Happy At Last

Happy at Last

By

Jeanette Muscella

Copyright © 2017 Jeanette Muscella

ISBN: 978-1-5323-6251-4

This book is the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and download your copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

I would like to thank my good friends Emma, Marthea, Theresa, and my brother Steve for your constant support and encouragement. And as always, this book is for you, Dad.

Chapter 1

Jerry

My heart is in my throat as I run through the busy corridor of the hospital emergency room. On most days, I love my job. Today is not one of those days. I was about to leave to meet Joan for an early dinner when I received a text from her mother, Beverly.

Roger attacked Joan. The ambulance is on the way to the hospital. Joan may have a head injury. Need your help.

I can’t go through this again. I can’t lose another woman that I love. As I approach the emergency bay area, I hear the ambulance. The first person that I see is Joan’s mother. She takes one look at me and runs towards me.

Jerry, he beat my baby. Take care of her, please.

Don’t worry, Beverly. I’ll take care of her. Where is Roger?

The police have him in custody. Evie is hysterical. I had to leave her with a neighbor. I couldn’t bring her to the hospital.

I follow the gurney into the ER and guide them to cubicle seven. From what I can see, Joan has a nasty bruise creeping up her jaw and finger marks around her neck. I feel like I will throw up, and I take a few deep breaths to calm my rolling stomach. When I walk over to the gurney, Joan reaches out to hold my hand. Bending down, I whisper, Everything will be okay. You’re in the ER, sweetheart. Beverly’s in the waiting room. We’ll take care of you. Does your head hurt?

Joan nods her head yes and tries to speak. Evie.

Evie is okay, sweetheart. Let’s take care of you.

I turn to the other doctor in the room. Let’s order a CT scan. I want to rule out a concussion or a bleeder. Her vitals look good, but I see dilation in the left eye.

While I wait for the test results, I call Joan’s caseworker. We talked about the possibility of Roger’s reappearance in her life, but this goes beyond what we thought would happen. He beat my girl, and if he were in front of me now, I’d do to him what he did to Joan, only ten times worse. I’m fucking angry, and I let her know it. What is the purpose of a fucking restraining order if the court will not enforce it?

Who is this?

My name is Jeremy Miller, and I’m Joan Randall’s boyfriend. Her fucking ex-husband just beat the shit out of her. We are in the ER now.

Her intake of breath tells me that she’s upset. How did Roger find her? Joan’s case file is sealed. Oh, no, someone leaked the information.

Hearing that someone violated Joan’s privacy has my blood boiling. You need to find the person who did this to her. Do you hear me? Find this person NOW!

I’ll do my best to find out what happened and who leaked Joan’s information. I don’t know what to say.

I’m so angry that I disconnected the call before putting my foot in my mouth. I don’t want to piss her off because Joan needs her help.

General medicine is not my specialty, and I defer to the doctor on call. I did, however, look at the CT scan, and thankfully, Joan doesn’t have a head injury. While I wait for the doctor to complete his examination, I walk out to the waiting area and sit with Beverly.

How is she? Beverly asks me.

Joan is still being examined by the doctor on call. I did see the CT scan, and she doesn’t have a head injury. Can you tell me what happened this morning?

I’m not sure what happened. Joan ran out to take care of a few errands before Evie’s dentist appointment. Evie was in the kitchen with me, and we were baking cookies. The house was a little warm, and when I walked into the living room and opened the window, I heard Joan screaming Roger’s name. I called the police and then went outside to see Roger punching her in the stomach. He had his hand around Joan’s neck. Evie ran out of the house and saw Joan being beaten by her father. Joan was vomiting on her hands and knees. Roger grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the face. I tried to pull him off Joan, but he pushed me, and I fell onto the grass. That is when I saw a police officer pull him off Joan and cuff him. The ambulance arrived a few minutes later. Evie was screaming, and the neighbors were standing in the street watching what was going on. It was awful, Jerry. Carolyn ran over and asked if I needed help, and I asked her to sit with Evie. Will Joan be okay?

I won’t know anything until after the examination.

How could Roger do this to my daughter?

I don’t know, Beverly. I honestly don’t know.

