A Cops Dream
Chapter 4
Isabel: Excuse me? I thought you said that your husband was dead
Lucy: He is
Isabel: But the man you married, your husband the man you believed was dead you're trying to tell me that his name was Tim Bradford?
Lucy: Yeah
Isabel: Okay Tim, how do you explain all of this? Because for the 9 years that you have been with the LAPD you have been using the name Tim Bradford.
Tim: Isabel, I have no idea how to explain any of this.
Isabel: So, you are not the same Tim Bradford that was married to Lucy?
Tim: Isabel, please.
Isabel: Oh my god! You were married to Lucy?
Tim: This is not how I wanted you to find out about this, but yes, I married Lucy 12 years ago before I left to Iraq.
Isabel: I'm sorry, but you told me that you had never been married before. So which one is it? Were you married to Lucy or did you lie to me.
Tim: Look, what happened between me and Lucy was messy and complicated and it caused me to completely shut down. When I would tell women that the girl I had once married never spoke to me again after we exchanged rings they would smile and give some lame excuse about why they had to leave. Eventually I just stopped telling people.
Isabel: We are supposed to be getting married in two days, you told me that I was the only woman you ever wanted to be married to, what am I supposed to believe now that I know you were married once before and that you were married to my partner.
Tim: Isabel, I know you don't understand what is going on here, quite honestly neither do I. But the topic of my first marriage to Lucy was extremely painful for me to talk about and since I hadn't heard from her since the night, we got married I never expected for the topic to come up, ever.
Isabel: I understand not telling me about everything that has happened to you in the past Tim, but to lie about ever being married.
Tim: Isabel, I want to talk to you calmly about all of this and you deserve to hear all the answers that I could give you but it's been 12 years since the last time I saw Lucy. I know that there are some important things that you and I need to discuss but first Lucy and I really need to talk.
Lucy: Like hell we do. I don't know who you are or why you are both doing this to me, but my husband, my Tim is dead. He died 11 years ago in Iraq, so whoever you are please just leave me alone.
Tim: Lucy, why do you keep saying that I am dead.
Lucy: Because they told me that Tim died during a missile strike. Because I stood there and I watched as they lowered Tim's body into the ground. Because for 12 years I have been praying and wishing for Tim to come back home to me and for 12 years Tim has been gone, been dead, so how could you even expect me to believe that you are the man I fell in love with? That you are the man I married just before he left to fight a war that he never came home from?
Tim stood in horror as he listened to what Lucy was telling him. He had no idea what had happened all those years ago, or how she could have believed that he was dead for so long but his heart ached for her. He saw the pain that was clearly written all over her face as he watched her struggle to breathe, the panic slowly visible in her actions. Tim noticed Lucy moving her hand towards her chest and he saw her pull out a chain from under her clothes, he watched her start to play with a ring that was sitting on the chain, when he looked closer he saw that the ring she was touching was the ring he had once lovingly slipped on her finger and his heart just broke at the thought of all the pain she had gone through over the years that they were apart.
Lucy stood there touching the ring that Tim had given her and she was trying so hard not to let the panic that was rising in her chest completely take over. Here she was looking at a man who looked so similar to Tim, her Tim and he was telling her that he was actually her husband Tim Bradford. But Lucy knew that regardless of what the man in front her kept saying, that there was no way this was her Tim, she also remembered that it was very possible this man was just another Tim look alike and not actually the man she married. Lucy had already been down this road before, staring at a man who looked exactly like Tim, but that time he kept saying that he wasn't Tim. So, Lucy just stood there staring at Tim, remembering the first time she had come face to face with Jake.
Lucy had been out on patrol when they spotted a car zooming past them, so she and her partner had turned on the lights and sirens and quickly pulled over the car. Lucy got out and walked to the driver's side door and almost fainted when she saw that Tim was driving the car.
Lucy: Tim?
Jake: Whose Tim?
Lucy: Tim, this is not funny! I thought you were dead.
Jake: Officer, I don't know who you think I am but I aint Tim.
Lucy: Tim baby it's me. Don't you recognize me?
Jake: Lady, my name is not Tim.
Lucy: Tim, what happened to you over there? They told me you were dead
Jake: Then officer, Tim is probably dead because my name is not Tim, I'm Jake Butler.
Noah Foster: License and registration please sir.
