Knives, Cuffs, and Other Matters That Are a Part of Loving Tess. . .as told by Josh

Welcome to my world – one filled with weapons of all kinds, even seemingly innocent ones you’d find in any kitchen. But what else can a guy expect when he’s in love with an ex-cop turned bodyguard?

Of course, Tess tries to downplay the danger.

Take that police commendation she received for bravery that we went back and forth about in Chapter Two of our story in Close to Perfect. When I asked her what happened to lead to a commendation, she said: “Nothing.” When I explained what she should have already known, that she was in freaking danger, she said: “Maybe.” When I asked how much danger (spell it out sister, pull-ease), she asked me why I was worried. Cops. Why do they never really answer a question? And if they do, why is it always with another question?

When I finally looked her up on the Net, and not because of the commendation but because of the cheesecake pictures I was afraid I’d find (but that’s a whole other matter that starts in Chapter Six and continues in Chapter Seven of our story), I learned a few details about what led to her commendation for bravery. It was in all the papers. But it wasn’t until months after we fell in love that she finally ‘fessed up to the details the news reports didn’t mention.

I’m still not certain whether I’m glad that she told me or not. But here goes:

Her commendation was for the way she handled a domestic dispute. As any cop and/or neighbor will tell you, they are the absolute worst. And in this case, it had all the ingredients for disaster. First problem: The husband was only eighteen at the time and just brimming with all that testosterone that eighteen-year-old guys have. Second problem: His wife was eighteen, too, and was pregnant with their second child. Thankfully, the couple’s toddler was with the woman’s parents, but that was the only thing to be grateful for. When Tess and her partner arrived the husband was threatening to do some serious harm to his wife with a butcher knife. Seems he got upset when she asked him to stop playing his video games and watch what was cooking on the stove so she could get ready for work. At the time, she was holding down two jobs while he was currently unemployed. But he had some really cool ideas for a video game of his own, and if she just got off his back, he’d be able to think about it and get rich. Uh-huh. He later lost it in court and complained that it pissed him off to have her ordering him around like he was nothing when he had these big ideas. Right. Anyway, Tess was not about to let that poor woman and her unborn baby get hurt. While her partner called for backup, Tess offered herself as a hostage; promised him the moon; and when the guy’s guard was finally down and he agreed to put the knife to her throat instead of his wife’s, Tess rushed him.

Adrenaline and pure rage gave Tess the strength to knock him down. You see, those were the days before she knew all that martial arts stuff that she uses now. Lucky for her that it worked. Besides outweighing her by more than a hundred pounds, the bum was also high. Once Tess had him on the floor she fought him for the knife. By then, the backup was starting to arrive and her partner was trying to get a clear shot of him with her pepper spray and/or gun. Lucky for him that Tess finally got the knife and cuffed him, and it only cost her a bruised kidney and two broken ribs. A week later he filed a civil suit against her and the police department for brutality. Sure. He had a few claw marks from Tess’s nails on his right hand, while she was black and blue.

And here she said it was nothing.

But that’s my Tess. She went to see the wife when her husband got sentenced for resisting arrest, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and a whole slew of other charges. The last Tess heard, the young woman was trying to get her act together and leave that bum behind. Hope it worked out for her and her kids.

For me, well, I know Tess is skilled at what she does and she really doesn’t take unnecessary risks. Of course, there are times when I find myself siding with her dad. He always hoped she’d become a dancer, like her late mother. Since that’s never gonna happen, I am glad that I learned a step or two so I can keep up with her.

Surprising thing, though, the guy I hired to teach me all the right moves already knew Tess. . .or of her, let’s say. That’s why I hired him. When I finally told her about that and who he was, she was genuinely surprised.

But that’s her story which she’ll share with you next time. . .