*****

When I return to Joan’s bedside, a nurse is in the room, and a curtain surrounds Joan’s bed. I keep my distance while the nurse treats Joan. The nurse pulls back the curtain a few minutes later, and I see an orderly standing next to her.

Is Joan being admitted? I ask her.

Yes. Doctor Renzi wants to admit Ms. Randall for observation for at least forty-eight hours. Are you related to Ms. Randall?

I’m her boyfriend, Doctor Jeremy Miller.

Any relation to Ethan Miller?

Yes, he’s my brother. Can I review Joan’s chart?

Well, technically, you should speak to Doctor Renzi, but I’ll make an exception just once. You have two minutes.

I quickly scan Joan’s chart. Bruised ribs, mild concussion, hand marks around her neck, a bruised jaw, lacerations on her hands and knees when she hit the concrete driveway. Temperature slightly elevated, as well as blood pressure. The nurse hovers over me, and it’s impossible to read her chart thoroughly. I’ve seen enough to know what I need to do.

Joan

When I open my eyes, the light in the room hurts my eyes. I know I’m in the hospital, and every muscle in my body is throbbing. My head feels like it’s in a vice. How did Roger find me? I’m frightened for my baby. I heard Evie screaming as Roger continued hitting me, and then I saw the police. He will not get away with hitting me again. I feel my mother’s hand touch mine, and I struggle to see her because my vision is blurry.

Mom, where’s Evie? Is she okay?

Evie is fine, honey. Carolyn is watching her. Roger is in police custody. There is a police detective in the hallway, and she wants to talk to you. Do you feel up to it, baby? I can tell her to come back later.

As I’m about to respond, the door opens, and in walks Jerry. I take one look at his beautiful face, and I feel myself relaxing. He looks down at me with loving eyes, and I can no longer hold back the tears. He sits gently on the bed next to me, and when he tries to wipe the tears away, I flinch at his touch. He doesn’t pull back his touch. Jerry leans in and whispers to me, It’s okay, baby. How do you feel?

Everything hurts.

I’ll have the nurse give you something for the pain. Do you feel up to talking to the detective, sweetheart? She’s been standing guard outside your door for a few hours.

Help me to sit up. I need to file charges against Roger. He will not hurt me again.

Jerry raises my bed and helps me get comfortable, if that’s even possible. Good girl, he whispers and kisses my forehead. I’ll stay with you, just in case you need something.

*****

Detective Denise McKinney looks at me, and I cringe at the expression on her face. I must look like shit.

Hello, Joan. My name is Detective Denise McKinney, and I’d like to ask you a few questions. If you feel ill or would like to stop, please tell me, and we can continue this tomorrow. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.

Thank you, I say through gritted teeth.

Mr. Roger Randall is in custody at the Twenty-Fourth precinct. If I have your permission, I need to photograph your injuries as evidence of the crime perpetrated on you at approximately eleven hundred hours yesterday morning.

I look at my mother, and I want to scream, then cry, then scream again. Jerry helps me untie my hospital gown, and when I slide it down my body, the reaction that I see on his face breaks my heart. Detective McKinney takes several pictures of my battered body, and I feel humiliated. After my gown is back in place, the officer takes out a recorder.

This is Detective Denise McKinney, badge number 2958. The time is thirteen hundred hours. I’m in the hospital room of Joan Randall.

Ms. Randall, how long have you been divorced from Roger Randall?

About eighteen months.

Where did you reside before your divorce?

New York City. Manhattan specifically.

Is this the first time that Mr. Randall physically accosted you?

No, but it is the reason why I filed for divorce. Roger is an addict.

I understand you filed a restraining order in New York. Is this correct?

Yes. The last time Roger hit me, I filed a restraining order, then filed for divorce. I moved in with my mother. I now have sole custody of our six-year-old daughter Evelyn. My caseworker assured me that my whereabouts would remain confidential. My case file was supposed to stay sealed. Obviously, that’s incorrect because he found me.

What happened yesterday morning?

I took the day off from work because my daughter had a dentist appointment at one in the afternoon. I went to the food market, and when I got home, Roger was sitting on the steps outside of my house.

