A Rescued Heart(12)
Author: Natalie Replogle

Matt quickly grabbed his phone and pushed some buttons. “Ava, I’m sorry, but I have to go. It’s an SWAT emergency.” He started toward the door and looked over his shoulder. “I have to cancel tonight, but I’ll call you later.”

Before she even had a chance to answer, he dashed out the door. Ava pushed forward through the shock and followed, watching as he turned the corner and ran down the hallway. This was the first time he had been called out for the SWAT team since they had started dating. Fear gripped her heart and caused her to stand there frozen, terrified for his safety.

Matt raced back to the station with his lights flashing and siren blaring. He hated standing Ava up and leaving her like that, but duty called. He pulled into the parking lot at the same time his partner Derek Brown did and they jogged towards the building together.

“What’s with the frown?” Derek asked as they reached the doors.

“Am I that obvious?”

“You look like a child whose candy was taken away from him.”

“You are closer to the truth then you realize. I had to break a date with Ava.”

Derek laughed. “Well, then I will leave you to pout while I go grab our gear.”

When the SWAT team got called they often met first at the station, geared up, and were given a report of the situation. It was time-consuming, but they needed to arrive at the scene as a team, fully prepared for the crisis. Showing up without all the information would be unsafe and ineffective.

The team loaded up into the armored truck and headed out to the old warehouse a few blocks south of the station. The department had sent in an undercover cop a few months ago to bring down a teenage drug ring. An exchange went sour this afternoon, leaving the cop and a few other guys at gun point.

Matt pushed his earpiece further in and asked Derek to talk so he could check the sound. “Sheppard to Law Sheep, can you hear me? Over.”

Matt laughed. The man didn’t have a serious bone in his body. “Loud and clear. Over.”

The truck stopped and they filed out the back. The lieutenant gave them their instructions and his team headed into the side of the building. Matt and five other men slipped inside while the rest of the SWAT officers inconspicuously surrounded the building. They needed a surprise attack. It was always intense running into a situation, not sure what they were going to find. The only way of knowing what was happening inside the building came from the microphone strapped to the undercover cop, but fifteen minutes ago the signal went dead. They were going in blind.

Once inside the warehouse, a musty scent encircled them. Matt’s shirt clung to his back from the stuffy heat that had no escape. It was an old packaging business that went under a few years back and now sat empty except for some birds that had made it a good home.

Shouts sifted from the second floor and the team took the side stairs up. Their movement flowed swift and identical because of the long hours spent training together. Matt took point once they reached the second floor entry. He tapped Rick and Brad on their backs and pointed up to the third floor, and without question they continued up the stairs. Ben and Mark waited for their signal. Matt pointed to the right and then pointed to Derek to go left with him.

Derek flung the door open and Matt entered the room first with his gun drawn. The team followed, running a sweep of the empty offices. Toward the back of the building there was a large conference room from which they could hear the shouting coming. Matt reported back to the lieutenant that the area was contained and they were in position. The lieutenant gave the green light and they prepared for forceful entry.

Frustration laced his anger to think that just beyond these doors held a bunch of kids barely old enough to drive, yet holding guns. Some probably still had braces on their teeth and struggled with zit-covered faces. Their poor choices had led them to this moment and from here on their lives would never be the same.

Preparing the team to enter proved difficult because these kids would be jumpy and nervous. They were dealing with a bunch of wild cards. Matt gave the signal and the door exploded.

Ava had been unsettled the rest of the afternoon while finishing up her classroom. She didn’t want to be at the school but it helped to keep her mind off the thoughts consuming her about the situation Matt was in right now.

She returned home around dinner time, found some leftovers in the fridge that Lucy had brought over, and sat on the couch to eat and catch up on the news. She gasped aloud when the news anchor announced the drug exchange that went bad. At this point all the news could report was that some people were held at gunpoint while the SWAT team surrounded the building. Ava automatically moved closer to the television, as if that would cause her to see the situation better.

Oh Lord. Please be with Matt and keep him safe. Give him the wisdom to handle the situation and protect him from those who want to do harm to him and others.

Throughout the next hour the news continued between the reporter and the anchor who tried to get as many details as they could to the viewers. It wasn’t enough for her and she wanted to run down there herself. A little before seven the anchor announced that the drug dealers had surrendered and that no one had been hurt. Ava could see the SWAT team members returning to the truck and the drug dealers being escorted to the police cars. Ava couldn’t believe how young the boys looked. What had caused their lives to turn away from innocence?

Distracting herself from the tears that threatened, she changed into sweat pants and a T-shirt for bed. Sitting back down on the couch, she tried to watch a baseball game, but her view became blinded by her tears. What was wrong with her? Matt was okay. She needed to grow thicker skin if she was going to survive dating a cop. Frustrated with herself she set off to the kitchen to make some tea.

Leaning back against the counter she glanced around her digs. She loved her apartment. It wasn’t much to brag about, but it was her refuge.

The kitchen sported a pale yellow with dark brown trim. The appliances were white and fairly new, not that she did a lot of cooking to justify the need for newness. A small dining room opened up on the side of the kitchen, but she used it more like a breakfast nook. A beautiful round oak table and chairs—a fortuitous garage sale discovery last year—looked just right sitting in the middle of the little room.

The living room was spacious and comfortable, perfect for entertaining. Not that she did a lot of it, but it was nice to have the option.

The walls donned a deep orange and showcased two original paintings by Lucy. A modest entertainment center held a flat screen television, the one splurge she’d made courtesy of this year’s tax refund. In the back corner she had placed a bookshelf and comfy reading chair for her hours of literary comfort.

The bathroom didn’t have a lot of extra space, but since it was just her, it did its job. The only nuisance was frequently hitting her elbow on the shower when moving around too quickly.

