Sweet Children Come Out and Play, chapter 18
Billie Joe looked up at the dark sky, a street light shinning down creating a ring of light on the ground where he and his lovely wife walked on their way back home. The air was cool, not too cold so there was no hurry. Billie held Delphine's hand tightly in his; a nervous feeling creeping into his stomach. A creak or a rustle in the bushes would occasionally happen. Billie ignored them at first but became increasingly uneasy. He was not quite sure why though. Nothing happened.
It was a little cold outside. Not bad at all, this was California, but as they breathed, smoke seemed to seep out their lips and disappear into the air in front of them as they walked. It was just his breath, but it was giving Billie Joe the creeps. There it was another creek; no nothing.
Then footsteps started from some distance behind. The steps moved faster and turned into running. Billie sped up his walking, Delphine following, but feeling anxiously confused. Then a shout met their ears, "Stop!" Billie Joe looked behind to see a man running toward them. He had his hand tucked away in his coat and his long dark hair pulled in front of his eyes.
"What?" Billie asked.
"Stop there!" The man's hand pulled out of a jacket pocket with a gun clutched in its fingers. Delphine heard the click of the gun cocked and he took his aim; pointed straight at Billie. "Stay there!" he repeated.
Billie froze to the spot. "Billie!" Delphine whispered helplessly. The man slowed down and walked cautiously up to them. Delphine wanted to scream, someone would surely hear in this street full of houses, but she kept her mouth shut. "Billie!"
Billie Joe stood stalk still and without turning to her whispered, "Shhh, it's ok." He said it in a loving calm voice, but she could see the scared expression creeping into his eyes. He was tense.
The man stopped just feet from them with the gun pointed at Billie's head. He did not smile or even look at him. His gaze shifted around in a seemingly scared manner, but his voice was unfailing. "Give me what you've got!"
"Ok," Billie said, still calmly. Amidst the panic, he saw something familiar in the man. He had seem him somewhere before or heard his voice.
"You!" he shouted to Delphine, "Go over there against the wall and keep your hands out! Face the wall!" Delphine did it, trembling slightly, but with a strong look in her face. She did not dare show how terrified she was. Billie gave her a quick reassuring glance.
As the man turned to Billie he became more violent. "Come on, hurry up!" Billie took out his wallet and threw it to the man's feet. He picked it up, and shoved it into his jacket clumsily. "Nothing else!?"
"No."
The man took up his free arm and punched Billie clear across the side of the face. "Aohh!" he cried out and fell a few steps backwards. Delphine cringed. It took all her strength not to run to him or make a jump at the man.
And with that punch, Billie saw just him a little clearer in the light. All at once he knew exactly who he was yet the man had no idea who Billie was. It was the jock he had punched in the mall more than half a year ago. And this is what he was now?
"Nothing? Come on!"
"I don't have anymore!"
"Shut up!"
"I don't have anything!"
He punched him again, knocking him to the ground. "I'll shoot!"
Delphine turned around. It was going too far. The man turned with a flip of his long coat and pointed the gun at her.
"No!" Billie cried and Delphine stood rooted to the ground, speechless.
"Don't shoot," she choked.
Billie stood up and the man pointed back to him, Billie's hands in the air. Delphine ran. He whirled around, stunned, confused. Delphine dove toward Billie, he made a shove at her and a shot was fired. The clear sounding ring of the bullet fired spiraled through the air for what seemed like minutes after it left the gun.
Time stood still. 'Someone's shot,' Delphine thought; her body was falling. Billie through his arms around her and cried out something. The man stood for a second and then took off down the street. Billie screamed at him, "You motherfucker! You killed her!" The man stopped and turned around underneath the ring of the streetlight with an expression that seemed to say 'what have I done?' He put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
Billie stiffened and stood not knowing what to do. The jock just killed himself. He shot his wife and killed himself. Not looking down he said quietly, "Delphine? Delphine please... please answer."
"Yeah?" she whispered.
"Delphine!" he looked. Her eyes flashed. "Ohmygod. How the fuck did this happen. I'm so sorry. Please Del, stay with me."
