My head was pounding and my whole body threatened to give out on me, but I told myself to push through it. Glancing at the time, I realized that I had a little over twenty minutes to finish Lucas’ meal. The sides were already done. I was waiting on the last of the chicken to finish frying.
Once the meal was done, I quickly tasted everything to make sure it was seasoned to his liking. I used a dishrag to hold my nose to make sure I didn’t get blood on his food. Grabbing a plate from the overhead cupboard, I fixed him a plate fit for a king and sat it on the table with a tall glass of Minute Maid Fruit Punch.
“Go clean every speck of blood out of that living room,” Lucas said before he sat down to his meal.
Grabbing the Clorox spray and napkins, I walked to the corner Lucas beat me in and cleaned it all up. I even followed the trail I took to the kitchen to make sure I didn’t miss any blood. Once I was sure the area was spotless, I went to stand in front of Lucas so he could tell me what he wanted me to do next.
“You’re lucky I got away free. In case you want to pull some shit like calling the cops, just know I will always win. Now, as for Shanice, that relationship is dead. I want your number changed, immediately!” he yelled.
“Since you wanted to be a disobedient bitch, go stand in timeout until I tell you it’s ok to come out,” he said pointing to the corner.
Following his orders, I limped to the corner and stood there with my forehead pressing against the wall. It was a humiliating feeling to be treated like a child, but I wouldn’t dare say anything. My body was on fire and my head was throbbing something serious, but I sucked it all up and stood in the corner.
“I’m going to bed. When I wake up your ass better still be in that corner, or else…….” he said, walking out of the kitchen.
Chapter 14
Lucas
(Two months later)
“As soon as you get off your phone, we can begin and you can be on your way,” the therapist said.
After laying paws on Shanice’s bitch ass, I was ordered to have five sessions with this motherfucker. If it was up to me, I would rather lie here on his crème colored sofa, and surf the web.
“I’m ordering my wife some flowers,” I said, never looking up from my phone.
“Why? Is it a special occasion?” He asked, stupidly.
“I didn’t think you needed a special occasion to have flowers sent to your wife,” I replied.
“You’re right, you don’t.”
“How are things at home?” The nosey fucker asked.
“Things in my home are just fine.”
“How’s your wife?”
“My wife is fine!” I yelled.
“Why the anger?”
“You keep asking me all these dumb questions! Why don’t you sit here with your mouth shut and collect this easy six hundred dollars for this lame ass session,” I snarled.
“You think my session is lame?”
“That’s what I said, didn’t I?”
“What is so lame about my sessions?”
“I find it lame that you sit on your ass and get paid six hundred dollars per session just to cross your legs and write in a note pad.”
“You call it lame, I call it smart. I make a hefty salary sitting on my ass, if you want to put it that way,” he smirked.
“Now tell me about Shanice. What triggered you into hitting her?”
“She hit me first,” I replied.
“So you think it’s ok to put your hands on women?” he asked.
“Only the women that don’t know their place.”
“And what is a woman’s place?”
“Underneath a man, physically and figuratively,” I replied, putting my phone down after getting the confirmation that the roses were sent to Aimee.
“Was your mother underneath your father?”
“Yes, she was. My mother started off rough, but once my father trained her, she found her place, underneath him,” I replied, getting comfortable. I had one more hour of this torture, so I decided to make the best of it.
“How did your father train your mother?”
“By slapping her around if she got out of line.”
“Have you ever trained a woman?”
“I tried to train Carol, but she just didn’t couldn’t learn,” I replied, angered by Carol’s actions.
“Who is Carol?”
“The mother of my daughter and the bitch who ran off with my money and my best friend. If it wasn’t for the law, I’d strangle that whore!” I vented.
“Tell me a little bit more about Carol.”
“Carol was one of the very first strippers that started working for my brother’s night club when it opened. I fell in love with her. Everything was fine, until she started partying and staying out late with her friends. I went to my father for suggestions on what to do, so he gave me the run down on how to properly train a woman. When Carol would do something wrong, she would get punished. If she didn’t do what I asked her to do fast enough, I would punish her.”
“Then what happened?”
“My ex best friend is what happened,” I spat.
“What did he do?”
“He started whispering sweet nothings in Carol’s ear. He built her self-esteem back up until she felt like she was too good for me. One night, while I was at work, she packed herself, my daughter, and the fifty thousand dollars I had in my safe at home and she fled. She moved to Sacramento with my ex best friend, who is a powerful attorney. With all his legal mumbo jumbo he had her protected like she was the President of the United States. I still had my rights as Leah’s father, but I could only see her one weekend out the month, with the company of my mother.”
“Tell me about your wife, Aimee.”
“What do you want to know about her?” I asked.
“Are you training her too?” he asked.
“I plead the fifth,” I replied.
“Unless you say you are going to kill yourself or anyone else, everything you say in this office stays between us,” he replied.
“Look at the time, our hour is up. Same time next week?” I smirked.
“See you next week, Mr. Stinger.”
