Shawn's P.O.V.
"Who's the fine lady you have with you today?" the host asked, and Beyoncé blushed. Today I decided to take Beyoncé to one of my favorite restaurants in the city for brunch.
"Oh, this is my wife, Beyoncé," I smiled proudly, making Bey blush even more.
"It's a pleasure to have you with us this morning, Beyoncé. I'm your host, Noel," Noel introduced himself. "Now, do you two have any special seating requests this morning?"
"Could we have a window seat?" I asked, knowing that was Beyoncé's favorite place to sit wherever we go out to a restaurant.
The host nodded. "Of course. Follow me."
We sit by a window seat The gorgeous view was flooring was directly looking over the water with the skyline in plain sight. In the far distance, I could see the Griffith observatory. One of my favorite things about this place is the view apart from the food.
"I can't believe you just told that man I am your wife Beyoncé said," grinning.
"My wife, soon-to-be wife, future wife. What's the difference? Either way, you are going to be my wife soon. In my mind, you're already my wife." I told her honestly.
She giggled, blushing, "speaking of wife. I was thinking we should set a date for the wedding."
"I have been ready to marry you the moment I put that ring on your finger, so whenever you're ready, even if we elope tomorrow."
She chuckled "We're not eloping, Shawn!"
I laughed. "I'm just messing with you...what day were you thinking?"
"Umm...I was thinking April 4 next year is a good time of the year, and the fourth is my favorite number. It's your birthday, my birthday your daughter, birthday, and my mama's. It's my lucky number. She exclaimed as a matter of fact."
"You know what? I love that" I said grinning
"You do?" She asked, a little stunned.
"Yes, as you said, it's your lucky number, which might become mine too after I marry you.....44 baby."
"So we have a date?"
"Yes, we have a date, and I can't wait!"
She smiled. "I can't wait either. But that means we only have four months to plan a wedding, that's not enough time babe."
"It's not, but I believe we can pull it off."
"I'm optimistic that we can... which means we need to find a wedding planner ASAP."
"True dat... Do you know what kind of wedding you want?"
"Yeah, a huge fucking wedding."
"I agree. I want the whole world to know I married the love of my life."
"Well, in that case, we have a lot of planning to do" she said sounding stress already.
"Agree, but we need to hire a party planner. I don't want you stressing and turning into Bridezilla," she giggled. "I want you to enjoy this. Do you have someone in mind whom you have always wanted to plan your wedding?"
"Oh yes Fallon Carter I have been to a few weddings she has planned. It was amazing, and when I thought about my dream wedding, she was the want I wanted to hire."
"Humm, so you've been planning this wedding since you was a little girl;" I tease
She giggled. "You damn right but She's super expensive though."
"Money ain't never an issue. We are hiring her. I want you to have whatever you want; I want you to have your dream wedding."
See, "this is why I love you." She said grinning
"Happy wife happy life."
"I know that's right baby!"
A waitress greeted us shortly and took our drink orders. We both ordered drinks and then took a moment to look over the menu.
"So, do you know what you want?" Beyoncé asked.
"I guess I'm going to go with the waffles and chicken. It looks good,". "You?"
"Mmm, I'm thinking an Egg White Omelet," she replied.
"You would go with the healthiest item on the menu," I teased, setting my menu down.
"Well, not everyone has the luxury of eating whatever they want without gaining a pound," she insisted playfully.
"You will love beautiful either way" I insisted, cupping my hand around hers; fingers stroked her knuckles lightly, my eyes gazed into her eyes, "and I love you just the way you are."
"I'm just saying unless you want a three-hundred-pound wife who squishes you during sex, you'll want to thank me for choosing to eat healthily." she teased, playfully tapping my wrist.
"It might just be a good experience. I had never had sex with a three hundred pounds woman before." I teased Beyoncé gasped, smacking me lightly.
"You play too damn much;" she said laughing too I laughed as the waitress approached our table with our drinks. She took our orders.
As we waited for our food, we went over the details about the wedding. A few moments later, the waitress brought out our food, telling us to let us know if we needed anything. We ate our food while discussing the wedding, including where we wanted to live after the wedding and plans on buying a house.
After consuming our food, While we're waiting for the check I stepped away and went to use the restroom, and when I returned to the table, Beyoncé had this look on her face that I couldn't read.
"Here" she angrily handed me my phone. As I sat down, "someone called while you were in the bathroom, and I answered it," Beyonce said without making eye contact.
I took my seat reaching for my phone "word...What did they say?"
"Ooh, nothing," she chuckled the one shoe does when she's angry "just something about confirming your stay at a hotel in Paris for a mouth."
"Fuck!" I mumbled
"What the fuck, Shawn!" She glared at me
"it's a business opportunity It's not what you are thinking,"
"How do you know what I'm thinking?" she glare at me "Because what I'm thinking right now is taking this drink and throwing it in your face!" Her voice got louder.
"Yoo Bey chill, it's not like that, okay I was going to tell you."
"When? After you were in another country!" she signed, bringing her voice down. "How long have you known about this?"