A door creaked open and more footsteps came toward them. Billie Joe looked up to see a woman, dressed in a pink bathrobe, running down the stairs of the house they lay in front of. "Is someone hurt?" she called in a squeaky voice.
"Yes! Go - Call 911!" She stopped, shook her head up and down, turned around and ran back up the stairs into her house.
Billie looked down to his wife again. "Delphine, hold on. It's going to be all right now. Someone's going to call the police, and they'll be here soon." He touched her cheek and gently kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't do that. I'm so sorry." Blood started to seep though her black jacket and slid freely down the leather in a stream.
"Billie, it's not your fault." Delphine slowly opened her eyes. "You're safe. That's all that matters."
"No, no I should have been the one to get shot! I can't live without you now Delphine. I don't want to."
"That's just silly Billie. You're alive. Stay that way," she coughed.
"Delphine," he looked pathetically down at her, "I have spent all this time finding you. I don't want to live with anyone else. I couldn't love them."
"And I love you - ah - you - oh god-"
"Del?" There was pain in his face. Her breathing was becoming more labored.
Someone yelled, "Hey!" It was the woman in the bathrobe. "I called the paramedics! They're coming." She ran down the stairs waving a pillow in her hand. When she reached them she stopped, cautious of what she might see. Billie looked up.
"Thank you," he said softly.
"She's shot? Oh, here, pillow for her head, is there anything else I can do?" The woman actually seemed as nervous as Billie Joe was, especially now that she saw Delphine. And that she was pregnant.
"No. But ... could you stay." Billie took the pillow and laid Delphine slowly back onto it. Delphine winced and tightened her grip on his hand.
"Oh god, aohh," she gasped.
"I'll stay," the woman sat down. "I - um - I heard two shots. Who did it?"
Billie pointed down the street.
She looked, "Ohmygod!" She covered her mouth and looked away.
"Delphine, they're coming. You hear me?" Billie repeated. She nodded. "It's not much longer." He could see she was fading fast. He had not noticed until now, but his shirt and her body were covered in blood. She coughed again and sucked in a tight breath. She was still bleeding. "Do you think you could get a towel?" he said frantically to the woman.
"Sure. I'll be right back," and she ran back up into the house.
"Don't give up, Delphine."
"Billie, I can't feel my legs... or my arms," she was able to look up. Billie's face was covered in tears. She almost never saw him cry. For some reason, it gave her some strength. "Billie, I will always love you." He took one of her hands with a shaky grip and touched his lips to her fingertips. He closed his eyes and kissed them gently.
Several minutes later, the woman appeared back at their side and quickly handed Billie Joe the towel. He pressed it gently to Delphine's stomach and brushed a wisp of hair from her cheek. She had lost a lot more blood than he had ever seen before. "It's going to be ok," he stroked her hair. He didn't sound like he meant it. Like he believed it. Delphine starred forward. Half at him and half towards the sky. Billie couldn't tell if she could even hear him. It scared him more.
***
Finally, off in the distance, the sound of sirens echoed through the streets. "There they are," the women said and she stood up. As the fire truck rolled in and to a stop on road beside them, the woman waving her arms, Billie did not look up but kept staring into Delphine's white face; just to make sure she was still breathing.
Delphine stared up into Billie Joe's face. If she was going to leave it, she did not want the world to fade away in darkness. He stroked her cheek again. The feeling was overwhelming. In one way, to die now would not be so bad. She was in his arms and with her in the way she would want it. But all his touch and love would never be felt again if she was gone. And the baby? There was so much undone, but the pain was unbearable at the same time. 'Ok Delphine. Think about it. It's selfish to die now. You've got too many relatives. And Billie Joe. Oh god this fucking hurts. Ok, if you are going to live for anyone, it's for the baby and Billie.
The baby and Billie. So, I am going to live.' Her eyes closed.
"Delphine, no, don't close your eyes yet. Please, not yet. They're here Delphine! They're here and it's ok!"
