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“Get down!” Frank shouted to a little boy caught in the line of fire. He held the boy’s head down and shielded his body until they were able to take cover behind a parked car. Bullets whizzed past them, burying themselves deep into objects nearby and bringing the frightened boy to tears. Frank peered around the car and took a few rapid shots. “Where’s your mom or dad?” he asked, trying to distract the boy while keeping track of the gunmen.
“Over there.” The little boy pointed in the direction of his anxious mother.
“Don’t worry,” Frank tried to reassure him. “Stay close to me and do what I tell you. We’ll get you back to your mom. I promise.” The boy looked up at him but did not say a word. “This is no place for a kid,” Frank muttered under his breath and returned fire again. He did not have a good view of the gunmen from his position, but his partner had a better vantage point. He hoped Tim could hold them off until the boy could be escorted to safety. With the situation growing more dangerous by the minute, Frank needed a viable escape plan. He could tell the gunmen were experienced and would not give themselves up easily. When an opportunity finally did present itself, Frank made a move.
Unfortunately, Frank was unaware that one of the three had flanked him while he had been distracted by the boy. Their escape route was cut off, and Frank and the boy were now easy targets. Luckily, Tim had seen the bigger picture.
“Frank, look out!” he shouted, warning his partner just in time. He watched Frank and the boy duck back into the relative safety provided by the compact car. Unfortunately, in his effort to warn Frank, Tim had left himself exposed. He felt the sting of a bullet grazing his right arm. With an innocent boy’s life at stake, Tim knew he had to remain in the fight. He applied some pressure to the wound and tried to hold his injured arm steady with his good arm. He continued to fire, but his shots lacked their usual accuracy.
Frank knew Tim had been hit, but he could hear a car rapidly approaching and hoped it meant help was on the way. Thankfully it was. He recognized the car. Sean and Gina had arrived on the scene not a moment too soon. They were outfitted in bulletproof vests, unlike Frank and Tim, who had anticipated a much less eventful afternoon.
“We heard you guys could use some backup,” Sean called to Frank.
“Wallace is injured. I don’t think it’s that serious, but he’s definitely been hit.”
“I’ll make my way over to him,” Sean offered. He left Frank and Gina behind and went to look for Tim.
“Careful, Gina!” Frank shouted, fearing she had forgotten herself when she backed up a bit too far, compromising her protective cover. The tiny spot they huddled in was barely big enough to shield the three of them.
“Thanks, Frank. You’re always looking out for me, aren’t you?”
“Always.”
“What about him?” Gina asked when she noticed the wide-eyed child tucked in close to Frank.
“Wrong place at the wrong time,” he answered before firing another shot. “Help me get him back to his mother while I cover you,” Frank requested, purposely assigning the safer task to her. “Switch guns with me,” he added. “I’m almost out of ammo.”
But Gina wouldn’t have it. After getting kidnapped by Jimmy and Carlos, she felt the need to prove she was still capable of handling herself in any type of situation. In her mind, she had lost the respect of her fellow officers and needed to earn it back. “No!” she insisted. “Let me relieve you!”
“Is that how you talk to a Sergeant?”
“Don’t you dare pull rank on me! I’m a good shot. I could have made the SWAT team if I wanted.”
There wasn’t time to argue. “Alright, Annie Oakley, have it your way,” Frank relented. All he wanted to do was protect her. Why was she so stubborn about that? What would he do if something happened to her now? And yet, he knew she was right. He had to learn to let her stand on her own two feet. She had chosen this profession, after all. In fact, he began to feel a bit threatened by the increasing likelihood of her out-performing him. His eyesight and reaction time weren’t quite what they used to be. He did, however, have the benefit of experience, which was something she had yet to acquire. But this wasn’t a competition. He would continue to teach her everything he knew. All that really mattered to him now was keeping her safe any way she’d let him.
Of course, after everything they had been through, Gina had no intention of losing her man either. She was in love, and no other man would do. Gina motioned to Sean to rejoin her and help cover Frank and the boy. She hoped Tim could hold his own for a moment until help arrived.
“Quite the arsenal they’ve got,” Sean commented.
“No kidding,” Gina replied.
Before the detectives could fire another shot, the three gunmen made a desperate dash to their car. Gina and Sean took well-placed shots at the tires, disabling the vehicle and foiling their getaway. Sean gave them one last chance to surrender. Outnumbered and out of options, the men slowly dropped their weapons and exited the car with their hands up. The four detectives approached with caution and secured them in handcuffs.