"Umm...bout a week now TYTY approached me about it on my birthday, and I thought about it for a while...I mean, I'm still thinking." At my birthday party Ty approached me about this business opportunity in Paris for a mouth and I have been thinking about but it wasn't like I made a decision. I just called the hotel to see if they can hold a suit for me.
"That's bullshit, and you know it!" Beyoncé yelled, her temper flaring once more. "You knew for a week and decided not to tell me about it. Instead, you made a decision without even considering how I would feel about you moving across the fucking world for a month!" She snapped her voice going throughout
the restaurant, and a few heads turned to look at us.
I sighed, "Can we talk about this at home, Bey? Please, baby? Nothing good will come out of us discussing this while everyone stares at us from across the room. Let's just go."
Beyoncé sucked her teeth. She was furious. "You know what fuck this!" She abruptly got up, walking out of the restaurant. I stood up to drop a couple of hundreds on the table before running after her. By the time I got to her, she was already waiting by the car. I met her eyes, and she quickly looked away and started walking away from the car the fuck is she going? I followed after her.
"Bey, where are you going? Get in the car." I told her
"I'm not riding with you anywhere," she said stubbornly and continued walking. She could barely get far, though, since she had on heels.
"Bey, stop playing. How are you going to get home?"
"I rather walk 1000 miles than get in that car with you" she kept walking and I followed after her.
"What with that heels on and need I remind you my house is thirty minutes away and yours is further."
"I don't give a fuck!" she yelled over her shoulder, walking.
I rushed after her and grabbed her arm, turning her towards me "Please don't touch me!" She snapped, eyes blazing through mines.
"aight..."I let her arm go. "Can you please get in the car, though?"
"No" she folded her arms glaring at me
I smacked my lips "Beyoncé stop being stubborn and get in the car, or imma have to carry you myself."
"I dear you cause you going to get your ass beat." I almost laughed, but I knew that would piss her off even more.
"Yo, Beyoncé, got your ass in the car. You are doing the most"
"You're a fucking asshole!" she said, walking her way back to the car. I will be an ass hole as long as she gets in the car.
While I drove, Bey sat quietly, busing herself with her phone, I already know once we get home, this calm is going to turn into a storm.
"Fuck are you, looking at." she said, not even looking my way. Beyoncé can be mean as shit when she's mad.
"You," I smile "you cute when you're angry."
"Fuck you and stop watching me and watch the road before you get into an accident."
"Yes, ma'am," I smirk putting my attention on the road maneuvered the familiar streets to my house. The rest of the ride nothing was said between us, but the fight continued as soon as we got home, I was hoping she would have calmed down by the time we got home, but I should have known better. The woman I'm bout to marry does not back down from a fight or getting her point across.
"Calm down, Bey," I told her as she continued her rant.
yelling at me. No doubt I meant to calm her, but it had the opposite effect, throwing a match on gasoline.
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down!" she yelled, taking an angry step forward toward me.
"I was going to tell you, okay," I said for the fifty eleven times.
"After you make your decision!" she threw at me, her voice uncharacteristically harsh and high-pitched, grating on my ears. "I'm your Fiancé; you're supposed to talk to me about decisions involving this relationship. You can't just decide things with yourself and think that I would just fucking go with it ... I'm not one of those bitches and I'm sure as hell not one of these bitches you were fucking before you meet me who would follow you around like a puppy!"
"Don't say that!"
"Why? Why should I not say that, Shawn? Do you think I am stupid, idiotic, a pinhead?"
"I don't think of you like that, Baby."
"What the fuck am I supposed to think when you make a decision like this without telling or talking to me about it!" She yelled, eyes blazing with anger.
"Listen, I'm sorry I didn't tell you as soon as I found out. I should have told you right there and then, so for that, I'm sorry."
Beyoncé shook her head in exasperation and moved to stand near the other end of the couch "You can take your sorry and shove it up your ass."
I angrily stepped over to her "Yoo, what the fuck? I'm here apologizing to you, and you are just going to say fuck me.."
"Yes, Fuck you and your stupid ass, apology!"
I smacked my lips. "You're not a saint either, Beyoncé."
"I never said I was, but I have a right to be pissed at you right now.... And What is that supposed to mean?"
"How are you going to get mad at me for keeping something from you but let's talk about the fact that you didn't tell me about my sister's situation with our father?"
"Because she told me not to, you idiot," she defended
"Are you fucking kidding me? Your loyalty is with me and not my sister." Now I was angry
"What the fuck did you want me to do? She begged me not to tell you and quit freaking it wasn't my place."
"So what, you decide to sit on that information a week two, a fucking week!
She simply stopped talking, meeting my stare, challenging me. "Oh my God, you can't be seriously upset!"
Her glare pierced me enough to calm my rage, but the anger and bitterness still boiled within my blood. "Hell yeah, I'm pissed."
"That's the thing. I don't believe you're really mad. You are just trying to turn this whole thing on me, and that's fucked up!"
"So what? I can't be mad because you're pissed at me?!"