Did you say anything when you saw Mr. Randall sitting on your steps?

No. I tried to get back into the car. I had one leg in the car. I didn’t have the opportunity to say anything. He lunged at me, had one hand around my neck, the other in my hair, and was screaming at me. He said I ruined his life, his career, and now he is going to destroy mine.

I started screaming, and when I saw my mother open the front door, I felt Roger’s fist hit me in the stomach. I bent over and threw up, but he just kept hitting me in the stomach and face. I felt his hand tighten around my neck, and I couldn’t breathe. He pushed me onto the pavement, and I don’t know how long he hit me before I heard the sirens, and then I felt someone pull him off me.

Did Mr. Randall say anything else to you? Did he say how he found you?

No. Roger just hit me repeatedly, and I couldn’t defend myself.

Did anyone else see him attacking you?

I...um. I think a few neighbors were standing in the street when the police arrived at my house.

Are you prepared to file assault charges against Roger Randall?

Yes. I want Roger out of my life. I’ll file whatever charges are necessary to make that happen.

Very well. Someone from the District Attorney’s office will see you early tomorrow with the necessary paperwork. Thank you, Joan. I know this wasn’t easy for you. I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you, I say again and close my eyes. Will this nightmare that is my life ever end?

Jerry

Listening to Joan describe to the police officer what her scumbag ex-husband did to her sickens me. How any man can treat a woman this way is beyond my comprehension. I feel her pain and humiliation, and I imagine having me in the room with her is upsetting and embarrassing. I’m out of control emotionally, and I have no outlet for my anger. I’ve spoken to her brother Mike several times today, and he wants Joan and Evie to fly out to California until the situation with Roger resolves itself. It will never end until he is dead. How ironic is it that I’ve waited twenty years to fall in love again, only to have her ex-husband interfere in our lives?

I never believed in divine intervention until the day Joan walked back into my life. Imagine my surprise when I discover that she is one of the several pharmacists that work in the hospital. We met again the day I discharged Mrs. Simmons. The pharmacy never delivered her medication, and because I was a little irritated by the delay, I marched down to the pharmacy, intending to chew someone out. Instead, the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen appeared before me, and I stood frozen in place.

Seriously, I stood on the other side of the plexiglass window for a good two minutes before I found my tongue. Joan didn’t see me standing at the counter, and I kept quiet because I wanted to enjoy the vision before me. Beautiful porcelain skin, blond hair, and gorgeous blue eyes. I forgot about my anger, Mrs. Simmons, and everything else as I stared at her.

I think she felt me ogling her, and when she looked up at me, my heart stopped. I always broke Ethan’s balls when he talked about the first time he saw Diane and how he knew she was the one for him. God help me, but I feel that way now. Just thinking about that day calms me.

Can I help you? Jerry? Hi, how are you?

Much better now that I’ve met you again. You look great, Joan. Why do I sound like a dick?

Oh, well, thank you. What can I do for you?

I need Helen Simmons’s prescriptions.

Give me a minute while I check my records.

I’m in big trouble. Watching Joan walk away from me has my cock twitching. It’s a shame her lab coat covers her ass. Another twitch. I need to adjust myself, but it’s been so long since I’ve felt anything south of the border, and I want to savor the feeling a few more minutes. As I watch Joan walk back to the window, the inevitable happens. I have a full-blown erection, and now I’m uncomfortable. I button my lab coat to hide the obvious.

I apologize for the delay Jerry. It’s been a crazy morning.

Where’s Ben?

He retired three months ago, and I’m his replacement.

Oh, I didn’t know he retired. How do you like working here?

It’s a job. What can I say?

Wow, you don’t sound very enthusiastic.

It’s not that I don’t like my job because I do. Sorry. I’m just a little tired. My daughter Evie was up all night with an earache.

Sorry to hear that. How’s Evie today?

My mother is watching her, and the last time I called, Evie was sleeping.

How old is your daughter?

Evie is six years old. Well, I’d better get back to work, doctor. I’ll talk to you later.

Yes, it was good seeing you again, Joan.

