A/N : Bit of a surprise when Jellybean managed 2 new chapters. She has done an awesome job with these 2 beauties. She really does deserve the praise for the work she had done on this story, not just as a beta , but as a co-author too. I was just blown away with this chapter and the one that will follow in a few days or so. Time for me to bow down to the talent that is JellybeanChiChi. :D
CHAPTER 65
Crabtree Dog Park and walking trail stands a little more than a mile from the Grissom home. A little off the beaten path, it stands near a housing development that had been cleared for high-end homes, only for the plan to be curtailed by an uneasy housing market.
The journey there was an adventure in and of itself and started even before the trio left the house. Grissom discovered how much preparation is involved with taking a trip with a toddler and a dog.
He must have evaluated and reevaluated the diaper bag at least four times. Were three diapers enough? Should I bring the travel sized wipe pack or just a the 80-wipe refill? What if he gets too dirty or too sweaty? Is the diaper rash cream there? Where's the sunscreen? Should I even bring it? Shouldn't I just apply it now? But what if I need to reapply?
And that was just for incidentals. There was the issue of bottles — milk, water or both? Snacks. Goldfish? Melon? If I take melon are there enough wipes.
Then there were considerations with Hank. Leash, poop bags, water bottle. Maybe a water bowl is a better idea.
So, what started with a seven-word question — Who wants to go to the park? — evolved into a 25-minute preparation time that involved Hank going pee before the walk.
And to be honest, Grissom peed before he left the house, too.
Keys. Knee brace. Cane. Stroller. Diaper bag. Dog. Child. He was good to go.
The journey there was a leisurely 25-minute stroll where Hank had to be pulled back a few times, so he didn't get far ahead. Grissom had been working on training Hank, to not only followed voice commands and pulling of a leash, but also responding to a whistle.
But that training came to a halt when the hell involving Jake Sullivan hit the family. Grissom hoped Hank would remember some commands, since the dog probably hadn't been on a family outing since the imprisonment. And Grissom would never blame Sara for that. He was almost exhausted after the preparation for the outing. He could only imagine how hard things were for Sara — a working, pregnant mother handing a toddler and dog alone.
The thought sobered Grissom's mood a bit, but he focused on the here and now. He had the freedom and the walk to take his son and his dog to a place they would enjoy. And their enjoyment put Grissom's spirits at ease.
The trek consisted of sidewalks, which made pushing the stroller and handling Hank's leash easier. The overcast day also helped. If the sun was beating down, it might have been a miserable outing.
The entrance of the park from the sidewalk and parking lot led to two areas — a walking/jogging trail and the dog park itself. A set of concrete stairs led to both areas, and Grissom and the boys used the ramp instead of the stairs.
There were only two other visitors at the park when the trio arrived. The fenced into part for the dogs seemed massive. Lots of room to roam and play. Once in the gated area, Grissom took off Hank's leash and let him roam around. Seeing his buddy free, Daniel immediately babbled his demands to get out of the stroller.
Hank found a dog friend and played with the curious beagle, much to Daniel's delight. When that owner left, Grissom threw a tennis ball for Hank to chase. Daniel toddled between his daddy and his dog.
After some 40 minutes, Grissom took Daniel to a bench under the shade of some oaks. Using a plethora of wipes, he cleaned up Daniel while on his lap, before putting the boy back in his stroller for a sippy cup of cold water and some Cheerios.
Once Daniel was settled, he set down Hank's dog bowl and filled it with bottled water. He was ready to call Hank but stopped himself to see if Hank might remember a whistle command. He employed a one-handed whistle. At first it was too faint. It seemed like Grissom was the one who needed practice. The second try was a bit better and enough for Hank to hear as he trotted to the bench.
"You're a good boy," Grissom said as he scratched behind Hank's ears. "Looks like you remember, even though your dad needs serious practice."
The three enjoyed one another's company for a while until Hank wandered from the bench to give the entire fenced area another sniff. By that time, Daniel was rubbing his eyes and fighting the inevitable after a hard morning at play.
