Savior

Hanna

I heard living room door shut, and I peeked out of Garrett's room, wondering if I could make a break for it. Nikki was lying on the mattress, completely nude, her big breasts and shaved womanhood clearly on display.

"Don't even think about it," she growled when she noticed me.

I briefly considered taking her on, figuring now might be my best chance of escape. I didn't have my car keys, or even my phone, but if I could knock her out or tie her up somehow, I could take Garrett and use her keys, if her car was outside, to get away. She must have realized what I was thinking because she rose to her feet, standing in the center of the mattress to glare at me.

"Come on, bitch, if you think you can take me," she challenged. "We can go right now, and I'll fuck you up."

I said nothing and backed into Garrett's room. Nikki was my babysitter, and the woman who had shared Carl's room the morning we'd tried to get Garrett back.

I'd slept little last night. After Bull and Kat became quiet, I peeked out of the room, hoping they were asleep, but they were laying on the mattress watching television. Later, after Carl returned home, I'd had to listen to Nikki and Carl snarling at each other about sleeping on the floor in the living room, over the sex-stained sheets Bull and Kat had left, and over me being in the apartment. Carl wanted Nikki to stay with me the next morning while he went to a meeting, Nikki didn't want to, and that had led to another sneering, snarling argument.

I'd heard him telling Nikki the same shit he used to tell me, how the Bayport deal was his big break and would get him noticed... how Alex was watching him and was impressed with what he was doing... and how after he beat Rand's ass in the race, he'd be a lock to move up in the club. I took more than a little evil pleasure from the fact that I knew Alex was involved because Carl had fucked it all up... and he had as much chance of beating Rand in a race as I did. I so wanted to be there when his house of lies came crashing down around him.

He's slowly won Nikki over with his smooth lies, and I'd been forced to endure listening them fucking just like I had Bull and Kat, though at least they weren't as loud and obnoxious as the first pair had been, nor had it gone on for as long. I'd smiled in darkness that nothing had changed with Carl.

Long after they were quiet, I again opened the door to Garrett's room, and though they were asleep, they'd moved the mattress to directly in front of the door. I'd snuck into the living room and patted through Carl's pockets to find his phone. It wasn't there, but I discovered it on the floor beside the mattress. It had bleeped softly when I unplugged it, and I'd frozen, afraid Carl would wake up, but he hadn't. I'd returned to Garrett's room where I tried to guess his unlock code until I was afraid I'd lock his phone. I quietly put it back as I found it, holding my breath as I plugged it back in. I then searched in the gloom until I found Nikki's clutch. Moving quietly, I'd taken it into the bedroom with me. I found a set of keys, but with no way to get out the door, they didn't do me any good. Like with Carl's phone, I couldn't guess her unlock code, and the phone gave me a timeout. Frustrated, I put the phone back in her clutch and returned it to where I found it and returned to Garrett's room where I spent the rest of the night.

I quietly closed the door as Nikki glared at me. Garrett had slept through the night, waking early this morning with a raging fever. I'd given him a dose of Children's Tylenol to knock the fever down, and he'd gone back to sleep. I felt grungy and strung out, but if Carl would let me take Garrett to the doctor today, it'd be worth it. I lay down on the bed with Garrett and he snuggled into my arms in his sleep. I closed my eyes, and soon enough, I joined him in slumber.

-oOo-

The slamming of a door jerked me from sleep.

"Fuck, Bee! What happened to you?" Nikki asked.

"Where's that fucking bitch?" he snarled, his voice slurred.

"She's still in there with your kid.

What happened

to you?"

He said nothing and I heard him stomping toward the room. He jerked door open. "Get your ass out here!"

Carl looked like someone had used him as punching bag, but I couldn't have cared less. Whatever had happened to him, he probably deserved it, and I hoped it hurt like hell.

"Shhhh..." I hissed as I slowly disentangled myself from Garrett. "You'll wake him up."

