Two days later Leighanne came home. I watched from the window as she climbed out of the cab smiling and made her way up to the door. Then I picked up my bag and slipped out the backdoor as she walked in. I had heard Brian walk out to the living room to wait for her a while before. It was time for them to talk, to tear down the walls, to shine light in the shadows, and to face the truth.
Michael was sitting in his car waiting for me as I walked out. I smiled sadly at him and climbed in.
“Ok?” he asked.
“Ok,” I answered.
“Does he know?” I nodded. “Does she know?”
“She’s about to. I think it’s going to get pretty ugly in there to, Mikey,” I admitted, looking back at the house that held the man I had somehow fallen in love with.
I wanted to stay, to hold Brian’s hand, to give some kind of support but I didn’t belong. As long as Leighanne was in the picture I would never belong with Brian, no matter how much I needed or loved him.
I turned to close the car door when something caught my eye. The tiniest movement coming from the outside of the house. I focused on the area I had seen it in and watched. But nothing moved, nothing changed.
“Maybe I imagined it,” I mumbled reaching for the door again. Then I saw it again, a leave sway, a branch bend, something.
I climbed out of the car and stood there, waiting. I wasn’t seeing things. Something or someone was up there. So I waited till I saw it.
“Ray,” I gasped, seeing the man Leighanne had been having an affair with. “Mike, get him,” I whispered, moving away from the car slowly so Ray didn’t notice me.
I moved around the side of the house and worked my way to him as Mike moved in the opposite direction. We would have him surrounded if we could just get to him in time to stop him from doing something stupid.
Too late, he burst into the house and I could hear him yelling and threatening Brian. Peeking through the window, my heart clenched in fear when I saw Ray waving a gun at Brian.
“Breathe, Ryder,” I warned, ducking back down. I caught sight of Mike and indicated for him to charge the door and I would get Ray.
Silently we counted off. One, two, three! Michael crashed through the door but somehow, some way Ray knew he was coming and shot him the second he was through the door. While he was stunned with what he had done I jumped him and wrestled the gun from him as I pinned him to the floor. I pulled the handcuffs I kept in my jacket out and cuffed him. Leaving him on the floor, I rushed to Mike’s side.
There was blood everywhere and it was oozing out of his side where the gunshot was.
“Hey, Mikey. What did you go and get shot for?” I said, taking him in my arms.
“Well I didn’t exactly go planning it, Ryder,” he cracked, smiling weakly then wincing in pain.
“You always have to be the star though don’t you? Stealing the show. I get the bad guy but you get the credit. Spotlight hog,” I teased, fighting off the fear that was trying to overwhelm me. I listened as Brian called and ambulance.
“You got him though, Ry. You got him and now he’s never going to hurt Brian again,” my brother whispered, losing his strength.
“Hey Mikey, don’t be fading out on me, bro,” I warned, as I began to lose the battle against the fear within me.
“I’m not fading out. I’m just really tired. I’m just gonna close my eyes for a minute, Ryder. Just a minute,” he whispered as his eyes slowly closed.
“No,” I screamed. “No, Michael! Open you damn eyes and look at me,” I yelled, shaking him.
“Ryder, jeez that hurts,” he said, looking up at me.
I smiled at him as I heard the distant wail of sirens. The ambulance was coming. Oh thank God!
“Look you, if you die on me I will never forgive you. I mean it, Mike. Don’t you dare leave me,” I warned, feeling the tears slip down my cheeks.
“At least you’ll have someone to take care of you now,” he said, looking over my shoulder at Brian.
“I don’t want someone, I don’t want him. I want you, Michael Taggert,” I screamed at him as his eyes drifted closed again.
The paramedics stormed into the house and Brian pried me away from Mike’s limp body. I collapsed into his arms sobbing in fear and pain.
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