Her mental tour stopped as her phone rang. She hit her knee lunging for it on the counter.

“Matt!” A small cry escaped her throat. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Are you okay? You sound like you’ve been crying.”

Was she that obvious? “I’m okay. I was just worried about you.” She tried to hold the tears at bay, but it was so good to hear his voice. She sniffled and hoped he didn’t hear.

“I’m coming over. I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he declared.

“Matt, you don’t need to …”

“Ava, I’m coming. See you soon.”

The kettle on the stove whistled, letting her know the water was ready. She shut off the burner and headed to the bathroom to examine the damage the crying had caused. Her eyes were red around the edges and puffy. She splashed cold water on them and touched her face up with a little foundation and eye shadow. Stepping back, trying to see herself in the mirror, she hit her elbow on the shower.I will never learn. Walking back to the kitchen she grabbed two mugs from the cabinet.

While she poured the water, Matt knocked on the door. As soon as he entered the room, she threw her arms around his neck. He enveloped her with his arms, picking her slightly up off the floor.

He finally spoke while setting her down with a gentle ease and putting his hands on both sides of her face. “Ava, sweetheart, I’m fine. I’m sorry you were worried.”

“Please don’t apologize. I knew this would happen someday, I’m just not handling it the way I should.” Embarrassment heated her cheeks. What was the right way to handle his job and the danger he put himself in every day?

“Even though you knew, it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be hard. I didn’t help the situation by leaving you the way I did.” He brushed away a piece of hair stuck to her eyelash. “I’m flattered that you care so much.”

His words were meant to be supportive, but she stepped back, mortified. “I’m so embarrassed by my reaction.”

She turned and walked toward the kitchen, but stopped and turned back to face him, babbling nervously. “Even though I know this was a part of your job, I have no claim to you and no right to be affected this way. All I could think about was you being hurt and it frightened me to my core. We are just dating and I know you like me, but I really don’t know what you are thinking. I’m acting foolish. I mean you haven’t even kissed me yet and here I spent my evening sobbing over your safety.” She turned back toward the kitchen, making herself quiet. She couldn’t believe she had just blurted out all those things.

She needed a shovel to dig her hole deeper.

Matt didn’t let her get far. He caught her arm and pulled her close to him. He looked at her softly, with tenderness, gradually easing his lips to hers. The kiss started with a gentle touch, as if she was delicate and he didn’t want to break her. Ava ran her hands up his arms and then hooked them around his neck. He brought one arm around her lower back and the other behind her head. The passion burned between them and even though the kiss stayed tender, the delicateness he’d expressed earlier turned more intense.

He released her slowly and she wanted to object. “Ava, you can have all the claim to me you want. I have wanted to kiss you since the first day I met you. I would’ve done that a long time ago, but I didn’t want to scare you off.”

“Oh Matt, I’m sorry that I make you feel like you’re walking on eggshells around me. You deserve someone …”

To silence her he brushed his lips against hers. “Ava, I wantyou. Seeing you worry about me like you have today shows me how much you care and that’s all that matters. I’m not going anywhere and I hope you’re not either.”

Ava shook her head. “No, I’m not going anywhere.” She put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. “This is where I want to be.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”

She stepped back to examine him. “Are you sure you’re really okay?”

He laughed at her disbelief. “Yes, I’ve never been better. Not a scratch on me.” He put his arms out and turned in a full circle. “Do you need to do a further evaluation?” His crooked smile melted her insides. She wouldn’t bite at his offer.

“That’s okay. I’ll take your word for it.” Ava headed into the kitchen to finish what she had started. “I was just making some tea before you came, would you like some?”

“Sure. Is it okay if I check out the Cubs game?”

“Go ahead. It should be on the right channel. I was watching it before you came. They were up by two in the fourth inning.”

Matt sat at the end of the couch and Ava snuggled in right next to him with her legs bent at the knees and his arm around her shoulder while they watched the rest of the game. He mentioned halfway through that he couldn’t watch a baseball game while drinking tea. He got up and grabbed a Coke.

Ava rolled her eyes. He was such a guy.

The Cubs ended up winning, despite looking like they were trying to lose. Ava yelled multiple times at the television out of frustration. Matt just laughed in amusement at her. After the game she laid back on the couch giving her a better view of his face. Her head sat up on the arm rest with a pillow placed on her chest, wrapping her arms around it. She could be content to just watch him the rest of the night. An idea came to mind and she didn’t give thought to the consequences before asking.

“Do you have plans on Sunday?”

“Nothing besides going to church. What do you have in mind?” he asked curiously, intrigued by her question.

“Well, Sunday is family night at my parents’ house and I was wondering if you’d like to come with me?”

The words were out, the damage was done. There was no turning back.

“I’ll warn you up front my family is crazy protective and will probably drill you with questions, so if you’d prefer not to go, I’ll understand. Please don’t feel like you have to. I mean it might be a little soon to meet my family and …”

“Ava,” he cut her off at midsentence. She had been talking so fast did he even understand a word that came out of her mouth? When she was nervous she talked fast and in large amounts. “I’d love to go. I want to meet your family and I’m not intimidated by a few questions and some interrogation.”

“Okay, but it’s your funeral if you don’t pass.” She tried to provoke him but couldn’t help but snicker.

“Oh, don’t you worry, failure is not an option. I didn’t work this hard to get you to be mine to blow it on meeting the family.”

“So I’m yours now, huh? Don’t I get a say in that?” She expected him to sweat, but of course he stayed calm and smooth as always.

He leaned over and grabbed her hand, pulling her up to meet his face. “Ava, would you please be my girlfriend?” He softly kissed her cheek and her blood pressure spiked.