“What happened out here anyway?” Gina asked Frank.
“Our murder suspect got a little spooked, and he and his buddies started a shootout. Wallace got grazed by a bullet, but he looks alright to me.”
“Are you OK?” Although there was no blood on Frank, she had to be sure.
“I’m fine,” he reassured her.
“Hey, how about some concern for the guy who actually got shot?” Tim spoke up.
“Frank said you’re fine, Tim. What else do you want from me?”
“Maybe a little appreciation. How about a hug? I only got shot because I was trying to save his sorry ass.”
“It’s true,” Frank admitted. “Thanks, by the way, for having my back,” he added, turning to Tim.
“Yes, thank you, Tim, for keeping Frank safe. Let me help you get more pressure on that wound,” Gina offered.
“I’m still waiting for a hug in case you forgot,” Tim reminded her.
Gina hesitated and glanced over at Frank, who gave a reluctant nod. “Glad you’re OK, Tim,” she said, putting her arms around him. But when Tim held on to her a little too long, she immediately regretted it.
“OK, OK. That’s enough,” Frank interrupted.
“I could get used to that,” Tim commented after she walked away.
“Get your own girl, Wallace, and keep your hands off my wife.”
“Your, your wife?” he stammered, eyebrows raised.
A smile crept across Frank’s face as he finished his thought. “At least she will be, providing she says yes.”
Frank had more important things to do than continue this conversation with Tim, who was speechless anyway. Frank rejoined Gina and Sean, who had already removed their vests and were talking with the captain. “May I steal you away for a moment?” he asked her.
“Go ahead. I’ll handle this,” Sean said, indicating his approval.
Frank motioned for Gina to follow him. He looked down at his shaking hands that only minutes ago had held a potentially deadly weapon. Now, more than anything, he needed to hold her.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Over here,” Frank replied and led her behind a nearby building. After a quick glance to confirm they were alone, he backed her up against the wall and kissed her forcefully, placing one hand on each side of her as if he feared she might escape. He stopped and looked at Gina intensely before pressing his body against hers to deliver a long, passionate ‘I can’t live without you’ kiss.
“Wow, Frank! You surprised me,” she said breathlessly and added, “in a good way.”
“I was worried about you today,” he admitted. “Things got brutal out there.”
“Hey, we made it. That’s all that matters, right?” she responded. Gina took his hand, held it over her pounding heart, and ran her other hand lovingly over his face, smiling at him.
“And I’ve never felt more glad to be alive.” Frank thought about how similar Gina was to himself at her age. He knew being under fire must have scared her too, but her naïve youth would not allow her to hold on to fear for long. She had guts and determination, and he admired and respected her for it. She also had a kind heart and a sweetness that she allowed him to see but was usually hidden at work. He adored her and every wonderful quality that was a part of her, but her lips were distracting him from any further thoughts.
Sean had taken note of the direction Gina and Frank had headed and came looking for them when they did not return in a reasonable amount of time. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked when he discovered Frank smothering Gina with kisses, which she didn’t seem to mind. Startled, they turned to face Sean. They looked as guilty as could be, and at first, nobody said a word. “How about I give you two a minute to finish up whatever is going on here?”
“That was nice of him,” Gina said sheepishly. “I guess we were being a little unprofessional, not that I’m complaining.”
“Gina, there’s something I want to talk to you about,” Frank blurted out. He knew he was running out of time and couldn’t afford to stall much longer.
“What is it?”
“Gina, maybe my timing is terrible, but days like today make me realize just how fragile our lives really are. I know you’ve been through a lot lately, so I hope I’m not throwing too much at you. It’s just that I don’t want to wait any longer to let you know my intentions. I realize I’m rambling, and that’s not like me.” Frank fumbled around nervously with the ring that had been sitting in his pocket for two weeks now. He’d been waiting for the right moment and enough courage to ask her such an important question. Their entire future would depend on her answer.
“Take a breath, Frank. It’s just me. You know you can tell me anything.”