Jake handed Noah is his information and Noah took it back to the shop and ran the information. He then went over to talk to Lucy.
Noah: Officer Chen, this gentleman is telling the truth. His name is Jake Butler and he is originally from Miami.
Lucy: I'm really sorry sir for the confusion but you look exactly like my husband.
Lucy took out her phone and showed both Jake and Noah a photo of her and Tim.
Jake: Woah, that really does look like me.
Noah: They look identical, no wonder you got confused. Sir, I am going to let you off with a warning this time, but please drive slower.
Jake: Yes sir, officer sir.
Well as Jake was a criminal and Lucy was a police officer their paths had crossed several times since the latest being only a couple of weeks ago at which point Jake was sentenced to 5 years in prison for drug possession and distribution. Every time she had to face Jake it was hard for her as he reminded her so much of Tim. So, now as Lucy was standing in the station with Isabel and her fiancé who looked so much like Tim, Lucy knew that this man in front of her definitely wasn't Jake, but it couldn't be Tim either even though he was claiming to be Tim Bradford the man she had married all those years ago. Lucy continued to stare at them as she felt the world start to swirl around her as all of this was becoming way too much for her to handle right now.
Lucy: Isabel, I don't know what I've ever done to piss you off so badly that you felt like you had to hurt me and stab me in the heart like this.
Isabel: Lucy, I honestly have no idea what is going on right now. I simply wanted to introduce you to my fiancé since Chris told me that you wouldn't be able to attend the wedding.
Isabel looked at Tim, now starting to understand why Tim didn't want Lucy at their wedding.
Lucy: Isabel, my husband Tim Bradford is dead and you think it would be funny to introduce me to your fiancé and claim that his name is Tim Bradford and now he is telling me that he is my dead husband but he is not dead?
Tim: Lucy, I am your husband. I am the man you married in the church all those years ago. I slid the ring on your finger as you looked at me with all the love in the world. And when we walked out of the church together, hand in hand and saw your father waiting for us at the bottom of the steps I made the worst decision I have ever made in my life and I told you to go back home with you father and I
Lucy: Stop! Stop! Just stop all of this, just stop! Please make this go away! I don't know how you know all of that but
Tim: I know all of this Luce because I lived it all with you. Because I know you, I know everything about you, Lucy it's me, baby, I promise you. I am Genny's sister, I am the first boy you ever kissed and I was there when, well, when you got that tattoo on your waist. Lucy, I was the one who found, who saved you, who spent nights with you in the hospital. It was the incident that caused me to join the LAPD. Lucy baby it's me. It's really me.
Lucy stood there in shock. She had no clue what to do, to say or even how to feel. These things that this man was telling her were stories from her past that only Tim knew about. She hated talking about what happened with Caleb, or how her parents told her that she had deserved to be abducted because she had gone with her friends to the bar even though they told her not to. Tim was the only one who knew about the tattoo. She stood there just staring at him. She so badly wanted to believe that this was Tim, but then who was the man they had buried and how could she have believed for 12 years that he was gone when he was very much alive?
Tim wanted nothing more than to walk over to Lucy to hug her tight and kiss her like his life depended on it. To show her and finally be able to prove to her just how much he loved her. But Isabel was standing right there next to him, with his ring on her finger. Well Lucy also had his ring, the wedding band that he had given her. Tim felt sorry for Isabel, confused for himself and his heart just ached for pain and suffering that Lucy had gone through because of him.
Isabel: Tim, I'm not sure what happened or how its possible that Lucy's dead husband turned out to be you but I think that maybe you and Lucy should go somewhere a lot more private to talk about all of this.
Tim: Lucy I know this is a lot to take in right now considering 10 minutes ago you thought I was dead but do you think we can talk in private?
Lucy: I don't know. I'm still not sure that you are even the guy I married.
Tim: So, come with me. Let's figure it all out, but not here.
Lucy: I'm on shift right now.
Isabel: That's okay Lucy, don't worry about it. After what you just went through, I think you deserve some time off with
Isabel wasn't sure what to call him, so she just pointed to Tim and smiled.
Lucy: I don't know.
Tim: Lucy please. Let me call my station and request a personal day and then I will take you up to our spot, the one you always like to go to when you were upset and confused and we can talk there.
Lucy: You remember where that is?
