I don’t bother to wait for a response and hit the speed dial button I set the minute I stepped foot in this town.
“911, what’s your emergency?” the phone operator answers immediately.
“My name is Aria Morgan; I live at two-zero-two Everly Falls Drive. I’m requesting help because there’s someone trying to break into my home. I recently left an abusive marriage and live alone with my daughter. There are currently four of us in the home, as two of my friends are staying with me while on vacation. Please hurry.” I calmly state the facts, doing my best to keep my trembling voice from cracking as I try to keep my panic at bay. The girls and Hadley are now huddled up on my bed and she’s falling back asleep. The last thing I want is to wake her and scare her.
The chances of this being Benji are unlikely. He’s too self-absorbed to dedicate his time finding Hadley and me. His narcissism is literally the only thing I have to count on when my hysteria reaches its climax thinking about him seeking revenge for leaving him.
“Thank you for the information, two officers have been dispatched and are currently on their way. They should be there within five minutes. Are you okay to stay on the line with me until they’ve reached you?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you. I also sent a text to my neighbor Cooper on the off chance he’s home since he’s a police officer as well.”
“Thank you for letting me know. I’ll relay the message so the officers aren’t caught off guard in the event he shows up. Can you tell me anything else that might help them?”
“Yes, actually. I work for Lancaster Security and have security footage streaming live as the intruder works his way around my home trying to find some way to access the inside. He or she doesn’t appear to have tools to break in, nor is there anything on my property for him to use to break down any doors or windows. The person in question seems undeterred by the floodlights. I imagine they are unaware of the silent alarms that get sent to me.”
“Do you not have the alerts set up to notify Lancaster Security?”
“Not yet. I’ve only set up the preliminary equipment so far since we’ve just moved and honestly didn’t expect a security threat so soon since we moved several thousand miles away from my ex-husband.” I say, feeling stupid. I should’ve known better. “Oh my god!” I exclaim.
“What’s happening? Are you okay?” the dispatcher questions the alarm in my voice.
“Yeah, my neighbor Cooper just apprehended the person.”
“Okay, the officers are only one minute out now. Sit tight for me. Do not move from your place of safety until the perpetrator has been detained and acquired by the officers on duty.”
“No problem.” I say, unwilling to move from my front row seat in watching Cooper obliterate the man. First he tackled him while he was distracted and messing with one of the windows on my back deck, then he wrenched his arms back so forcefully, I wouldn’t be surprised if they're now ripped from the sockets. The intruder’s face gets smashed into the hard wooden planks of the deck as Cooper drops him face first to the ground and checks him over for weapons. There’s a bit of a struggle but Coop has full control of the situation and I almost wish I were down there so I could hear what he’s leaning down to whisper in their ear.
Now that I have another body to reference, I’d definitely say this is a man, matching the height of Cooper, just not the build or stature. The guy is scrawny in comparison.
I heard the incoming police sirens a minute ago but seeing two more officers rush toward Cooper and the guy with their guns drawn brings an incredible sense of relief.
“The police are here and handling the situation.” I speak into the phone.
“Very good. I’ll let you go. Stay safe young lady,” the dispatcher says then hangs up before I can respond.
“Girl, that was some scary shit, but can I just say how well you handled yourself. I know that you’re probably freaking the fuck out on the inside, but on the outside, you handled that shit like a pro.” Demi says proudly.
“Yeah, that wasn’t something I ever want to deal with again. I uh, I should probably go talk to Cooper and make sure everything is good. Can you please stay up here with Hadley and keep safe? Lock the door behind me just in case?” I’m practicing avoidance now. From the look in her eyes, she knows it. They can both see the shame written all over my face that I got us into this mess in the first place.
She shouldn’t be proud because Iamfreaking out. We still haven’t seen the guy's face and if it’s Benji I don’t know if I’ll feel better or worse. Knowing he’s apprehended would be amazing, but I never pressed charges because I wanted to escape so badly and I didn’t think I could’ve faced him in court if it had been necessary. That hasn’t changed. Plus, the sickening dread that’s lining my stomach at the thought that he’s found us has me feeling like I might puke at any given moment. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ve not done a single thing to be proud of. I’m weak. I’m a coward. I’m pathetic. I probably always have been and I always will be.
I walk down the stairs, forcing myself to hold back and not run straight into Cooper's arms and ball my eyes out. Terror and adrenaline are fueling me, and it’s the only way I can keep myself calm.
Don’t fidget. Don’t move too quickly. Don’t say things without thinking about them first. Don’t let anyone see your trepidation.
When I finally get to the back door, my shaking hand stalls above the lock momentarily and I take a final deep breath to help calm my unsteady nerves. Unlocking the door is as frightening as one would imagine in a scenario like this. I don’t want to do it. Not at all, but I need to see the man behind the mask. I need to thank the three officers that came to our rescue. I need to be stronger than I feel in order to allow myself the growth I have to do in order to become the woman and mother I want to be.
The second I open the door, four heads turn my way, and a relieved “Aria” whooshes out of Coop’s mouth, like it took all of his oxygen to say those three syllables. The look in his eyes is one I’ll never forget as he stares at me with all the determination in the world that he’ll always be there to protect me. It’s a promise he can’t make, but his eyes tell a different story, offering reassurance that soothes my soul.
Acting completely out of character, I do what I told myself I wouldn’t, running and jumping into his arms. Allowing myself to let go of all the anxieties and mental instabilities that constantly hold me back, I hold on tight and whisper a thank you into the crook of his neck as I bury my face there to hide my embarrassment. He says nothing but squeezes me tighter for a brief moment, silently giving me his strength.
When I feel brave enough, I turn around and stand in front of the person who willingly caused my nightmares to come to life, watching as the officer who’s holding him rips the ski mask off his head and… I don’t know him.
“Howdy ma’am. My apologies that we’re here under a state of duress. I need to know though. Do you know this man?” The older policeman asks. My mouth won’t form words so I just shake my head no, yet that doesn’t seem to satisfy either of the uniformed men. “Are you sure? The dispatcher relayed the message that you’ve recently left a domestic violence situation. If this man is your ex-husband, we need you to be honest.”
Cooper stiffens behind me and I hate the way he’s learned about my past. I look away from the strange man and up into the eyes of the officer, feeling a fire light within me as I snap back defiantly. “I can assure you this man isn’t my ex. If he were I wouldn’t lie about it. That man is a plague on society—an infestation amongst human kind and dangerous to both myself and my daughter, whom I put before everything. If I thought she was at risk because we’ve been found, I’d move heaven and earth to ensure that he went to prison for as long as humanly possible. I understand why you’d question me. I do, but maybe next time, recognize the proper time and place to do so.”
“Well said Love Bug.” Coop whispers in my ear. I don’t question the endearment because I’m still processing the rest of this night, but it doesn’t go unnoticed.