Frank took her hand in his before continuing. “Gina, I knew I was in trouble the moment I met you. The more I tried to deny my feelings and convince myself it would never work, the more impossible you were to ignore. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get you out of my head, and by some miracle, the feeling became mutual. What I didn’t know back then was how much I would grow to love you. We’ve been living together for a couple months now, and it’s been the best time of my life. You make me happy in a way I didn’t think was possible again. My life is so much better having you to share it with. The rest of the world might not understand why we’re together, but I don’t really care. I know what I want, and hopefully, it’s something you want too.” He hesitated, wondering if she knew what was coming next. “Gina, you’re an amazing woman, and I want to keep living with you – not as your boyfriend, but as your husband. After all we’ve been through, I believe we’re meant to be together, and I want us to be together forever.” Frank paused for a moment to reach into his pocket. He pulled out the ring, got down on one knee, and looked into her eyes. “Gina Marie Walker, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Gina’s hand covered her mouth. Could this really be happening? Frank was smiling warmly at her, waiting patiently for an answer, but it took her a moment to find the right words. “Frank, you’re a wonderful man, and you know how much I love you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’ve never felt more loved and cared for than I do with you. You prove your love in everything you say and do. You’ve risked so much, including your career and even your own life, to be with me. I’ve never known what it’s like to matter that much to someone. Frank, you make me happy every day we’re together, and I believe the love we share could last a lifetime. You’re the only man who’s ever been right for me in all the ways that matter.”
“So, does this mean you’ll marry me?” he prompted. Frank watched a glowing smile spread across Gina’s face, outdone only by the way her lovely eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked back at him.
“Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” Gina kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck, inviting Frank to lift her up in the air for a moment.
After he set her down, Frank took Gina’s hand and carefully put the ring on her finger. “This humble engagement ring is only temporary until we can pick out one that suits you. The diamond belonged to my mother. It’s tiny and simple, but it was all my dad could afford to give her. After she died, he wanted me to hold onto it until I found someone as special as he did. The funny thing is I never gave this ring to my first wife. I guess I thought it would be corny or something. It just didn’t feel right, so I kept the ring in my closet, where it sat around for twenty-some years waiting for you to come along.”
“That’s so romantic,” Gina said, trying not to let her tears of joy overtake her. “Now I’m not sure I want any other ring.”
“You can still wear this one, but this was hers. You should probably have your own, don’t you think?”
“Frank, I don’t care which ring I wear as long as you’ll always love me as much as you do right now.”
“Gina, my love for you is forever.” Frank kissed her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. “How about you and I go out and celebrate tonight after work. You could put on one of your best dresses, and I’ll take you out to a really nice restaurant for a special dinner and some dancing. What do you say?”
“I say yes! Yes to everything!” Gina said excitedly.
“Terrific. I can’t wait.”
“Me neither. Hey, should we tell everyone at work, or is this our little secret?”
“I may have said too much to Tim right before I asked you, so I don’t think it’ll stay a secret for long. Sorry.”
“That’s OK. I’m not sure I could have kept it anyway! Speaking of work, we should probably get back before Sean comes looking for us again.”
“Frank! Is it true?” Tim called out to him when they reappeared.
“Yes, Tim,” he replied joyfully while Gina proudly held up her hand to show off the ring she was wearing.
“Congratulations you guys!” Tim said, shaking Frank’s hand. “Gina, I must say it hurts a bit knowing you chose this guy over me, but I’ll eventually get over it.” He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
By then, Sean had overheard what was going on and joined them. “Congratulations, Frank! I know I gave you guys a hard time at first, but it’s obvious you two are made for each other. And Gina, it’s so good to see you so incredibly happy. Believe me when I tell you this man loves you with all his heart and then some.”
“What’s going on here, and why wasn’t I invited to the party?” Captain Michaels asked. He studied each of his detectives, trying to determine what had caused the commotion. It was obvious someone had good news to share. “Well? Don’t leave me in suspense!”
“Should I tell him?” Gina asked Frank.
“Sure, go ahead.”
Gina could no longer contain her excitement. “We’re getting married!” she announced. She grasped Frank’s hand and held it for a moment.
“Congratulations! I had a feeling this day was coming, and I couldn’t be happier for you both. You two have been through so much,” Captain Michaels said before shaking Frank’s hand and giving Gina a warm hug. “When’s the wedding?”
“We’ll be sure to let you know,” Frank responded, happy for now just to enjoy the moment. They could work out the details later.
That night, Gina struggled to choose the perfect dress for celebrating their engagement. “Stop hovering, Frank! How do you ever expect me to make up my mind? Besides, I want to surprise you, so go!”
After getting kicked out of his own bedroom, Frank realized his best suit was actually out in the car and went down to get it. His closet space had shrunk considerably since Gina had moved in with him. Three-quarters of the clothes in it were hers, but he didn’t mind. She had filled up his closet like she filled up his life. He wouldn’t feel empty or lonely ever again, and he hoped he would always make her as happy as she made him.
