Protecting Marcus

"Okay... maybe we take her to Wrong's or pizza?" He asked hopefully.

"No son... we have an appointment... Ms. Trish and I had Wong's last night."

"Pizza then...?" He pleaded.

"We'll see.... Buckle up for mommy." I said as I fastened him into his car seat that still looked out of place in the back of Trish's car. I smiled as I pulled out and headed to our appointment.

On the way out, Marcus was still pressing me for pizza when I noticed the car. I made sure Marcus locked his door. I locked all the doors with the automatic switch as I started the car. I watched closely as we pulled out. I looked behind me and almost panicked. The grey car was following us. I grabbed my cell and dialed Trish's number.

"Come on... come on, answer." I pleaded with the phone, as it rang.

"Hey sexy green eyes..." Trish's voice greeted me.

"I'm being followed." I rushed out.

"What? Are you sure?" She asked me, instantly concerned.

"Yes it's the same kind of car as before. It was waiting at the school, and at the counselors." I know Trish could hear the fear in my voice.

"Okay sweetie, just head here... If he tries to overtake you, remember that car has three hundred and fifty horses under the hood. Stay on the line and I'll have David call the police from the office phone." Trish told her, calling to David in the background. "I'll have security meet you downstairs. Try and get the license plate if you can, but drive safely. Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"Okay... I was having such a good day too." I sighed.

"It's okay! Just relax, and tell me where you are." Trish talked in a soft soothing voice.

"Oh my god... oh my god.... It's him... he's with someone... It's him." I cried as I saw his face in the mirror.

"Beth... Beth! Tell me where you are... the cops are on the way... whatever you do, don't stop.... The police are on the way." Trish could hear Marcus's voice in the back, asking what was happening.

"I'm almost to the freeway.... There's a stop light up ahead... what do I do?" I was almost in hysterics.

"Beth, there is a button next to the shifter. Switch it to S, it will tell the car that you are driving it like a sports car and it handles better. If they try and approach you at the intersection, do what you have to do to get away. David said the police are a couple of minutes away."

"I don't want to hurt your car.... They're moving closer.... The light is starting to change... what do I do?"

"Can you make the light? Don't worry about the car, it's insured... Just get here safely as you can..." Trish told her, while she was headed toward the parking area.

"Oh shit...!" I screamed as Trish heard tires squeal and the engine rev over the phone. I dropped the phone as she helplessly listened. I hit the gas, running the light and heading onto the freeway. I was in a panic as I saw the car trying to stay with me. I took the off ramp and didn't pause as the light changed to green.

"I'm at the main entrance...!" Trish yelled into her phone, hoping I could hear her. I didn't know if she could hear the sirens over the phone, and in the background. I knew they we were close.

"Yes, we hear you. We have security to protect the boy." David told the dispatcher as Trish's car came into view. "Yeah, it's the blue BMW."

I put her car into a power slide around the curve and hit the gas. I raced up to the front door and braked to a hard stop. The car purred at idle until I turned the key off and Trish raced to the car.

"Get Marcus into the hospital...." Trish called to David and two of the security officers. Beth and Trish watched a grey car speed past the entrance, with the police in pursuit. One of the police cars raced up to the back of Trish's BMW.

"Hi Miss Tish... we raced the police... it was fun." A smiling Marcus said as Trish pulled him out of his car seat, and handed him to the security guards.

"Hi buddy... I need you to go with these guards while your momma and I talk to the nice police officers." She gave him a quick kiss and sent him on his way. "David... Take him to my office. We'll be up as soon as we can."She ordered as I turned to face the officers.

Officer Wood and his partner walked up. "Ma'am, nice to see you again. What's going on this time?" He asked all business.

"Officer Wood, I don't know if you remember Mrs. Williams? She is the one who I had you pick up her son, Marcus. I just sent him and my assistant up to my office. The ex-husband who's still stalking Mrs. Williams, chased her from the child's school, and she called me..."

"Mrs. Williams, I'm going to need your driver's license, the registration of the car and proof of insurance." The junior officer told me.

"Can I move my car out of the middle of the entrance?" Trish asked.

"This is your car?" Officer Wood asked perplexed.

