Abusive Relationships Hurt
Some would say it was pure of heart. Others would say it was a kind deed. But we say, that it is a duty of a human being to be someone's light at the end of the tunnel, instead of letting them have the apprehension that their tears will never end.
"Starbucks?" Amber Millington, a young blonde, asked, turning to face her friends. Joy Mercer's eye's light up. The rest of the girl's teased her for the love of frappeccinos at Starbucks. They said that she talked about them so much, the Queen must know by now.
Heels clacked and laughter grew as old friends joked and grew closer to the local café in London, England. The five girls had practically grew up together, and always related themselves to the woman in 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pant's.'
Groaning flew out of the girl's mouths as Amber—the shopaholic of the group—spotted an attractive leather bag in a shop window.
"It will just take a split second, I promise!" She pleaded, "I already have my credit card out." The perky girl raised her card to prove her point.
They nodded, and Patricia Williamson added, "Just hurry."
Patricia, or 'Trixie', was a feisty redhead, with an attitude. If you knew her, most would take what she said to do or such, and implant it in their brains.
Rushing in and out in record time, Amber hurried back to the impatient group. Nina Martian grabbed her several other bags to prevent Amber from falling. Nina was not your stereotype American. She was kind and lean, and the go-to girl for advice. Her parent's had died in a fatal accident when she was a child, rushing the brown haired, hazel eyed girl to mature into a woman faster than necessary.
She had a similar childhood to Mara Jaffray. Mara was a bright and sensible person, kind, and wouldn't hurt a fly. Her parent's were the only killed in a plane crash when the black haired child was born. Horrific event's, yet reality.
Yet no experience could prepare the group for the violence and heartbreak that they would encounter, only minutes ahead. Walking into a coffee shop is normal. Being with your friends is normal. Ordering a drink is normal. Sitting down is the most normal out of these listed above. However, seeing someone emotionally and physically scared and torn is not. They knew it happened, and were saddened when they heard it did. Seeing it face to face was a much more serious and confusing situation. A situation that they would never, not in their most aching dreams, think could come true.
But it did.
Entering the café, the five girls ordered the usual. A frappé for Joy obviously, in Vanilla Bean. The rest got mochas and coffees and teas. They sat at the couch, sharing the local gossip of the royal family (When will Kate have a child?) and Reese Witherspoon's recent and flourishing 'bump.'
Then, a bruised woman entered the shop. Her face was covered in multiple and raw scars, with purple and blue spots covering one of her blushed cheeks and forehead. Her lip was swollen, and on her other cheek, a large cut ran across it, as if someone had slapped her with a heavy ring.
Her sea green eyes stood out from all of her features. Dark circles eveloped under one of her eyes, and her dark cocoa hair was slicked back into a ponytail.
The girls hushed, glancing towards the injured woman. They passed glances, and thought it may have been a bad accident. The group continued to converse, but kept a wary eye on the lonesome girl, isolated and sipping a steamy cup of herbal tea.
Instantaneously, her body trembled and shook when a young man with dark hair and expression entered. Taking a rigid stance, she forced a weary smile as he sat down across from her. His mouth kept in an even poker face, lacking any emotion.
"Hi." Her weak voice uttered. He didn't answer.
"You didn't order me anything?" The tan man spoke, clenching his jaw. "I told you to order me something."
She swallowed harshly. The group's eyes were still glued on the scene unfolding before them.
"I wasn't…. I wasn't sure what you wanted. If you were hungry or thirsty."
He sighed heavily, and shook his head. The table was silent before he slammed his fist down, riveting people. "What? You expect me to pay for it?"
She abruptly stood, scurrying to the counter to order a coffee and pumpkin bread.
He huffed, and tapped his finger's relentlessly against the wooden table until she returned.
She delicately placed the coffee onto a fresh napkin; the pumpkin bread was placed beside it.
Patricia turned to the girls, motioning them to follow her. They took separate tables, to get closer to the couple. She quickly sent out a text, saying that she didn't trust the man and wanted to keep an eye out. The girls nodded and acted casual.
Patricia knew the feelings of the girl, frightened, embarrassed, and the possibility of loosing your sanity.
"I can't wait to see you tonight. It's been forever… Well, we could eat here or out. There's this new Thai place I have been dying to check out, or I could make something at my place… Yes, I can boil water! Oh, and there's this new bowling ally too… Of course I will win! I'm Patricia, Queen of Bowling! Anyway, can't wait to see you… Okay, have a good flight. Love you… Bye." Patricia hung up her phone, ending her conversation with her cousin. He was expected to visit her for the week.
