What do I want to do? I want to hide away and just disappear from life for a little while. I don't want to deal with any of this. This may be what I am thinking, but what comes out of my mouth is simply, "I need a coat until I can buy a new one, do you have something I can borrow?"
Alex nods and rifles through his side of the closet. He pulls out a Sherpa-lined hoodie. "Will this do? If not, you can borrow mine."
I take it from him. "No, this is fine. What precinct?"
"They are being held at the 32nd precinct. It's down in the neighborhood where the club is," he tells me. "I'll go with you."
"No, I'll figure it out," I reply, shrugging into the jacket. I'm swimming in it but just zip it up anyhow, putting my keys and wallet into the pockets.
Alex walks up to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. "I get it. You're mad and you have every reason to be, but I have to go anyway since I made the call and saw them running from the scene. Also, your phone is smashed and you don't know your way around that neighborhood. So right now, I'm your best way of getting there."
I hate that he is right. "Fine." I shrug him off and move away from him, pick up my broken phone and stick it in my other pocket, knowing I must replace it when I get my new coat.
We get into my car and outside of the directions Alex gives me; we don't talk. This whole situation sucks. I hate being at odds with him, but every time I think of him up on that stage, I feel angry and depressed.
How can he do it? Why? My mind tries to tell me I'd have that answer already if I'd only let him explain, but right now my heart insists it isn't interested in finding out.
"Right up here on the left, Cat."
I spot the station and I find a place to park. We get out together and walk into the building. After just a few questions, they send us to an office to wait. It feels like we are waiting forever, but maybe that's because of my self-imposed vow of silence I have enacted against Alex.
Finally, the door opens. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Officer Dennon," he says, extending his hand to me. "Cat Fischer," I reply, shaking his hand. Officer Dennon then turns to Alex. "Alex Bragin," Alex tells him, taking Officer Dennon's proffered hand.
Officer Dennon sits down at the desk and opens a file. He pushes two pictures towards me. "Ms. Fischer, are these the men that assaulted you last night?"
I know I will never forget their faces. "Yes."
"And you can confirm, Mr. Bragin, that these were the men you saw running from the crime?"
"Yes," Alex affirms.
"We appreciate you letting us know the direction they ran off to. Without your information, our patrol car may have easily missed them."
"You're welcome," Alex says I see some light return to his eyes from knowing he was instrumental in the bad guys being captured.
Officer Dennon comes around to the other side of the desk, frowning as he reaches out and turns my cheek. "We're these injuries sustained in the assault?"
"No," I state, as he takes in my black and blue forehead and scratched palms and cheek. "I tripped as I ran from them. These came from sliding across the pavement."
Officer Dennon nods and goes back around to the other side of the desk to write something down. "What happened when they got a hold of you?"
The sting of tears burns my eyes. I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly as I try to remain calm, but I move to the edge of my seat.
"I had called the police. The large man grabbed me from behind, while the other guy took my phone and hung up on the dispatcher. He dragged me off the main road, but I struggled against them. When the second man tried to grab my legs, I kicked him in the stomach. That also loosened the grip the larger man had on me. I tried to run but the heel of my shoe had broken when I tripped and fell, so it wasn't long before they had he grabbed me again."
Officer Dennon is writing this entire time. Alex's gaze feels like it's burning a hole right through me as I talk, but I know if I look at him, I won't be able to continue.
"He pinned me against the wall, locking me into a position where I could not defend myself and then he kissed me, well... more like ground my lips against my teeth with his mouth but I'm sure you get the idea."
Officer Dennon nods as he carries on with his notes, and I see Alex's knuckles turning white as he grips the sides of the chair. Just a little more ways to go, and you can put this behind you, Cat.
"Well, he'd been drinking, and he'd been drinking beer. I'm..." I hesitate, wondering if this is even necessary to say. Officer Dennon pauses his pen and looks up at me, patiently waiting for me to continue.
I give full disclosure. "I'm pregnant with a violent food aversion to the smell of beer. When he kissed me, it caused an immediate expulsion of the contents of my stomach."
Officer Dennon grins. "So, you threw up on him?"
I respond to the officer's grin with one of my own. "Yes, and he released me immediately. My strength left me at that point and I slid down the wall and just sat there. I couldn't have run if I tried."
"My wife had an aversion to the smell of peanuts. It was a crushing blow as PB&J is a staple in my house for me and my younger son."
"Well, I know how she feels," I empathize.
"And the other man?"
"He didn't touch me after he tried to grab my legs. He stood off to the side, but when he saw his friend covered in vomit, he threw up too."
Officer Dennon laughs. "This just keeps getting better."
"That's when I saw a flash from a set of headlights. I thought it may be the police since I knew they were looking for me, but it turned out to be Alex and a friend of mine."
Officer Dennon looks over at Alex. "You know one another, then?"
"Yes," Alex says, "We're... involved."
"In a relationship?" Dennon clarifies. I see him glance at my ring-less hand and once again I feel the shame of being on my own.
"Yes, a situation occurred that caused her to leave a party we were at and I went looking for her, with the help of her friend Olivia. Turns out Olivia has an app that allowed me to track down Cat's whereabouts."
"What happened when they saw the headlights?" Officer Dennon inquires, looking back at me.
"They smashed my phone," I reply, pulling it out of my pocket and placing it on the desk, "and stole my necklace."
Alex turns to me in sudden surprise. I guess he hasn't noticed it was missing.
"Then they ran off, right about the time Alex found me."
Officer Dennon scribbles some final notes.
"Well, looks like I got all I need here. Your story totally checks out. I'm going to have someone write up a statement for you both and there will be a few more things I need you to sign so we can press charges. I assume you wish to press charges?"