"Yes, I let Mrs. Williams borrow it to take Marcus to an appointment this afternoon." Trish told the officer, reaching in for the registration. "This isn't the first attempt of kidnapping Marcus." She added as she handed over the forms. "Can we take this up to my office?"

"Sure, pull the car over to the side, and I'll park behind it." Officer Wood said as he put the registration and insurance card in his pocket. Trish helped me out of the car, putting her arm around me and led us to the elevators.

The trip up was quiet, as everyone waited to get to Trish's office. They were met by Marcus who remembered Officer Wood.

"Are you going to take me away again?" He asked scooting behind David's desk.

"Nope, not this time buddy. I think you're right where you need to be." He smiled down at the boy. "So tell me what happened today?"

"Mommy picked me up from school and we drove Miss Tish car... and, and, and... then mommy saw a bad man with my dad. She called Miss Tish and we raced everyone here. We beat you too." Marcus said excitedly.

"You sure did. Your mommy sure picked a great car to race us in. Did you get hurt?"

"Nope, I was buckled in my seat." He said proudly.

"Good boy... why don't you go over there and color while I talk to Miss Trish and your Mommy."

"Kay..." David took Marcus over to his desk and pulled out one of the coloring books the hospital kept for the pediatric ward. Later, after they got all the information they needed, they sited Beth for speeding and told her.

"I have to ticket you for speeding, but just tell the judge about the abduction and she should drop it. I hate to say it, but you need to move to somewhere the dad doesn't know where you're at. We had to stop pursuit as soon as we knew the boy was safe. The car was a rental paid for by cash. We can get a copy of the driver's license of who rented it, but that won't mean much. Your statements will help the detectives, but I'll be honest. Knowing it was him, and proving it, are two different things. I can't even site him for stalking unless we catch him in the act."

"I understand..." I said in a small voice, I've heard it all before. The officers shook my hand and handed me another one of their cards.

"Call us if you need anything. We know what's going on. We'll talk to the detective before we go home. Good luck." I waited until they entered the elevator before I crumbled into Trish's arms. Trish pulled me into her office and closed the door as Marcus asked.

"Is mommy going to be okay?"

"Yeah, she just needs a good cry. All girls need to cry from time to time. Trish will take care of her. What you drawing there?" David reassured Marcus and distracted him as the door closed.

"What am I going to do?" I cried into Trish's shoulder. "He could have...."

"Shhh, it's okay... you're safe... Marcus is safe... that's all that is important." Trish soothed me. She rocked us, not stopping when her cell went off in her pocket. Taking a hand, fully intending to press ignore, until she saw it was Anne calling.

"Hello..." Trish answered stroking me as she quieted my racing heart.

"Hi Trish.... Do you know where Beth is? I can't get through on her cell. I know she has your car...." I heard my sister ask.

"She's with me Anne.... Everything's fine." Trish was reassuring everyone with her last statement.

"What happened?" She asked then added. "Can you bring them home? We've got some things to talk about. You sure everything is okay?" I could hear the concern in her voice.

"Yeah, I can... we'll leave here in a bit. I'll explain everything when we get there." Trish continued to rock me as I asked.

"How did the sonogram go?" Anne knew instantly her sister had to be in Trish's arms, because she heard her voice so clearly over the phone

"It went great... we'll tell you all about that over dinner. Tell her I'm fixing pasta and garlic bread. It will be ready in about an hour."

"Okay, we'll be there." Trish closed her phone and kissed my forehead. "She's fixing pasta and garlic bread. I guess we all have things to talk about.... Are you feeling better?" She looked into my eyes, making me feel safe.

"Yeah, but I don't want to move yet." I said snuggling in deeper. "Her pasta is to die for. It's one of the few things she can fix better than me, so she rubs it in whenever she can." I sighed. Trish held me close, never wanting to let me go close, even when David knocked and I tried to pull away.

"I hate to disturb you two... but the PR department wants to talk to you. It seems that the chase was caught on the news and they want a statement." He smiled at me as I blushed. "Sweetie, you better get used to it... Trish is one busy lady." He added in a soft voice. "Besides, I'll never tell..." He smiled again.

"Great... by now I guess they know who the car belongs too?" Trish asked irritated

"Well yeah, most likely... freedom of information and all that... It looks spectacular on TV... Marcus is even giving me a turn by turn analysis." David laughed at the look on his bosses face.

