The lights of the casinos went dark, signalling the start of the Freemont Street Experience. I stood in front of the open doors of the casino, the sounds of the gaming inside continued to fill my ears. People inside playing the slots and card games as those outside turned their eyes upward waiting for the light show about to begin. All the while they were oblivious to me. But they would soon hear about me. Wondering if they would be next, if they were safe in their own home, not knowing that my targets were specific to me at this point. My targets. Yes, they would soon know my presence in their lifes again.
****
A pink glow was growing on the horizon as he made his way home. The sun rise marking a new day in Vegas. It had been a rough shift Warrick thought to himself. They had been short handed tonight. Sara had had the night off and Nick had called in sick. "Sick my ass," he said to no one but himself. They all knew Nick and Sara had been seeing one another. "Something tells me Nicky was getting a little action tonight. Well Nicky boy, I hope you enjoyed your night off, because this weekend belongs to me." He reached to turn the radio up and then let his hand drop to feel the lump in his pocket. He had picked up the engagement ring earlier in the day. Pulling it out and opening the box, he watched it sparkle as he turned it from side to side. "Oh man, you are taking a big step this weekend Warrick," he said to himself. The sound of a car horn behind him brought him back to where he was. The traffic light had turned green, he waved apologetically to the car behind him and continued on his drive home. He pulled in the driveway of his condo, the only things concerning himself at this point were a hot shower, followed by an ice cold beer with dinner while watching a tape of the football game.
He put the key in the lock and opened the door and stepped inside. Something was not right. Flickering light filled the room, indicating a fire was burning in the fireplace. The overwhelming smell of something delicious being cooked in the kitchen made him realize just how hungry he was. Suddenly a set of hands covered his eyes from behind.
"Guess who?" a soft feminine voice said.
"Uh, I know it's not Sara, is it Catherine?" He reached up and put his hands over hers.
"No, try again," she responded.
"Then it must be Lisa," the smile growing on his face.
"Warrick!" she said in mock disgust, giving him a slight shove as she released him.
He turned around and took her in his arms. "Come here you. I knew it was you all along."
She looked up into his eyes and giggled. "Sure you did."
He kissed her and turned his gaze into the room. The table had been set for what appeared to be a cozy little dinner for two, complete with candle light and wine glasses. The fire in the fireplace casting a warm glow throughout the room. He looked back at her, the flames from the fire reflecting in her dark eyes. God she is so beautiful he thought.
"How did you do all this tonight Shawna? I thought you had to work tonight."
"I traded shifts with Dr. Akili tonight."
"You're still off this weekend aren't you?" the concern creeping into his voice.
"That's all taken care of. Dr. Phillips has this weekend in the ER and I have next weekend."
"So why did you take tonight off..., not that I'm complaining or anything?" he asked even though he knew why she had. It was their six month anniversary. They had plans to spend a long weekend at Lake Tahoe. That was where he was planning to propose.
"Don't you remember?" She pulled away from him and stood in front of the fire. "I can't believe you forgot!"
Warrick came up behind her and put his arms around her. He saw the tears running down her cheeks and saw the hurt look on her face. He turned her around to face him and wiped the tears away with his hands. "Hey, hey, don't cry. I'm sorry. I know tonight is important."
"Tell me why it is so important?"
Warrick reached into his pocket and fingered the small box. He realized this was the time to pop the question. "Shawna," he started, the nervousness sounding in his voice. "Shawna, six months ago when I met you at the hospital ER was a very special night, and when you agreed to go out with me, at that point I thought I was the luckiest man in Vegas. How someone like you would agree to see someone like me." Warrick slowly lowered himself to one knee and took her hands in his. A look of shock and surprise was beginning to cover Shawna's face as she began to realize what was happening.
"Warrick," she stuttered.
"Shawna, you could make me even happier if you do me the honor of saying yes and becoming Mrs. Warrick Brown." He pulled the ring from his pocket and placed it on her finger.
