Chapter 11
"Has it been nine months yet?" Mandy said, looking at her six month pregnant belly.
"Not yet." Danny said, standing in front of his dresser. He carefully unbuttoned his sleeve buttons.
It had been a long day at work. He was surprised Mandy was still making it. She would be going on maternity leave soon. He wasn't sure how his day would be effected without seeing her in the office.
"Oh my god!" Mandy said, as Danny went rushing to where Mandy stood in the middle of the bathroom.
"What?" Danny asked, fear gripping his heart. Was the baby coming? Who should he call first? Could the baby survive if it was delivered today?
"I think I just felt Annalee move." Mandy said, placing a hand on her stomach.
The fear melted away from Danny. Joy beamed on him instead. "Really?" He asked, as Mandy motioned for him to come place a hand on her belly.
He carefully placed a hand, wondering if he'd know when he felt something. And, if he'd know it was his Annie.
That was when he felt something brush past his hand. Or, kick his hand. He wasn't fully sure, but he didn't want to debate it. He looked at Mandy, who had a smile on her face. "That was her?" He asked, as Mandy nodded.
Danny bent down, placing a feather light kiss on the round tummy. Mandy smiled, sure there was a tear running down her cheek.
Danny looked up at her, wiping the lone tear that was running down her cheek. He then leaned in and kissed her, passionately.
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"This place is trashed." Mira said, as she, Mandy and Flack carefully walked into the apartment.
"I'll go this way, Mira, you keep going straight, and Flack, how about you go towards the kitchen and other rooms there." Mandy suggested. The other two nodded, and they all walked off in their separate ways.
Flack and Mira ended up running out of room to look over before Mandy did. So, they started looking for evidence, since that would be the next logical step.
They heard footsteps and expected to see Mandy. But instead, some man was standing there. "What's going on here?" He asked.
"Sir, this is a crime scene, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Mira said, motioning towards the door.
"Not until I get some answers." The man said.
"Hey Einstein, the lady told you to leave." Flack said, moving towards him, as Mandy came out of what appeared to be a bedroom.
"Hey, guys, I found something." She said.
That was all it took to get the man to move. He reached out and grabbed Mandy's arms, dragging her over in front of him, as Mira and Flack quickly pulled out their guns.
"Come on, you wouldn't shoot her." The man said.
"Then you've underestimated NYPD training." Mira said.
"They don't train you as well as they make you think." The man said.
"Jesus, she's pregnant you asshole! Just let her go!" Flack said.
"And let you guys get the guy behind all this?" The man said, as he pulled the gun that was at Mandy's back and aimed it at Mira.
Flack pushed her out of the way as the man shot his gun. The force pushed him back off Mandy, who then rushed to use the couch as a shield.
Mira sat up a little and started firing at the man, while Flack rushed over to Mandy to make sure she was okay.
When Mira noticed the man turn to shoot Flack, she shot at him. The bullet hit him in the gut, causing the man to turn and shoot at Mira.
He aimed for her heart, but as she got up to get out of the way, she got hit in the shoulder.
Seeing that the three were busy with something else, the man got up and ran.
"Attention, there is an armed man, I repeat, an armed man." Flack said, using his cell phone as a walkie talkie to the police nearby.
"Copy you Detective Flack." A voice said. "What went on up there? Is everyone fine?" He asked.
Flack looked at Mandy, who looked like she would be fine, just sore. They both looked around the corner at Mira, who was sitting up, holding a hand to her shoulder. Mira pulled it away, seeing the crimson blood on it. "We have one wounded, I repeat, one wounded." Flack said, looking away.
Mandy felt tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it.
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Mandy paced the hospital floor, outside of Mira's room. She had gotten her best friend shot. If she hadn't opened her mouth, if she had just staid in that room, Mira would be fine. Mira wouldn't be at the hospital now.
"Amanda." Mac said, making Mandy cringe. She had never really been called Amanda by Mac, and it scared her.
"Yeah Mac?" She asked, still sniffling from the tears she had cried early when Mira was first shot.
"I think we need to talk about something." Mac said.
"I've already given a statement." She said.
"I know, and I'm glad. You and Flack did everything you could." Mac said.
"Then how come Mira got shot? If we did everything we could, if we did everything right, if everything was by the book, how the hell did she get shot!" Mandy asked.
"Mandy, you have to admit, you're not fully up to par anymore." Mac said.
"I'm in shape!" Mandy said.
"Mandy, you're pregnant. You can't do as many things as you could before. You aren't as quick as you were before." Mac said.
"So, where is this talk leading?" Mandy asked.
"I'm thinking about suggesting an early maternity leave for you." Mac said.
"Mac, my leave is about a month from now!" Mandy said.
"I know, but if you stay working, you'll have to be stuck at a desk job. It's the lesser of the two evils." Mac said, his voice raising a little.
"So, you want me to take my leave? When I could still be of some help?" Mandy said.
"Mandy, you and I both know that there comes a time when you have to take a break." Mac said.
"It was supposed to be a month from now." Mandy said, turning to face Mira's room. She could see Mira there, sitting up in bed.
"Mandy, it's the better option." Mac said.
"My other option is riding a desk?" Mandy asked, as Mac nodded. "I'll go and pick up a few things, and then I'll see you in a few months." She said, as Mac nodded.
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Mandy sat up in bed. She stole a look at the clock, seeing the red letters telling her she only had a few more minutes before she had to be at work.
"Mandy, have you seen my jacket?" Danny asked, walking back into the bedroom.
"You didn't wake me?" Mandy asked, as she tossed back the covers and turned to get out of bed.
"Cause you're on leave, remember?" Danny said, as he grabbed it off the top of his dresser.