"Fantastic... I guess Sheila gets her wish. She's been bugging me about the car. Besides he knows it now." Trish huffed. "I like that car. Well time for something more sensible. Tell PR that I'll call them in a few minutes to give them a release then go home before the board calls."

"Um dear, they're on three..." He grinned and shut the door.

"I better go..." I tried to pull away again.

"You stay right here. I'm going to need it with them." Trish told me with a quick kiss before picking up her phone. "Trish here...." She held me close as she answered all their questions until she got tired of it.

"Look, I'll prepare a complete report. The hospital is in no way liable and I'll run everything through legal. I have to get with PR and issue a statement. Other than that, things should pick up with the good press." She answered a few more questions and then hung up.

"You're not going to sue us, are you?" She asked as she kissed me again.

"Not unless you don't feed me soon. I missed lunch." I teased back halfheartedly.

"David." She called. "Drive my car into the private lot and then go home. Leave the keys under the seat and I'll get them when we leave. I'll see you tomorrow." I handed him the key I was still clutching.

"Your wish is my command oh noticeable one. You better fill in the blanks before the press does by its self." He added as he grabbed his stuff and headed out the door. It took Trish five minutes to talk to the PR department, while I gathered Marcus and his new coloring book.

We snuck out of the building, and headed out the back employee entrance. We had made it three blocks before Anne called and told us to park the car in the garage. Trish pulled in as Paul closed the door behind them, his only comment.

"Good driving sis." He laughed at the look on my face. "Dinner's on the table... it can wait until after that." He hugged his sister-in-law and Trish as they passed. Marcus jumped up in his arms and started bragging.

"I was on the news. Did you see it? Just wait until I tell everyone at school." He beamed.

"I don't think so buddy. The fewer people who know, the better. It was cool though wasn't it? I bet you didn't know your mommy could drive that fast." Paul said has he hauled the boy over his shoulder and into the house.

They talked about what happened and that the news was already splitting the two cars. They saw the people run in with the boy, but then the rest of the cop cars chasing after the grey midsize. With the press release and the extra attention, Trish knew she'd have to get rid of her car. It wasn't until after dinner that Anne dropped her bomb.

"Well, you'll never guess what the ultrasound showed." She beamed.

"You're having twins." I said sarcastically, thinking that would just top the day off.

"How did you know?" Anne looked deflated.

"What... I was joking. Twins... really?" The rest of the evening dissolved into chaos. By the time Trish got home, she was exhausted.

***

Trish

Over the next couple of weeks things settled back down. My sister was ecstatic about the BMW. I made a deal for her to pay me back after she was done with school, but I knew if nothing else, my father would pay it off for her.

I ended up buying the Mercedes mid-size SUV. It would give me room for Marcus's car seat, plus go fast when I wanted it to. It's funny that I thought of the car seat first, but we all must grow up sometime.

We'd either end up at Anne's house, where I was getting used to eating real meals, or at my place, so I could get stuff done. Marcus didn't care either way as long as he got to see me almost every day. I think it all came to a head the day Beth was fired. Well the company said laid off, but I knew it was coming.

Beth came to my work almost in tears. By this time, David had become used to Beth and welcomed her whenever he talked to her. She was waiting for me when I came back from a meeting.

"She's in there crying." David warned me.

"Hey sexy... what's wrong?" I asked as soon as I entered.

"I've lost my job... Marcus will be out of school in a couple of weeks and Anne is getting as big as a house and I don't have enough money to move. I know they need the room for the twins...." She purged as I stroked her.

My head was tumbling with an idea I'd been thinking about, but I didn't know how Beth would take it. I mean we haven't even made love yet. It was like we knew we would when the time was right, but there was no hurry. I stroked and soothed my girlfriend while she pulled herself together.

"I'll tell you what, why don't you go get Marcus and take him home to my house. Stop and get what you need to feed everyone and I'll invite Anne and Paul for dinner. I have the room. We can talk about it then." I kissed her sad face and sent her on the way.

As soon as she was out the door, David poked his head in and asked. "What are you planning? I know you...." He asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm planning on asking her to live with me. She needs time and space. I have both. If it works, then great, if not then she'll get the time she needs to heal." I rubbed my head against the building ache.