"No, I think you're trying to gaslight me and not admit that you fucked up for not telling me."
"I wasn't fucking trying to hide anything from you; I was just waiting for the right time to tell you!"
"You're full of shit, and It's funny because when I had a miscarriage and didn't tell you right away because I was waiting for the right moment to tell you, you got pissed at me and almost ended this relationship! Now you wanna use the same " I was waiting for the right time" to justify your actions?! Well, look how the table has turn."
"That's a low blow." I felt like I had received a huge blow to her stomach. The implication of Beyoncé words sent another overwhelming wave of guilt spiralling through my body and heart.
"But a valid one."
"I thought we moved past that!"
"We did. My point was to show you how contradicting you sound"
"It's fucked up that you even brought that up though."
The fire dies from her gaze. "I didn't bring that up to hurt you or bring back old wounds; I just told you the reason why I brought it up."
A moment of long silence stretches awkwardly between us, as we both stood there angrily staring at each other it was tense. Beyoncé looked at me with an angry, hurtful stare.
"I was selfish;" I spoke, interrupting the silence
"You were;" Her voice was low and angry as she spoke. I knew I hurt her and couldn't stop the tug of guilt. But what else could I say? It had been a moment of insanity, that was all, and now the insanity was over.
"It was selfish of me, and I'm sorry baby; I didn't want to keep this from you. I was going to tell you tonight; I swear I don't want you to feel like I don't value you because I do and it wasn't my intention to make you feel anything less."
"You can't say you value me and than make decisions like this with out taking to me first."
"You're right, but it doesn't change the fact that I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"Are you just saying that because you think that's what I want to hear to shut me up, or do you really mean it?"
"I mean it ....." I signed "I don't want to keep arguing about this you're worth more than that job so if you don't want me to leave I won't."
"Now you wanna ask for my approval, however, you have already made up your mind about what you want to do. Then, why are you pretending to ask for my approval? She lets out a breath, "I can't make that decision for you Shawn..If you want to go to - just go leave, okay, because I'm not going to be responsible for you not living your dreams."
I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you have to make the best decision for yourself without me because it's your life, not mine. I will forgive you, for keeping this from me but I need some time to get over the hurt. I will talk to you in a few days. I need some space."
"I'm going to another country in a few days how much space do you need?"
"I will call you" she said not meeting me eyes
"Bey, are you serious right now?!" I asked taking back
"Yes, and all I asked is you respect my wish"
"Are you trying to break up with me?!"
She kissed her teeth. "Stop being dramatic, Shawn. I'm not breaking up with you; I just need some space."
"Then why does it feel like it?"
"Because you're in your head, I just need some space...Can you give me that?!
"Do I have a choice in this?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Yeah whatever Beyoncé."
"We have to work this out," she break in. "I love you, and I know you love me, and we have this future that we're working on; we have to make this work somehow. I know this is a huge opportunity for you, and I don't want you to resent me. I don't want to be the reason your dreams fall short or whatever. I can't live with that, and I know you can't live with that." Her hands drop to her side as she lets out a slow, shaky breath, the fight from her gone. She closed the distance between us, wrapping her arms around me. "I love you"
"I know" I signed pulling her into my embrace for a tight hug before letting her go. "I love you. Remember that, aight."
"Always" she pecked my lips and then grabbed her bag and keys before heading for the door. "I will call you;"she said softly over her shoulder as she stepped out the door, leaving me alone in my big ass living room.
I dropped on the couch, staring up at the ceiling and feeling helpless.
What the fuck just happened
B&C....................
Beyoncé P.O.V.
It has been almost a week since I have seen all spoken to Shawn, and it has been a challenging week. I have never gone this long without talking to or seeing him. Even when he travels, we still FaceTime every day.
I missed him like one of my own limbs were missing. I lost count of the times that I almost picked up the phone to call him. Surprisingly he did respect my wishes and hasn't contacted me, I don't know if I should be happy or sad about that, but overall I'm just sad. It has been a long and draining week. I miss my man
"Beyoncé...." Meek called my name, pulling me out of my thoughts. I blinked up at him.
"Damn, where did you go? I have been trying to get your attention."
"Sorry, what did you want?"
"I was asking if you got the dna results back from Nicki."
"No, she's still running it..." I told him and he just stood there watching me "anything else?" I asked
"Shawn has been calling me every day asking how you are doing. Are you two okay?"
"Yeah, we're fine." I haven't told anyone what was going on because I didn't know anyone in our business.
"Humm"
"Don't you have work to do?" I glanced at my phone when it buzzed on my deck. Seeing that it was Bella calling, I quickly answered it.
"Hey baby."
"Mommy, can you please come get me from school?"
"What happened to the bus?"
"I missed the bus"
"I'm at work, sweetie, so you're going to have to send you a Uber."
"No, mom, I don't want a Uber. Can you just come get me?" My daughter has some type of anxiety with Ubers that she refuses to ride it.
"Aight, imma come get you, but I have to bring you to the office, and then we can leave together once I'm done working in a few hours."
"Seriously, mom,"she whined
"It's either that or you can be a big girl and get on a Uber."
