I burst into tears as soon as Eric closed the door behind him. Why has he changed back to how he used to be? He's so cold towards me now. When we first got together he treated me with respect, but now it was like I was his mother. I did virtually everything for him and I got nothing in return. It was so frustrating loving someone who didn't appreciate you.
I wiped the tears away and went upstairs to get dressed. For a change, I wanted to look nice, dress up. Maybe Eric will realize that he does love me, if I give him a reminder. I picked out my favourite jumper and skirt with woolly tights and knee boots. I even brushed and straightened my hair, applied makeup and put on my old beret and scarf. I smiled at myself in the bathroom mirror and took a deep breath, I was ready to go.
I closed the door and the rush of cold mountain air washed over my face. I nuzzled into my scarf to cover my nose. I hadn't walked anywhere for a long time, only ever drove to work. I usually stayed in, cooking, cleaning or ironing. I never really had a moment to myself, so it did sound daft but I had forgotten how cold it was outside. I walked down a few blocks until I got to the supermarket to do Eric's shopping.
I remembered how fat Eric used to be, and it never really made sense to me as he still eats the same amount now, but he's still thin. I loaded up the basket with usual crisps, vodka, whiskey, chocolate and all the other junk he loved and I hated. I paid using my money and just as I began to walk out, with all my bags, I tripped over the icy step. My shopping went straight into the snow, people laughed and I had laddered my tights. I broke into frustrated tears as I tried to scramble up, but a familiar voice spoke to me.
"Hey let me help you."
I looked up at the kind man through my tears as he outstretched his hand.
"Wendy…" I placed my gloved hand in his and he helped me stand up.
"Hey Kyle." I sniffed as he bent down and placed my various bottles and packets back into their bags. I broke down into further tears, no one in what seemed like forever had ever helped me with anything, not even something this trivial. He passed me back a bag and he held the other, and placed one arm around me.
"What's with the crying Wendy! It was only a little fall!"
I laughed at how stupid I must look to him. He had no idea about me and Eric still being together, how he was treating me, how stressed out I was getting at work… My problems seemed so stupid but they were starting to get the better of me.
"It's a long story."
"Well, at least let me help you back to your place with all of this, you can't manage on your own."
And so he did. He carried most of the bags and I held one. We walked pretty much in silent, because I was too busy staring at him to speak. He still had his violent red hair, which he had now put into dreadlocks. He looked better than ever. We got back to my place and he dropped them all by the door.
"No, please Kyle come inside, have a coffee with me."
He smiled at that proposition and after putting the shopping away I made him a black coffee and we sat on the sofa together. I glanced into the hallway mirror and realized all my makeup had run down my face.
"Last time I try and look nice I guess." I mumbled, but he elbowed me in the ribs jokily to cheer me up.
"You always look nice Wendy! You don't need makeup!" I smiled at the compliment as I wiped away the remains of the mascara down my cheeks. I sat down next to him and sipped at my coffee, and waited for the inevitable question.
"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I rolled my eyes even though I loved the fact he cared enough to ask. I didn't know where to begin.
"Kyle, when you were friends with Eric, what did you think of him?"
"Cartman?"
"Yeah. What did you think?"
"Christ. Erm, I'm not sure how to answer that. Basically he was a racist, anti-Semitic, money-grabbing fat son of a whore to be honest. Why do you ask?" I hung my head in shame. I knew he was going to say that and it made me feel even worse that he actually did.
"I'm still with Eric, and he's gone back to exactly that, apart from the fat part to be fair" Kyle's eyes widened with shock.
"You? Eric? Still!" He chocked, I was a bit surprised at how amazed he was, I didn't expect him to be so taken aback. " Wendy you guys have been together since Grade school? Your joking me right?"
"No. Since then."
"Dude… and you've put up with that?!"
"Yeah." He moved closer, and he placed his hands over mine.
"Wendy, you deserve so much more than that. You really do."
From there, we talked for hours. Mostly me dribbling on about how much Eric had hurt me. Kyle told me about him and Stan, and the arguments over Kenny. I didn't know where the time went, but that was probably the longest cup of coffee I ever had.
I showed Kyle to the door when it turned dark outside, but at the completely wrong time. The door flung open and in came Eric, and someone else, both obviously drunk.
"What up hoe… Son of a bitch, what the fuck are you doing here Jew?" Kyle glanced at me and spoke quickly to make his escape.
"Nothing, see you later." And with that he was gone, slamming the door behind him.
"What the fuck bitch! You let that Jew come in here! You know how much I fucking hate him." His words were slurred and he stank of alcohol, but I just ignored him and tried to walk up the stairs. He grabbed me by my the back of my shoulder and twisted me round, slamming me against the wall. I gasped in fright as he stared right in my eyes and placed one hand pressing down on neck. I scrambled against him but he was too strong. I was chocking for air and absolutely terrified.
"Bitch, I asked, what the fuck was the Jew here for?"
"Please! Let go! He just helped me with your shopping. Eric Please.." I chocked, my hands trying to peel his hand away from me neck.
"My shopping?"
"Yeah, your shopping."
He released me and I fell to the floor, clutching my neck and trying to breath. He turned to the guy who came in with him.
"Butters, go and mix us a drink, I'll be there in a minute."
"Er, oh ok." Butters scuttled away and I could hear the clunk of the vodka bottles in the next room. Eric picked me up off the floor and threw me into the kitchen, and he instantly spotted the new bottles of vodka lined up on the counter. I crawled into the corner, frightened at what he was going to do next.
"So Kyle's touched this?" He said in a low voice, he sounded angry and threatening and that scared the hell out of me. Tears were running down my face as I nodded. He looked at it in disgust. I screamed with fright as slammed it on the floor, the glass shattering right next to me and shards flied through the air.
"How about this one?"
"Please don't Eric, please…" I sobbed, begging him to stop.
"What about this one!" He ordered, swaying on the spot.
"Yes." I covered my face as he threw right next to me again, but the glass cut straight into my hand. I screamed as I felt the shard embed in my skin. Eric's face dropped as he watched me crying in pain and picking the glass out my hand. The amount of blood that came out of a relatively small but deep wound. He bailed out quickly and left me alone.
"Serves you right." He mumbled as he stumbled out the kitchen to see Butters.
I ran upstairs to my bedroom as soon as I saw Eric was out of sight and locked the door shut behind me. I bandaged my hand and hugged my pillow. I shut my eyes and blocked out everything that had just happened. I was so scared and confused. Eric was the love of my life, I knew that, but I found myself thinking that I wished that Kyle had stayed with me, I wished he was here with me now. If you love someone, you would never do anything like what Eric just did to me.
Kyle had been the only person to treat me with respect in a long time. I tried to fall asleep but I couldn't. Instead I cried throughout the night as Eric and Butters drunkenly laughed and giggled together downstairs.