My Saving Grace Pt. 08

Knowing how insanely dangerous it was, I crawled to the far end of the loveseat and peered out from behind it. The man I'd shot was still where he'd fallen. The second one was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, hands empty at his sides.

I stood quickly, my weapon on target, my finger just starting to apply pressure to the trigger...and then I paused. His hands were empty! He wasn't moving. Shoot or don't shoot? That can be one of the hardest decisions a person in a deadly force encounter will ever have to make. To me, with all the adrenaline flooding my system, and my instincts to defend myself and my loved ones howling commands at me, this moment seemed to last for hours.

At last, time seemed to start moving at it's normal rate. "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND, NOW!" I yelled. I could hear my voice – faintly – so at least my hearing was starting to recover.

For a second, I didn't think he was going to comply. But then, the black-clad person sank to is knees. Without being told, he slowly raised his empty hands and clasped them on top of his head.

"CROSS YOUR ANKLES AND DO NOT MOVE, OR I'll SHOOT!" I commanded, still keeping him fixed in my sights. Damn, what I'd give to be holding my AR-15 about now...

Again, the remaining intruder obeyed me, crossing his ankles awkwardly while resting on his knees. I warned him again not to move, then I stepped forward and pulled off his ski mask with a single, violent tug. I was shocked to see Anthony's face looking back at me. He looked back at me, equally shocked. His cheeks were wet from tears, and his lips were trembling.

"Grace!" I called out. "Are you, Liza, and Lily okay!"

"Yes!" she called back. Some of the terrible tension in my chest eased.

"Grace, I need you to cover this guy!"

"I'm coming up behind you right now!" she said, steadily.

I felt a thrill of pride and love as she stepped into view, her pistol on target, unwavering. Her stance was perfect! There was no visible trace of the fear and adrenaline that must be coursing through her. Grace was rock steady, and my heart almost burst with love and pride in this incredible woman.

Leaving Gracie to watch Anthony, I hurried over to where the first intruder lay unmoving on the floor. I lifted the ski mask, not at all surprised to find Trent's face beneath it, staring lifelessly back at me. I felt for a pulse at his throat, just to be sure. There was nothing, and he wasn't breathing either. My stomach heaved, and I felt my gorge rising and brutally swallowed it back down. This was NOT the time, or the place! Satisfied that Trent was no longer a threat, I hurried to Fleur's side.

She was still laying against the wall by the door where she'd fallen. I slipped my pistol back into it's holster and cradled my cousin-in-law's upper body in my arms. An ugly bruise was already starting to form on her jaw, but her breathing was regular, and her pulse was steady and strong.

"Thank you, God," I whispered, as I felt the weight on soul lightened by one more life.

"Liza, I need you over here by the door!"

I reached over and tugged the ski mask back down to conceal Trent's death stare. Liza wasn't stupid; she had to know who it was. But I didn't want her to see her father lying dead on her living room floor...especially since I had been the one who- I firmly squelched that line of thought. Again, now wasn't the time!

Elizabeth reached my side in an instant, completely ignoring Trent's body. She was a strong one, my cousin. Her eyes were full of tears and terror, but that terror was not for herself: it was for the woman who had come to mean everything to her. Her cheeks were wet, but she didn't sob or whine. She was composed and in full control of herself. My heart swelled with admiration and love for my cousin, as she knelt next to me. Good God, the strength of these people!

"I'm pretty sure she's just been knocked out," I said, before she could ask. "Her pulse is strong and steady, and her breathing is normal."

Elizabeth closed her eyes in brief moment of relief, before caressing her woman's brow. "Give her to me, Kev. I'll hold her while you..." she broke off. Unable to finish the sentence, she gestured wordlessly to where the policeman was lying, unmoving. I nodded in wordless agreement, and then I gently lowered Fleur's torso until she was laying on her back, with her head resting in Elizabeth's lap.

As I moved to get up, Elizabeth stopped me with her hand on my shoulder. When I turned back to look at her she pulled me close and tenderly kissed my forehead, letting her soft lips linger there for a moment. When she finally pulled away, I lifted my eyes to hers.

"No matter what gets said, later...no matter what happens in the aftermath, I want you to know how thankful I am, Kevin. You saved our lives!" she said. "I love you!"

"I love you, too, Liza!" I said, smiling in spite of myself.

