Falling

“Put your hands up.” The stern voice behind me instructed.
“Officer I live here.” I told him.
“Turn around.” He half yelled. I did as he said, there were two of them. And they both had guns drawn. One was a little overweight and red in the face, the other who had spoken to me was a little short, for a man at least, and had a tan complexion.
“There's been a miss understanding.” I reasoned. The alarm abruptly stopped. “I live here.”
The shorter one had his cuffs out. “Listen to me. Look at the pictures on the walls, check my id. I live here.”
“Turn around.”
“Please.”
He jerked me back around until my back was to him, and patted me down. “You have the right to remain silent.” He said as the cold steel was secured on my wrist. Don't panic, I told myself. The pudgier officer went into the kitchen, gun raised.
“Please. My name is Dylan Angela Foster. My husband Christopher changed the locks and the alarm code, that's why I couldn't shut it off. He wouldn't answer his phone. See we're about to get divorced but this is still my house. So you have no right to arrest me.” I half shouted which wasn't helping at all. He had been reading me my rights the entire time I spoke. “Listen to me!”
The pudgy one returned. “There's a broken window in there. Looks like she threw a rock through it to unlock the door.”
“Yes I did because I couldn't get into my own house.” Shut up, Dylan.
Pudgy began going through the duffel bags on the floor. “Lots of clothes and shoes.”
“All mine.” I huffed. “My wedding picture is on the nightstand in the master bedroom. My id is in my purse, in my car which is parked out front.” I looked the shorter officer in the eyes, “Please I only came to get my things.”
“Come on.” Short said as he led me to the front door. He led me to the patrol car that was parked behind my car on the street, a firm grip on my upper arm. The neighbors were standing on their porches. Nothing to see here folks, I wanted to shout at them, but I got it, everyone loves a show. He opened the back door but before he put me in Pudgy told him to get my car keys. Good, they would finally see that I wasn't lying. Maybe they would run the plates as well.
Shorty put me in the backseat, shut the door and joined Pudgy by my car. This is so embarrassing I thought as the neighbors glared at me. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue at Mrs. Henderson from across the street who had the best view of me. I turned in my seat to see them behind me, my cuffs cutting into my skin. Shorty and Pudgy exchanged a few words, both looked my way.
Another patrol car came and parked on the side of the one I was in, blocking in anyone who wanted to drive down the narrow street. Geez, you'd think I killed someone. The two new officers, a young black man and a very tall red headed female joined the first two. The two of then went back into the house and brought out my duffel bag and to I assume search the house which should have been done firstly but hey it wasn't my job to tell them how to do theirs. Shorty came over to the patrol car I was in and opened the back door. “Come on, get out.” I furrowed my brow but got out. He turned me around and unlocked the cuffs. “Sorry ma'am.” I rubbed my wrist gently, protectively after the cold steel was removed. “We needed to check a few things and your story checked out. Our apologies.”
I nodded my head. I noticed his badge said S. Martinez. “It's okay officer Martinez. You were just doing your job.”
The female officer also apologized after I told her my story, she was officer Smith, she gave arresting officers a sideways glance. The younger man was Newton and Pudgy I found out was Kelley. Were about to head back into the house, that when the big oaf known as Christopher showed up.
“What happened? Did someone break-” that's when he saw me standing there in the glow of the porch light.
“There was a misunderstanding Mr. Foster. We sorted it out.” Kelley informed him.
“What's she doing here?” He scowled.
“I live here remember.” I said. “You had no to right to lock me out of my own home.”
“See I told you you'd come crawling back.” He said with a superior tone, coming closer to me.
“Please, I only came to get my things, not to come back to you, you asshole.”
“Calm down, both of you.” Officer Kelley said as he stepped in between us. Martinez explained what had happened. Chris face grew red in anger, his eyes never leaving me.
He scoffed then said. “I want her arrested, officer.”
“What?” I exclaimed.
“You heard me.” He said to me then turned to officer Kelley. “Arrest her.”
“Sir I will do no such thing.”
“But she broke the law.” Chris said, disbelief in his voice.
“But this is her house as well Mr. Foster. And we checked and what she said was true, the locks had been changed. Care to explain?”
“She broke out a window to get in here.” Chris said, avoiding the officers question.
“We know that Mr. Foster and we'll ordered her to pay for it. Isn't that right Misses Foster?”
“Yes sir.” I said. Chris' lip curled into a snarl. “Ready to sign those papers now?” I asked and he nearly lost it.
“You bitch.” He growled.
“Sir.” Smith exclaimed.
“I'll be leaving, I just need to get my things and I'll never have to come back to this house again. I'll have my name taken off the mortgage come Monday, then it'll all be yours. I only want what's mine.”
“You don't have anything here. I paid for everything.”
“You know that isn't true. I want my piano, my clothes, it's not much but it's mine. And my grandma's armchair.”
“Fine.” He said through gritted teeth.
“How about you leave tomorrow afternoon Mr. Foster, say around two, while your wife gathers her things so there won't be any conflict.” The female officer told him. I knew he wanted to scream at her but he gathered his strength and nodded. After a hushed conversation with officer Kelley he went inside.

“What were you thinking?” Maddie scolded me once I told her what had happened. Actually Chris had called Matt and Maddie heard most of it from him. But I need her to know my side, which wasn't much better than what Chris had said.
“I wasn't.”
“That's right you weren't.”
“I'm sorry I roped you into my mess.” I whispered. “I'll be gone soon. I promise.”
“Dill, I wasn't trying to make you feel worse it's just that.... you broke into your own house. You're lucky the officers had a bit of sympathy for you.” Sympathy, is that what that was?
“It could have been worse.”
“I should have waited, I shouldn't have gotten so angry but.... I'm only human.” I had been pacing, Madison stood up from the couch and placed her hands on my shoulders. “He changed the locked Mad, he tried to keep me out of my own house but he won't sign the divorce papers. It's fucked up.” My voice went up an octave on the last few words.
“I know Dill. I know.”
“I'm going to bed.” I said as I moved away from Maddie. I knew she was going to hug me and I didn't want a hug, I wanted to sleep and forget about my embarrassment. “'G'night.” I mumbled as I left the den and made it upstairs to my temporary bedroom. I had just shut my eyes when a text made my phone vibrate on the nightstand. I was going to ignore it but something told me to read it: This isn't over.
It was an unknown number but it could be only one person.