"Oh yeah." She said softly.
"My parents are programmed into the phone. Your dad's cell phone number and beeper number are programmed into the phone, I'll have my cell phone incase you need something, or something happens." Danny said.
"Great." Mandy said.
"It'll be that bad if you keep thinking it'll be that bad." Danny said, looking at Mandy.
"I don't want to be on leave!" Mandy said.
"I know, and I know you'll drive yourself insane if you keep thinking that. So, try knitting or something." Danny said, as Mandy raised one of her eyebrows.
"Knitting?" Mandy asked.
"My mom took it up when she was pregnant with me." Danny said, coming over to where she sat in bed. "Now, have fun, or no dessert." He said, smiling.
"I'm too big for dessert." She said, as Danny kissed her on the lips.
"Ah, then we'll just have to settle for ice cream then." He said, as she gave him a quick kiss.
"Maybe you can just call in sick for today." She suggested, as Danny stood up and slid on his jacket.
"We'll save the sick days for later." Danny said, as he smiled at her.
"Have fun." Mandy said, as Danny smiled.
"I should be telling you the same thing." Danny said.
"Maybe I'll talk with my mom." Mandy said.
"I said fun!" Danny said.
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"Hey, doctor said you get to go home today." Mandy said, standing next to Mira's hospital bed.
"Good thing, these pale walls were getting boring." Mira said.
"Mirry, I'm sorry." Mandy said.
"Sorry for what?" Mira asked.
"For getting you shot!" Mandy said, a few tears in her eyes.
"It wasn't your fault." Mira said.
"If I hadn't come out of that room, he wouldn't have opened fire. If I hadn't said that I might have found something, he wouldn't have taken me hostage. If I hadn't dove for cover, he wouldn't have wanted to shoot Flack." Mandy said, wiping tears away.
"Mandy, it wasn't your fault. He probably would have opened fire anyways. So, instead of just injuring my shoulder, I could be dead." Mira said.
"I just can't help but think it's my fault." Mandy said.
"If anything was your fault, it was saving me and Flack." Mira said.
"I know." Mandy said. "It's just my hormonal mind."
"Same mind that bawled when Mac stubbed his toe last week?" Mira asked.
"Well, yeah. And I've admitted that was stupid of me." Mandy said.
"And the same one that bawled when the nearby grocer was out of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream?"
"Comfort food!"
"Knock Knock." Two voices said.
"Come save me, she's teasing me!" Mandy called.
"Aw, don't pick on the pregnant lady." Flack said.
"So, you get leave and you come to the hospital." Danny said.
"The house was too clean. I couldn't clean anymore." Mandy said.
"Looks like I'll have to come over and ransack it." Mira said.
"Mandy, your mom called my cell while I was gone at a scene." Danny said.
Mandy bit her lower lip, fighting tears. "Mandy, it'll be okay." Mira said, as Danny took her in his arms.
"I swore she'd have nothing to do with the baby, but she's making it so damn hard." Mandy said, sniffling.
"Do you want to go tell her? I'm off." Danny said.
"Flacky and I could go for moral support." Mira said.
"Thanks guys." Mandy said, a small smile on her face.
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Staring at a maple leaf
Leaning on the mother tree
I said to myself we all lost touch
Your favorite fruit is chocolate covered cherries
And seedless watermelon ohhhh
Nothing from the ground is good enough
Body rised
It puts over me
[Chorus:]
Oh chariot your golden waves
are walking down upon this face
Oh chariot I'm singing out loud
To guide me
Give me your:
Strength
Remember seeking moons of birth
Rings made mirrors of the earth
The sun was just yellow energy
It is a living promise land
Even over fields of sand
City filled with burden
Cover me
From bringing back
More than a memory
[Chorus]
You'll be my vacation away from this place
You know what I want
Holding that cup,
It's pouring over the sides
Make me wanna spread my arms and fly
[Chorus]
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The four stood outside the penthouse apartment. "So, I guess I should knock." Mandy said.
"You grew up in this thing?" Flack asked.
"Yeah." Mandy said.
Flack let out a whistle, as Mandy shook her head. She carefully knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, her mom opened the door.
"Mandy, come in!" Mrs. Williams said.
"Mom, I think we need to talk." Mandy said.
"Okay." Mrs. Williams said, holding open the door and letting the four in.
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"Mom, as you know, I am due in a few months." Mandy said.
"Yes, your father's making plans to be there for the birth." Mrs. Williams said.
"Well, unless something changes, I don't want you to be there Mom." Mandy said, looking at her mother.
Mrs. Williams saw the tears in Mandy's eyes, the assuring hands from Danny and Mira, and knew it was hard for her to make that decision.
"Then, I'll try and be different. I'll try and be better." Mrs. Williams said, as Mandy nodded.
"Momma, I meant it. You're going to have to deal with things not always being your way. Danny and I already have discussed what we want to do with the baby, we're making choices, not you." Mandy said.
"I understand." Mrs. Williams said.
"I know we didn't always get along when I was growing up, but you're my mother, and the baby's grandmother, and that's why it kills me to say this, but I don't want you in her life until there's been some changes." Mandy said.
Mrs. Williams looked down at the table. "I understand." She said.
"We'll see ourselves out." Danny said, as the four quickly got up.
"Mandy?" Mrs. Williams called.
"Yes?" She asked.
"You'll be a wonderful mother." She said, seeing a smile crawl across Mandy's face.
"Thanks. That means a lot, really." She said, as Mrs. Williams smiled.
Mandy walked out of the door, letting a few tears slip. She knew her mother would try to be better. She knew she'd work hard for it. She just hoped she staid that way.