"All that fucking kid does is sleep!"

I winced with the loudness of his voice. "What do you expect with him so sick!" I snarled softly. "I think he has the flu and maybe bronchitis. You said we'd take him to the doctor today. Can we go now?"

"We're not taking him any fucking place!"

I could feel my wrath coming like a storm. "You promised! What kind of man are you that would—" I never saw the slap coming, Carl's hand flashing out and slapping me so hard I stumbled into the wall, my face exploding with pain.

"You want to know what kind of man I am?" he snarled as he grabbed my face and held it close to his. "I'm the kind of man who doesn't take shit off some whiny ass bitch!" He pulled me off the wall, his fingers still locked on my face, and shoved me into the living room. I tripped over the mattress and fell to Nikki's feet. "I'm the type of man who takes what he wants and fucks anyone who gets in his way," he snarled.

"Why'd you hit me!" I complained, holding my cheek where he'd struck me, the skin burning as if my cheek were being pressed against a stove. "I did what you asked! I'm here! I just want you to take your son to the doctor like you promised!"

He glanced around the apartment. "You didn't clean the place up like I told you!"

"When was I supposed to do it? I didn't want to be in here with those two fucking, and I was holding Garrett so he could sleep! Let's take him to the doctor, and as soon as he starts feeling better, I'll clean. Please, Carl, you promised!"

"I haven't got time for that shit!"

"You promised!" I said, but I stayed down, knowing from experience if I got up, he'd likely knock me down again.

"Goddammit!"

"Jesus Christ, Bee, just let her take the kid to the doctor so she'll stop bitching!" Nikki said, staring down at me, her eyes hard and without sympathy. "I'm tried of listening to him cough anyway."

"Fuck!" he roared. He lunged at me, grabbed my hair, and hauled me to my feet as I gripped his wrist while wailing in pain. "This is all your fucking fault!"

"You're hurting me!" I cried.

"I told you if you fucked with me again I was going to do more than hurt you," he growled, his face close to mine.

"I haven't done anything!"

"I killed your fucking boyfriend, Hanna! He jumped me and I killed him! You're alone! Nobody's going to come help you!"

I wailed again as he jerked my hair when he shoved me away. Standing on the mattress, I couldn't back pedal fast enough, and I fell again, but this time I didn't have the mattress under me to soften my landing and I crashed painfully to the floor.

I sobbed softly, my hand tangled in my hair. "I didn't call him," I sobbed. "How could I? I don't have a phone."

"You killed that big fucker that tried to take Garrett at the restaurant?" Nikki asked, her eyes wide. "Is that what happened to you?"

"Yeah," he snarled, glaring at me. "He was waiting on me outside the clubhouse this morning. He tried to run, but I ran him down. He tried to shoot me, but I got his gun away from him and then beat him to death."

I stared at Carl, my blood frozen in my veins, but after a moment, I realized Carl was lying. He had to be. There was no way Rand would run from Carl, and even if he did, Carl would have never caught him. After the meeting with the Orcas, the BRMC was jubilant that Rand was going to represent their club in a race, confident there was nobody the Orcas could produce that would even come close to matching him. I slowly crawled to my feet, sniffing and wiping my eyes.

I considered telling him that I was glad he'd killed him, trying to get on his good side, but I had a feeling Nikki would see right through my lie. "Please, Carl, please let me take Garrett to the doctor... or you do it. Nikki can stay here with me to make sure I don't leave."

"Mommy?" Garrett said, standing at the door.

"Hey, Punkin. Mommy and Daddy are taking you to the doctor, okay? He's going to make you feel better."

Garrett coughed hard and then nodded. "Am I going to have to get a shot?"

"I don't know. Probably not. He'll probably just give you some medicine to help you get well."

"I don't want a shot."

"I know, Punkin."

He started coughing again, harder this time. I winced as his little body shook and heaved as he tried to catch his breath. I knelt beside him, holding him as he fought to breathe, coughing harder and harder until he retched, a small puddle of bile splattering on the carpet.