"Oh, you've got it bad. You're taking a big risk, you know that." David sat on the edge of my desk.

"Yeah, but if I don't, then I could lose the best thing ever. I'm willing to risk it... it's only my heart. I'm taking her over to Alonzo's this weekend to meet the family. It will give Marcus someone safe to play with. I've already cleared it with Anne. I'm sure her and Paul can stand the weekend alone before she gets too big to enjoy it."

"You're wedding bells serious aren't you? Let me just say, you're one brave lady. I'd never make plans about Steven's time without him knowing about it. He gets all pissy if I do."

"Yeah, well, we're also going to get her a car. I thought Alonzo's friend could help her. He gets the best cars at the best prices. Beth knows we're going car shopping. She just doesn't know were dropping Marcus off with Lonzo's kids for a play date. " Trish flipped through her calendar absently.

"My, my... you are brave. Beth's one fierce cougar when it comes to her cub. You have a meeting with legal in fifteen minutes. They want to go over the new rules for Preemie-care and rights waivers. Sounds like a real happening time... Take your caffeine or you'll fall asleep on them again."

"Okay... Let the Alderson's lawyers know I can give them fifteen minutes after, and then prep for tomorrow. The hospital review board is coming in a month and I want all the departments ready this time. Tell Molly in elder care, if I find any of the same mistakes, I'll replace her entire unit." I checked off my list the things finished, and the ones I planned on doing before going home. "I want to be out of here no later than six today. I have to convince a certain hurt, stubborn, woman; she loves me enough to live with me."

"Good luck with that... I'll deal with the Alderson's. They just want to lock in the private room for their surrogate. She's milking this for every penny and concession she can get." He wrote a note down on his pad.

"Yeah, she's giving them the one thing they couldn't have by themselves. Their rich enough and she needs the college tuition. Life is great all the way around." I picked up my files and headed out to the meeting.

When Beth picked me up from work, she was unsettled. When I asked about it, she told me that she had to move some things to get dinner done. I didn't really worry about it, I looked in the back and noticed Marcus's seat empty.

"Where's the munchkin?"

"Paul is taking him to some ballgame or something.... They're keeping it a secret. Guy stuff, they told me. Anne said they would bring him with them in time for dinner at seven." I could feel her tension.

"Relax sweetie, it's not that bad." I tried to reassure her without letting the cat out of the bag.

"Long day... I hope you don't mind... I've kind of taken over the kitchen." She said again as we pulled into my garage. As soon as I opened my door, I was greeted by the smell of something mouth watering.

"What's for dinner? It smells great."

"It's a surprise... I hope you like it." Beth was wringing her hands together.

"Come here... you need to relax. Do you want to take a shower with me? How much longer until dinner is done?"

"About another twenty minutes... It's hard to judge, I've never used your stove before. Why do you have such a fancy stove, if you never use it?" Beth asked me as she followed me into my bedroom.

"It was here when I bought the place. I got a good deal, not that I know how to use it." I said as I started getting undresses. I turned around and opened my arms to Beth. She snuggled into me and sighed.

"I needed a hug." She sighed again as I pulled back and gave me a soft kiss. One kiss led to another, and soon the shower was almost forgotten. "Here, let me do that." She said as she helped me unbutton my top.

We took our time undressing each other, each marveling in the differences. She had smooth white skin pressed next to my dark brown. Her breasts were full and round with big pink puffy nipples. She stared transfixed as she exposed my smallish breasts that were capped with very long sensitive nipples. We let our hands roam, getting used to the feel of each other's skin. There wasn't a mad rush, but the gentle exploration.

This wasn't about sex. We were getting to know each other. Oh, the undercurrent could be felt, but like everything else, it just heightened the experience. I stepped back so I could remove her slacks, trailing kisses over her abdomen. I ran my hands down her firm shapely legs as I exposed them to my view. I could smell her sex and knew I had to get her into the shower, or we'd still be making love when Marcus and Anne showed up.

I stood, expecting to finish stripping off, when Beth surprised me by making me stand still as she removed my long skirt, and then unbuckling my garter. She took her time rolling my stockings down my legs. I wanted to pick her up and throw her on my bed.