I moved quickly to where Officer Lake lay sprawled on the carpet. I reached down and squeezed the transmit key on his shoulder mike.

"Dispatch! Dispatch! Officer down, 2515 Cassidy Road! I repeat, officer down, 2515 Cassidy Road!" I said. I heard the dispatcher talking, but the hand that grasped mine startled me so badly that I missed what was said.

"Down, yes, but not out yet, kid," the cop said, gasping for breath. "Not quite, anyway. Gimme that mike!"

I was absolutely astounded! He took 4 rounds to his center mass! How was he still-

"Vest," he said, answering my unspoken question. "Standard issue. Hurts to breath, though. I think I'll need an ambulance..." He looked directly into my eyes and smiled, painfully. "What's your name?"

"Kevin Richmond, sir," I replied.

"You did good, Kevin, real good!" he said. "Thanks to you, I'll live to get my ass chewed by the Sarge!" He grimaced, and I chuckled softly. "Mrs. Lake will thank you too, take my word for it."

Officer Lake took over, calling in properly to dispatch with his report. Even though it was really only a matter of minutes, it seemed like hours before all the flashing lights arrived. I watched as the paramedics loaded the policeman and Fleur into ambulances. Elizabeth rode with Fleur, who was beginning to come around. As they passed me, Fleur reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Tell the bastard that hit me, I want a rematch!"

"You'll kick his ass next time, Fleur!" I teased her. She had just enough time to smile at me before they took off.

With the arrival of the police, and the departure of the wounded, I felt I could safely take a moment for myself. In the age-old tradition of true heroes everywhere, I threw up violently, tossing my cookies in the barren rose bushes to the left of the front walk. After I felt like I had nothing more to bring up, one of the paramedics gave me a wet wipe and a sympathetic look.

The detective who had arrived with the rest of the cavalry interviewed me first, and then moved on to Anthony. After Anthony was given a comfy seat in the back of a police cruiser, the detective moved on to Grace. While she gave her statement, Aunt Lily came to stand by my side. Her face was grief-stricken, streaked with her tears.

After one look at her, I turned my face away in guilt. I'd just killed her husband. I'd killed Elizabeth's father. I'd killed my Mother's brother, my Grandparent's son...

"Don't, Kevin," Lily said softly. "Don't do this to yourself!"

She gently grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her.

"He was...I'm almost certain he was going to kill us all," she said. "Even if he wasn't, he had already tried to kill a man right in front of you! No one could ignore that kind of threat, most definitely not someone like you! You did what had to be done!"

"But Aunt Lily, I-"

"No, Kevin," she said, shaking her head firmly. "Even though I left him, I still love Trent. God help me, I love him with all my heart, in spite of everything! I gave him my heart, and I think in so far as it was possible for him to love me, he did! He gave me 5 children that I cherish...even Jack. In my own way, I guess the fact that I'm mourning the man that was probably going to kill me tonight means that I'm just as screwed up as he was! I feel horrible for loving him, but I can't help it."

Aunt Lily's face twisted with pain for moment before she went on.

"Kevin, nothing that happened here tonight, was your fault, and you must understand that! He came looking for us, not the other way around! If he hadn't attacked us, he wouldn't be in the back of that van right now! His fate is on him, not you! Kevin, we aren't perfect people, and we don't live in a perfect world. There are decisions we have to make that hurt us worse than any bullet, worse than any blow. Being able – more importantly – being WILLING to make those decisions, and then take the appropriate action, is what separates the strong from the weak. And sometimes, it's what separates the living and the dead."

She smiled at me again, as she wiped her face with a soft tissue.

"I'm not your Uncle James, but I do have my own faith in God. I believe that God put you here tonight, because he knew that you had the strength to do what had to be done. You had the strength, and the willingness, to stand up against the ones who want to hurt you and your loved ones."

Aunt Lily cupped my chin with a gentle hand.

"I may not know exactly what you're thinking and feeling at this moment, but I'd imagine there is at least some guilt and shame in there. Probably a good dose of self-doubt, as well. I'm not going to tell you not to feel those things. I wouldn't even if I could. Instead, let me ask you a few things. Do you think Trent had murder in his heart tonight?"

"Yes," I said, softly.

"Do you think for one second that he would have spared anyone in that house?"

"No."

"No, I don't think so, either. Now look deep inside yourself, before you answer this one. Was there anything else you could have done – anything at all – that would have stopped these things from happening tonight?"