"I'm sorry," he said miserably.

I glanced at Carl, my eyes pleading. "Please, Carl."

He glared at me. "God

dammit

!"

He stomped to the kitchen, opened a cabinet and pulled my keys from a container of Luck Charms. I held my tongue, unable to believe he put my dirty car keys in Garrett's cereal, the asshole.

"Go to the bathroom, okay?" I said to Garrett.

He nodded slowly and trudge to the bathroom. I followed while Nikki dressed. After everyone was ready, and I cleaned up Garrett's vomit, we plodded down the steps to my car.

"Why is she going?" I asked.

"To keep an eye on you."

"What am I going to do? You're going to be right there."

He snorted as Garrett and I climbed into the back of my Bug. "If you think I'm letting you go into the doctor's office, you're crazy. I know you. The minute you step foot inside, you'll start screaming child abuse or some shit. Now shut the fuck up about it and tell me where we're going."

"Silowe Pediatrics, on Crescent, over by the Costco."

"That's all the way on the other side of town! Isn't there someplace closer?"

"That's where his doctor is."

"Fuck!" He started the car and raced the engine hard. "I hate this fucking piece of shit!"

I again held my tongue. Pissing him off now would do me no good. Garrett and I sat in the back seat, with Carl and Nikki up front, as he drove us across down. It appeared he was intentionally trying to break my car, racing the engine, yanking on the gear lever, slamming on the brakes, and throwing us around. I said nothing, chewing on my lip, hoping the Bug would hold together long enough to get us to the doctor and back.

"Right up there," I said, point between the seats.

He whipped the car into the parking lot and raced to the building before throwing the car into a handicapped spot with a squeal of tires. I again said nothing. "Come on, Champ. Let's get this done." He turned his attention to Nikki. "She stays in the car. If she tries to get out, kick her ass."

She sneered at me. "I hope she tries."

Garrett crawled out between the seats, and Carl all but dragged him by the hand into the office. Three minutes later he was back. He yanked the door open and stuck his head in. "Do we have insurance for him?"

I rolled my eyes. "No," I said, drawing the word out.

"Fuck," he spat before slamming the door.

I sat in the back, quiet. "You're a lot of trouble, you know that?" Nikki growled. "I don't know why Bee wants to keep you around."

"Because he's a shitty father and wants someone to watch Garrett while he goes out and pretends to be the big man?"

"You don't know him."

"I was

married

to him. I know him better than you do. All that shit he was telling you last night, about how this was his big break, all that shit? I've heard it all before. More than once. Carl's probably pathological liar. I don't think he can tell the difference between what's real and the fantasy that plays out in his head."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Fine. Believe him if you want, but are you going to tell me you believe all the shit he says? You didn't strike me as being that stupid."

"He just needs a break."

"Yeah. I've heard that before too. Has he started blaming you for everything yet? Started hitting you?"

"No."

"He will. Trust me."

"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch, and were more supportive, he wouldn't blame or hit you."

I forced a laugh. "Yeah, like I had anything to do with him running a red light and crashing his bike. Like I'm the reason he hasn't been moved up in the club. Like I had—"

"You were never part of the club... that's the problem."

"Yeah, well, excuse me for working full time and taking care of Garrett by myself so Carl can fuck off, ride around on a new motorcycle that I was paying for, and hang out at the club house with his friends. You know why I drive a fifty-year-old Beetle? Because that's all I could afford because Carl can't be bothered to hold a steady job to help support his family." I paused. "Have you started buying him things yet?"

Nikki didn't answer. I smiled, her silence all the answer I needed. We sat silently in the car for over an hour before Carl stormed out of the clinic, dragging Garrett along by the hand. Garrett had obviously been crying, and he was still sniffling as he crawled into the car and squeezed between the front seats to join me in the back. Carl threw himself under the wheel, slammed the door hard, and threw a piece of paper at me. I picked it up. It was the bill from the clinic.