"Heck no, I'm not getting on a Uber to get kidnapped!"
"Stop saying that you're not going to get kidnapped."
"Do you know how many people use Uber every day and don't get kidnapped."
"Yeah, and out of those, about two percent of people have gotten kidnapped on Uber. I don't want to be part of the two percent." She argues only my child will argue about stuff like this. I rubbed my aching head. Feeling the headache that has been lingering all day intensified.
"Just stay where you're imma, come get you, but you coming to the office until I find someone to take you home"
"Thanks, mom! Love ya."
"Love you too." I hang up the phone and sign
"Kids, huh." meek exclaimed
"Yep they drive you insane" I stood up putting my gun and badge in my storage. I usually don't take it with me when I'm off the clock unless when I'm going home.
"That's why I'm not having any." Meek, said, handing me my keys.
"Good decision. You're a man child yourself." I said collecting the rest of my things.
"Ouch, that hurts my feelings," he said as I walked away, making me laugh to myself.
"How was school?" I asked Bella when she settled in the front seat of my Benz.
"Same old same old, apart from the fact that they want us to pay $500 to go on a stupid trip to New York."
"What's wrong with that?" I asked, maneuvering the car into traffic.
"Mom, that place is freezing especially this time of the year like, who wants to do that."
"Other people in the class."
"See, that's where you're wrong. Nobody wants to go, and that's why I am leading a protest on Friday to get them to change it." She said proudly I smiled, feeling like a proud parent.
"look at my baby, fighting for what she believes. I'm proud of you, baby."
"Thanks, mom"
"Just make sure you do it properly and don't get expelled."
"I know, mom. I read the handbook, which I have never read, and it says we can protect as long as it is done after school and it's done in a respectful manner. I'm frighting for the right cost we shouldn't be paying $500 to go somewhere we don't want to that's morally wrong. You thought me to fight for what I believe."
"I did you're a smart kid."
"I know I got it from my mama."
"I know that's right."
She giggled, "not the Cardib phrase"
"What you I'm too old to listen to her."
"Yes mom shouldn't you be listening to Whitney Huston or something."
"Child bye I listen to Whitney but when I wanna get
gangster with it Cardib is my girl." She made a face making me laugh.
"So mother, when will I start learning how to drive?"
"Oh lord, I have been dreading that question." I said as I stop at a red light
"Why I have to learn how to drive, I'm 14 and will be turning 16 soon."
"You're 15 already," I joke
"You tell me you were there," she said, and we both laughed
"Smartass"
"But seriously, mom, when?"
"I will teach you"
"Umm, no offense, mom, but I don't want you teaching me."
"And why is that?" I asked, giving her a look.
"Because you are impatient when it comes to stuff like that, and I don't want you yelling at me."
"No, I'm not!" I said driving the car through the now green light.
"Yes, you're mom, you going to be yelling and scared."She got a point there
"Child, why are you rushing to learn how to drive? Ain't nothing excited about it"
"Because all my friends know how to drive and I want to have my own car when I turn sixteen?"
"And who's buying you said car?"
"You duh."
"Wrong" you better use some of that modeling money."
She smacked her lips "Seriously mom, are you not going to get me a car when I turn sixteen?"
"I don't want you growing up so fast. You're my only baby"
"Well, that's why you need to have more babies."
I side eye her "Child bye"
"I'm just saying."
"Alright, get your daddy to teach you, then."
She smacked her lips. "Can I just go to driving school?"
"Your daddy said he wants to teach you...you know he's been looking forward to this."
"Alright fine Beyoncé"
"Oh no, you didn't just Beyoncé me"
"Nope, I don't know where you heard that." she said, grinning and trying to appear innocent, and I just shook my head smiling.
"Oh shit, I have to stop at the bank."
"Why?"
"I have to make a deposit."
"Why can't you just do it on your phone."
"Because I don't trust that"
"That's such an old-age way of thinking"
"Well, this old age woman knows what she's doing."
"Okay, can I stay in the car while you do that?"
"Nope you're coming with me."
"I can do my homework while you in there."
"I don't know who you fooling with that B.S."
"fine, you got me, but I don't wanna go in there."
"It's not up for a debate."
"I don't understand why I can't sit in the car while you go in."
"Because I said so, and I'm not going back and forth on this, let it go." She sighs loudly and obnoxiously. I see an attitude developing, but I could care less
"Fine," she huffed and then put her AirPods in her ear. I know she has an attitude because she didn't get her way, but I could care less "we are here;"I told her after parking the car, and she didn't say anything but just got out of the car. She followed slowly behind Me.
"You need to fix that attitude;" I told Bella as we stood in line waiting to be called by the bank teller. she said nothing but stubbornly stood there and with her AirPod in her ear.
WhileI waited to be called up. I decided to call Meek to tell him I was running late. I was about to hang up after talking to him when I spotted two suspicious man and a woman walking in. Two stood by both door l while the other moved in front of the line. and then I heard the lock clicking.
