Feeling Unwell
Feeling unwell, she had opted to rest for a while that day. However, upon waking up, she was greeted by commotion, as minutes of footage from her Ring door camera revealed that the Homeowners Association had issued a hefty $125 fine due to her packages.
The mother was overwhelmed. Her only desire had been for a day free from disturbances. When her husband returned home, he discovered her in tears, desperately trying to determine how they would come up with the money. It was at that moment that he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Observing The Man She Loved
Observing the man she loved tuck their one-month-old baby into the crib before storming out, she noticed the vein pulsating on his forehead and the tight clench of his jaw.
Hastening after him, she pleaded with him to reconsider his actions. This behavior was not unfamiliar to her; the last time it occurred, they were compelled to relocate houses.
Rage In Her Husband's Eyes
"Let me handle it tomorrow, dear," the mother insisted. However, her husband glanced at her for a fleeting moment. Rage blazed in his narrowed eyes, and he struggled to articulate his words as he vowed that anyone causing her distress would face his wrath.
Attempting to convince him, the wife proposed alternative solutions that would benefit everyone involved. She was well aware of the capabilities of her veteran husband.
Fury In The Veteran’s Eyes
A flicker of emotion cut through the fury in the veteran's eyes momentarily. He had endured everything this world threw at him, from relentless gunfire to mortar assaults and air strikes.
However, he drew a firm line when it came to the world casting its covetous gaze upon his cherished family. Whoever had deemed it appropriate to approach his front door and disrupt his wife's day of rest would soon regret the day they were born.
Concealed Tools
The veteran swiftly made his way to the kitchen, the place where he concealed his tools. Moments later, he emerged, carrying a marine-issued duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
Casting a glance at his wife and little boy, he instructed her to stay indoors and lock the door. "No matter what you hear, don't come out," he gruffly conveyed. And with that, he pushed open the front door and stepped into the darkness. There would be no turning back from this moment.
Anticipated Fresh Start
For Rachel Miller, this marked the anticipated fresh start that she and her family had been seeking. Following months of relentless house hunting, she and Liam, her husband of two years, had at last discovered a residence that met all their criteria.
Nestled in a charming neighborhood in Myrtle Beach, the house was surrounded by white picket fences, immaculately manicured green lawns, and perpetual sunshine. It seemed like the ideal place they had been searching for.
A House Suited For Their Needs
The house that Rachel and her husband discovered was not only ideal for them but also perfectly suited for their one-month-old toddler. The serene neighborhood promised long, undisturbed naps for their son.
With its safety and the presence of numerous children from neighboring houses, it guaranteed that as their little one grew up, he would be surrounded by many friends. For Rachel, this place felt like heaven.
The Challenge To Keep The Excitement
Despite the perfection of Rachel's new home, she found it challenging to derive enjoyment from it. Juggling motherhood and a career as a new mom proved to be more demanding than anticipated.
Adding to the complexity was the recent relocation to a new neighborhood without the support of friends and family. The combination of these factors created a recipe for potential overwhelm and a looming meltdown.
Rachel’s Unwavering Posture
Yet, Rachel faced it all with resilience, her posture unwavering. Even Liam acknowledged their ability to stand firm. Having secured a job as a mechanic at one of the premier garages in town, he left each morning to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, Rachel's ability to work from home was a blessing, providing her with precious moments to care for their son. In the initial days, everything seemed to be progressing smoothly, but soon disaster would strike.
Tuesday The Start Of A Predicament
The predicament began on Tuesday night. Having spent just over a month in their new home, the Millers had already gotten to know their neighbors. Moving to a larger house meant Rachel and Liam had the task of filling it with various necessities.
Nightly, after dinner, they dedicated time to browsing Amazon for budget-friendly household items, ranging from appliances to furniture. Little did they know the consequences that would unfold from these seemingly innocuous purchases.
Sifting Through Deals
Every night, after putting their baby to sleep, a tired Rachel and Liam would pull their laptop over their covers and sift through deals on Amazon. They'd already ordered utensils and carpets and needed items to baby-proof the house.