*****

That was six months ago, and my life has changed dramatically since that day. I’ve never been happier in my entire life. I’ve thought a lot about Mary since I met Joan. I always wondered how my life would have been had she not died. Fate has a way of tilting the scale in your favor, and now, at the age of forty-six, I have a beautiful six-year-old girl in my life. I want so much to be her father, and I’m so worried about her. Evie is just starting to put the nightmare of her father in the past, and now I’m afraid of how today will affect her emotionally. As I walk back to Joan’s room, I run into my brother.

Hey, what are you doing here today?

Diane has an appointment with her therapist. I’m just along for the ride. She was bouncing up and down like a little kid this morning. Do you want to grab lunch while I wait for Diane?

I need to check on Joan first. Roger found her today and did a number on her. She’s in the hospital.

Is Joan okay? What are you going to do?

Joan is bruised badly. Roger hurt her, and I must find a way to protect them. This is killing me, Ethan. I don’t know what to do.

Take care of Joan, and I’ll wait for you in the cafeteria. What do you want for lunch?

Get me a sandwich and a piece of fruit. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I walk back to Joan’s room and see that she’s sleeping. I bend down to kiss her gently on the forehead and leave the room.

*****

Twenty minutes later, I walk into the cafeteria and see Ethan seated at one of the tables, and he is staring into a cup of coffee. He is oblivious to everyone around him. When I walk up to him and place my hand on his shoulder, he jumps about three feet out of his chair before he realizes it’s me.

What the hell is wrong with you?

Ethan laughs. Nothing is wrong with me. In fact, I’m so fucking happy I could do cartwheels. I have a huge secret, and you cannot tell anyone until I give you the all-clear. If you say anything, I’ll beat the shit out of you. Got it?

Damn, Ethan, this must be good. You haven’t threatened me like that in a long time. What’s the secret?

Diane made dinner for me last night, and there was a surprise in my wine glass.

What was the surprise, and why did she put it in a wine glass?

Well, the last two times that Diane put this in a wine glass, we had Joey and Kellie. Surprise! We’re pregnant!

Wow, you guys didn’t waste any time getting pregnant. Congratulations. Are you happy about another baby? You are almost forty-five years old.

Don’t I know it, and yes, I’m very happy about the baby. Not even morning sickness can spoil Diane’s mood. I love seeing her smile. How is Joan?

She was sleeping when I checked on her. I’ve been thinking a lot about Mary today.

You can’t compare what happened to Mary with Joan. It’s not the same situation.

Isn’t it the same? I could have lost Joan today had the police not arrived when they did. I don’t want to have this conversation in the cafeteria. I feel like my head is about to explode. Let’s go back to my office.

The walk back to my office is a silent one. I’m so focused on Joan that I don’t hear Ethan talking to me. When he grabs my arm, I jerk my head sideways to look at him. What? Why are you grabbing my arm?

Stop, Jerry. Just stop for a minute and take a deep breath. You look like shit.

That’s about how I feel at the moment. How do I protect Joan from her ex-husband? I can’t watch her twenty-four hours a day! I don’t know what to do! Ethan followed me into my office and closed the door. I slump into my chair and lower my head. If Ethan weren’t in the room with me, I’d cry like a fucking baby. Ethan walks around and sits on the edge of my desk.

The first thing you need to do is stay calm. If Joan sees you like this, she’ll be afraid to leave the house. That is no way to live.

How can I stay calm when Roger drove all the way from New York to take his anger out on Joan? I had to sit in her room and watch the police officer take pictures of her bruised body. I feel helpless. And now, all of the progress that Evie has made since the divorce just got flushed down the toilet.

Assault is a serious charge, Jerry. Once bail is posted, and he’s shipped back to New York, maybe he’ll realize what he did was wrong and get on with his life.

Let’s hope that’s what happens, but I’m not taking any chances. I’m hiring security guards to protect Joan and Evie.

Wow. How do you think Joan will feel having someone watching her?

Joan will never know because I’m not telling her. I’m paying for protection to keep Joan and Evie safe and to save my fucking sanity.

And what happens if Joan finds out you did this without consulting her?

I’ll deal with it later.

You better hope she doesn’t beat the shit out of you.

Why would she do that? I’m only trying to protect her and Evie.