"I think this bank is about to be robbed." I told Meek quietly
"For real?" he asked
"Yes," I looked around the room trying to find an escape, but both doors were blocked by now. There's two man and a woman here dressed in scrubs, and all three of them have suspicious bulges in their jackets."
"Oh, shit, can you get out!"
"No, I don't think so. Both doors are blocked by a man I might cause suspicion if I tried to leave."
"Oh fuck!" Meek qsaid on the phone panicking
"Bella take my hand" I said reaching my hand out to her.
"Huh, why?" She frowned
"Bella now!" I snapped, and she did what I asked
"Bey, are you still there?" Meek asked
"Yes, Meek imma turn my location on." I said doing just that.
"Everybody get down on the floor!" A voice shouted loudly, throughout the bank. And suddenly, my heart plummets to the ground. Oh God, I was hoping I was wrong.
"Mom..." Bella said softly, her voice scared.
"It's okay, baby," I told her, pulling her tightly to me "we're going to crawl to the other side okay." I told her and slowly we got down on the floor crawling our way to the other side where we won't be seen.
"Move, move, move, move, move, move, move!" One of the bank robbers is yelling in the opposite direction of us;
"Mommy Bella" cried out panicking
"Shhh, you okay." I told her as I moved us slowly behind a desk.
"Beyoncé, what's happening?" Esposito called out to me, but I didn't respond. "I got your location dispatch are on the way?" He said.
"Okay tell them to hurry," I reply softly, trying to stay hidden from the robbers as long as I can. "I'm hiding behind a desk with Bella, but I can see everything. They're wearing doctors' scrubs. One of them is emptying the cash drawers. Another one is going for the bank manager. He's getting the manager's key. He's going to the back of the bank." I'm used to having to stay calm under pressure, but this is different when it's my daughter who sitting quietly beside me with her head hiding in my chest
"How many are there?"
"There are...three." A gun cocked from near enough that I can hear it from where I hide. "Make that fou...... I felt my phone snatch out of my hand before I could even finish my sentence fuck.
"Sorry, your friend can't talk right now." The robber spoke through the phone before hanging up.
"I wouldn't worry about him; I'd worry about yourself. I've got squad cars on their way."
"You a cop?" He asked me
"No, I'm a detective. We were already on the line when you guys came in."
"Fuck!" He yelled, making Bella jump in my arms.
"Listen to me. So far, nobody has been hurt, and nothing has been stolen. So, if you leave the same way you came in, you can disappear." I hope this robber is bright enough to take my advice.
"You gonna promise not to come look for me?"
"And trust me, you don't want that. So leave now, and that'll just be a quirky little article in the local newspaper."
"Sorry, sweetheart. I'd rather make the front page."
His eyes left me, focusing on Bella, who sat quietly beside me, her head on my chest. "That's your kid?" He asked
"Yes," I whispered. I felt my heart in my feet.
"Get up!" he yelled at Bella.
"Mom.." Bella whispered, squeezing me tightly and for about four seconds my body went cold with fear.
"What do you want with her?!"
He didn't answer, but instead, He reached over and yanked Bella to her feet. I stood up, standing Toe to Toe with him. "Don't fucking touch my daughter!"
"Ohh, mama bear is coming out..." I'm scared" he chuckled
"Let her go..." i said calmly even told I felt the opposite
"You're not in a position to tell me what to do. You might be used to being in charge, but I am the one in charge here!" He said still holding on to Bella by her arm while she struggles against him.
"She's a fucking kid. Keep her out of this!"
"Did you think about that when you called the fucking cops!"
"I told you I was already on the phone with them!"
"Well, lady, you ruin my fucking operation, so you are going to pay for that."
"Okay, then let me pay but leave my kid alone!"
"You're hurting me." Bella cried
"Please let her go." I bagged him
"aight you go over there," he told Bella "and you" he pointed at me "come with me"
"Mom!" Bella called, her eyes shiny with fear
"It's okay, baby do what he says," and with a heavy heart, I watched Bella make her way to the opposite end joining the other hostages.
"What do you want with me?" I asked him
He chuckled bitterly. "You will find out in a little bit in the meantime go join them.
As the bank robbers started rounding customers into the lobby, I hustled back towards my daughter. At that moment, everyone transitioned from customer to hostage. At least Bella and I will be together through this, and hopefully, these guys will get the money they are looking for and be gone within minutes. As long as no one tries to be a hero, I thought to myself.
I quickly embraced Bella once I reached her, and she held onto me tightly. The robbers went around collecting everyone's phones, including Bella's.
"I'm scared, mom" she whispered. I squeeze her tightly.
"It's okay to be scared, but you have to be strong; okay, "I pulled back a little, cupping her face, and our eyes locked. "You can't let them see your weakness, okay."
She nodded "okay"
"Okay, we're going to get out of this together....You going to be okay...we're going to be okay," I assured her, hoping to God I was right. She slowly nodded her head.
"Yo-yo yo..." the lead robber announced, standing in the middle of the room.