A couple of paramedics ran to them. Others were wheeling out the stretcher and supplies. They questioned Billie and prodded and checked Delphine. Billie could not seem to find the answers so the woman babbled what she knew in a frightened annoyingly high voice. Eventually, they pushed Billie aside, and for a few seconds he could not see what was going on and his legs felt weak. "Please, don't," and they gave out from under him. Either no one saw or they all did. He could not tell. It felt like he was going to throw-up.
A hand touched his shoulder. It was the woman. "Are you all right?"
Billie shook his head. 'How could she think he was all right?'
"I'm sorry." She kneeled down and kept her hand on his shoulder. "I have a phone. Is there anyone you want to call?"
He thought a moment. It was hard to organize his thoughts into any understandable English. "Yes."
She took her cell phone out of a bathrobe pocket and handed it to him. Now, who to call? He punched in the first numbers to come to mind. No, that was Delphine's cell number. He punched in another. The other end was ringing. 'Please, someone pick up, pick up-"
"Hello?"
"Mike?"
"Yeah, who's this?"
"It's Billie."
"Billie! It's twelve thirty. What's up?"
"I - it's... "
"What's wrong?" Mike said more seriously. Billie sounded tired and hesitant.
"It's Delphine," he took a deep breath, "She's hurt."
"What... What happened? I hear sirens."
"Could you come to the hospital? She was, well, there was this guy and he was supposed to shoot me and he shot her and now he's dead - he's dead! And you have to come Mike -"
"Shit. Billie, are you ok? I'm coming."
"Ok."
"Hold on man, just - I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"K," Billie said even more softly so he could barely be heard. Mike hung up.
Someone shouted from farther away. "Hey!" He motioned for Billie to come. "Is this your wife like the pink woman here said?"
"Yes." He could see Delphine inside on the stretcher surrounded by the paramedics and covered in tubes. A oxygen mask almost covered her whole face. Billie almost didn't recognize her. It was awful.
"Come with us."
Billie jumped in. He looked down into Delphine's face and into her closed eyes. He whispered into her ear, "Delphine, I'm here. Don't give up." The sirens turned on and the whole brigade drove off at high speeds down the road back towards the hospital. He remembered days spent on end at the hospital all too well from his childhood. He never wanted to go back. He had lost faith in those doctors. Now he was to trust them again with another loved one? Or two?
It was a little cold outside. Not bad at all, this was California, but as they breathed, smoke seemed to seep out their lips and disappear into the air in front of them as they walked. It was just his breath, but it was giving Billie Joe the creeps. There it was another creek; no nothing.
Then footsteps started from some distance behind. The steps moved faster and turned into running. Billie sped up his walking, Delphine following, but feeling anxiously confused. Then a shout met their ears, "Stop!" Billie Joe looked behind to see a man running toward them. He had his hand tucked away in his coat and his long dark hair pulled in front of his eyes.
"What?" Billie asked.
"Stop there!" The man's hand pulled out of a jacket pocket with a gun clutched in its fingers. Delphine heard the click of the gun cocked and he took his aim; pointed straight at Billie. "Stay there!" he repeated.
Billie froze to the spot. "Billie!" Delphine whispered helplessly. The man slowed down and walked cautiously up to them. Delphine wanted to scream, someone would surely hear in this street full of houses, but she kept her mouth shut. "Billie!"
Billie Joe stood stalk still and without turning to her whispered, "Shhh, it's ok." He said it in a loving calm voice, but she could see the scared expression creeping into his eyes. He was tense.
The man stopped just feet from them with the gun pointed at Billie's head. He did not smile or even look at him. His gaze shifted around in a seemingly scared manner, but his voice was unfailing. "Give me what you've got!"
"Ok," Billie said, still calmly. Amidst the panic, he saw something familiar in the man. He had seem him somewhere before or heard his voice.
"You!" he shouted to Delphine, "Go over there against the wall and keep your hands out! Face the wall!" Delphine did it, trembling slightly, but with a strong look in her face. She did not dare show how terrified she was. Billie gave her a quick reassuring glance.
