I'll Always Catch You Pt. 02

I knew it was only a matter of time before he was going to rape her and most likely kill her! I had to save Hannah.

Pain or not, I attacked him like a wild animal. I kicked and clawed at this face. I bit his arms. He got a hold of me with both hands around my neck and began to choke the life out of me.

"I'm tired of fuckin' with you little man!" His spittle covered my face.

His grip tightened around my throat and I couldn't breath. Moose pressed me against the wall, and my body flailed about as he lifted me off the floor. My hands grabbed at his in a futile attempt to pry them from my throat. I grew weaker with every second that passed. Soon, my vision narrowed to a single spot. I could see Hannah lying on the floor. I didn't know if she was alive or not.

My lungs burnt. My fingers were growing weaker. I tried attacking his eyes with my fingertips.

Moose was choking my life out of me, and I was going to die.

I read someplace that hearing in the last thing to go when you're dying. I thought I heard Hannah yell.

All of a sudden, Moose's grip let go like a rubber band that had snapped, and I fell down the wall and onto the floor. I gasped for breath, and when I looked down, there was Hannah, covered in blood— Moose's blood—she had a kitchen knife and was stabbing him in the back. He tried to swat her away, but she continued her onslaught. Seconds later, Moose was face down in the living room.

My legs wouldn't support me, so I dragged myself over to Hannah.

"Is he? Is he?" Hannah asked between gulps of air. Hannah shook uncontrollably even with my arms around her.

"Yeah, he's dead."

About that time, the real cops were there and they kicked the door in. I looked up and saw Bruce. He took the comforter from the upturned sofa and covered Hannah and me. "We're here now. Everything will be fine."

The paramedics came and loaded us into an ambulance, and just as we left, I looked around the apartment, the apartment that had so many good memories in it with Hannah. There in the living room, lay the body of the man that started the whole thing. Simon Anderson, the Moose, was dead

And I was glad he was dead.

Chapter Forty-Six

Looking back, the entire attack from Moose might have lasted three perhaps five minutes. That was all. Yet, at the time we had no idea how our lives would be affected by those minutes.

Hannah had a compound break of her right arm. Moose had tossed her around the apartment with such rage; he tore ligaments and muscle from her left arm. The doctors told us they would like to see if her body would heal itself, if not, then she'll need surgery to fix the damage. Both of her arms were in slings.

Me? I had a nine broken ribs and lots of bruises. Everything between my legs was black and blue and hurt like you wouldn't believe. I had to walk with a help of a cane. I was told it could be two months maybe longer before I could have sex with Hannah. It seemed that Moose's grip on my dick caused a lot of internal damage. It's another case of wait and see.

Our faces and arms are all black and blue. We look like we were in a bus that was driven off of a cliff.

But no matter, we will make it.

Hannah didn't have much use of her left arm, her right one was in a cast, and so I became her surrogate hands. I helped her feed herself, get her dressed, and I tended to her most personal needs. Two days after she was attacked Hannah's monthly friend stopped by. With her help, and reading the instructions, I managed to insert a tampon on my second try. I guess that's something most men shouldn't be proud of, but damn, I sure was. I never thought I was able to do such things until I found that I had to.

* * * * *

Two weeks later, Becky and Bruce announced they were taking us out for dinner. We protested, but Becky wouldn't take no for an answer. She said we needed to get out. So we agreed. I dressed Hannah in some white dress pants with a light blue shirt. She wore those blue high heels I got her. Even though her face was bruised and mottled with black and yellow areas, I applied some makeup to hide most of them. Hannah looked fine.

* * * * *

Hannah had both her arms in white slings. Becky hugged Hannah, while I shook hands with Bruce. Becky had made reservations for a table in the rear, that way Hannah wouldn't stand out as much.

I cut Hannah's food into small bite sized bits, and I fed her one bite at a time. After a while, Hannah wanted to try eating with her left arm, so I slipped it out of the sling. Eating with her left hand was a struggle, hell it would have been a struggle if her arm was in perfect working condition, after all Hannah was right handed.

The four of us chatted about current events, but eventually, the conversation drifted back to that Saturday night. We were basically rehashing the same old same old.

Hannah leaned toward me and said, "I need to go to the little girls room."

"You'll need to excuse us for a minute, as Hannah needs to visit the restroom."