Although Daniel had a fighting spirit, he couldn't say no to the offer of being cradled in his father's arms with a bottle of milk. It took almost no time for the young boy to fall asleep. After a while, Grissom maneuvered his son on his shoulder. Daniel stayed asleep and Grissom relished the feeling of unconditional love as he held his son. He took a whiff of Daniel's thick hair and chuckled. It was baby shampoo mingled with sweat.
He leaned back against the bench, closed his eyes for a few moments and gently patted Daniel's back. He might have stayed till Daniel awoke, but Grissom could feel the heat rising as clouds moved. It might be best to walk home before it gets too hot.
Daniel eased back into the stroller with little trouble. Grissom went to the back of the stroller and set the seat at a better incline so his son could rest comfortably. He gathered all their items and doubled checked everything was secure in the storage under the seat. Gingerly he stood up and was ready to push the stroller towards Hank.
Until he heard a voice in his ear. "Hello, Killer."
It was a phrase he heard once before — his third day in prison. And the voice that uttered it was one he heard in prison as well.
His brain tried to make a plan of action but there was no time as the attacker grabbed one of Grissom's arms and twisted it painfully behind his back. Much like the attack in prison, he found himself being pushed face first into a hard surface — this time the trunk of the nearby tree. The attacker moved so that Grissom faced him and punched him swiftly in the stomach. Grissom bent over with pain only to feel the man's knee make direct contact with the right side of his face.
"Tait and Loki wanted me to tell you, 'Hi,'" he said menacingly before throwing Grissom on the ground.
He knew a rain of blows was coming. But while it might have been best to curl up in a fetal position to protect his vulnerability, Grissom rolled on his back. He immediately took a boot to the shoulder, but he still stayed in his position. He knew he had one shot to get help.
The whistle didn't seem to be that loud. It didn't seem to faze the attacker, who picked up Grissom's torso by his shirt with one hand and gave two swift punches in the face before throwing him on the ground again.
"Stupid piece of shit," he said, punctuating his works with a kick. He had more to say but instead let out a loud, "FUCK!"
That's because Hank was using the attacker's foot for a chew toy.
Completely turned around, the attacker tried to tug his foot away from Hank. Grissom watched as the man reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a knife but before he could think about using it, Grissom charged at the man's legs. The attacker fell hard to the ground dropping the knife. Instead of collecting the knife, the attacker put his hand on his head. He saw blood and became wide-eyed. As much as he wanted Grissom to pay for the injury, he saw Hank's menacing face a mere foot from him. The dog growled and snarled ready to pounce again.
Noticing a couple of joggers coming towards the commotion, the attacker wobbled as he got up and ran away blindly. Hank went to run after him, but Grissom called Hank to "stay," then "come." Hank complied and played sentry at Grissom's side. The two of them went to the bench.
The pair of joggers increased their pace the closer they got to the site of the commotion. They slowed down upon getting close to Grissom, and while the woman stayed, the man wanted to see if he could see where the attacker went.
After he ran off, the woman cautiously came closer. Hank was still wary of strangers. "It's OK, boy. I won't come to close," she said to Hank. "Sir, are you OK?"
"It's OK, Hank. Heel, boy," Grissom said. With that, the woman took a tentative stop. "It's OK, Hank. She's friendly."
She let out her hand, and Hank sniffed it. Once Hank seemed satisfied with her presence, she took out her cell phone to call 911. "Yes, a man has been attacked at Crabtree Dog Park. We need police and an ambulance."
"I'm fine," Grissom said, as he checked on Daniel, who slept through the ordeal. "We'll just get going."
The woman put a finger up and walked closer to the bench. She finished giving the address and directions to the emergency operator. She then hung up. "Sir, you're bleeding. You don't look good."
"I just need to get home," Grissom said his nerves frazzled. Hank came to him and put his head on Grissom's lap. He couldn't help but smile softly and rub the dog's head.
The jogger's partner came back to the site. With his hands on his hips, his gait was slow and the expression on his face seemed worried. The woman picked that up immediately.
"What's wrong," she said. "Did you see where he went?"
"Yeah," he replied distantly. "He didn't get far."
"What do you mean?" Grissom asked, as he continued to stroke Hank's head.
"He must have fallen down the stairs. It's a mess on the concrete."
"Is he alright?" the woman asked.
"No. Definitely not."