Good luck with that. Do you want to do something this weekend? Go away for a few hours?

What do you have in mind?

Well, I have four tickets to the Eagles game on Sunday. Do you think Dad and Joey would like to come with us? Make it a man’s day out. Get away from everything for a few hours, and have a little fun. We can get something to eat before the game.

That sounds so good, but I don’t want to commit until I talk to Joan. I don’t know how long she’ll be in the hospital. Can I get back to you at the end of the week? I need to get back to Joan, I say and walk towards the door. Ethan grabs my arm, and when I turn around, he gives me a man hug and a pat on the back. Love you, brother.

My throat is tight with emotion as I whisper back to him, Love you too, Ethan.

Chapter 2

Jerry

The conversation with Ethan weighs heavily on my mind, and I’ve lost my appetite. I grab my food tray and walk back to the cafeteria to dispose of my uneaten food. Once I’ve dumped everything into the trash receptacle, I grab a large coffee, walk over to one of the tables by the window, and sit down. My mind is troubled, and I take a few minutes to just stare out of the window at the passing cars and reflect on my conversation with Ethan. I hear a chair scrape on the floor, and when I look up, I see a nurse pushing Joan in a wheelchair. I was surprised and happy to see her.

Hi, she says timidly. I had to get out of my hospital room. I feel like I’m climbing the walls. I called your office, and the nurse told me you were in the cafeteria. I told the nurse that you would take me back to my room.

How do you feel? I checked on you earlier, and you were sleeping.

Whatever the nurse gave me knocked me out, and it helped with the pain.

I walk around the table and sit next to Joan. God, I want to lift her out of that fucking wheelchair and cradle her in my arms. Seeing Joan bruised and battered is killing me. Are you hungry? I ask her.

I’m a little hungry, and I would love a cup of coffee.

Sorry, honey. No coffee while you’re taking pain medication. The two don’t mix well. How about a muffin and a glass of apple juice.

How about two muffins and a glass of apple juice.

Whatever you want, honey. I’ll be back in a minute.

Joan

How did my life get so out of control? Why is what happened to Roger my fault? I didn’t force the drugs down his throat! I did everything I could to support Roger, and this is how he repays me? With a fist to the gut and fingerprint marks around my neck? God, the look on Jerry’s face when he saw the bruises kills me. Is it fair to Jerry to drag him into this mess? Roger will come back. I know it, and I feel like running again. I still don’t understand how he found me. When I feel Jerry’s hand touch my shoulder, I break into a million pieces. I don’t want to cry in front of a room full of people, but I can’t help it. Jerry lifts me out of the wheelchair and sits me on his lap. Protective, loving arms wrap around me, and I bury my face in the crook of his neck and cry.

It’s okay, baby. Let it out. I know you’re scared, but you have me now, and we’re in this together.

What if he comes back again? How can I protect myself? I have to find a new place to live.

Don’t worry, honey. I’ll help you. Lean on me, Joan.

If I knew this was going to happen, I never would have agreed to this relationship.

I feel Jerry tense under me, and I know I’ve hurt him, but I must be honest. It’s not right continuing this relationship, and he needs to know how I feel. I feel his lips brush against my neck, and then he whispers to me, You’ll never leave me, Joan. Do you understand what I’m saying? No one will take you away from me. I’ll protect you.

How are you going to protect me? I feel him tense again.

Well, I was going to keep this to myself, but you’ve forced my hand by threatening to end our relationship. I can’t let that happen, honey, so I have no other choice but to hire personal security for you and Evie. You’ll have a shadow, and so will Beverly and Evie. No one will get close to you again. I’ll make sure of it.

It’s too much, Jerry. I don’t want you to pay for something that should be my responsibility. I’ll handle it. Jerry tilts up my face, so we are eye to eye, and what he says next breaks my heart and gives me hope for the future.

I was in love once, a long time ago. Mary and I met in college, and we lived together for two years. I loved her deeply and thought at the time that we would have a beautiful life together. We just clicked, you know. We did everything together. I was the happiest I had ever been in my life. I asked Mary to marry me on New Year’s Eve, and a year later, we were to be married. I never saw any indication that she had changed her mind about getting married. I remember the day of the wedding as if it were yesterday. I was a nervous wreck, but I knew that at the end of the day, I would have what I wanted most in life.