Frank returned to find Gina standing in the doorway looking absolutely stunning. She was quite the sight, and he knew he would never grow tired of seeing her. “You never disappoint me,” Frank said while he admired her. “Just when I think it’s impossible for you to look any more beautiful, you prove me wrong.”
“Your compliments really are starting to go to my head,” Gina said with a smile.
“How about we skip dinner and get an early start on the honeymoon?” Frank suggested with that gleam in his eye she was seeing a lot of lately. He promptly swept her up in his arms, set her down on the bed, and began playing with the straps of her dress.
“Not so fast, mister! You at least have to buy me dinner first!” she teased. “Don’t think you can sweet talk me into skipping this special night you promised, with dancing too, don’t forget!”
“Alright, alright. You win.”
When they arrived at the restaurant, Gina was noticeably impressed. She had never been anywhere so elegant in her life. The place was like a work of art.
“Are you sure we can afford this?” she whispered in Frank’s ear.
“Don’t you worry about that. It’s a special night, and we’re celebrating. I had to search high and low to find this place, but it was worth it to see the look on your face.”
“It’s amazing and so romantic,” Gina replied, taking in the atmosphere. White linen tablecloths, candles, and vases of flowers decorated each table. The lighting was low, and the ceiling was painted to create the illusion of dining under the stars. Beautiful murals depicting tranquil scenes covered the walls, and strands of soft white lights were draped overhead. There was also a small dance floor and romantic standards could be heard playing softly in the background.
After they were seated, Gina glanced over the menu. It offered an assortment of gourmet selections, and the wine list was a mile long. She wasn’t sure what to choose.
“What’s wrong?” Frank asked, sensing her indecisiveness. “I know you like Italian food.”
“Pizza and spaghetti for sure, but I’m not used to such fancy meals. To be honest, I don’t know what half this stuff is.”
“How about the lasagna then? You can’t go wrong with lasagna.”
“Anything smothered in cheese sounds good to me.”
“Me too,” he agreed.
“In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m afraid I’m not much of a cook. I just thought you should know that.”
“Like that’s going to change my mind about marrying you?” he asked her.
“Well, no, but don’t expect too much. I don’t exactly have time for experiments in the kitchen with the hours I put in.”
“Neither do I, but I’m not worried about it.”
“Maybe you should be,” Gina joked. “With the two of us in the kitchen, it’s possible we’ll both starve.”
“We’ve survived so far somehow.”
“That’s true.” Gina paused before changing the subject. “Frank, I almost hate to bring this up, but I think I should. You’ve been divorced before and a small part of me worries about it happening to us, even though it seems impossible now.”
“Few people go into marriage expecting to get divorced. I sure didn’t, but you have every right to express any doubts you have. I truly believe I’d still be married today if not for the miscarriage and the obsession I have with my job. Our situation is different though since we work together. We get to see each other all the time, and you know what it’s like to do this job. You’re no stranger to the stress, the long hours, and the lifestyle it requires. We understand each other.”
Gina nodded in agreement.
“You know, I thought about that before I asked you to marry me. I fully intend to be married to you for the rest of my life, and I know I take that commitment much more seriously than I did the first time around. You’ve suffered so much in your life, and I would never want to add to that pain by hurting you or letting you down.”
“I know, Frank. I just wanted to be open with you. Now let’s just enjoy this wonderful meal. We’re supposed to be celebrating.”
Frank couldn’t help but stare at Gina throughout the meal. He felt so incredibly lucky to be spending this evening with her, celebrating their engagement no less. What more could he possibly ask for? The woman he adored had agreed to be his wife! Frank still wondered how someone so perfect could fall for him. He loved her smile and the way her skin looked so young, so soft, and so beautiful, without a hint of the incredible stress their jobs put them through on a daily basis. Although Frank considered himself fit and relatively attractive for his age, he was still curious if the sudden appearance of gray hairs on his head bothered her as much as it bothered him. The passage of time had also brought what he liked to think of as character lines, but in reality they were wrinkles, wrinkles that Gina did not yet have, and wouldn’t have, for some time yet. Unfortunately, they were most evident when he smiled, and that happened frequently when she was around.