I thought it through. There was no escape path that wouldn't have taken all of us right past the gunman. There was nothing – other than shooting back – that would have prevented him from systematically murdering each and every one of us. There was nothing in the room that would stop a bullet, no real cover to shelter behind. And, even if we'd called 911 the second the intruders walked in, there simply hadn't been enough time for help to arrive. Not enough time for someone else to save our lives...I'd known, both then and now, that if I wanted to live, I would have to save myself. And that meant pulling the trigger.

Lily must have sensed the course of my thoughts. She smiled slightly, and nodded her head. She released my chin and pulled me close, hugging me.

"Kevin," she said into my ear. "Sir Edmund Burke once said, 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for GOOD men to do NOTHING.' You aren't the kind of man to do nothing; so you acted. I will mourn my husband, but I will NOT turn my anger on you! You are a hero, Kevin, even though I know you don't think you are. I love you so much!"

She lovingly kissed my cheek before releasing me.

"I love you too, Aunt Lily," I said. "Thank you!"

"No, honey, thank you!"

###

The aftermath of that night was, in a word, intense. With the testimony of Officer Lake added to that of my family, there was never any question about whether or not my actions constituted self-defense. Still, it was nice when the official word finally came down. A few days after I was officially cleared of any wrongdoing, I got a visit from Officer Lake, and his wife and children. Mrs. Lake was at least 7 months pregnant, and the two little girls he already had were the most precious things I've ever seen. Grace and I were touched at their gratitude.

Anthony was given three years for home invasion. Much like Matt Segan had, Anthony had blabbed non-stop to the police who'd taken him into custody. Apparently, he had been told by Trent that they were just going to scare Lily into stopping the divorce. He told police that he hadn't even known Trent was armed. Then Anthony dropped the big bomb...

Anthony stated – and a DNA test confirmed – that he was Trent's son! Lily, while surprised, wasn't as floored as the rest of us. She had always suspected Trent had been unfaithful to her in the past. But Anthony's age (he was only 10 months younger than Elizabeth) meant that he'd been cheating on Lily back in the days when they'd still been a happy couple. I think that fact hurt Lily even more than the affair itself.

No one else was sure what to do or think about that situation. Elizabeth felt a perfectly natural desire to get to know her half-brother, but at the same time, she was having a lot of trouble getting past what he did. In the end, she decided to wait until his sentence was up to make a final decision.

"After all," she'd said, somewhat bitterly, "he isn't the first sibling I've seen hauled off to prison."

We did end up having a small (very small) service for Trent. I don't think I'm stretching things too much when I say, the people who showed up did so for Lily, not him. That was certainly true in my case!

My twin cousins Jeremy and Craig got leave time to attend. They had both joined the Marine Corps right out of high school, just to get away from Trent. Also attending was my cousin Daniel. He was a missionary in the Congo. My cousin Jack, who wouldn't be released from prison for another year, sent his mother a letter of condolence. That surprised me, but truthfully, I didn't know Jack very well. He was the oldest of Trent and Lilly's kids, and he'd been locked up when I was a sophomore in high school. I still don't know what it was he did that landed him in prison, and I don't plan on asking.

My parents attended, too. Mom and Dad were both stone-faced when they looked at the body lying in the plain casket, but they both greeted me lovingly.

"You did the right thing, son," they both very quietly told me.

My Grandparents were there, of course. My Grandfather shook his head, when he saw his youngest son's body. My Grandmother openly wept, not caring who saw her grief.

When she embraced me, she said, "Just so you know, Kevin, I'm crying for the son I remember holding as a baby. I don't blame you in any way for the death of the man lying in that casket. I'm not sure if he's my son in any sense beyond the purely genetic one."

Not trusting myself to speak, I held her close for a moment and kissed her cheek.

Uncle James and Aunt Teela were very quiet when it was their turn to look at Trent. Aunt Teela hugged me tightly, and made sure I knew she thought I'd done the right thing. Uncle James did so also, but he was clearly grieved as much as Grandma had been.

"Don't misunderstand, Kevin," he said. "Trent brought about his own downfall, as so many people do. As far as I'm concerned, you did what had to be done. My heart rejoices in the fact that you, Grace, Elizabeth, Fleur, and Lily are safe. Nevertheless, Trent was my brother, and I'm only human. I can't help feeling some grief right now."