They needed better curtains, a TV stand, and new lawn chairs, too. There wasn't a shortage of stuff they needed to buy. Luckily for them, Amazon had everything they required.
Waiting For The Deliveries
The couple placed their orders and checked out. The delivery time read between Saturday and Monday –perfect for the couple as they could do a few more repairs while waiting for the items to arrive.
Soon enough, Thursday came. The Amazon delivery had five large boxes en route to the house, and Rachel couldn't wait to have them in her hands. If only she knew what she was signing up for.
Hours Continue Counting
The hours continued counting, and Friday night was here before the couple knew it. But with this came something none of them could have foreseen.
All the fatigue from the move and juggling work and motherhood suddenly caught up to Rachel. She'd been putting it off for days now, maintaining that she was okay. But that night, her body almost shut down.
Something’s Wrong
Her chest burnt, and her head throbbed. She couldn't stop sweating and felt like someone was rubbing hot sand inside her veins and lungs. She called out to Liam, who came running to find her leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Something's wrong," she said, and in the blink of an eye, her husband had her and their son in warm clothes and in the car, speeding to the emergency room.
At The Doctor’s
The doctor looked at Rachel. She was shocked to find out that the mom had no downtime between the delivery of her son and now. She'd been on her toes, constantly working.
Liam shouldered the blame even though he'd not gone a day without telling Rachel she needed to take some time off to relax and just breathe. But things were about to go from bad to worse.
The Doctor’s Prescription
The doctor ordered Rachel to spend the next week off. "Take some time off from work... from everything. Enjoy being a new mom for a few days," she said, and Rachel nodded.
Liam took her home, and the moment they got there, he made her promise to take the week off. The doctor had given her some medication for diagnosed insomnia, which Rachel took after dinner. All she needed to do now was rest her head.
Sleeping In
Rachel went to bed. But the next time she woke, the sun was already on the other side of the sky. Her phone read 2 pm, meaning she'd been out all night and morning.
She also got texts from Liam, informing her he'd taken their son to the local fair. He'd already made her a hearty breakfast, which he wanted her to finish before continuing with her rest. He'd also left her snacks and a lineup of her favorite sitcoms, para-romance, and horror novels. His texts ended with, "Enjoy the day!"
Take His Advice
Rachel took his advice. She groggily had breakfast, which by now was lunch, and had a shower. Afterward, she put on her favorite audiobook and put on her AirPods. Ten minutes in, and whatever residual dose of the medications she'd taken the previous night kicked in.
Rachel passed out, with the lulling voices of Melody Muze and Henry W. Kramer singing in her ears. But she woke up to commotion, with several minutes of footage from her Ring door camera informing her that someone was at her door.
The Camera Footage
At first, Rachel thought it was Liam. He'd formed a habit of leaving her funny, adorable messages on the camera when leaving or as he came into the house. But this was different. Rachel accessed the camera footage, and that's when she saw it.
Her porch was filled with packages from the orders she and Liam had made. The boxes weren't massive, though, barely occupying a third of the porch space. She watched as the delivery men came one after another, placing the boxes. There was nothing out of the ordinary until the man appeared.
Meet Harry
At first, he looked like your run-of-the-mill suburban dad, which he definitely was. He stepped up to the camera and introduced himself. "I'm Harry from the blue-roofed house down the street," he said.
"I'm here with the HOA. I usually keep an eye on the neighborhood to make sure everything is running smoothly, and our homes are safe and the neighborhood clean."
He’s Been Watching
"I have been watching delivery trucks come to your house throughout the day," the man continued, his nose so close to the Ring camera that Rachel could hear him inhale and exhale.
"You have like a ton of packages on your porch. The HOA code says you cannot have all these packages on your porch. You can order to your heart's content, but you cannot leave them out here like this." And that's when everything took a turn for the worst.
