gun she held. I think I was still a little stunned that she had a gun at all...and seemed quite comfortable with it in her hand. The gun was big and silver, quite beautiful actually. She waited a moment before starting again.

"She's bleeding Darnell. And I'm trying really hard not to kill you for that alone. So, how about we try this again? What the fuck are you doing here?"

He hesitated, licking his lips, and I could imagine him wondering how crazy she was. I was wondering the same thing. I don't think I'd seen this part of her before. I'd seen her vulnerable, I'd seen her panicked and scared almost out of her mind...but I'd not seen her angry. Not this angry. I was a little relieved when he decided to answer.

"The bitch owes me money." He bit out.

Another thunk to the back of his head and I smirked when he winced again. I wondered how he felt being on the receiving end of it.

"How much does she owe you Darnell that you would leave the jurisdiction of the great state of New York and come stink up our town?"

I stifled a chuckle, amazed I could find anything about this situation funny.

"Ten thousand."

She looked over at me and I shook my head. She hit him with the barrel of the gun again, harder.

"How much does she owe you Darnell?"

He hesitated again and then sighed, "fine, she owes me twenty-five hundred. Fucking chill, aiight?"

I nodded and then she patted his shoulder condescendingly.

"Sit tight Darnell. We'll be right back. And please don't move, okay? I would be well within my rights, as an invited guest, to shoot your fucking ass and kill you for trespassing, got it?"

She motioned for me to follow her. Not realizing I was still standing there, holding my things, I dropped them and followed her past the washer and dryer. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes were watching me, guarded, cool. Whatever she was thinking about me at this moment, it wasn't pleasant. But at least he couldn't hurt her. At least not at the moment. She paused for a moment longer and then sighed. I saw the anger seep out of her.

"How did you know he was here?" I asked suddenly, preempting her questions.

She shrugged, "we saw the Escalade...a friend of mine ran the plates." She swallowed past whatever was blocking her throat, watching me carefully. "You were going to leave with him?"

The condemnation in her voice...it hurt. It really hurt. I swallowed back tears, trying to find the words to answer her.

"I had to." It was simple and to the point. And it was the truth.

"Why? I thought..." She cut herself short. I wasn't sure what she was trying to say so I waited. "I thought we were doing okay?" She finished softly.

My eyes widened. Did she really believe I would leave her if I had a choice? After what we'd shared? After she almost lost her Dad? What kind of monster did she think I was? I decided to ignore that question, it wasn't relevant...and it probably wasn't fair. But whatever I'd thought we'd shared clearly had been bullshit if she thought I would just leave her and go back to hooking.

"I owe him money." I licked my lips, realizing that was not enough. "I-I...when I left...wh-when I left, I stole money from him." I choked out the words, my cheeks warming with humiliation. I hated admitting to her I was nothing more than a common thief, but there was no point lying now.

"The 25 hundred, right?" She asked carefully.

I nodded. "And I don't have it. I only have 15. He said I had to come work for him, work it off...and I had to get him to leave. He wouldn't leave..."

She was still trying to understand. I wasn't saying enough, but I was drained. None of what I said explained why I was leaving with him. I had other options, why was I planning to leave with him? I could see her trying to figure it out...and then her eyes settled on me and there it was again, that warmth she seemed to reserve just for me. She shook her head and stared at me in shock for a moment.

"It was for me. You were trying to get him out of here before I came."

It wasn't a question, so I didn't have to answer, but I nodded anyway. And then the tears came. I tried to swallow them down, tried to hide them from her by raising my hands to cover my face, but she reached out to lower my hands and then pulled me to her. I could feel her body relax as she folded me into her arms. She sighed, bending to kiss the top of my head.

"Shhhh, it's okay. It's just...Jesus, I thought..." She shook her head, sighing again. "I thought you wanted to go back. I thought..."

I nodded, hugging her tightly. She'd thought I was going to disappear, again, without a word. She'd thought she was losing me...just as I feared I would lose her if he was there when she arrived her. We'd been afraid of the same thing. We hugged for a moment longer before she stepped back and located her phone.

"Gimme a sec."

I watched her send a text message and then she focused on me again.

"If I give him money, will he go away?" She asked me.

I shook my head, "no, he'll come back for more. Besides, I can't pay you back. I won't let you do that."

She ignored that. "Okay, I have an idea. Don't freak out, okay? Promise me."

I hated when she said "don't freak out." Usually it meant I'd want to freak out. But I nodded. It was time for me to trust her, just like I wanted her to trust me.

She turned me around then, and parted my hair, looking at the gash at the back of my head. I could feel it was tender, swollen...but I didn't think it was bleeding anymore. She reached for the paper towels beside the washer and then led me to the half bath. She dabbed at the wound as she kept an eye on Darnell. After a few minutes, when she was satisfied she'd cleaned up most of the blood and had a good look at the gash, she winced, told me I would probably need stitches, and then led us back out to the bedroom area. He was sitting in the only chair I had, the arm chair she'd bought me, so we sat on the bed and simply stared at Darnell. I had no idea what we were waiting for, but finally her phone buzzed and she quickly texted the person a response. Moments later, I heard the front door upstairs open and close and then someone was walking down the stairs.

The person that joined us a moment later stunned me. It was a cop. He was dressed in a regular suit, but he had his gold badge clipped on the outside. He handed Vic a bag. Vic tossed the bag at Darnell.

"That's her bill, paid in full with interest. And this is my good friend, Detective Mitchell. He's with vice. I wanted him to meet you and provide you with the incentive not to return here again."

"Mr. Williams, considering you're already looking at five years for breaking and entering, and an additional five for extortion, you be a good boy and stay in your own neck of the woods from now on, okay?"

Darnell seemed amazed by the entire situation and simply nodded. Then he glanced at Vic, who said nothing as he stood. He was gone a few minutes later and I breathed just a little easier as I heard the Escalade peel away from the curb.

Vic smiled, slapping the cop on the back.

"Thanks Bill."

"Can't believe you gave him that money. You sure you don't want me to call an ambulance?" He looked in my direction.

"Nope, I'm good. I'm gonna take her in myself. Thanks again."

When the door upstairs closed behind him, I simply look at her.

"You had a cop bring him money?"

She shook her head, "nope, I had my driver, get the money. Bill picked it up on the way down here."

"How much did you give him, Vic?"

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

I looked at her, stunned.

"I'm not worth that kind of money," I informed her.

She smiled, nodding. "That's true," she teased gently, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me close. "You're worth much more."

I smiled, shaking my head to indicate I didn't agree with her.

She leaned down, pressing her lips to mine tenderly. I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of her lips pressed against mine. There was something different about it...about her. But I would figure it out later. Right now, I just wanted to enjoy being safe and in her arms again.

She lifted her head to look down at me, her hazel-green eyes sparkling with humor.

"Are you ready to finally come see my house? Stay with me for a little while? We can go there after the hospital." She offered.

I nodded, not sure what the big deal was.

"Okay, but when we get there, uh...just don't freak out, okay?"

I sighed, following as she led the way up the stairs.