Baby

thirty-two

It was nearing sunset when he was released. My man stumbled down the precinct steps with a black eye and a bloody lip. Slamming the passenger side door shut, he looked at me.

"Do you have it?"

"There was an issue."

"What happened?"

"I met the 'Chief Inspector', we talked. He's very organized with his files y'know."

"Is that why the minute you fucking left, he got his cronies to beat me?"

I kept my gaze fixed forward as I drove, I didn't have the energy to look at him. He however, had no qualms with staring me down.

"Ungrateful fuck. I had nothing to do with that, and you know it."

Scoffing, he focused on the scenery. Neither of us were particularly happy to be speaking right now, so the tension filled the car like helium.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I spied our destination nearby.

"Baby?"

"Get out."

Sighing, he didn't bother arguing and did as commanded. Stepping out from the car, my husband stretched his arms above his head. I watched as he linked his hands behind his head.

"I'm sorry for what I said Baby -"

I smiled at him then. I smiled at his beautiful blue eyes, at his gorgeous brown skin, at his lovely shaggy hair.

Something in me was breaking.

Pulling the gun out of the waistband of my jeans, I leveled it with his head.

My man froze solid. His body stilled and he didn't bother fighting or running. Everything slowed, even the wild animals seemed to hide away. Like they knew, like they expected it.

"I'm going to miss you Darius James Smith."

The gunshot rang out loud in the middle of the woods. Not a single crow or squeak sounded from the surrounding area. Only the sloshing of the ocean graced my ears.

Placing a hand against his chest, I saw the sickly red blood seep between his fingers. He crumpled to the floor and I watched with a heart-wrenching sadness.

Kneeling beside him in the dirt, I brushed the hair out of his face, knowing that this would be the last time. My gaze was soft as I beheld him, the blood beginning to sputter out of his mouth as he spoke.

"I love you Baby."

I watched the life drain out of him, the last dregs of a man who held such important to me, since the start. I smiled then, my lips turned into the most serene scene.

"No, you didn't. If you did, then today would not have been the first day you said that." 

I shut his eyelids before tossing his body over the ledge. The ocean would take care of the rest now. What the waves didn't finish, the shrikes would.

Getting back in the car, I hadn't realised I was crying until I check my rear view mirror. I laughed looking at the streaks down my face. His last words played around in my head as I drove away.

I love you Baby.