Putting her phone down on the counter, she grabbed the remote for the television, and plopped down on her leather couch. A sudden pounding on the door interrupted her, a pounding of a robber possibly.
Grabbing a frying pan from a drawer, Patricia thought of the local robberies that have taken place lately. She lived in a better part of town, but anything was possible.
The redhead peeped through the hole in the door, hence being called the peep-hole. To her relief, it was only her boyfriend, Phillip. Setting the pan down, she unlocked the door.
"Hey!" Patricia greeted with a smile, giving a friendly wave of her hand. Before she could say more, however, a brutal punch slammed her on the ground.
She yelped, holding her swollen cheek. The young woman looked up, expecting to see warm, chocolate eyes she was used to. Instead, they were replaced by emotionless and cold ones, that reminded her of shark's eyes.
"Why did I hear you saying I love you to someone else?" Phillip growled, putting one hundred and fifty pounds of pressure onto her arm. A crack sounded out into the air, causing Patricia to scream in discomfort.
"I-it was my cousin! I promise!" Squeezing her eyes, all she wanted was to escape. Escape into a place with no violence, no pain, just… paradise.
And for a split moment, it worked. For a second Patricia felt no pain, nothing, just numbness. She felt at peace, until a firm hand clenched her jaw. Opening her eyes, she looked at someone- something—she could only describe as a monster. A chilling shiver ran down her spine as the blonde spit on her face, and knocked her out with a kick to the head.
When her cousin found her that evening, she laid bleeding, broken and bare.
The frightened young woman cautiously paused at each word she said, watching her boyfriend's expression. Her words were soft and nothing too shocking, only relating to local news, the weather, and subtle things.
The older, and possible abusive man kept a poker face, as neutral as a statue. No breathing, blinking, just a cold and heartless stone.
"Abby, do you think that I might really care about these things?"
The woman, apparently Abby, raised her head from her drink. She didn't answer; afraid of the risk she might take if she responded incorrectly.
A slight pause hung in the air, for the whole café was tuning in on the couple now. Abby's lower lip quivered, as if her emotions were trickling in. Her wrist's were bruised, and bent around her coffee cup, seeming to think that it was a form of a shield.
Time slowed down, hearts raced, and people gasped. The typical movie like scenario. Only it wasn't acting. If it was, it was a live reality television show.
Standing and riveting even more attention, the dark-haired man suddenly grabbed her shoulders and shook her, then slapped her, demanding an answer.
The chairs made an eerie sound as all the girls pushed them back.
"Amber! Call the cops!" Joy said, her voice calm.
Patricia and Nina sprinted to pry the man off of the innocent and screaming girl, as a group of men ran from behind the kitchen, and also off the street. With help, Abby was released from his clutch. The girls scurried the sobbing and shaken girl to the kitchen, while the man still fought.
He did manage to get free for a second, but was knocked unconscious by not the men, but Patricia, who got a little revenge for a moment.
When the police arrived, they took him away, cursing and mumbling to himself. A month later, he was charged with assault, rape, and domestic abuse. Only through tests and fingerprints did the man's real name get revealed. It wasn't his cover name, Jason Noel.
It was Phillip Downs, which Patricia and Abby could testify about.
Abby stayed in the hospital for three weeks, and was released. She kept in touch with the girls, telling them about her future plans.
"Where will you stay? We can always take you in," Joy offered.
"That's okay Joy—I plan of staying with my parent's for a while until I can find a place of my own. On Wednesday I will be going out for a job interview with a local school. I have my teaching degree."
"That's fantastic. People would be blessed to know you—we know that we are. Call us anytime you need us, okay?" Nina said.
Abby paused and then asked, "Why did you do it? Why did you help me?"
The girls glanced at each other. They understood that it was all one motivation. Nina spoke up.
"Some would say it was pure of heart. Others would say it was a kind deed. But we say, that it is a duty of a human being to be someone's light at the end of the tunnel, instead of letting them have the apprehension that their tears will never end."
(Love- I promised you that I would write it. I am sorry it took so long. I wanted it to be perfect. Every single thing. I know it's not, but I hope you liked it. I love you, and I am so glad you are here today. Thank you, thank you, thank you.)
Thank you all for reading this, and thank you to Lyds22 for beta-ing this, even though she had lots to do. Please review, I worked for weeks on this.