Chapter 2
Delilah
We all have those memories that are stronger and more vivid than others.
They often rise to the surface when we least expect it—maybe in a dream or if we’re having a bad day.
For me, that memory had always been the day my mother finally got the courage to leave my father.
I was only eight at the time, but even then, I knew the significance that day held.
My father had never been one of those loving, doting husbands, nor was he a caring, understanding father.
He was rarely even home, too busy gambling our money away instead of giving much thought to his family—and when he was, he’d be nothing but controlling and abusive, especially where my mother was concerned.
She’d tried to make the best of it, doing everything she possibly could to make him happy and shielding us from the wrath of his uncontrollable temper.
Unfortunately, as the years passed, it’d gotten harder and harder to please him, and even though she’d done everything she could to prevent it, his anger eventually became directed at my brother, Danny.
It seemed like it was fine for my dad to beat the hell out of her, but the second she discovered that he’d put his hands on my brother, she was done.
She had us pack our bags, and we headed to my grandmother’s house.
My grandmother had been in a nursing home for a month, so Mom decided that we could stay there until she was able to get back on her feet.
The house wasn’t anything fancy, just an older three-bedroom home with room after room of antique furniture and tiny holes in the walls from where she’d hung our pictures all over the house, but I’d never felt so much at home as I did there.
I could almost feel my grandmother’s presence watching over us as we settled in and slowly turned the place into our own.
Without even knowing it, she’d given us a chance at a fresh start—one without fear or regret.
There was no more tiptoeing around my father, watching our every word or being quiet as church mice.
We were finally free to breathe, and it was wonderful.
I couldn’t remember ever being happier than I was in that little house.
As I’d gotten older, I made a vow to myself to make the best out of the second chance my mother had given us.
I graduated from college, earning a degree in health care, and had gotten a job at a nursing home, busting my ass in hopes of making my mother proud.
I’d always hoped that my brother would do the same.
Sadly, he hadn’t. He didn’t seem to care about anything, much less making anyone proud.
I hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten with him until the day he almost got us both killed.
I was just about to get off work when my mother called my cellphone. Normally, I wouldn’t answer a call during work hours, but I’d already made my rounds and was gathering my things to go home. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“Have you heard from Danny?”
“No. Why?”
Her voice was laced with concern as she replied, “I’ve been trying to get ahold of him for weeks, but he hasn’t returned any of my calls.”
“You know Danny. He’s probably just running around with his buddies or something,” I tried to reassure her. “Who knows? Maybe he actually got a real job.”
“I don’t know, Delilah. It’s not like him to go this long without answering my calls or texts. I’m really worried about him.”
I knew what was coming. She was going to ask me to go see about him.
I’d been working all day, my head was pounding and my feet were aching, and the last thing I wanted to do was go check in on my big brother.
Before she could ask, I suggested, “You know, you could just go over to his place and see if he’s there. ”
“I know and I would, but he gets upset when he thinks I’m meddling in his life.” Knowing I’d failed, I cringed and waited for her to turn the tables on me. “I know you’re busy with work, and I really hate to ask ... but could you go over there and check on him?”
“Yeah, I’ll stop by his place on my way home from work.”
“And you won’t tell him that I sent you?”
“No, Mom, I won’t tell him.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I knew I could count on you,” she replied, sounding relieved.
“I’ll call you when I know something more.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
I hung up my phone and slipped it into my bag.
After I grabbed the rest of my things, I headed up front to find Janet, the lead nurse, to let her know I was leaving for the day.
As luck would have it, I found her sitting at her desk, working on the next week’s schedule.
She was deep in thought and hadn’t realized that I was standing in front of her until I said, “Hey ... I’m calling it a day. ”
“Oh ... before you go, Carla has an appointment Tuesday afternoon.” Janet was in her late forties, heavy-set with jet-black hair that she colored way too often.
Her makeup was a bit overdone, but she was still a pretty lady with a warm personality to match.