"I'll go with Hannah," Becky announced.

"I appreciate the thought, but I have this." I stood, grabbed my cane and helped Hannah stand.

* * * * *

When we reached the ladies' room, I knocked on the door and heard nothing. "I'm coming in," I said when I pushed the door open. Lucky for us there wasn't anyone in there.

I got Hannah into the first stall, and got her pants unzipped. I lowered her pants, hose and panties and helped her down on the seat. There wasn't enough room for both of us, so I stood outside of the stall while I let her do her thing. I had Hannah's purse slung over my shoulder as I leaned on the stall door.

About that time, two young women strolled in. "Look at this, the perverts are prowling the shitters now." She pointed a finger at me and continued. "I should report you, you sicko."

At that moment, Hannah knocked on the door. "I'm done."

I opened the door and went inside. Hannah had to pee, so it wasn't a big deal to take care of her. I slipped a finger though one of the belt loops on her pants and led her out. The look on the faces of those two women was simply priceless.

Hannah and I went to the sinks. I wasn't able to get her panties pulled up correctly inside the stall, and they kind of bunched around her waist. So, I let her pants down a bit and adjusted her panties and hose, and then I pulled her pants up and fastened her belt. I didn't know it at the time, but I had an audience of women that were spell bound by what they were seeing.

I put her purse on the countertop and pulled out some of her makeup. I touched up her eyelashes with some mascara and freshened her lipstick. That's when a small plump woman that appeared to be in her late fifties said, "Ladies, you can have your jocks, the guys with all the money, but this gentlemen is a man who honors his vow to his wife 'for better or for worst.'"

Those words from that old lady hit me like a shotgun blast to my gut.

"You got any brothers?" One of the women asked.

"All spoken for."

And with that I put my arm around Hannah's waist and led her out and back to our table.

Hannah stopped about halfway back to our table and said, "I'd be a good wife."

And I knew she would.

Chapter Forty-Seven

A couple of days later, I helped Hannah out of the shower.

"It really sucks not having arms in working order," she said as I dried her body off.

"You still want to go?" I asked.

"Yeah of course I do. I want to get away for a while."

Hannah had asked me to take her to see Mom and Dad. I told them what had happened and we might spend a few days.

With Hannah in the bedroom, I used a blow dryer and dried her long hair. It's a time consuming but enjoyable task.

Hannah had lost some weight that she certainly didn't need to lose, so I went to town and got her some new clothing for our trip home. It wasn't fancy, a pair of jeans, a new shirt, and I knew I might catch hell, but I purchased a pair of red panties and a matching bra. They had a bit of lace to them, but definitely nothing trashy. I certainly enjoyed watching Hannah walk around the apartment in her panties and bra. We haven't done that since that incident at the apartment.

You should have seen the look on her eyes when I opened the shopping bag and spread its contents across the bed. The jeans I picked out were light blue and according the lady at the store they were stone washed, which was suppose to make them soft. I had no idea what stone washed meant.

"Lay back," I said as I began to work those red panties up her legs.

"This is the first time you ever bought me panties, especially red ones. You sure picked a bad time to play around when your equipment out of service."

Hannah was quite right. The damage Moose did to my dick and balls stopped all sex with Hannah. I went from getting an erection at the sight of Hannah's body to not being able to get it up at all. If things don't get back to normal, the doctors told me I might have to have surgery to fix the plumbing that Moose damaged.

After I had her panties on, I got a pair of socks from her sock drawer. When I sat back beside her, I felt her left hand on my thigh. "I had Becky buy some stockings. They're in the bottom drawer. You can put them on me if you'd like."

"Why did you do that?"

Hannah shrugged. "'Cause you like to see me wear them." She shrugged once more.

Hannah had made such progress in the year and a half we've been together. After Moose attacked us that night, she had slipped back. I could have easily opened the drawer and slipped those stockings on Hannah's legs. I would have loved to had done that, but it simply wasn't in her best interest.

"Moose is dead. You'll never have to wear stockings the rest of your life for me or for Moose."

Hannah squeezed my fingers and I could tell what I just said meant the world to her.

So, I put her jeans on. I was quite proud of myself as they fit like a glove. Before I announced her fully dressed, I slipped on some white socks and her white tennis shoes. The last thing I did was wrestled her short sleeved red shirt over her cast. Hannah looked really cute as I helped her to her feet.

