Knight in Shining Armor

Angela woke in a cold sweat, again. It was absurd. This was the twenty first century. Knights in shining armor didn't rescue damsels in distress anymore. The damsels rescued themselves, and that crap about riding into the sunset.... She was content to be single, thank you very much. Her eyes finally focused on that stupid card a friend had given her, a name and a number. That's when the dreams had started, but this time had been different. She'd cried out, "Kevin, HELP ME!"

Had she really said that out loud? Is that what woke her up? She took a deep breath to calm herself, then reached over to turn on the light, and grab a pad of paper. Her room was as it should be, and once she'd written the dream down in great detail the demons would be exercised and she could go back to sleep. Only the dream was too real, and the more she wrote the more afraid she became.

This is ridicules, she thought. Her Stepbrothers were not evil, and her mother had even backed off of trying to marry her off. Then she remembered the look her mother had given her in her dream. It was the same look her mother had given her when the family had learned that she'd spent Thanksgiving alone. Her mother had not given up. She was going to force the issue.

"But I really am content...." She threw down the paper and moved over to her dresser and put her passport and the card into her purse, then padded back to her bed with the purse in hand. Stupid dream, she thought, and kept thinking till first light.

Angela lamented her apartment not having a back door when she heard the knock on the front door. She grabbed her phone, and texted the number on the card. "Kevin, I may need your help. Angela."

There was a second knock. "This is an intervention!" Ryan's voice sounded.

He had to know that all the other apartments were vacant due to the holidays, and of her stepbrothers, he was the one she liked least. He'd always been a bit too anxious to catch her in her underwear. She barely had time to slip her long robe over her jammies before she heard the click of the lock.

They'd found her spare key.

Angela grabbed her cell phone and punched up 911. Then she reached for her purse, in case the cops didn't believe her.

"911, what is the emergency?"

"My step brothers are trying to kidnap me," she whispered. "Please hurry." She hung up as Ryan burst through the door.

"You're coming with us to a wedding, and you're the bride."

"Not if the cops have anything to say in the matter," Angela spat,

"They'll find an empty apartment with a note explaining how it was all a mistake," Ryan said pulling a bottle of chloroform from his pocket.

"Or two dead bodies," she said as she pulled her revolver from her purse.

Drake shuddered as Angela pointed the gun at Ryan.

"You wouldn't shoot me."

"Try me," Angela said, pulling the trigger and shattering the chloroform bottle.

Ryan cursed, shaking his hand as he dropped the remains of the bottle.

"Mother gave us strict orders to get you on that plane," Drake whined.

"Is it worth life in prison for killing your unarmed brothers?" Ryan said.

Before Angela could answer the cops pushed the unlatched door open and spoke. "Hello? We had a report of a kidnapping in progress?"

"In here." Angela quietly slipped her gun back in its place as the two officers entered the bedroom, guns drawn.

"I called, and I believe these gentlemen were just leaving." Angela said. "My ID, concealed carry permit and gun are in my purse." She backed away from her purse as the male cop herded the two men from the room. The notification of a text on her phone went off as the lady cop put Angela's purse back and spoke.

"Now, tell me what is really going on." The young cop took out her phone.

"It's a family issue. My mother is trying to force me into an arranged marriage and sent my two step brothers to take me home."

"We can make sure those two leave, and stay away from you today, but unless you press charges, there isn't enough to get a restraining order."

Angela considered telling them about the chloroform and the bullet hole in the wall, but realized that the ramifications of sending her step brothers to jail was not a step she was willing to take quite yet. "Any suggestions?"

"Not unless you can prove some sort of abuse beyond the breaking and entering, and again, are willing to press charges."

Angela thought for a moment, then shook her head. As much as she wanted to see her mother squirm trying to get those two out of trouble, it would not solve the problem, and she couldn't prove otherwise yet....

"I'm sorry but that is just the nature of family issues," the woman said putting her phone back in its place. "We can keep an eye on you here for twenty-four hours, but after that you're on your own."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," she said as she accepted the officers card.

"Call if you change your mind."

Angela watched as Ryan and Blake were escorted out of the neighborhood and an unmarked cop car pulled into the parking lot. She was safe here for twenty-four hours, stuck in a gilded cage of her own making.

She took a long shower and got dressed, then hesitantly looked at her phone. She ignored the dozen texts from her mother breathing out all sorts of threats. Her sister's text said, "I'm sorry.  Turn your phone off and run."

And then she found the reply from Kevin, "Angela, I just got off work, so it depends on what kink of help you need."

Angela shook her head. The fact that she had asked a total stranger for help, and didn't know what kind of help she needed, was still so absurd.... She dropped her phone, then picked it up again. She started a reply then deleted it and put the phone in her purse.

After the second round of straightening her apartment, she grabbed the phone and typed, "Kevin, I'm a prisoner in my apartment. I need help getting out." She hit send before she could change her mind again. She deleted all of the texts from her mother, then waited.

Five minutes later she checked the phone again for the third time, then threw her phone across the room and stormed to the front room. "I give up!"

She knew there were a dozen reasons Kevin hadn't responded. He obviously worked graveyard, but where? And what good would it do her even if she knew? She looked out her front window. She had till tomorrow morning to figure something out. But what else could she do, and would that be too late?