"What's the matter, Punkin?" I asked.

"Daddy said I had to have a shot."

"I'm sorry, but it'll make you feel better."

He buried his face into my neck. "It hurt!"

"I know," I said as I rubbed his back. "But it's over now."

"He's such a crybaby," Carl growled. "You should have never told him he wouldn't get a shot." He started my car. "I don't know who that bitch doctor thought she was, giving me shit about waiting too long to bring him in," he growled as he backed out of the parking spot, banging my car to a stop before racing the engine and launching us away. "I told her to go fuck herself with her fucking attitude. And $260 for seeing the doctor for ten minutes, and a shot? Fuck that! They think they can rip me off? I'm going to cancel the charge, the motherfuckers."

I glanced at the paper. I couldn't read it as Carl caused the car to lunge and jerk, but there were two prescriptions attached. "There's a Hirons Drug just up the road."

"Forget it! I've spent enough on that kid already!"

"Carl, if you don't get the prescriptions filled, you'll have wasted this trip, and the next time they'll demand cash up front."

"Fuck!" he snarled, whipping the car into the right lane, cutting off a car and giving the driver behind us the middle finger when they blew their horn. He banged to a stop, again taking a handicapped spot, and snatched the paper from my hand. "Give me that shit." He detached the prescriptions and threw the bill from the clinic back into the car.

With the car still, I could read what it said. As I expected Garrett had the flu, bronchitis, and possibly a bacterial infection in his lungs. The doctor had given him a shot of broad-spectrum antibiotic and prescribed another antibiotic and an expectorant.

"Daddy's gone to get you some medicine that will make you feel better." Garrett nodded, but said nothing.

I was still holding Garrett when Carl strode out, two small white bags in his hand. A woman was chasing after him. "Sir! Sir! You haven't paid for that! Sir!"

He whirled on the woman and she cringed back. "Fifty-five bucks for two little bottles! You're trying to rip me the fuck off!" he flung a bill at the woman. "There's twenty! Go fuck yourself for the rest!" He threw himself into the car as the woman stared after him before picking up the bill. "Fucking bitch."

The woman stood staring at the front of my car, mouthing the plate number as she memorized it. I slumped. My parents were going to get a visit from the cops.

When we arrived back at the apartment, I gave Garrett a dose of the expectorant, and read the directions for the antibiotic. Next I prepared lunch, for all of us. Carl and Nikki didn't bother to help, and the suited me fine. There wasn't a lot to choose from, food wise, so Garrett had a hotdog, which he only half ate, while the rest of us had cheese toasties after I found enough slices of bread without mold.

After I'd washed the lunch dishes I retired to Garrett's room, where I stayed, until dinner. He slept for a little while, then we played with his Legos until dinner time. There wasn't enough food left for me to prepare anything, so while Carl stayed to watch me, he sent Nikki out for pickup. She returned with pizza, which Garrett ate with gusto. I hoped that was a sign he was starting to feel better, and I hoped it wasn't my imagination that his wheezing was getting better.

After dinner, I returned to Garrett's room where we snuggled on the bed while watching a series of documentaries about cats. When he drifted into sleep I turned off the television and slowly squirmed my way down into his bed, being careful not to wake him.

As he slept, I began turning ideas over in my head on how to escape. I could tell Nikki wasn't happy with the idea of being stuck here as my babysitter, and I knew, eventually, Carl wouldn't be able to stand being cooped up in the apartment. Until then, I'd make sure Garrett ate and took his medicine on schedule. All I needed was break, for Carl to be gone when Nikki got pissed off about being my guard. I smiled in the darkness. Starting tomorrow I'd begin reminding Nikki of all the fun she was missing because Carl was making her stay with me. It might take me a few days, but I thought I could eventually piss her off enough that she wouldn't care what Carl wanted, and leave. When she did, that's when Garrett and I would make our move.