Mrs Hansen || A Lloyd Hansen Story

Guck

After a gunshot there is a millisecond where everything falls into devastatingly eery silence before chaos ensues. And this was no exception.

Hazel was crouched on the ground, Mia clutched firmly against her chest as she sobbed silently, praying to a God she didn't believe in to spare her friends and her loved ones. To let Mia grow up with both of her doting parents. And not to let this be the tragic beginning to her little life.

Still contained within this silent millisecond Hazel listened, waiting for any sign that it had been a warning shot.

Please let it have been a warning shot.

                                      •••

"Mia," Lloyd scorned playfully, "we don't pull Tony's fur. He might be a little prick, but for some reason mommy likes him and we don't want to hurt him." He prised her chubby vice grip away from the puppies plush white fur. "Aside from that, he is a fucking animal and full of god knows what."

Lloyd gave Tony a sympathetic look, shrugging in sarcastic apology. "Sorry buddy, but you lick your own dick."

"You're just jealous that you don't have that ability," Rebecca called through from the kitchen, "and can we keep the profanity to a minimum when around Mia please? I'd really like her first word to be 'mama' or 'dada' and not 'dick', 'prick' or 'fuck'."

Lloyd gave Mia a playfully guilty grimace, "whoops." He mouthed, winking at her as she giggled excitedly, drool rolling out of her wide open mouth.

Grabbing her chubby bare foot, Lloyd pretended to eat it. Causing Mia to erupt into a squeal of laughter.  Rebecca appeared from the kitchen, laughing along with them. Lloyd glanced up at her, noting her glossy eyes.

"You okay sweetheart?"

Rebecca's smile was spread from cheek to cheek, "Never been happier."

                                      •••

"It's too much." Rebecca sobbed to herself, stepping over the body as she made her way inside, "it's too fucking much."

She pushed open the front door, Tony began dancing around her feet sniffing and whining. She walked right to Hazel who was sitting on the floor with her back against the sofa, cradling Mia, who amazingly was asleep.

Getting to her feet Hazel brushed away tears with her free hand, extending Mia out to Rebecca.

"I'm so sorry Rebecca, I'm so so so sorry." Her voice catching on the raw emotion.

Taking Mia into her arms Rebecca held onto her for dear life. "I'm sorry my darling, this isn't going to be your life. It's over Mia, it's over." She kissed Mia's open mouth, her button nose and over her cheeks nuzzling her long thick eyelashes with the tip of her nose.

When that gun shot went off, Rebecca's heart tore in half. But her only thought was of Mia, and how this wasn't going to be her life. Not if she could help it.

McKenna rushed through the door, tears staining her cheeks. "I'm so sorry Becca, I'm..." she began to blubber.

Alan soon followed, his eyes heavy, "They want to speak with you." Though he tried to hide it, his lip quivered.

Mia began to rouse, her eyes opening and closing slowly. Her wide mouth turning into an adoring smile as she gazed up at her mother. Rebecca handed her off to Hazel again before wiping away the stream of tears gliding down her cheeks.

She stepped down the porch stairs slowly, neighbours gawping from the ends of their driveway as CIA agents ushered them back inside.

Deep crimson blood was spread out across the buff slabbed driveway. Glancing up from the pool, Rebecca saw the distinctive black body bag being wheeled into to back of a coroners van. She felt her legs tremble beneath her. Chest caving, body aching. Rebecca fell to her knees. Silent sobs were dragged from her throat.