When we were in the kitchen, I leaned her against the sink. Hannah didn't say a word as I playfully teased her long hair over her bummed up arms. I smiled at her.

"What are you smiling about?" Hannah asked.

"Us."

I had a single suitcase already packed. It contained only the basics for us. Since I was the one that packed the suitcase, I made sure there were no skirts or dresses, no makeup, and no heels either. I was going home with my girlfriend and not a model.

Why have I dragged Hannah along for such a long time? I'm scared. To be frank, I like the way things were. There are no commitments, and we're free to go our ways at any time.

And I just lied to myself.

Chapter Forty-Eight

The weather was overcast when we left Cleveland, but by the time we were on the south side of Dayton, the skies cleared to reveal a beautiful sunny day. Hannah was quiet most of the trip. I think she was in deep thought about meeting my mother for a second time. I didn't ask and let her stare out the window as the miles clicked off.

* * * * *

Dad met us as we pulled up to the house. He hugged us and we made some small talk as we walked up the sidewalk to the old home. Penny had turned sixteen and Dad promised her she could practice driving around the farm in his old Ford pickup. Lori was there, too.

"How's Mom?" I asked.

"She's doing better. Doc has her on some pills. He told us that they will only slow the disease down, there's no cure for dementia, and it will only get worst."

Lori and Mom were in the kitchen, and Mom stopped what she was doing and gave Hannah a big hug. So did Lori. Before Hannah could pull out a chair, Penny ran in.

"I heard Uncle Jim's car pull in. Can I sign your cast? Does it hurt?"

Hannah of course agreed to Penny's request. Before I knew it, Penny kidnapped Hannah and took her for a ride in Dad's old truck.

Mom went back to the dishes, she was humming a song, while Dad, Lori, and I sat 'round the kitchen table.

"What happened? You didn't provide too many details when you called," Dad said.

"The guy that Hannah had been living with, most people called him Moose, was being held in the county jail. Apparently they were transferring him and two other inmates to a federal prison until trial, when the three of them overpowered the guards. One guard was killed.

"Moose must have thought he could hide at Hannah apartment. Perhaps he could get some new clothing? We'll never know. He sure as hell didn't like me being there with Hannah."

"What about the other two men that escaped?" Dad asked.

"One was shot and killed by the Cleveland PD, and the other gave up without incident."

"How's she doing?" Lori asked.

"Better than me."

"Son, looks like you have something on your mind," Dad said.

"Does it show that much?"

Lori reached across the table and touched my hand. "Yes it does."

Out the kitchen window I saw the truck go by with Hannah and Penny. Mom was still singing softly to herself.

"I've been looking at rings. I haven't purchased one yet 'cause I keep chickening out." I looked at Dad. "What if I'm not the right man for her? I don't feel like I stepped up to the plate while Moose was beating Hannah. I froze. I was scared to death."

Lori looked at me with those blue eyes of hers and said, "That's bullshit and you know it. It's an excuse. You had all sorts of time before Moose broke in. Besides, how do you think another guy would have reacted?"

Lori was absolutely right. I could have asked her anytime. A relationship is worth fighting for, and yet I haven't been.

I was about to say more when in walked Penny. "Where's Hannah?" I asked.

"I dropped her off at the orchard. She said she wanted some personal time."

"I wonder what's up with that?" I asked.

"What do you expect? She killed a man, the one that abused her. That's got to hit home hard," Lori said.

"Why don't you buy her a ring and give it to her?" Dad asked.

We heard some dishes rattle when Mom put them in the strainer. She came over and pulled out a chair and sat beside me and said, "Do you love her?"

"Ah, Mom, of course I do."

"So what are you waiting on?"

"I don't have a ring. I've been looking."

"So you're telling me that you'd ask Hannah to marry you once you have a ring, and you're looking to find one?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, that's about right."

"Bullshit," Mom said.

Mom pushed back from the table and stood. "I thought I raised you smarter than that." Mom left the kitchen.

"Bullshit is right," Lori said.

Lori tried talking to me about Hannah, and I kept returning her excuses. That's when Mom returned to the kitchen and she sat back down. She un-folded a white handkerchief and gently lifted a ring from within.