The Fine
"These packages have been here all day. All day! They'd been here all day!" he took a deep breath, smoothening his hair back. "I don't want to look at them anymore. They're ugly… now I'm getting annoyed. I don't even understand how you have so much money.
"So, because I'm quite upset, you're getting a fine for all these packages." He started counting them one by one. "Five packages, each twenty-five dollars. That’s a hundred and twenty-five dollars as a fine since these packages have been here for more than six hours." And then he walked away.
It’s Not A Dream
Rachel thought she was dreaming as she watched the footage. She sprang up from the bed, almost falling over, given how out of it she still was. She wasn't even sure if all this was happening or if it was all just a bad dream. Her skin started tingling, and her eyes smarted with tears.
Her breaths became shorter, and her chest constricted. It was her fault they’d gotten fined. She’d slept through the day, not hearing the doorbell when the deliveries came. She and Liam were barely squeezing through financially. Where would they get a hundred and twenty-five dollars now?
Liam’s Back
Liam returned home that evening to find Rachel stressing over the Ring camera footage. Her eyes were wet, red, and puffy, and she couldn't stop shaking and repeating, ‘It’s my fault.’ She had all these tabs opened on the computer. Some of them had HOA rules, while others had her and Liam's bank details.
"What's wrong," Liam asked as he held their son close. Rachel didn't speak. She showed him the footage, and that's when it happened.
Fury
Anger flooded his eyes, and a muscle on his jaw started ticking. He painstakingly placed their son in his crib and turned to leave. "Let me talk to them tomorrow, honey," Rachel insisted. But Liam only turned to her for a split second. The anger in his eyes had morphed into fiery malice and fury.
His shirt, encasing rippling muscles, was already drenched in sweat. A man who knew war, he placed a gentle kiss on her head before heading into the kitchen for his hidden tools. A moment later, he walked out with his marine-issued duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
Marching To Harry’s
Rachel ran after Liam as he marched to Harry's house. Metal clinked inside his duffle bag as he took his wide steps. She could barely keep up with him. "Liam, please," she begged.
She knew what he was capable of; she had seen him black out with rage a few times because the world dared to wrong her. He had once told her that he couldn’t bear the look of her crying. He had always been a man of control, a logical man. But all that always left the door when her tears came falling.
It’s Just $125
"Liam," she slid before him, placing her palms on his burning chest. "It's just a hundred and twenty-five dollars," she said. But even she knew that wasn't where his issue lay. Coincidentally, Harry appeared from the early night’s gathering darkness.
He'd seemingly recognized the couple and came to lord his power over them. Liam wasted no time closing the gap to him.
Liam Miller
Rachel had seen her husband, Liam Miller, in many lights. She'd seen him as a lover and a friend, her soulmate. As a husband and partner – a responsible man. And as a loving and equally hardworking father. But she'd also witnessed the warrior in him. Still, her lips parted at how fast and effortlessly he dashed from her to Harry.
He'd been a blur. One second, he was standing before her, and the next, he was an inch next to Harry, looking down at him with malicious intent.
About The Fine
Harry, wide-eyed and visibly shaking, tried to step back. But the space between him and the furious vet didn't widen. "Is this about the fine?" Harry stammered. Liam didn't answer. He reached into his bag, the sound of metal knocking against metal renting the air.
"It's about the fine," Harry concluded. His eyes wouldn't even dare look down at what Liam was about to take from his bag. It was then that Liam spoke.
A Warning
"This is the last time you'll leave such scathing messages on our house camera. If you have any issues, come straight to us. If we are not home, wait." He stepped close to Harry, his chest moving up and down as he inhaled and exhaled.
"You look like a standup, reasonable guy," Liam whispered. "Are you a standup, reasonable guy?" Harry nodded quickly. "Good," the vet said and turned around. "Expect your hundred and twenty-five dollars tomorrow." Harry turned on his heels, sprinting into the darkness. Rachel ran and buried her face in Liam's chest. He wrapped his burly arms around her and said, "I told you. Anyone that makes you tear up will answer to me."