When she heard the text tones on her phone go off she tripped over the easy chair getting to the bedroom and her phone. There were two texts. The first was from her mother breathing out threats again. She deleted it before she could say anything she would regret. If she hadn't figured out anything by midnight she would deal with the paperwork of pressing charges. She noted the message from her sister and the cryptic note about turning off her phone,

The second new message was from Kevin. "Sorry, I just got out of the shower and am going to bed, my shift at the hospital starts at ten. Let me know what I can do."

Angela stared at the screen, then glanced down at the bruise on her leg. Going to the hospital for a simple bruise was overkill, but it would keep her out of sight for a bit....

"Would you be willing to take me to work with you tonight?" she texted. "I just bruised my leg and might want to have it looked at."

A smiley face and 'No problem, send me your address and I'll see you tonight."

Angela smiled. He had a sense of humor.... At least she hoped that's what it was. She shook her head. If she couldn't trust her friends, then she needed to give up now. She texted her address and a moment later he responded. "See you at 9:30."

Eight hours to kill till her knight in shining armor could come rescue her. She considered picking up the phone and telling him to forget it. What if he was part of the whole thing? She threw down her phone. Her paranoia was getting worse by the minute. She spent the next few minutes gathering the things she would need to disappear for a few days and put them in her large purse. Then opened the book she'd been reading.

At 9:01 she closed the book and placed it on the table next to her. She peeked out the window. The unmarked cop car was still in the well-lit parking lot. She looked around her apartment, and again considered texting Kevin to forget it. Then she noticed the bullet hole in the wall. She checked her bag for her gun and her phone. Her mother had been strangely silent, but that message about turning off her phone,,,, Were her brothers going to use the GPS and track her? she mused. She sat back down. 9:05. She hoped Kevin would be early because she wasn't sure she could stand to wait any longer. She looked up at the ceiling fan, and then closed her eyes.

9:31. Angela jumped as she heard the knock at the door. She struggled not to rush to open the door, and checked the peep hole before opening the door. He's cute, she thought.

She forced herself not to jump into his arms as he spoke. Her addled heart said he was a knight in shining armor, but her head said otherwise.

"Angela?"

She nodded, slipped her phone in her bag then pulled her bag over her shoulder and took his arm. He was everything she'd imagined in a knight in shinning armor. If she wound up dead someplace... What a way to go, she thought as they walked to his car.

"Can you tell me what kind of trouble you're in to have Lance over there keeping an eye on you?" he said as he opened the door.

He knew the cop that had been watching her. That means he couldn't be too awful didn't it?. "My step brothers are trying to kidnap me and force me into an arranged marriage."

Kevin nodded, then waved at the unmarked car as he walked around and got in the drivers seat next to her. "This is my last shift for a few days, so in the morning we'll see what we can figure out."

Angela was silent as he started the car and drove to the hospital. She wanted to take his hand, but hesitated.

"I was told to respond if you needed help. Where is home, originally?"

"Vegas," Angela said shyly. "My mother never approved of me moving here, and apparently lost it when I was alone for Thanksgiving."

"I had to work Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I get New Year's off, If you need a date."

Angela could feel herself blush. He is so gallant, she thought. But am I just on the rebound? Angela shook her head. It was her mother pressing the issue. Kevin had just been in the right place to rescue her. She took a deep breath. "I may take you up on that."

The sound of traffic closed in on them.

"Where do you call home?" she said

"Here, I was born across the street from where I work."

Angela smiled. A naive local, she thought.

"When we get there I'll check out that bruise and then give you a place to hide for the night."

"Thanks," Angela said, finally daring to put her hand on his.

The brief look at the bruise was barely a formality, and by 10:05 Angela found herself in an out of the way hospital room.

"I'll be by about midnight to make sure you're OK."

Angela smiled. "I'd like that."

She looked around. She was still a prisoner, but at least now she had her knight in shining armor to protect her and whisk her away in the morning.

At 11:45 Angela was at once pensive, and excited at the prospects of Kevin's visit. Then her phone went off again.

"They know where you are!!!! TURN OFF YOUR PHONE!" her sister had texted.

Angela considered flushing the phone down the toilet as she powered it down, but that would mean losing the numbers of all of her friends. She turned out the lights to the room. What if her stepbrothers had sneaked in? She considered pulling out her gun, but if Kevin came in....

11:50. She held her breath as she heard footsteps outside. Then more footsteps, and voices. She stepped toward the door to see if she could hear more. She thought she recognized Drake's voice as the discussion got heated.

What if she'd got Kevin in trouble? What if they convinced him to let them in? She forced herself to breath again as the footsteps and argument moved away from the door.

11:59. More footsteps, then the door opened.

"Angela?" Kevin's voice sounded,

Angela leaped into his arms and kissed him long and hard. There was no way she was going to let him go now.

"Your stepbrothers are gone, and you're safe." Kevin said when she finally pulled away.

Did I really just do that? she thought. Then she put her head on his chest. The moment had passed, and she was safe. Now she could take her time.

"You know, I could get used to this. How about we do this again on New Years?" he said.

"It's a date."

qed.