We grew concerned when Mary was late arriving at the church. I called the apartment several times and called the hotel where her parents were staying. I was worried sick that something happened to them on the way to the church. Two hours later, her sister showed up at the church, and she wasn’t wearing her gown. That’s when I knew something was terribly wrong. She handed me a letter, apologized to everyone, and told us that Mary didn’t want to get married.

I had to face a church full of people and say that the bride had changed her mind. I remember the shocked look on their faces as I stood before them with tears in my eyes. I really couldn’t understand what was happening at the time. I think I was in shock, and after everyone had gone home, my father read the letter to me.

What was in the letter devastated me. I remember Mary complaining a few weeks before the wedding that she was tired, and we thought it was due to the last-minute wedding preparations. I told her to go to her doctor to get checked because I didn’t want her to be sick on our wedding day. One week and many tests later, Mary received a diagnosis that changed our lives. Mary had a brain tumor. She was only twenty-five years old! I’m a doctor, and I still don’t understand how this can happen to someone so young.

When her parents called me a few months later to tell me she had died, I went off the rails for a few years. All of my plans for the future died with her. I no longer cared about having a wife and children. I threw myself into my work, and it made me what I’m today. Her death hardened my heart to the extent that I would shut down to protect myself. I’ve only had casual relationships, Joan. Sex for me was just a release, and I’m not like Ethan. A part of my heart died with Mary. I think what hurt the most was that Mary lied to me. I would have taken care of her and shared what time she had left with her, but Mary pushed me away. Her parents shielded her from me. They wouldn’t let me see her. I had no idea where they had taken her. It kills me that she died alone without telling her that I still loved her. Her death killed the part of me that had hope for the future, for children, for a happy life.

I had none of that after she died, and I had to live with the fallout. My job became my life. Eighty hours a week wasn’t enough to drown out the memories. As time passed, the pain eased, but the work schedule remained consistent. Casual dating and casual sex felt safe for me. I didn’t have to explain my feelings. I didn’t have to get caught up in the drama of working at a relationship. And then Diane had the accident, and everything changed for me. I stop speaking for a minute as the memories of that day in the operating room twists my gut, and when I feel Joan’s hand caress my face, the world rights itself again.

It’s okay, Jerry. You don’t have to talk about this now. Your face is beet red. Are you all right?

Am I okay? I don’t think I’ve been okay for over fifteen years. Let me finish, please. I want you to give me a chance, Joan. I feel something that I’ve never felt in any other relationship. I feel hope for the first time since Mary died, and I don’t want to lose that feeling. I love being with you and Evie. The best part of my day is my time with both of you. I’ve never had this before, Joan, and it feels good. I feel lighter than I have in a very long time. Both of us have issues in the past that we carry with us. I hope we can help each other get past our past. Wow, that sounds stupid! You know what I mean, don’t you?

Yes, I do know what you mean, but I’m frightened, Jerry. Roger is unstable. What happens six months from now when you get tired of the drama? I have had so much taken from me the past few years. I don’t want to lose you too.

I’m not going anywhere, Joan. Don’t you understand? I want to run towards you, not away from you. I want to love and protect you and Evie. I know this sounds chauvinistic, but you belong to me. I knew it the minute I laid eyes on you. Please don’t push me away because it will kill me.

I sigh and rest my aching head on his shoulder. What are you doing to me, Jerry? I feel all mushy inside.

Mushy is fantastic, sweetheart, because it means you feel something for me, too.

I do, Jerry, and once my head stops pounding, I’ll be able to think clearly. I want this relationship to work, and whatever you need to do to keep us safe, I’ll gladly accept.

Thank you, honey.

For what?

For letting me take care of you. For being my girl. For… everything. I know life is chaotic right now, but it won’t last forever.

I hope it doesn’t, Jerry. Life hasn’t been easy since my divorce.

Let me make it better, baby.

Yes, please.

Jerry wheels me back to my room and helps me to bed. Then, he takes off his shoes and climbs into bed next to