"You all are going to listen to everything I say and do what I say;" he said, eyes moving around the room. His eyes landed on me, and he stared at me while speaking. "And if any of y'all try to do anything stupid, you're dead, so don't try to play a hero," he finished with a smirk in my direction before turning and walking towards the bank manager.
"Stand up;" he told the man, who quickly stood to his feet. "You're coming with me," he told the man, and they both made their way to where I assumed was the vault room.
"You look familiar," a pregnant lady sitting beside me exclaimed. I immediately felt bad for her.
I turned to her. "Am sorry?"
"Yeah, I saw you once before..." she snapped her fingers trying to jug her memories "oh yeah, you're a cop, aren't you?"
"Well, a detective, yes."
"So do you have any plans to get us out of here?" a guy sitting on my right asked as a few people turned to look at me.
"Umm plan no.."
"You're a detective, right that means you must have a way to get us out of this mess." He continued sounding a little Obnoxious.
"I'm sorry you got the right idea. I'm a customer just like you all. I came in here with my daughter," I said, feeling a little uneasy with all the eyes on me.
"I guess we're all fucked, then" the guy said in exasperation.
"Imma do my best to keep everyone safe, but I do not know what those guys' plans are. Maybe it is to get some money and leave as long as nobody tries to be a hero, and if my intuition is right, we will all get out of here safe." I looked around the room, getting nods from a few people, including the guy sitting near me.
"So in the meantime we're just sitting duck's." He said
"Unfortunately yes." I respond
So far, we have been held for over an hour while the robbers did whatever they were doing. The hostages were starting to get restless, being stuck in the same posting for two hours. Hell, I was too.
"This is stupid." We are just going to be sitting here for hours. Where are the police." The same guy sitting beside me said I could tell he was getting a little restless.
"They have a protocol to follow when it comes to hostage situations. Everyone's life's are going to be put at risk if they run in here right now....the best thing to do right now is to sit and wait while they do their job." I explained
"detective!" The lead robber walked over to me come "with me" he simply said I simply said nothing but stood up to follow him
"Mom, where are you going?" Bella asked with wide scare eyes.
"It's alright, baby." I will be back; I assured her with a kiss on her forehead before walking away.
"You're going to get me a bus and a way out of here," he said. As a matter of fact, I almost laughed in his face.
"Excuse me?"
"You hard me detective, and I do not find pleasure in repeating myself."
"There's no way I can do that this whole building is surrendered by cops."
"And that's where you come in"
"How do you suppose I do that from in here? You want me to get you a bus and a way out of here. You need to let me and my daughter go. I can do a better job out there than in here."
"That's not going to happen, detective."
"This is the only way it's going to work. I need to convince them, and I can't do it from here."
"That is where you are wrong.. see what you're going to do is get on that phone and tell your people what my terms are, and you're going to get it for me, or else imma start blowing heads off." he dropped the pay phone on the desk "you got an hour" he turned around walking away and leaving me to pond over what he just said. Sighing, I quickly dialed the captain number.
"Who's the hostage negotiator?" I asked once he answered
"Chief Johnson" The captain exclaimed
"I need to speak with him!"
"What's going on in there, Detective Knowles?" He asked
"Honestly, not much. We have been sitting ducks for hours while they do whatever they're doing; the good thing is nobody has been hurt so far though I don't know how long that will last."
"Detective, I know this is a hard situation, especially with your daughter being in there with you, but I promise you we're doing everything we can to end this."
"I know, captain, but in the meantime, I need to speak to chief Johnson to negotiate the robbers terms."
"Okay, let me get him here" I hard him calling out to someone in the background and and some huffing, and then another voice came through m.
"This is Chief Johnson." The person said
"Hello, this is detective Knowles. I am one of the hostages in the bank, along with my daughter."
"Hello, detective, I have heard a lot about you sorry we had to meet in these unfortunate circumstances."
"Like wise"
"So captain told me that you got a message for me from the robbers."
"Yes, I'm supposedly the middle man in this, and he wants me to give you his demands."
"And what are those demands?"
"He wants a Bus and a freeway out of here."
"Detective, you know I can't guarantee that"
"No Chief Johnson I don't think you understand if you don't meet those demands he's going to start killing these hostages."
"You know there are a lot of things that are under my jurisdiction" he argues
"I'm aware of that, but people life's are on the line if you don't get him that bus and way out of here, there is going to be a lot of blood on your hands, including mine, and my daughter!"
"You're asking me to do the is impossible."
"You don't think I know that I'm a detective; I know all the rules and laws regarding hostage negotiations. I believe that's why he picked me, but if you don't get him what he wants, he won hesitate to start killing these hostages, which was a promise he made, and you don't want to underestimate him."
He signed loudly on the phone. "I'm assuming we have a time limit to meet his demands."
"You got an hour."
"That's not enough time!"
"I know, so I suggest you start working on it now."
"Fuck!" He cursed
"Call this number if you need to contact me," I told him before hanging up the phone.
With a sign, I leaned over the table, trying to give myself a moment to breathe. I have to stay calm I can't start panicking now.
