“You have a right to have a lawyer present during any ques —” Ruxs didn’t get to finish his reading this time because the glass shattering over the back of his head sent him crashing down to the floor. Water splashed over him, running down his neck along with the blood from a cut behind his ear. Ruxs held his hand over the cut, looking at all the broken glass and flowers he’d just bought littering the living room floor. He looked back at his mom. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. He was in shock. He couldn’t believe it, his mind still refusing to believe she’d done it. He checked and saw that Jacob was still on his stomach in handcuffs.
“Give me the key, Armin.” She held her shaking hand out to him. “Right now!”
Ruxs worked himself back up to one knee, his head rebelling against the movement. “What did I do? You have to tell me. What did I do for you to hate me?” He half-whispered, half-groaned with anguish.
She picked up her heavy glass ashtray off the coffee table and held it high over his head. “Shut up! Just give me the key. I won’t let you take the man I love!”
Ruxs just watched her in surprise. He couldn’t move at all. He wanted to be knocked out. He’d rather her slam that damn five pound ashtray over his head instead of witness another second of this. The countless criminals he’d encountered over his years as a cop hadn’t been this damn evil to him. His own mother would rather him be dead.
“Armin. Don’t make me do this. Give me the key. Just let him go.” Tears rained down her face. Ruxs wished those tears were for him, but he knew they weren’t.
“Fuck no,” he hissed.
“Hit him! Hit him. Gloria!” Jacob yelled from the floor. “I’ll go to jail if you don’t! Who will take care of you, baby, if I’m locked up? We won’t be together ever again if they take me.”
Ruxs saw the determination in his mother’s eyes. Knew she was going to do it. He closed his eyes and waited for it. When he heard the loud bang, his body jerked hard, believing that he’d been hit, but it was the front door.
“Freeze! Put your hands up! Drop that fuckin’ thing or I will tase you!” A uniformed officer was yelling at his mom. Ruxs reluctantly opened his eyes. She looked so scared, so frail, and clueless. He still wanted to help her, but he knew it was over. Anything he thought he could have with her was gone, there would be no going back from this. Ruxs hung his head. This was the last of his family… gone.
“Sir. Sir!” the officer yelled at him. Ruxs looked back up. “Sir, are you the detective that called us?”
His mom was already in handcuffs being taken out of the house. Another officer had joined them and pulled Jacob to his feet, ushering him right behind her. Whatever his mom was yelling didn’t register through the ringing in his ears.
“Sir. I’m getting you medical attention.” The officer clicked the mic on his shoulder but Ruxs shook his head no, groaning at the pain the action caused.
“That won’t be necessary. I’m fine.” Ruxs got to his feet, stumbling a little from the dizziness that washed over him. He thought he might have a slight concussion from impact of the vase. But the cheap, dollar store container was so thin, he doubted it. He went to the tiny linen closet and grabbed one of the few towels that was in there, pressing it to the cut right at the edge of his hairline behind his ear. “Shit.”
He followed the other officer outside, closing the front door behind him. Of course now there were four squad cars in front, lighting up the neighborhood. Ruxs quickly gave his full statement to the officers. Detailing the events from time he walked in to the time they arrived. He was used to reports; he knew what needed to be said. He’d almost left out the part about being struck and threatened by his own mother, but he changed his mind. He told them everything. She would no doubt be charged with assault and battery.
“Detective. I really think you should have that looked at. It’s still bleeding,” the officer said quietly. The concern evident on his smooth face. Ruxs appreciated it, but he just wanted to get the hell away from there. “I will. I’ll take a cab to the hospital,” he lied.
Two of the cruisers pulled away from the curb taking his mother and her “boyfriend” downtown. After the other two had concluded the call and bagged the two baggies of cocaine, they reluctantly left Ruxs sitting on the curb in the dark. He pulled out his cell and called for a cab. He kept the fastest cab company in Atlanta on speed dial. He didn’t want to go sit in a cold hospital. He needed alcohol… lots of it.