After wasting my time with that dumb ass shrink, I headed home to my wife. When I arrived the house was a mess, dinner wasn’t ready, and the laundry was still in the laundry room, undone. It’d been a full month since I laid hands on Aimee, but she was starting to pushing my buttons again.
“Why the fuck are you in bed while my fucking house is a mess!” I yelled, pulling the blankets off of her.
“I don’t feel…..” Was all she was able to get out before running to the bathroom.
I followed behind her and held her hair while she spent fifteen minutes throwing up. When she was done, she was so weak, that she collapsed on the ground. As much as I wanted to put my foot in her ass, I couldn’t while she was in the condition she was in.
Picking her up off the ground, I helped her out of her clothes. Putting the stopper in the tub, I ran her some warm water and added bubbles to it. When the tub was filled, I delicately placed her inside and began to gently bathe her. Grabbing the shampoo, I washed her hair. When she was nice and clean, I helped her up and turned on the shower so she could rinse off her body.
I grabbed a towel off the rack, lifted her out of the tub and laid her in the bed. After drying her off and dressing her in a nightdress, I went into the kitchen to make her some chicken soup. While the soup was cooking, I cleaned the house and started a load of laundry.
With a tray filled with soup, crackers, water, and tea, I walked up the stairs to feed my wife. When I walked in the room, she was hovering over the toilet, throwing up again. Placing the tray down on the nightstand I rushed over to help her.
“Are you pregnant?” I asked, putting two and two together.
“Yes,” she whispered, faintly.
“When were you going to tell me?” I asked.
“I just found out today. The doctor called and told me. I
’d been too sick to get out of bed.”
“Come eat something, before you pass out,” I said, helping her to the bed.
I was very gentle with her while I fed her the chicken soup. After every three bites, I would bring the tea to her lips for her to take a sip. After she finished eating the soup, I sat the crackers and water within arm’s reach of her in case she wanted to snack on something.
Climbing in bed behind her, I held her with my arms wrapped around her stomach. I was ecstatic about being a father again; this time with my wife that I knew for a fact wouldn’t leave me. When she was snoring softly in my arms, I kissed her on the cheek and closed my eyes. With her carrying my baby, maybe I should take those sessions with my therapist more serious, I thought before drifting off to sleep.
Chapter 15
Aimee
Since finding out I was pregnant, Lucas has really made an effort to do better. I was glad this baby was bringing us together, instead of tearing us apart. I was finally back at that place where I felt safe and secure with my husband, and boy was I cherishing every moment of it.
Today was Lucas’ mother’s birthday, so we were having a picnic for her at the park. Lucas informed me that Jordan and Shanice were going to be there and he wanted me to be on my best behavior. The last time I spoke to Shanice was the day of the incident, and I truly missed my best friend.
Dressed in a yellow summer dress and a pair of white sandals, Lucas held my hand as we walked inside the park. To everyone looking in, we were a happy couple. My skin glistened and glowed with no marks or bruises, making it impossible to believe I was being severely beaten a few months ago.
When we made it to the pavilion where the picnic was being held, I immediately spotted Shanice. She had three more weeks left before she delivered and she still looked amazing. Dressed in a royal blue dress, she sat with her legs crossed at the ankles, while she enjoyed the hot wings that sat in front of her.
I wanted to run over to her and apologize for everything so badly, but I didn’t want to ruin Lucas’ good mood. He told me to behave and I planned on doing just that. After greeting Lucas’ parents and handing his mother her gift, I took a seat at the table at the end of the pavilion and sipped my water.
“Hey sweetie, are you hungry?” Lucas’ mother asked, placing a plate of food in front of me.
“I am, but it’s getting harder to hold anything down,” I replied, grabbing a grape off the plate and popping it in my mouth.
“Try eating light food like crackers, fruits, and yogurt, but you have to feed my grandbaby,” she smiled, rubbing my stomach.
“How is your mother?” she asked.
“She’s fine,” I shrugged.
Since the incident at my studio I hadn’t really talked to her, but I did keep in contact with my brother who informed me of her wellbeing.
“Talk to Shanice, she is just as miserable as you are,” Lucas’ mother said, once she noticed me stealing glancing at Shanice.
“But Lucas--”
“Never mind Lucas, let’s go,” she said, grabbing my hand.
“Me and the girls are going to take a walk,” Lucas’ mother announced, grabbing Shanice’s hand.
Lucas looked as if he wanted to object, but he didn’t want to make a fool out of himself in front of all of the guest. Lucas’ mother led us deep into the park, near the swings then disappeared so we could talk. For several minutes, we just stood there in silence, until I decided to say something.
“Shanice, I’m sorry.”
“Why would you stay in that situation?” she asked me.
“Shanice I love Lucas. He is my first true love. After José, I thought love for me was over until I met him. He pulled me out of the gutter and transformed me into the person I am today. Not to mention all the wonderful things he’s done for my family. I know you may not understand, but I can’t be without him,” I tried to reason.
“You sound weak. The best friend I know wouldn’t be so weak over a man. You allowed this man to drive you to attempting suicide, then you lie to me and said you did it because you were suffering from depression.; had me feeling bad and shit for not being around you enough!”
