Crossroads

Lucy’s POV

“Are you two sure you’re going to be okay?” Max asked as he pulled up to the front of the mall.

“Yes I’m sure Max. Now go. We’ll call when we’re done.” I replied.

Max sighed, “Fine. But if there is any trouble call me got it?” he asked.

“Yes Dad. We’ll be okay Max. Go.” Joanna replied.

“Alright love you.” Max said and I leaned in and kissed him before heading in.

Today Joanna and I were going shopping for baby stuff. Soon we’d be in LA and too pregnant to function. So we had to get all that we could done while we were here. We’d shopped on and off but we’d left out a few things.

“So where do we start first?” Joanna asked.

I felt one of the babies kick against my belly and a second later my stomach rumbled.

“Food court.” I smiled and we headed there.

After stuffing our faces we got down to business. We headed for the first store which sold baby stuff. This one was mostly furniture and such so we set off to find pack and plays for the bus.

By the time we walked out of there Joanna had found a pink one for Harper and I had found one that had bassinets for the twins. We also had picked up strollers. Of course Harper’s was pink and the double one I found was pink on one side and blue on the other.

After that we headed to a store that sold clothes. I managed to find a set of rock and roll onesies for both twins; red and black for the boy and pink and black for the girl, and Joanna picked up a similar set for Harper.

We had decided to see what we could find at Spencer’s for the babies when we stopped by a jewelry store. Since I was obsessed with shiny things I had to stop and look.

“Oh! This reminds me I want to get something for Leila.” Joanna said looking at the display of children’s jewelry in the window.

“What did you want to get her?” I asked.

“Craig and I were here a few days ago and I saw a necklace that I want to get it for her. I want her to know that even though that Craig and I are married now and having another baby that she’s still important.” Joanna replied.

We walked over to the display and Joanna pointed something in the case. The woman unlocked it and pulled out necklace. It was a silver heart and pink pearl hanging on a silver chain. On the heart the words ‘Big Sister’ were inscribed.

“Aww…that’s so cute.” I smiled.

“I know. She’ll love it.” Joanna replied.

Joanna paid for it and they wrapped it in pink paper with a silver bow before we headed out. On the way to Spencer’s we found ourselves distracted again when we passed by Books A Million.

The place was mostly deserted. The two of us grabbed coffee from Starbucks along with a cookie each before heading to the shelves. Joanna stopped and lingered around the newest Cassandra Clare novel while I headed to the magazines to see if they had the newest issue of Revolver. I could see the shelves of magazines when suddenly I felt a hand on my arm.

The next thing I knew I was pressed against the shelves, the sharp, cold point of a knife at my throat.

“So we meet again.”

I cracked my eyes, that had been squeezed shut, open to see who it was and standing in front of me was the stalker. Suddenly my knees went weak and I had the urge to pass out.

“You know Lucy…you and Joanna…you two were perfect. You both were talented and energetic. So exuberant on stage…just like your friends but…different. I knew the moment that I looked at the two of you on stage that the three of us would be the best of friends. You were just the girls I wanted.” he smiled.

“W-Wanted?” I asked, my voice whimpering. I had to stall. Maybe someone would come by…someone would save us.

“Yes wanted. You were perfect until the both of you decided that you wanted to go whore around and get yourselves knocked up!” he snapped.

“We-We didn’t whore around. Joanna she-she’s married to Craig now and M-Max and I are getting married too. S-See?” I asked raising my hand up so that he could see my ring.

“Well isn’t that just perfect for you?!? What about me though?!? Where do I fit in?!? Don’t I get to be a part of your lives?!? No! I don’t do I?!? So I’m going to make things go back! I’m going to change things so that you’re the perfect girls again! So you’re the girls that I knew!” he snapped.

“What are you g-going to do?” I asked.

A maniacal grin spread over his face, “The last time I saw you as who you were was before you two were pregnant with those monstrosities. So I’m going to cut them out of you.” he replied.

My heart began to race faster at the thought of him harming my babies.