"I understand, Uncle James," I said, quietly. "I hope you can-"

"Kevin," he interrupted, kindly, "There's nothing to forgive! You acted to save the lives of the ones you love, and your courage won the day! I meant it: I'm GLAD you're okay! After all, I love you and your sister very much!"

"Thank you," I said, quietly.

Kelly and her boyfriend, Grant, attended as well. Grace privately shared an amused look between us as we saw them approach. I'd heard Kelly mention her new lover's first name before, but I hadn't realized that the Grant she was with was the same Grant that Grace had been with a couple years ago. Small world we live in, huh? Grace and Grant had parted by mutual agreement and on good terms, so there was no bitterness there, fortunately.

"How are you guys holding up?" Kelly asked quietly.

"We're okay, Kels," I replied. "We're just feeling lucky to be alive right now."

She nodded, giving me a faint smile.

"I knew, when I saw and heard him that night, that he was seriously bad news," she said. "But I didn't think..." her voice trailed off into silence, and she shrugged helplessly.

"We know, Kelly," Gracie said.

Elizabeth, Fleur, and Lily had made it a point to stay close to Grace and I throughout the brief visitation and service. It was almost as if they were trying to shield us from any fallout from the rest of the family over what had happened. Fleur, in particular, looked grim. Her face was still badly bruised and swollen, and it was painful for her to chew, but other than that, she was fine. She was still pissed about the sucker punch, but there was no way she'd be able to get that rematch she wanted. I'd settled the issue first, after all. Elizabeth had been very worried about her siblings' reaction to Trent's death. It turned out to be needless. The twins, in particular, were quick to thank me for saving their mother sister, and sort-of sister-in-law.

When it was all over, only Grace, Elizabeth, Fleur, and I were left. The staff of the funeral home hovered in the wings, patiently waiting for us to leave so they could take care of the behind-the-scenes stuff that families don't care to see.

I was emotionally wrung out from the ordeal. I was glad to have survived, but much more glad that I'd been able to protect my loved ones. And yes, there was even a tiny, tiny bit of grief for Trent. It's weird, I know, but it was there.

The five of us left together. Grace and I promised to have the others over for dinner before the spring semester started for us. Maybe this time, there'd be no uninvited guests! As we walked toward my car, I felt Grace slip her hand into mine. She didn't say anything; as usual, she didn't need to. I could almost sense her feelings.

"I owe you my life again, Kevin," she said, softly.

"No, Gracie," I said. "You don't owe me anything. I will always do whatever I can – whatever it takes – to protect you. I know you would do the same for me."

"I would," she said, firmly.

I nodded my head and smiled at her. Grace gently pulled me in for a deep, loving kiss. After a moment, we parted and got into my car. The early January day was ending quickly, and sunset was mere moments away. In the gathering darkness, it would have been easy for my thoughts to take a dark turn. But when the parking lot lights blinked on, they reflected off of something. With a start, I realized it was the ring I had given my loving sister.

The orange-tinted light reflected from the beautiful rose that Theresa had shaped from the remains of the rifle bullet I'd used to defend Grace that very first time. I hadn't realized Grace was wearing it. She saw where I was looking and smiled.

"We're engaged, love," she explained. "Our family knows our secret, so I see no reason not to wear this!"

"I love you so much, Gracie," I said, my voice rough with emotion. "You mean so much to me. You're my sister, my lover, my best friend, even my fiance."

Reaching over to her, I pulled her into my lap. She giggled as she squeezed awkwardly to fit behind the steering wheel. She leaned in and shared another kiss with me, showing me how deeply my words had touched her. She was my world, this woman!

"Kevin, honey," she said, somewhat breathlessly as we parted. "You are my brother, my best friend, my lover, my fiance...and my HERO! I'll always be there for you, if God allows. We are going to have a wonderful life together. I'll give you as many children as you want! I will be all that you need me to be for you, Kevin, because I love you more deeply than I have ever loved anyone before."

I pulled her close again, and she nuzzled my neck affectionately. It was really at that moment that I felt the burden of having taken a life start to lighten. I knew in my heart that I done nothing wrong, but convincing myself of that on an emotional level was something else entirely. Grace's love for me was the ultimate balm for my wounded soul, though. Holding her there in my arms, feeling her warmth and love pour over me chased away the last remnants of pain. I had known for some time now, but this feeling just drove home the point: she was above all else, My Saving Grace!