OFF THE RECORD (First Person)

29. Decisions

December 2014

Memo

Robert and I were being checked by a nurse on the north side hospital. We had to report there after being on a homicide call. We had seen some disturbing images inside the targeted house, but it was nothing that we had not been already exposed to.

However, one of the offenders was still alive when we reached the scene. He was armed, with a knife, and when I shot him to protect my partner it was almost a little too late. Robert suffered nothing heavy. The blade barely made its way into his left pectoral, just next to where his bulletproof vest covered him.

After making sure the scene was secured, and that our back up was in the residence, we made a run to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. Robert's chest was cleaned and stitched quickly. To make sure I was okay, the hospital staff did an evaluation on me, too.

Now, we were just sitting in the waiting room, waiting for our sergeant to dismiss us.

Robert laughed with his face down, as he saw his superior being surrounded by cameras and reporters. I, too, was glad we didn't have to face the media. I would rather get stabbed a hundred times than to give interviews.

"Hey, shh. Don't call any attention. You don't want them coming our way." I warned him.

Robert nodded, but kept a smile, covering it inconspicuously with his hand.

I wanted nothing more than to head home. My heart was beating hard against my chest, my throat was in a chokehold. I had grown uneasy, my mind reminding me on a loop that I had ended a life. I had never killed anyone before, and I wasn't aiming at the man's vital organs. It had been a sequence of seconds as the movements unfolded, the man turning as he heard the sound of the incoming bullet.

Still, I felt guilty. Mostly, because I didn't regret pulling the trigger to save my partner. At least, not yet.

I had texted my mother and Erica, informing them that something had happened while at work, but that I was safe and to not worry, before they had a chance to find out by the Corpus Christi Internet Tabloid. Robert had done the same with his family.

What I didn't expect was to find a worried Erica running to my bench, still on her navy-blue scrubs.

She reached me, and I stood up, so I could hold her.

"Oh my God. I'm glad you are okay. My mind was going crazy! There was a report of three homicides and a stab! You should have updated me!" She said as she dug her face into my chest, and her fingers in my hair, releasing the breath she had kept in her throat.

"We're fine. See? Not a cut." Robert punched my leg with his right fist. "Ow! Okay, one cut. But it's Robert's. I'm okay." I assured her.

"Hi, Robert Willis, nice to meet you." Stood up Robert, reaching his right hand to Erica. She took his massive hand with both of hers, shaking them nervously.

"Oh, Robert! I'm sorry we had to meet like this! How are you feeling?" She asked, sincerely.

"I'm doing okay. Just a scratch. Your boy here had my back. Could have been worst."

Erica turned to me, her lips on a line.

"I'll tell you the details later." I answered her, understanding her uncomfortableness.

She nodded. Whatever I had done, she had to understand it was needed. "I'll give your mom a call. She was worried, too!"

"Tell her I'll be there soon." I called as she walked away from us.

As both of us sat down again, Robert elbowed me. "You didn't tell me Erica was hot!"

I frowned at him. "I'm about to finish the work that crackhead was going to do to you!" I answered him without missing a beat.