“P-Please don’t hurt my babies! I-I’ll do anything just don’t hurt them.” I replied.

“It’s too late to beg Lucy.” He replied and raised the blade towards my stomach.

Before he could get it all the way there though there was yelling and a moment later I was no longer pressed against the bookshelf. I looked down to see Robert pinning the guy down.

“Stay the fuck down mother fucker.” he cursed as he pushed his knee between the guy’s shoulder blades.

“Lucy come with me!”

I turned and saw Monte reaching out to me. I took his hand and he pulled me out of the aisle and towards the front of the store. He sat me down in a chair as two mall security guards went running past.

“Are you okay?” he asked kneeling beside me.

“Y-Yeah…I’m fine. Wait! WHERE’S JOANNA?!?” I asked becoming frantic.

“Shh…Luce it’s okay…Michael’s got her. Look here they come.” Monte said.

I jumped up as best as I could and ran to her throwing my arms around her neck.

“What’s going on?” she asked hugging me back.

“T-The stalker! He’s here! He-He wanted to cut the babies out of me! He-oh god.” I said and dissolved into sobs.

Michael helped me back to the chair and Monte wrapped his arms around me and held me as I cried. Suddenly from nowhere there was a shout and suddenly the stalker came running out of the aisle brandishing the knife.

He made a beeline for where Joanna and I were. The security guards were chasing him. Monte and Michael moved in front of us but the guards tackled him just as he was reaching us. However it wasn’t without a fight.

It all a blur as he tried to fight them and they struggled to get the knife out of his hand. The only thing I knew as they were getting closer. Suddenly Joanna disappeared from sight as the stalker grabbed her leg and brought her down. However a split second later the guards pulled him away.

“SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!” Monte yelled kneeling beside Joanna who was unconscious, having hit her head when she fell.

Blood was seeping out of the back of her head and she wasn’t responding to Monte talking to her. A moment later my knees fell out from under me and I began to feel dizzy, my entire body shaking. Michael caught me and lowered me to the ground.

One of the security guards knelt beside me and the last thing I remembered was his face as he yelled to someone, “She’s going into shock!” then nothing.

When I woke up again I was being loaded into and ambulance with Max beside me.

“Where’s Joanna?” I asked him.

“She’s in the other ambulance with Craig. You just sleep okay?” Max said his voice worried.

I nodded and closed my eyes and thought no more.

The next several hours were hectic. They kept Joanna and I in the hospital for observation. She had 10 stitches in her head and a minor concussion. As for me I had gone into shock and was treated for that. They tracked the babies and made sure everything was okay with them.

After we were deemed fit to talk the cops talked to us. This time they had caught the guy. They told us a bit about him but what they didn’t tell us Max and Craig did.

His name was Quincy McCollum. He was 31 and from the LA area. He had lived in the same apartment building as the girls and us before we’d moved in with the guys. On his person they had found 3 different kinds of knives including a large serrated hunting knife.

We were super grateful for Monte, Robert and Michael who had saved us and our babies. It turned out that they had randomly been at the mall and had caught sight of me walking towards the back of the store so they’d gone into say hi. The moment they walked in though they had seen the guy grab me and had hurried to see what was going on. They’d seen me with a knife at my throat and Monte had told Michael to go find Joanna since we didn’t often go anywhere without the other.

From there Robert had tackled the guy while Michael had found Joanna and tried to get her out the store and go for help. Joanna and I were more thankful for them than we could ever say.

We were released the next day and went home. Max and Craig waited on us hand and foot. They cook cleaned and pretty much did everything for us. Joanna and I just had to sit on the couch and watch TV while they kept us supplied with quarts of Phish food and Peanut Butter.

The day after we got home I dozed off on the couch only to wake up screaming as dreams of the stalker holding the knife at my throat haunted me. Max was instantly at my side hugging me and telling me it was okay.

I clung to him sobbing. As horrible as things seemed right now I knew that soon the babies would be here and things would be okay. And I was glad Max would be there for me.