Hazel Rain

Chapter 37

In an instant the table was flipped and the guy was in Adam's face his index finger poking him in the chest, Adam knew he'd stepped in it.

"Forget it!" Adam shouted, "Forget I said it...I was just worried about the brat...that's it." He covered, "I didn't mean to piss you off."

"Stay away from my kids...I won't tell you again" he spoke through his clenched teeth, "I like you...but if you keep putting your nose where it doesn't belong...I have no problems eliminating you" he practically growled at Adam.

Adam nodded, "Understood." He held his hands up in defeat, "I will keep my head down, my sincere apologies."

Rhonda's head snapped around, "What was that?" She clutched Sam tighter to her, "it sounded like a firecracker or something"

Kim knew that sound and her mind shifted into cop mode, "Hazel, get over here."She called over her niece, "Now, Hazel!" She yanked on her arm when the little girl wouldn't budge.

"Ouch! You're hurting me, Aunt Kim!" Hazel cried.

Kim scanned the playground, she found the shooter he had just approached the basketball courts, a group of teenagers had been playing a pick up game. It was a young man, Kim doubted he was much older than seventeen if he was even that old, "I'm sorry Hazel, but I need you out of harms way, go to Rhonda." Kim pushed her towards her mother in law.

"Kim...we need to get out of here!" Rhonda fought to keep her voice calm, the shooter was still firing his weapon wildly, and quickly approaching them. The teenagers on the court all lying on their stomachs.

"Take the kids to safety, please! Get as far away as you can and call the police" Kim pushed her towards the exit of the park, it was total hysteria as people ran in every direction.

The cries of children permeated the air, the cries of her children the loudest, "I love you guys!" Kim turned to leave when she felt Rhonda grab her wrist.

"Where are you going?" She yelled, "Kim, come with me it's not safe! We need to call the police" Rhonda was just seconds away from tears, her heart thudding in her chest, "Please! Please come with us!" She felt as if she was pleading for her life, "Kim, I'm begging you..."

"I will be fine" Kim ripped her arm from Rhonda's grasp, "Take care of my babies, I need to stop him...I can stop him!"

"Aunt Kim!!!'" Hazel cried.

"Get the out of here! Go!" Kim yelled before she turned her back on them and took off towards the shooter, she forced herself to ignore Hazel's screams.

He slammed the door to his small studio apartment shut and kicked at the wall, "Get it together!" He reprimanded himself, Adam knew he had come way too close to blowing it all. He took a deep breath and exhaled, repeating it a few times until he felt himself begin to calm down.

He sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands, he was slowly losing his fucking mind, the days seemed to last forever each one longer than the previous day. He longed for his family, he wanted to feel Hazel and Sam's arms around his neck, he wanted to hear their giggles and even their bickering.

He missed his wife.

He missed being Adam Ruzek, he was fucking over being 'Ghost'. He wanted to throttle whoever it was that decided that would be his moniker. It was a stupid fucking name.

He looked at his left hand and hated that his wedding ring wasn't on his finger instead it hung around Kim's neck.

"Darlin', can we talk?" Adam asked her as she flipped through the latest issue of People.