"Boo!" I jumped at the high-pitched voice from behind scaring the shit out of me. I swung around to see lead robber.
Derek said calmly as he began driving.
"Please don't do that again! you just don't creep up on people, especially in a situation like this!" I said, glaring at him. He said nothing but just stood there with an evil smirk on his face.
"Did you contact your people?"
I stood up straight "Yes, I did. They're working on it."
"Tic tic," he said walking backward "time is of essence." He said as we turned walking away.
I rushed over when I heard the commotion and crying to find one of the robbers holding a hostage with a gun to his head.
"What the fuck?" I quickly rushed over to where they stood.
"You wanna act like a hero you gonna die like a hero!" He yelled, his gun still pointed at the man's head.
"you don't have to do that!" I pleaded with him, hoping he would listen to me
He turned with the hostage to look at me "And why shouldn't I?"
"Because he's an innocent man who doesn't deserve to die, you came here for the money. There's no reason why you should have blood on your hands!"
"You think I care about any of that shit!"
"Just let him go, please...."
He chuckled bitterly. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't pull this trigger."
"Because..." I gazed around the room, watching everyone look at what was happening in absolute terror "because if you want them to meet your demands, you need to keep everyone in here alive!"
"Not God Enough!" he smirked and pulled the trigger. I watched in disbelief as the man dropped to the floor, followed by cries, including my daughter's scream, and I quickly rushed to her side and envelope her in a hug trying to shield her from the dead body on the floor while she held on to me tightly.
"This is what happens if you don't follow the rules." The robber voice ego throughout the bank. I looked around the room, and everyone had a scared look on their faces. I was shocked myself. I didn't think they would kill anyone now; this just went from a hostage situation to a homicide.
Throughout the next thirty minutes, I communicated with chief Johnson while we worked on meeting the robber's demands, but it proved to be a difficult task, to say the least, and an hour just wasn't enough.
Exactly thirty minutes later I pace the room trying to get my mind to calm down as I spoke with chief Johnson
"2o minutes we don't have 20 minutes!" I yelled through the phone.
"Detective Knowles, I'm sorry, but I did the best I could."
"You call this your best! Are you fucking kidding me? Right now, there are people who could be dead in less than twenty minutes, including my daughter, so don't tell me you did your fucking best!"
"Take a breath, detective I understand your frustration, but you're barking at the wrong tree here."
I stopped my pacing "No, I don't think you understand my frustration Johnson you're out there free, and I am in this God-forsaking bank and may be dead in no time alone with my daughter and the fifteenth other people who have families and life to go to so fuck that!"
"Detective Knowles-."
"Good bye!" I yelled, hung up the phone, and then threw it across the room in frustration.
"Woa detective, why the fire?" I heard from behind me and turned to face the source to find the lead rubber standing there watching me.
"Fuck" I signed already knowing what was coming
"Where's my bus?" He asked
"The bus is on the way; it'll be there in less than twenty minutes." I told him
"The hostage be dead in two. I tried to keep my voice even as I spoke, not wanting to spook even though I was about to lose it on him.
"No, nobody needs to die, okay..It's coming; it's just stuck in traffic."
"We have rules, detective. I said I wouldn't kill anyone; you said you'd give me a bus and a free way out of here. I lived up to my end of the deal...so if anyone died, you are responsible for that!"
"And I'm going to live up to mine, I just-" I forced myself to keep my composure, focusing on the hostages in the bank and focusing on the pregnant lady and my daughter in particular.
"I warned you not to jerk me around. Now, I was clear about the consequences. Do I have to prove how serious I am? Is that it?" He said as he walked over to the hostages and I followed after him.
I felt a sudden wave of panic, my eyes finding Bella, who looked so scared he would make me suffer, punish me. I could picture him pointing the gun at Bella, waiting for me to crack. I wracked my brain for anything to say, needing to keep him focused on me.
"Okay, I think we both need to take a deep breath, and we can talk about it."
"I'm done talking." He grabbed one of the hostages, and before I could stop him the shot rang out; the shriek of horror as the gun went off throughout the bank, paralyzing me in my spot.
I flinched at the sound, anger flaring in me as I looked out at the woman lying there dying, a woman who told me earlier how scared she was and that she had three kids and a husband waiting for her at home. I felt sick to my stomach.
"Son of a bitch!" I grinned my teeth when I finally found my voice.
"This is what you wanted, right detective?!" He yelled loosely, waving the gun around
"I told you the bus is on the way. I do not control traffic!" I yelled
"And I told you if the bus isn't here in thirty minutes, I was going to start shouting, and you underestimate me, so imma keep killing one person every minute until the bus gets here, so what 15 minutes that means fifteen people."
"You don't have to do that!" I plead with him.
"Oh, detective, I'm just getting started. That was a warning shot! "He chuckled bitterly. "Next will be your daughter!" he said, his words sending a fresh wave of dread through me. I shook with anger and fear, A mother's natural terror over losing a child.
Before I could react, he walked over to where Bella was, grabbing her by her hair, and pulling her to her feet.
I glowed into action as Bella screamed ego throughout the bank. "Don't touch her, you son of a bitch!"
