Before you begin reading this, have you read ‘Switching Sides’?
Paula laid sprawled out on the cold concrete, her father’s lifeless body to her left and her uncle’s to her right. Looking up at the sky, she watched the clouds float by. Had the sky always been so blue?
A thick fog took over her mind like mist on a cool autumn morning.
“Baby stay with me!” Dani yelled, hugging Paula tightly.
In the distance, Paula could hear the faint sound of sirens wailing.
Dani pressed a hand to Paula’s cheek and Paula couldn’t help but smile; the officer was like her own little personal heater.
“No baby, open your eyes, look at me!” Dani yelled as she lightly patted Paula’s face.
How could she? How could Paula keep her eyes open when the fog was snaking around her, pulling her into what Paula could only imagine being a peaceful slumber?
She did it, she took down her uncle and father! Saved the city from two wolves who draped themselves in sheep’s clothing. Shouldn’t she get to rest after such a victory?
According to Dani, the answer was no. Rocking back and forth, Dani held onto Paula as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.
When it finally did, the paramedics made quick work of loading Paula into the vehicle and working on her.
Dani was an absolute mess. Usually, in times like these, the officer was quick to jump into action. But in that moment, sitting in that ambulance, covered in the blood of the woman she was quickly falling for, all her training was wiped from her mind.
The ride to the hospital was a blur of medical jargon and sirens. When they got to the hospital she hopped out of the ambulance with the paramedics and followed them into the hospital. She tried to follow them all the way to the operating room but her father grabbed her.
“They’ve got her. Dani let them do their job.” He whispered pulling her away from the doors.
Dani stared at the swinging doors, the image of the smoking gun still burned into her memory.
“He shot her.” Dani said.
The loud bang still rung in her ears; the memory of Paula staring at her father, so certain that he wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger.
Dani turned and looked at her own father. He was her safe haven, her rock, and half her world. He’d never even gestured to her while holding a knife as he cooked and spoke to her at the same time. But Pauly so carelessly pointed a gun at his own daughter and pulled the trigger.
“Pauly! Pauly shot Paula?!” Jackson asked, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Dani nodded, causing her mother’s hands to fly into her hair, gripping firmly at her roots.
A look passed between Jackson and his wife before Dani’s mother vanished. Then, ushering Dani over into the waiting room, he sat her down in a chair before squatting down in front of her.
With his hands gripping her thighs, he stared into her eyes.
“Breathe with me honey.” He instructed.
Together they inhaled and Dani felt as though she were breathing in fire. Staring into her father’s eyes she exhaled before repeating the cycle.
They remained like that for a while before Dani’s mother returned with a cup of water.
“Go slow.” Her mother said, handing her the cup.
Dani took the cup from her mother, hands shaking; she took a few big gulps before resting the cup in her father’s waiting hand.
“He shot his own daughter, dad! His own fucking daughter!” Dani said just above a whisper.
“Okay! Hang on. I’m gonna get some paper and a pen so I can take note of everything that happened.” Jackson said.
After making sure that his wife was okay to sit with Dani, Jackson rushed out to his car.
Ripping the glove compartment open, he snatched the legal pad he kept in there and quickly rushed back into the hospital.
A nurse offered them a quiet room and after getting Dani some more water, they began.
“Go slow, start from the beginning, and tell me everything. No detail is too small.” He said.
Of course, Dani knew all of this, but in her shaken state, she wasn’t an officer, she was a witness to a horrific event.
I’ve always wanted to try that thing authors door where they skip ahead and then go back and fill in the blanks. I hope I do a good job of that. Anyways, we’re nearing the end of this series and I gotta say, this is my favorite series I’ve written so far. I already have an idea for another series and while I haven’t started it yet, I can say that it’ll be another women who love women series. Thank you so much to everyone who’s made it this far and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. Thank you- C
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