“Gina, there’s something else on my mind tonight. It’s a doubt that should have crossed your mind, and unfortunately, it’s part of the deal. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m more than a decade ahead of you in years, and maybe it’s not a problem for you right now, but it could be in the future. I don’t worry about getting older; I worry about being too old for you. Maybe I’m worried someday you’ll leave me. The stress of life is beginning to show on my weary face, and my hair is a bit grayer than I’d like it to be. You probably think men don’t notice or care about these things, but we do, and I need to know how you feel since you’re the one who’ll have to look at me for the next several decades. I’ll never have to watch you grow as old as I’ll be for you. Most likely, you’ll outlive me, and you could be alone for a number of years. I’d do just about anything for you, but I can’t change my age.”
“I don’t think I’ve put as much thought into it as you have, but you know I love you for you, Frank. It might start to make more of a difference as time goes on, but I’ll be growing older too. We’ll handle it as it comes, and I’ll be there to take care of you the same loving way you’ve always taken care of me. But really, none of us knows how long we’re going to live. I could be the one who gets sick or gets shot and dies young, and then you’d be the one left alone. Our work involves such uncertainty, but most likely, we’ll have decades of good years left. And please don’t waste your time worrying about going gray! I actually think it’s kind of sexy, and it makes you look wise, which you are. You’re still a handsome man to me, but it’s the kind of man you are that makes you even more so, and it’s why I fell in love with you.”
“Gina, right now you’re blinded by love, but this face might not look so good to you in a few years.”
“Frank, I know you think you’re not good enough for me. Maybe I’m wondering if I’m good enough for you.”
“What? That’s crazy!”
“You’ve got so much going for you right now.”
“Yeah, and it’s mostly because of you!”
“Your career...”
“My career is all I have outside of you, Gina.”
“I know you’ll go far in life, Frank. I just hope I can keep up with you.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you, Gina. If I go far, it’ll be because you inspired me to get there. Maybe I’m worried I won’t be able to keep up with you or share all your interests.”
“I don’t expect you to. That’s what I have friends for.”
“And when you want to go out barhopping and clubbing with your friends, I know those younger guys, and a few older ones too, will be hitting on you, and that bothers me. I might not have the stamina to work all day and then stay up half the night scaring them off.”
“But at the end of the night, I’ll always come home to you, Frank. Besides, I’m not sure how much more partying is in my future. I am pushing thirty, you know,” Gina joked. “Now what if some other young, attractive new hire comes to our department, and they make her your partner? Then I’d be jealous for sure.”
“Seriously, what are the odds? I won the lottery once. It’s extremely unlikely it would ever happen again. It’s far more likely that one of these days you’ll end up partners with some good-looking, unattached detective that I’ll have to keep in line.”
“Frank, there are a million things we could spend our time worrying about, and what if none of them ever ends up happening? Then we wasted all that time we could have been happy together. Let’s just take whatever we’ve got and make the most of it.”
“Gina, I would love to turn back the clock and give you my best years.”
“But then you wouldn’t be the same man you are now.”
“You know, I was your age when I got married the first time. Now that seems like a lifetime ago.”
“You’re at a great age, Frank. I don’t think your best years are behind you. I think you’re in your prime right now, and you should just enjoy it.”
“Does it seem weird to you that I was already a teenager the day you were born?”
“Not until you mentioned it,” Gina said with a laugh. “Hey, we’re both adults now, so none of that matters anymore.”
“I hope you’ll always consider me your equal. I want to be your partner, not your father. I know it would never be my intention to treat you like a child, although I fear I might come off that way sometimes.”
“You are very protective, old-fashioned, and conservative, but opposites attract, and I happen to like the contrast between us. I think it’s something I need in my life, and your qualities balance out mine. Still, we’re definitely equals. We do the same job, and we respect each other. You wouldn’t say you’re too old for your job, would you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then you’re not too old for me. In fact, you do this job better than I do.”
“Well, if I do, it’s only because I’ve been at it longer.”
“So, what you’re saying is that age brings experience and maturity, and those are actually good things?”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“As a soon-to-be married man, it would be a good idea to get used to saying those words frequently,” she teased.
“Yes, dear,” Frank responded with a smile. “Gina, I know I’ll spend the rest of my life treasuring you. You’re so young, yet you’re wise beyond your years from all you’ve been through. I guess that’s why we’re somehow able to meet in the middle and make it work.”
“Are you starting to feel even a little better, because I feel like dancing! We’re getting married, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Hopefully, our bad times are behind us now and only good times are ahead.”
“I’ll drink to that. Now let’s dance.” Frank took her hand and led her out on the floor, where he held her close. They were surrounded by other happy couples, many of whom were celebrating special occasions, just as they were. Yet Frank and Gina were oblivious to them all. They were caught up in the moment, and no one else existed but them.
