My Son's Father

My Son's Father Chapter 7

Emily’s POV---

The world stopped for what felt like an hour, but was really only a few seconds at most. My head felt like it was turning in slow motion when I tried to look at my son, to see if he was okay. Then I saw the open doorway, with Romano holding his pistol.

“Get away from my family, you asshole!” he shouted at the stranger, who was just regaining his balance after the shot to his leg.

“This is not your ‘family’. This is my son Benjamin and your girlfriend Emily. I would like to take care of my son now, thank you.” His voice sent chills up my spine and I continued to urge Benny to go into the house. “If he moves an inch I’ll shoot him and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“You bastard! You are not his father! You weren’t there for him, and you took away the only person he had left in the world: his own mother! Emily is his mother and I’m his father because we care about him in a way you’d never understand, so back off!” Romano hissed in disgust. Meanwhile, I was slowly inching my way towards Benny so that I could at least protect him.

Benny’s “father” caught me and was about to shoot, when he noticed Romano aiming at him. He spun the barrel around and hit Romano’s pistol (and part of his hand) out of his hand.

“Now, to take care of unfinished business…” he muttered before I covered Benny with my own body. If we all couldn’t be safe, I had to make sure at least Benny was. No matter what, I’d take that bullet for him any day.

“You’ll have to get through me first if you want to hurt my son! Hurt me all you want, just leave Benny alone…” I trailed out in a sob. My little boy couldn’t get hurt; I wouldn’t allow it.

“Mama, what’s going on?” Benny whimpered through his tears. I hushed him and told him that everything would be alright.

“Say goodnight, both of you. I don’t give a shit if you die; actually, I’m looking forward to it.” I closed my eyes tightly waiting for the bullet to hit me, but it never came. There was a bang, but nothing hit me. I heard Romano holler with pain before another bang.

“Emily? It’s okay now. He won’t hurt you, I promise,” Romano panted. I saw his right shoulder bleeding, as well as his right hand. He dropped the firearm from his left hand (who knew he was ambidextrous?) and hugged Benny and I closely with his good arm. He had taken the bullet for us.

“Romano! We need to get you to a hospital right away! I need my phone! I have to call an ambul- Mmph!” I was cut off by Romano’s lips capturing my own with an extreme need and sense of… relief?

“Mama, I got the phone for you!” Benny pulled on my shirt. I hadn’t even noticed he’d dashed in and out of the house to get my cellphone.

I dialed 911 and told the operator to send an ambulance. It came shortly after, and after the man who’d attacked us was pronounced dead (thanks to Romano’s great shot to the chest) Romano was being driven away.

“Mama, why did that man come after us?” Benny asked me while I was driving to the hospital.

“I don’t really know, Benny. But it’s all over now; there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore, okay?” I spoke softly, trying to reassure myself more than him. He didn’t understand any of this all; he had no idea that it was his biological father trying to kill him. I would tell him someday, but not when he was four years old after everything he’s gone through- that’s just too much for him to handle.

“Is Papa going to be okay?” he whispered shakily. I didn’t really know for sure, but I prayed to God he’d make it through this. Hopefully the bullet didn’t hit anything vital in his shoulder, like veins or arteries.