I hesitate. Once again, Officer Dennon comes around to the front of the desk to sit on the edge, directly in front of me. "Bad guys get away with bad things because good people don't want to make waves. This is an open and shut case, Cat. Your involvement from this point on will be minimal. I'm pretty sure, once this case gets in front of a judge, they'll be sentenced and that will be the end."
"Okay," I agree and Officer Dennon smiles.
"Good girl. Let me get the paperwork done and get you two out of here."
"Thank you, Officer Dennon."
He laughs. "You kidding me? Your story totally made my day. Be back soon. Hang tight, okay?"
Alex and I nod.
Several minutes pass before I wonder about a few things...
"How did you get Olivia to help you?"
Alex looks at me but he is so deep in thought, he takes a second to respond.
"When you stood up at the table, I recognized you immediately. How could I not in that dress? Then you threw your mask on the table and I feared the worst. You were out the door in a flash. I ran to the back room and quickly changed. When I opened up the back door to the club to follow you, I saw Olivia getting into her car. She planned to go after you, so it wasn't too hard to convince her to let me tag along."
"You told her about us then?"
"Yes, not that I needed to. It seemed obvious to Olivia that I was the problem, so she just figured that there must be something going on between us."
I shrug. That makes sense since little escapes Olivia's keen eye.
"It terrified her. You running off like that. You should probably call her today," Alex suggests.
"I will. Once I get a new phone."
"When I called you and I couldn't get through, she became more panicked, but then thankfully she remembered she could track you through her phone, so she looked you up and we could pinpoint where you were."
"I didn't answer your call because I was on the phone with the dispatcher and was afraid to hang up."
"Makes sense. I assumed it was because you were mad at me. When your movement stopped, I told Olivia to pull over. I gave her my cell and called her to keep her on the line. Using her phone to continue to track you. That's when I started calling out for you."
"Thank you for coming to look for me."
Again Alex looks hurt by my words. "What did you expect me to do, Cat? I love you. I hurt you. I know that, but it wasn't my intention."
"Didn't you think I would eventually figure it out, or ask what you did someday?"
Alex shrugs. "Possibly, but I figured if it happened, I would have the chance to explain myself. I honestly never expected you to show up at the club."
"So, you're just upset that I caught you in the act?"
My question makes him angry, but I didn't care. Being hurt does that to you.
"I took that job after my brother was killed. It was Aiden's job. He was murdered walking to the subway that he took home every night. They beat him so badly its considered it a hate crime. You've seen how he dressed from the photos I have in the apartment. He made it obvious that he was gay."
"But what did you hope to gain by taking his job?" I ask, clearly not following his logic.
"The cops said the perpetrator or perpetrators likely knew him from the club or knew his route home, but when nothing turned up, it became a cold case. I took the job, hoping to flush them out. I dance at the club under Aiden's alias. I take the same route home each night, hoping they will see me and think I am him and ..."
"And what?" I ask, aghast. "Try again? This is your plan? Hope they'll get wind of you being there and come back to finish the job?"
Alex ignores all my questions but continues to talk. "I have spent all this time getting to know the clientele. A few times I thought I was on to something, only to have it lead me to another dead end. I was desperate to find any lead that may bring my brother's killers to justice."
"But it's been 3 years since your brother's death!"
"I know, but I'm obsessed. I can't seem to lay his memory to rest. He literally haunts me in my dreams. I see him as he was that night, each time I dream of him. I didn't have a reason to care before, Cat. It was just me and my memories, but that changed when you came into my life and stayed at my apartment."
"You have worked your way into my heart. You began to heal the wounds that ran so deep, and made me wonder if perhaps life held more purpose for me, than just this obsession. When you told me you loved me, I knew instantly it was time to let go of the past. I had that necklace made for you and I told them at the club that I quit. That night was my last performance ever. Then all this happened," Alex says, waving his hand in some grand gesture.
"Cat, when I saw you in that alley..." Alex chokes on his own words, and his tears flow freely.
"Oh, Alex!" I utter, getting up from my chair to hug him.
He clings to me. "I'm so sorry, Cat. You can't fathom how sorry I am. I deserve to lose you. I was so wrong to deceive you."
"SHHH!" I say, putting my hand over his mouth to stop him from talking. "Shut up, will you? You're not going to lose me. You've lost enough. I'm here to stay, for as long as you want me, but you know I'm a package deal, right? The baby has to be my priority, but that doesn't make you second best. I want us to be... a family."
Alex says nothing, and then I realize he can't because my hand is still over his mouth. I lower my hand and his look is one of such intense love, I can't doubt, I don't doubt that he loves me, or that I belong with him.
He still says nothing, but reaches for my face and kisses me, pouring into his kiss not only all his hurt and pain but also all his hope and joy. It's so much emotion I feel the tears fall from my own eyes as the kiss continues.
He pulls away reluctantly and wipes away my tears with the pads of his thumbs. "I love you, Cat."
"I love you too, Alex."
I hear someone clearing his throat, and we both glance over to where Officer Dennon is looking at us from the doorway.
"Just need you to sign these papers," he says holding up two files, "And you two can get on your way."
Alex and I each take a folder.
"Oh, and Ms. Fisher, I believe this belongs to you." Officer Dennon pulls from his pocket a small manila envelope. He pops it open and into my outstretched hand, he dumps my necklace.
At my look of surprise, he says, "We found it on the accused when we picked him up. When you gave me your statement, I figured it belonged to you."
I hug the necklace in my fist, close to my heart. "Thank you! Thank you so much."
Officer Dennon smiles. "It doesn't always happen, but it's a great day when the good guys win."