Por Siempre Y Para Siempre: A Sequel to Take Your Time

Ch. 12 - I Need You to Call the Police

Rafael is lying in bed groggy and half asleep. He is trying to figure out if he heard the door to their apartment opening or if he dreamt it all up. He lies there motionless, holding his breath in hopes it would help him hear better. He suddenly hears the sound of the apartment door clicking shut and a rustling sound coming from the doorway. Someone was in his home and searching through his belongings.

Now fully alert and awake, Rafael slowly reaches over to his nightstand and frantically tries to find his glasses. He gets them on and slowly slides out from where he was lying in bed, trying hard not to wake up his sleeping wife. His heart is pounding so hard he can hardly hear what was happening outside of the bedroom. He wonders how someone got past all of the locks on the door. He checks the alarm clock on her side of the bed, it reads 3:07 am.

He walks over to the closet across the room, making sure to keep his steps as light and as quiet as possible. He slides the door of their closet open slowly and reaches for the lockbox hiding in the far back corner. He sits down on the floor and holds the box up close to his face so he can see the combination lock. As he turns the dials to their correct number, he thinks how he is grateful to have had Olivia teach him how to use a gun. The box clicks open and Rafael flinches at the noise, hoping it only seemed loud to him because of his adrenaline and fear. Once the box is open, he takes the magazine and gun from where they're resting in the foam casing. He makes his way to the bathroom attached to their bedroom, stopping to listen for clues as to where the intruder could be in the apartment.

When he's inside the bathroom, he closes the door as much as he can without the latch clicking and puts a towel down on the floor to keep in place. With just the light from the small wall light above the counter, he fumbles to slide the magazine into its place and cocks the pistol. He jumps again at the loud clicking noise it makes to signal that it's ready to fire.

Rafael walks back out into the bedroom and goes over to Olivia's side. Kneeling down in front of her, he checks the clock once more; 3:14 am. He nudges her shoulder gently to wake her up, "Liv, nena, wake up."

"Hmm?" Olivia starts to wake up from her sleep, "What's going on?" Rafael hushes her before he explains.

"I need you to stay as quiet as possible right now, okay?" His tone is serious and steady, "I need you to take your phone into Noah's room and I need you to call the police."

"Rafa, what's happening?" She is more alert and sitting up.

"There is someone in our home, nena," the nervousness is starting to show in his voice, "Please go to Noah's room and call the police."

"Rafael, let me handle it," she pleads, "I'll handle it. I'm a cop."

"No, Liv," his tone is sharp and direct, "I'm not going to risk you getting hurt. Noah needs you. Please go, now."

"Raf-" she gets cut off.

"Olivia, please," he urges her to get to their son's room, "keep our son safe, please. I love you." She sighs and gives him a weak smile. She quietly makes her way to the bedroom door that is slightly cracked. She can hear the intruder in the kitchen opening and closing drawers with haste. Fighting her instincts to confront them, she slides into Noah's room and closes the door silently behind her.

"Mama?" The boy rubs his eyes as he sits up, "What's goin' on?"

"Hi Noh, we gotta be quiet, okay?" She whispers to him, "Everything is fine, I just need to you get into your closet okay? Here, grab your pillow and Eddie. I've got your blanket, okay? There you go. Now stay here until I say you can move. I love you so much, sweet boy." Noah silently nods as his mother closes the door to his closet. With her hands shaking, she unlocks her phone and notices the time; 3:22 am. She dials 911 as fast as she can. As the phone rings, she can hear Rafael making his way down the hallway toward the intruder in the kitchen. She takes a deep breath in as the operator starts to speak on the other line.