“No, but nearly. I think it’s all right. Laurelyn was so composed. And it went really quickly.”
C puts his arm around me and I lean against his side.
“What happened at that party, C?”
He sighs. “You know, Trick always says that trouble finds him no matter what he does. I used to shrug that off as a bit of Irish superstition, but I gotta say, Z, I’m starting to think he’s not wrong.”
“Hmm.”
“Apparently, the party was going great. Just a bunch of computer people, you know, having food and a few drinks. Trick speaks computer, so he was talking about software and all that. Until now, Laurelyn’s coworkers assumed he was an IT guy like them.”
“He’s been kind of undercover?” I say, surprised. “That’s probably fun for him. He likes games.”
C smirks. “A couple hours into the party, a guy comes in looking for his estranged wife. They’re in the midst of a bitter divorce apparently. The guy spots his wife, pulls out a gun and fires wildly. Trick was on the steps. He likes that vantage, so he gravitates to it even when he shouldn't need to be in a shooting position.” C shakes his head. “Laurelyn was only ten feet from the person who took a bullet. Good thing she wasn’t the one talking to the guy’s wife at the time.”
I shiver. Laurelyn and their beautiful little boy… tonight could’ve ended so differently for our friends.
“Chaos erupted. People tried to scatter, and the guy tried to take aim again, but he never got off a second shot. That’s Trick. A lone shooter gets one shot, if that.”
“Did anyone other than the gunman die?”
“No. The person who got shot is stable apparently.”
“Trick’s a hero. He saved that gunman’s wife and who knows how many others.”
“I’m sure. No one else was armed. If Trick wasn’t there, the shooter would’ve emptied his clip. Odds are someone dies. Maybe more than one.”
“The police suck for not letting Trick leave the station sooner.”
“Indeed.” C squeezes me in a side hug. “I’m really glad we made it in time for you to be with Laurelyn.”
“I didn’t do anything. She was fine, C. Incredibly so.”
“I’m sure she was, but she didn’t want to be alone. I could hear it in her voice.”
“I bet that’s true. I’m glad I could be here.” Leaning my head on his shoulder, I say, “I’m also glad I got the Jellycat from London early.”
“The what?”
“The baby’s stuffed animal. Jellycat stuffed toys are the best ones. We got Sean a super cute elephant. Trick said Sean sleeps with it all the time and, now that he’s walking, he drags it with him everywhere. Trick named the elephant Elgin. The family calls him Elgie.”
C laughs. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Of course not.”
“Trick named a stuffed animal?” he says skeptically.
“Yeah, he did, C. When a guy can do a Die-Hard reenactment at his wife’s office party, he doesn’t need to prove he’s tough and cool anymore. He’s allowed to be cute with his little boy.”
“Hmm.”
“So since Elgie is such an important part of the family, we had to get the new baby a Jellycat, too.”
“When you say we…?”
“Yes, C, you and me. It’s on the card. From Uncle Connor and Aunt Zoe. Trick and Laurelyn still have Sean’s newborn Happy Birthday card.”
Connor laughs again. “What’s the new one’s animal? A giraffe named Jerry?”