She’d always been very kind to me, always treating me and the other nurses with nothing but respect, so it was impossible not to like her.
She gave me a slight smile and said, “I was hoping you’d be able to work late on Tuesday? ”
“Sure, I can do it.”
“Great!” She smiled. “I’ll put you down.”
“Sounds good.” I turned to leave, and just as I was about to step through the door, I turned back and said, “Have a great night. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“You too.”
I got in my car and started towards Danny’s apartment.
It wasn’t anything special, just a one-bedroom with barely enough room for a bed and a sofa, but I had no idea how he paid for it.
He hadn’t had a real job in months, so I could only assume that my mother had been helping him out—which aggravated me to no end.
Danny was more than capable of taking care of himself, and he certainly didn’t need our mother giving him handouts.
The thought was weighing on me as I pulled up to his apartment complex.
I got out of my car and took a quick glance around but didn’t see his truck in the parking lot.
I was beginning to think I’d wasted a trip until I spotted his Dodge pickup parked a couple of blocks down the street.
While that seemed a bit odd, I didn’t stop to think about it.
I wanted to check on him as quickly as possible, so I could get home and unwind for the day.
I made my way up to his door, then knocked and waited for him to answer.
I hadn’t been standing there long when I grew impatient and knocked a second time, only harder. I was almost positive that I’d heard him moving around in there, so I shouted, “Danny! I know you’re in there! Open the stupid door!”
“Delilah?”
“Yeah! Who else would it be?” When the door flew open, I only got a quick glimpse of Danny’s pale, panic-stricken face before he turned and rushed down the hall. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve run into a little trouble.” I followed his voice into his bedroom and was surprised to see that there were various bags spread out across his bed. “I’m gonna have to get out of town for a little while.”
“What are you talking about? What kind of trouble?”
“I don’t have time to talk about it, Dee.” He shoved the rest of his clothes into one of the duffle-bags and zipped it up. “I’ve gotta get out of here while I still can.”
“You can’t just walk out of here without telling me something, Danny,” I fussed. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
He turned and grabbed a handgun out of his closet, carefully slipping into the back of his waistband. “Nothing that I can’t handle.”
“What the hell, Danny!” I screeched. “You need a gun to ‘handle’ the situation?”
Before he had a chance to respond, there was a knock at the door. The blood drained from Danny’s face as he muttered, “Fuck. They’re here.”
“Who?”
“You need to get out of here, Delilah ... Now!”
Panic surged through me as I heard him cock his gun. “Where the hell am I supposed to go? We’re on the third damn floor!”
Whoever was standing at the front door started pounding on it as they shouted, “We know you’re in there, Danny. Open the goddamn door before we knock the motherfucker down.”
“Oh, my god, Danny! Who is that?”
Without answering, he grabbed me by the arm and shoved me into the corner. “Stay here. Don’t move until I come to get you. Understand?”
I nodded, then watched as my brother stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Moments later, I heard the front door open and then booming voices filled the small apartment.
Hoping to figure out what the hell was going on, I leaned towards the door and tried to listen to what they were saying, but with all the screaming and shouting, I couldn’t understand a word.
I was a nervous wreck and nearly hit full-blown panic mode when I heard one of the men shout, “Put that fucking thing away, Danny.”
Remembering that he’d gotten a gun out of his closet, I quickly opened the door and found my brother with his gun aimed at two menacing looking men wearing biker vests.
I knew Danny rode a motorcycle with a group of friends, but I’d never seen these guys before.
They were much rougher, meaner looking, than any of the guys Danny rode with, and if their fierce expressions were any indication, they were pissed that Danny had drawn his weapon.
I was just about to call out for him to stop when he snarled, “Already told you ... I didn’t have nothing to do with that shit. ”
“Well then, you shouldn’t have a problem discussing that fact with Viper.”
“I ain’t going nowhere with you two. Now, get the fuck out of here!”
“You know damn well we aren’t leaving here without you.”