"Ooh, now this is getting interesting." He laughed arrogantly
"Mommy!" Bella cried, trying to fight him off, but he overpowered her.
"Please, you don't have to do this.." I cried, eyes filling with tears. "Let her go!"
"Let me go!!!! Let me gooo you asshole!! let me fucking gooo!!" Bella said kicking and screaming.
"Let her fucking goo!" I yelled while he's just smirking at me his gun still pointed at my baby head.
"Mom, please, I don't want to die," Bella sobbed. I could hear the fear in her voice as her panicked voice sounded louder than I had ever heard her cry.
I was scared in the deepest recesses of my mind. I was scared, but I knew that if I showed any sign of weakness, he would pull the trigger. Bella's voice steadfastness calmed my shaking nerves allowing me to think clearly. I felt my control slide back into place.
"Stay calm, baby, you're going to be okay," I said softly, holding her gaze told, trying to calm her cause I could see a panic attack coming.
"I'm gonna make pretty red stains out of your daughter,detective." He moved the I gun to her throat, "and I'm gonna paint a Jackson Pollack with he insides."
"Listen to me, Jackass. I do not control traffic, so you're going to have to give me twenty minutes." I exclaimed, and the power of my own voice surprised me.
"Now you've got one minute, Detective!" He pressed the gun further into Bella's neck, fueling me with anger as my child looked at me, scared to death, tears streaming down her face. My voice was deadly calm as I spoke again.
"No, I have fifteen minutes. Do you hear me? Fifteen. Because if you pull that trigger...the cops will burst through those doors and I personally will put a bullet through your skull." My heart pumped furiously as he stared into my eyes; I stared down at the man, determined not to show fear.
My breath of relief was forced as he pulled the gun away from Bella's throat, saying cheerfully.
"Okay, Detective, you got fifteen minutes." He realized Bella, and she ran straight into my arms, shaking with fear and sobbing her eyes squeezing shut while she buried herself even deeper into my embrace, her breaths ragged and uneven. I sit with her trying to calm her.
About ten minutes later, the phone I threw earlier started ringing, and I quickly rushed to pick it up with Bella glue to my side as I spoke to Chief Johnson
"The bus is outside, and the way is clear," he said, and I let out a breath of relief. I quickly hung up the phone and walked over to the lead robber wile Bella still glued to my me. I wasn't letting her out of my site.
"Your bus is here, and your path is clear." I met my end of the deal now released the hostages." I told him
"The hostages are free to go" he called out to one of his guys to let them out through the back door. I watched as the hostages run out of the bank.
"But she's coming with me." He grabbed Bella and pulled her to his side. Even though I tried to stop him I wasn't fast enough.
"We had a deal, and that was not part of the deal!" I yelled, my heart racing. A million terrorizing thoughts swarmed through my mind, and adrenaline pumped through as body. I looked at Bella; her face was visibly pale.
"Fuck the deal." I'm keeping her as collateral just in case your people try something stupid she will be released once I get out of here."
"Do you think I'm going to let you walk out of here with my daughter!"
"Let me go, let me fucking go!" Bella screamed, fighting against him. I watched in horror as Bella fought against him using all her training that Shawn taught her for moments like this, and she back kicked him hard in the balls. He screamed in pain releasing his hold on her fro a moment and grabbing her again before she could get away.
Bella whimpered as the man's gun came down hard across her face, right at her temple. She cried out in pain, her scream adding fuel to my rage.
I couldn't stand there anymore as my baby cried while a gun is pointed at her head. "let her fucking go!" I yelled, my voice filled with rage. At this point, all the hostages were let out, and it was just me, Bella, and two of robbers, this was it. I rather die saving my child than let him leave with her. I took a step towards him.
"Step back, detective!" he moved the gun away from Bella and pointed it at me, which was what I wanted.
"Bella dug!" I yelled before throwing the phone I was still holding, hitting him square in the face. His hold off Bella's released, allowing her to get free.
"Bella, run now!" I yelled, and she picked up, running to the other side and through the front door before the the other robbers could get her.
"You bitch!" He screamed in anger, his forehead bleeding.
"I warned you to leave my daughter alone!"
"Yoo, man, let's go.The cops are going to be in here any minute." The other robber said
"Not until this bitch is dead!" he told the man
"Man, we out of here," one of the robbers said, and the two of them left the room. And it was just him and me with his gun pointed at my face.
"You're a dead woman!" He told me with a smirk as he step closer his gun pointed directly at me As he lifted his gun towards me, an evil smile stole across his face. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact.
This was it. I had succumbed to my inevitable end. That my life was going to end here, and I was going to leave my daughter without a mother and the man who I love so much, who the last time we spoke was us angrily yelling at each other. I didn't even get a chance to say I love you.
This couldn't be the end, right. I have so much more to live for. It just can't be. I silently prayed to the highest as I waited my faith. My body tensed as it waited for the impact.
TO BE CONTINUED...............
Ops a little cliffhanger 🤪
Stay tuned for the next chapter