We all stared at the ring. It truly was a thing of beauty.

"This was my great grandmother's wedding ring. It was good enough for her, so it's going to be good enough for Hannah. There's no such thing as a used diamond. Now no more bullshit. If you want to marry her, marry her. If not, you need to let her go so she can find someone that loves her enough to spend the rest of his life with her."

Mom slid the ring over to me.

"Ask her. While I love all my granddaughters, I know dad would love to have a grandson. So would I before this disease steals my mind."

I picked up the ring. "It's beautiful, Mom. Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I slipped the ring into my pants pocket and left the kitchen.

* * * * *

The orchard had to be older than the farmhouse itself. Dad hasn't kept it up and most of the trees look like they're in pain with their twisted and deformed branches.

I don't remember when, but Dad built a bench at the very top of the orchard that overlooked the farmhouse. I remember sitting there with Mom and Dad along with my brothers and watching the sun sit behind the hills when I was a kid. It's one of those nuggets of memory that we all hold so dear.

Hannah had found the old bench. The sun had bleached the wood gray while time had twisted the boards.

"Hi," I said as I approached Hannah.

"It's peaceful up here."

"Sure is. I thought you'd come down and talk with the family."

"I will."

"So what are you thinkin' about?"

"My life. Us."

"So what about us?" I asked.

"Are you still mad because I accused you of sleeping with Becky? I told you that I enjoy having sex with you. What's wrong? Why are you afraid of me?"

I picked her hand up and rubbed her knuckles with my thumb. "There's nothing wrong, and it's none of those things. I'm certainly not afraid of you."

"What is it then? Is it Becky? You still love Becky don't you?"

"It's not Becky. We talked about this before. Her and I well...

Then Hannah asked, "Why didn't you and her ever get married?"

I shrugged. "I guess we simply didn't fall deeply in love. I loved Becky yet our love wasn't strong enough to keep us together. Looking back, I think it was because I didn't fight hard enough for her and I. We let each other go without putting any effort to try and hold it together."

My heart pounded in my chest. My hands were wet with sweat. All the good times, and all the bad times seemed to merge together. It was time I either let her go, or ask her to be my wife.

"You're a lot different. We've had some rough times, and well, I guess we decided we were worth it."

So I reached down into my pocket and pulled out the ring, still wrapped within the handkerchief. I unfolded it. The diamond sparkled in the late afternoon sun. I heard Hannah gasp.

"Mom told me it was her great grandmother's ring."

"Yes!"

"You don't know what the question is?"

I watched tears fill her eyes until they tumbled down her face.

"I guess I should make it official then."

I slipped off of the bench and went down on one knee. I took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger.

Hannah? Will you—"

"Yes! Oh God, a million times yes!"

"Be my wife?"

Chapter Forty-Nine

Hannah and I were married the following spring. She wanted a small wedding, so we were married in the church Mom and Dad belong to. Becky was Hannah's maid of honor, while Robert stood beside me as my best man.

Dad being Dad called it a nerd wedding 'cause between the NASA people and my employees from the pencil palace, well I guess between rocket scientists and computer geeks, it was a nerd wedding after all.

Our wedding was the first time Hannah had been in a church since she could remember. What caught everyone, myself included, by surprise was Hannah's request to be baptized the following Sunday. So, Lori, Penny, and Hannah were baptized in Clearwater Park in a small pond as family and friends looked on. I had never seen Mom so happy.

* * * * *

Epilogue

Time can move so slowly you don't perceive what's happening around you. Lisa didn't abort her unborn child and carried it through. She delivered a seven-pound baby girl she named Ella. What happened to Ryan? The law didn't have much bite after all. He pled guilty and paid a small fine for fifth degree assault. However, his wife had him by his nuts and sued for divorce. He ended up paying child support for Ella, and his two kids. That romp in the hay with Lisa was expensive. Lisa still works for me at the Pencil factory, and has done some modeling gigs on the side as well.

Becky and Bruce tied the knot, too, a few months after Hannah and I said our vows. Bruce advanced within the Cleveland police and is now a sergeant. Becky still works for me, and I consider her both a company asset and one of my personal best friends.

I never thought there was a woman in the world that could grab Christopher's love, but Anne and Christopher got engaged.