As the man turned to Billie he became more violent. "Come on, hurry up!" Billie took out his wallet and threw it to the man's feet. He picked it up, and shoved it into his jacket clumsily. "Nothing else!?"
"No."
The man took up his free arm and punched Billie clear across the side of the face. "Aohh!" he cried out and fell a few steps backwards. Delphine cringed. It took all her strength not to run to him or make a jump at the man.
And with that punch, Billie saw just him a little clearer in the light. All at once he knew exactly who he was yet the man had no idea who Billie was. It was the jock he had punched in the mall more than half a year ago. And this is what he was now?
"Nothing? Come on!"
"I don't have anymore!"
"Shut up!"
"I don't have anything!"
He punched him again, knocking him to the ground. "I'll shoot!"
Delphine turned around. It was going too far. The man turned with a flip of his long coat and pointed the gun at her.
"No!" Billie cried and Delphine stood rooted to the ground, speechless.
"Don't shoot," she choked.
Billie stood up and the man pointed back to him, Billie's hands in the air. Delphine ran. He whirled around, stunned, confused. Delphine dove toward Billie, he made a shove at her and a shot was fired. The clear sounding ring of the bullet fired spiraled through the air for what seemed like minutes after it left the gun.
Time stood still. 'Someone's shot,' Delphine thought; her body was falling. Billie through his arms around her and cried out something. The man stood for a second and then took off down the street. Billie screamed at him, "You motherfucker! You killed her!" The man stopped and turned around underneath the ring of the streetlight with an expression that seemed to say 'what have I done?' He put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
Billie stiffened and stood not knowing what to do. The jock just killed himself. He shot his wife and killed himself. Not looking down he said quietly, "Delphine? Delphine please... please answer."
"Yeah?" she whispered.
"Delphine!" he looked. Her eyes flashed. "Ohmygod. How the fuck did this happen. I'm so sorry. Please Del, stay with me."
A door creaked open and more footsteps came toward them. Billie Joe looked up to see a woman, dressed in a pink bathrobe, running down the stairs of the house they lay in front of. "Is someone hurt?" she called in a squeaky voice.
"Yes! Go - Call 911!" She stopped, shook her head up and down, turned around and ran back up the stairs into her house.
Billie looked down to his wife again. "Delphine, hold on. It's going to be all right now. Someone's going to call the police, and they'll be here soon." He touched her cheek and gently kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't do that. I'm so sorry." Blood started to seep though her black jacket and slid freely down the leather in a stream.
"Billie, it's not your fault." Delphine slowly opened her eyes. "You're safe. That's all that matters."
"No, no I should have been the one to get shot! I can't live without you now Delphine. I don't want to."
"That's just silly Billie. You're alive. Stay that way," she coughed.
"Delphine," he looked pathetically down at her, "I have spent all this time finding you. I don't want to live with anyone else. I couldn't love them."
"And I love you - ah - you - oh god-"
"Del?" There was pain in his face. Her breathing was becoming more labored.
Someone yelled, "Hey!" It was the woman in the bathrobe. "I called the paramedics! They're coming." She ran down the stairs waving a pillow in her hand. When she reached them she stopped, cautious of what she might see. Billie looked up.
"Thank you," he said softly.
"She's shot? Oh, here, pillow for her head, is there anything else I can do?" The woman actually seemed as nervous as Billie Joe was, especially now that she saw Delphine. And that she was pregnant.
"No. But ... could you stay." Billie took the pillow and laid Delphine slowly back onto it. Delphine winced and tightened her grip on his hand.
"Oh god, aohh," she gasped.
"I'll stay," the woman sat down. "I - um - I heard two shots. Who did it?"
Billie pointed down the street.
She looked, "Ohmygod!" She covered her mouth and looked away.
"Delphine, they're coming. You hear me?" Billie repeated. She nodded. "It's not much longer." He could see she was fading fast. He had not noticed until now, but his shirt and her body were covered in blood. She coughed again and sucked in a tight breath. She was still bleeding. "Do you think you could get a towel?" he said frantically to the woman.
"Sure. I'll be right back," and she ran back up into the house.
"Don't give up, Delphine."