Tim: Of course I do. I used to go there all the time after I got back from the military hoping that one day I would bump into you again.
Lucy: Okay, I'll come. But not alone. I want to bring a friend with me just in case...
Tim: Thats okay, just please don't bring Chris. I don't think he likes me very much.
Lucy: Did you tell him your name last night?
Tim: Yeah why?
Lucy: No wonder why he was acting strange when he got home from the station. He knew that my husband was Tim Bradford.
Tim: I'm sorry Lucy, I had no idea you thought I was dead. I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and then I can meet you outside by my truck and we can go.
Lucy: I would like to drive there myself if that's okay?
Tim: You still won't get in the car if someone else is driving?
Lucy: How can I?
Tim: I'm sorry. I know it's a topic you hate talking about. Do you want to drive me in your car?
Lucy: I think I would rather just meet you up there.
Tim: Okay, works for me. Lucy, I'll see you up there in an hour.
Lucy quickly walked away from them, heading to her car and began doing her breathing techniques to calm herself down. She then took out her phone and called Tamara.
Tamara: Lucy, you okay? You don't usually call me when I'm in class
Lucy: No, nope. I am so not okay right now.
Tamara: What's going on?
Lucy: Tim's alive.
Tamara: What? Are you sure?
Lucy: I don't know. It sounds like him, looks like him, he knows things about me that only Tim knows but they said he was dead.
Tamara: Oh Lucy. I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel right now.
Lucy: confused, angry and hopeful. Look he wants to talk to me, just us but I need you there with me in case it becomes too much and I have a panic attack again.
Tamara: Okay, come pick me up.
Lucy: You're the best.
Tim sat down at Lucy's desk, looking around and his heart just broke. He quickly composed himself as he called Sargent Grey.
Sargent Grey: Bradford, your late.
Tim: I'm sorry sir, but something came up and I won't be able to come into the station today.
Sargent Grey: This have something to do with the fact that you are married to detective Lucy Chen?
Tim: How did you?
Sargent Grey: I was talking to Lopez trying to figure out what to write in the speech for your wedding when she told me that I shouldn't bother as she doesn't think you will be getting married on Saturday
Tim: I'm sorry I never told you about that, but yeah, I'm supposed to be meeting her in an hour.
Sargent Grey: Okay. I'll see you next shift.
Tim hung up then quickly called Angela.
Tim: I never gave you permission to cancel my wedding.
Angela: Tim, hold up. I never canceled it.
Tim: But you told Grey it was canceled?
Angela: Tim, you honestly think you will be getting married to Isabel on Saturday?
Tim: I hope not
Angela: Then what are you so angry about?
Tim: I don't know. I'm just so confused right now. I just saw her for the first time since then.
Angela: Did she tell you why she ignored you?
Tim: She thought I was dead
Angela: What? How?
Tim: I don't know. Look. I am going up now to meet her at our special spot and I would like for you to come join us. I know we need to talk alone, but something like this will be too much for her and I'm just afraid her heart won't be able to handle it and I don't want her to end up in the hospital again because of me.
Angela: Sounds like you still love her
Tim: Of course, I do. So, will you come?
Angela: Yeah, send me the location I'll see you both there.
Tim: Thank you.
Tim hung up the phone then walked over to Isabel's desk.
Tim: Isabel, I will be in touch with you later.
Isabel: Good Luck.
Tim: Thanks Isabel. I cannot even imagine what is going through your mind right now. But I appreciate you doing this for me.
Isabel: That our wedding is off because you found your first wife again.
Tim: I think the wedding will be canceled simply because Lucy and I are still married.
Isabel: What? How is that possible?
Tim: Honestly, I'm not quite sure as I signed annulment papers but when Wesley went to finalize our marriage license, he told me that he needed proof of divorce as legally Lucy and I are still husband and wife.
Isabel: Were you ever planning on telling me that we couldn't get married because you are already married to someone else?
Tim: Honestly up until 10 minutes ago, I really thought that Lucy would have wanted the divorce and that you and I would still be able to get married on Saturday so I didn't think it was a big deal to tell you and I was planning to tell you after the divorce when it made no difference. I just really didn't want to upset you or make you question my commitment towards you and our future.
Isabel: And now?
Tim: Now? I don't know. But I'm not giving up on us just yet and I would appreciate if you wouldn't either.