WORK IN PROGRESS: Dinner Disasters: Sebastian and Layana

Chapter 13 (Layana): Forget This Day

Crazy eyes kept trying to look at me, but Sebastian kept his big body between us.

"Don't look at my wife, Renee."

In the meantime, I'd been quietly telling the 911 dispatcher to get the police to our address because my husband's stalker was in our house and wielding a knife. Oh, and she'd been messing with my wedding picture.

Yes, I told the dispatcher that because it was clearly the most important thing happening at the moment.

"I'm sorry I'm babbling but I'm scared," I whispered to him. 

"It's OK, ma'am," he assured me evenly. "Just try to stay calm. The police will be there soon."

Renee had backed herself against the wall and was crouched down a bit, crying wildly. Sebastian stood a few feet in front of me, watching her closely. She was getting a little twitchy, and her eyes were darting around like she was looking for an escape.

"The police are almost here," I said, hoping to scare Renee into continued good behavior.

That might have been a mistake.

"I'm not going back to that fucking place!" Renee screamed as she pushed away from the wall and lunged toward Sebastian, knife raised above her head. 

Sebastian, with a speed that astonished me, drew back the bat like he was a major league baseball player, and just as she reached him, he swung for the fences. He hit her squarely in the chest and she flew back, bounced off the wall and fell to the floor.

And landed on the pointy end of her knife.

"I think we're going to need an ambulance," I told the dispatcher as I watched the blood seep out from under her and start to pool.

"The police just pulled up," he told me in that soothing voice.

Sebastian and I stood immobilized until the police pounded on the door seconds later and Sebastian told me to let them in. There was no way he was going to take his eyes off Renee or turn his back on her.

Although, I was fairly certain Renee was no longer going to be an issue.

"She's in there," I told the officer, and pointed in her direction without actually looking her way. I was starting to shake as everything hit me. "I have video of it. Of what happened. She's crazy. And now she's bleeding. And she was in our bedroom."

"Ma'am, are you OK?" one of the officers asked me.

"No," I said softly, my adrenaline rush over leaving me feeling weak. "I'm really not."

At that, Sebastian materialized beside me,  leading me outside to the porch. More police pulled up and the ambulance wasn't far behind. They filed past us on the way inside, not saying anything.

Only this morning, Renee was beating herself up in our driveway, I'd been arrested for supposedly assaulting her and now she was probably dead after breaking into our home.

"I want to take you to the ER, get you checked. Today's been a lot, Layana."

I nodded, numb. 

"We'll get a hotel tonight."

"I want to move."

"We'll move."

"Maybe not with you," I grumbled.

"I'm going to let them know I'm taking you to the ER," he said.

"Don't you have to ask? So they can tell you not to leave town?"

"No, Layana. You're pregnant, you just had the day from fucking hell, and I want you checked out. If they really need us, they can come to the ER or wait until we get to the hotel or wait until tomorrow. Let me have your phone, and I'll send the video to them. Just give me a few to do that and pack some clothes and toiletries for us."

I handed him my phone, and he hurried inside and was gone five minutes. When he came back out, he had a small suitcase.

"I sent three officers the video and sent it to myself, too. Now, let's get you to the hospital."

Helping me up, Sebastian guided me to his car and belted me in. In no time, we were on our way, Sebastian keeping my hand in his. I was too tired to care. I could punch him later, after we found out that the baby was OK.

We were seen by a very nice doctor who performed an ultrasound and we were wide-eyed with awe.

"It's just a little bubble," I said.

"About the size of a grape now," the doctor said. "You're measuring at just about seven weeks. Take it easy for the next couple of days and call your doctor if you have any spotting or cramping, but everything looks good, and your vitals are excellent."

The two of us walked out of there, still quiet, and Sebastian drove us to a hotel where he'd made reservations while we were waiting for the doctor. Checking in didn't take long, and I yawned when we walked into our room.

"I just want to go to sleep and forget this day," I told him, trying to banish certain images.

"I'd like you to be able to forget it, too. Go to sleep, Layana," he said.

Five minutes later, I was out. Tomorrow would be soon enough to tell him about my plan.