“You’re right and I’m sorry, but it’s not that easy. You can tell someone to leave the husband that they are dangerously in love with all you want. You can call me dumb for staying in my situation, but you can never know what you would do for sure, unless you were in my situation. Don’t you think I’ve tried! I’ve tried to leave, but he found me. It’s easier for me to stay with him than to leave. Plus, with me being pregnant, I know this situation will get better.
“Wait, you’re pregnant?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“So, you think it’s healthy to bring a baby into this situation?”
“Lucas has really changed since he found out that I’m pregnant. He hasn’t put his hands on me since I told him.”
“What happens if you have the baby and the abuse continues? Then what?”
“I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
“This person right here is not my best friend. When my best friend, the real Aimee returns, tell her my number is still the same. Unlike some people, my fiancé didn’t force me to change my number,” she replied, running her fingers through her hair, displaying her engagement ring.
“I wish you well,” I replied, sniffing back the tears.
“Likewise,” she walked off, leaving me behind to dry my tears.
*******
I was sitting on the couch enjoying a fresh box of chocolate cookies and a pint of vanilla ice cream when there was a knock at the door. Pausing the re-run of Scandal, I got off the couch and walked to the door to see who was disturbing my peace. When I opened the door a white man dressed down in a navy blue Hugo Boss suit handed me an envelope.
“Lucas Stinger has just been served,” he said before walking away.
Closing the door, I ran my fingers through the envelope and wondered what Lucas was being served for. I knew I should have minded my business, but curiosity got the best of me causing me to neatly open the envelope.
I didn’t really understand the legal terms that were written on the paper, but my heart threatened to stop when I read the words non-payment of child support to Carol Harris for the child of Leah Harris. Re-reading the line over and over again, I figured it had to be a mistake. There was no way in hell I was married to Lucas for over a year and didn’t know that he had a child out there in the world.
Unable to think straight, I decided to do some snooping. Grabbing a butter knife, I was determined to open the door to the office that he always kept locked. After playing with the lock for about ten minutes, the door finally sprang open.
I wasn’t sure what I was looking for in his office, but I was on a mission to discover something. I began rummaging through the drawers of his desk like I was a possessed person. My fingers ran across a few of his drafts and, for a second, I just sat back and admired his work. The perfectly shaded buildings were beautiful. Lucas was really good at his job and I had to complement him on that.
I was about to end my search party and return back to my spot on the couch, when an out of place folder in his file cabinet captured my attention. Curiosity getting the best of me again, I grabbed the hefty folder and plopped it down on the desk. A sudden gasp escaped my lips when a little girl that looked exactly like Lucas caught my attention. Her smooth dark skin, pretty big eyes, pouty lips, and long, beautiful black hair made me imagine what our baby would look like. Flipping through the papers, I discovered Carol Harris’ information, the mother of the child Lucas failed to tell me about.
Lucas was coming off as some weirdo stalker with every picture I flipped through. In all of the pictures, it seemed as if Carol had no idea they were being taken. I even came across a few family pictures with Carol, Leah, and an unknown handsome man. I didn’t even notice I was crying until I felt the hot tears against my skin. I couldn’t believe this fool had the audacity t
o keep a whole person away from me. Who forgets to introduce their child when starting a relationship with a woman?
I spotted a phone number for Carol and picked up the cordless phone. Even though the proof was in the pudding, I still needed confirmation that the little girl belonged to him. I dialed the number and wanted to hang up before the phone could ring. I was so nervous that the phone slipped between my fingers and fell to the ground. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the phone and decided to follow through with my initial plan of calling this mysterious Carol.
“Hello?” a sweet child-like voice answered through the phone.
“Hello?” she answered the phone again, when I didn’t respond.
“Leah, baby, who is it?” an older woman asked.
“Hello?” she chimed into the phone after taking it from the child.
“Hello, may I please speak with Carol?” I said, finally finding my voice.
“Speaking. May I ask whose calling?”
“Mm... Uhh... This is Aimee Stinger, Lucas’ wife. I wanted to confirm that he has a child with you,” I stammered.
“Wife?” she asked in pure disbelief.
“I didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to marry that fool,” she went on to say. “Typical Lucas to disregard his past,” she chuckled.
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat.
“Oh, Mm… Aimee, right? Well, yes, Lucas and I have a five-year-old daughter that he has been shorting out of money. I take it you found out because of the papers I had my husband file against him. Anywho, if I were you, I wouldn’t stay in that marriage. If he hasn’t shown you by now, he has a little problem with keeping his hands to himself. Lucas is fucked up in the head and is not worthy of having someone love him. Aimee, I’m not sure the purpose of your call, but I am a sole believer of everything happening for a reason. The purpose of you calling is for me to tell you to save yourself, love,” she said before disconnecting the call.
I sat back in Lucas’ office chair, at a loss for words. Although Carol was long gone, I could still here her words echoing in my head. Save yourself is all that kept replaying in my head.
A Fistful of Love: A Domestic Violence Anthology Page 28