Shawna raised her hand to face and watched the ring catch the light from the fire. The tears began flowing even more freely now as she looked down at Warrick who was still on one knee. "Oh yes. Yes Warrick, I'll marry you."
Warrick picked her up in his arms and they kissed passionately as they sat on the couch, watching the tape of the football game was a distant memory now.
****
A pink glow was growing on the horizon as he made his way home. The sun rise marking a new day in Vegas. It had been a rough shift Warrick thought to himself. They had been short handed tonight. Sara had had the night off and Nick had called in sick. "Sick my ass," he said to no one but himself. They all knew Nick and Sara had been seeing one another. "Something tells me Nicky was getting a little action tonight. Well Nicky boy, I hope you enjoyed your night off, because this weekend belongs to me." He reached to turn the radio up and then let his hand drop to feel the lump in his pocket. He had picked up the engagement ring earlier in the day. Pulling it out and opening the box, he watched it sparkle as he turned it from side to side. "Oh man, you are taking a big step this weekend Warrick," he said to himself. The sound of a car horn behind him brought him back to where he was. The traffic light had turned green, he waved apologetically to the car behind him and continued on his drive home. He pulled in the driveway of his condo, the only things concerning himself at this point were a hot shower, followed by an ice cold beer with dinner while watching a tape of the football game.
He put the key in the lock and opened the door and stepped inside. Something was not right. Flickering light filled the room, indicating a fire was burning in the fireplace. The overwhelming smell of something delicious being cooked in the kitchen made him realize just how hungry he was. Suddenly a set of hands covered his eyes from behind.
"Guess who?" a soft feminine voice said.
"Uh, I know it's not Sara, is it Catherine?" He reached up and put his hands over hers.
"No, try again," she responded.
"Then it must be Lisa," the smile growing on his face.
"Warrick!" she said in mock disgust, giving him a slight shove as she released him.
He turned around and took her in his arms. "Come here you. I knew it was you all along."
She looked up into his eyes and giggled. "Sure you did."
He kissed her and turned his gaze into the room. The table had been set for what appeared to be a cozy little dinner for two, complete with candle light and wine glasses. The fire in the fireplace casting a warm glow throughout the room. He looked back at her, the flames from the fire reflecting in her dark eyes. God she is so beautiful he thought.
"How did you do all this tonight Shawna? I thought you had to work tonight."
"I traded shifts with Dr. Akili tonight."
"You're still off this weekend aren't you?" the concern creeping into his voice.
"That's all taken care of. Dr. Phillips has this weekend in the ER and I have next weekend."
"So why did you take tonight off..., not that I'm complaining or anything?" he asked even though he knew why she had. It was their six month anniversary. They had plans to spend a long weekend at Lake Tahoe. That was where he was planning to propose.
"Don't you remember?" She pulled away from him and stood in front of the fire. "I can't believe you forgot!"
Warrick came up behind her and put his arms around her. He saw the tears running down her cheeks and saw the hurt look on her face. He turned her around to face him and wiped the tears away with his hands. "Hey, hey, don't cry. I'm sorry. I know tonight is important."
"Tell me why it is so important?"
Warrick reached into his pocket and fingered the small box. He realized this was the time to pop the question. "Shawna," he started, the nervousness sounding in his voice. "Shawna, six months ago when I met you at the hospital ER was a very special night, and when you agreed to go out with me, at that point I thought I was the luckiest man in Vegas. How someone like you would agree to see someone like me." Warrick slowly lowered himself to one knee and took her hands in his. A look of shock and surprise was beginning to cover Shawna's face as she began to realize what was happening.
"Warrick," she stuttered.
"Shawna, you could make me even happier if you do me the honor of saying yes and becoming Mrs. Warrick Brown." He pulled the ring from his pocket and placed it on her finger.
Shawna raised her hand to face and watched the ring catch the light from the fire. The tears began flowing even more freely now as she looked down at Warrick who was still on one knee. "Oh yes. Yes Warrick, I'll marry you."
Warrick picked her up in his arms and they kissed passionately as they sat on the couch, watching the tape of the football game was a distant memory now.