"Billie, I can't feel my legs... or my arms," she was able to look up. Billie's face was covered in tears. She almost never saw him cry. For some reason, it gave her some strength. "Billie, I will always love you." He took one of her hands with a shaky grip and touched his lips to her fingertips. He closed his eyes and kissed them gently.
Several minutes later, the woman appeared back at their side and quickly handed Billie Joe the towel. He pressed it gently to Delphine's stomach and brushed a wisp of hair from her cheek. She had lost a lot more blood than he had ever seen before. "It's going to be ok," he stroked her hair. He didn't sound like he meant it. Like he believed it. Delphine starred forward. Half at him and half towards the sky. Billie couldn't tell if she could even hear him. It scared him more.
***
Finally, off in the distance, the sound of sirens echoed through the streets. "There they are," the women said and she stood up. As the fire truck rolled in and to a stop on road beside them, the woman waving her arms, Billie did not look up but kept staring into Delphine's white face; just to make sure she was still breathing.
Delphine stared up into Billie Joe's face. If she was going to leave it, she did not want the world to fade away in darkness. He stroked her cheek again. The feeling was overwhelming. In one way, to die now would not be so bad. She was in his arms and with her in the way she would want it. But all his touch and love would never be felt again if she was gone. And the baby? There was so much undone, but the pain was unbearable at the same time. 'Ok Delphine. Think about it. It's selfish to die now. You've got too many relatives. And Billie Joe. Oh god this fucking hurts. Ok, if you are going to live for anyone, it's for the baby and Billie.
The baby and Billie. So, I am going to live.' Her eyes closed.
"Delphine, no, don't close your eyes yet. Please, not yet. They're here Delphine! They're here and it's ok!"
A couple of paramedics ran to them. Others were wheeling out the stretcher and supplies. They questioned Billie and prodded and checked Delphine. Billie could not seem to find the answers so the woman babbled what she knew in a frightened annoyingly high voice. Eventually, they pushed Billie aside, and for a few seconds he could not see what was going on and his legs felt weak. "Please, don't," and they gave out from under him. Either no one saw or they all did. He could not tell. It felt like he was going to throw-up.
A hand touched his shoulder. It was the woman. "Are you all right?"
Billie shook his head. 'How could she think he was all right?'
"I'm sorry." She kneeled down and kept her hand on his shoulder. "I have a phone. Is there anyone you want to call?"
He thought a moment. It was hard to organize his thoughts into any understandable English. "Yes."
She took her cell phone out of a bathrobe pocket and handed it to him. Now, who to call? He punched in the first numbers to come to mind. No, that was Delphine's cell number. He punched in another. The other end was ringing. 'Please, someone pick up, pick up-"
"Hello?"
"Mike?"
"Yeah, who's this?"
"It's Billie."
"Billie! It's twelve thirty. What's up?"
"I - it's... "
"What's wrong?" Mike said more seriously. Billie sounded tired and hesitant.
"It's Delphine," he took a deep breath, "She's hurt."
"What... What happened? I hear sirens."
"Could you come to the hospital? She was, well, there was this guy and he was supposed to shoot me and he shot her and now he's dead - he's dead! And you have to come Mike -"
"Shit. Billie, are you ok? I'm coming."
"Ok."
"Hold on man, just - I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"K," Billie said even more softly so he could barely be heard. Mike hung up.
Someone shouted from farther away. "Hey!" He motioned for Billie to come. "Is this your wife like the pink woman here said?"
"Yes." He could see Delphine inside on the stretcher surrounded by the paramedics and covered in tubes. A oxygen mask almost covered her whole face. Billie almost didn't recognize her. It was awful.
"Come with us."
Billie jumped in. He looked down into Delphine's face and into her closed eyes. He whispered into her ear, "Delphine, I'm here. Don't give up." The sirens turned on and the whole brigade drove off at high speeds down the road back towards the hospital. He remembered days spent on end at the hospital all too well from his childhood. He never wanted to go back. He had lost faith in those doctors. Now he was to trust them again with another loved one? Or two?
