Rushed out of the bookstore to the waiting ambulance,Seth only catches a glimpse of Annie as she goes by.
Eyes closed, face battered and bruised, he can’t decide:
Should he cry for her, or go upstairs and kill the man who did this to her?
The crisis worker is conferring with the police captain.
Mr. Langston, the policewoman holding little Sarah, and Seth are ordered out of the bookstore.
As he looks around the street outside, Seth can see that the SWAT team is in place.
This is surely the strangest—and worst—day of my life.
Minutes turn to hours, the stand-off continues.
Sarah has been taken to her grandmother.
Mr. Langston and Seth decide to go to the hospital.
Annie is okay.
She looks up at him: the bruising has not diminished the beauty of her eyes.
She smiles at Seth and says “hi”, a casual, friendly “hi”
Not the kind you would expect after a day like today.
Seth is amazed: Annie is okay. Annie is okay. He says it over and over.
The standoff has ended.
Russ surrendered peacefully.
No shots fired, no further injuries sustained.
The only evidence of the day’s events is on Annie’s face.
Russ is taken to a mental facility
Where he will be placed back on medications
For his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
He will receive the help he needs for the pain he suffers.
Annie is ready to be released from the emergency room.
Mr. Langston offers her a ride home.
Then he notices that Annie’s eyes are locked on Seth’s
And his on hers. Bookish man says his good byes and leaves.
“Do you think we can talk now?” Seth asks with a smile.
Her smile answers his and she replies: “yes”.
Arm in arm, they walk out of the ER and into the balmy evening.
“How about some coffee?” “You owe me dinner” she responds with a laugh.
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