Abuse Reactions
Chapter 11: Second Thoughts and Letters of Love
Today I took a personal day from work. I felt I wasn't going to be able to efficiently focus on what Mr. Mushnik wants me to do. Orin and I got into another fight last night. I do not know what set him off but he just started swearing and punching the wall and then he slapped me around like he usually does. I have severe second thoughts about wanting to stay in this relationship. I just can't take the depression and lack of sleep. I also don't want my personal life to affect my job and I am concerned that it possibly could.
When I got home from my horrible evening with Orin I found two white envelopes stuck underneath my door. I was too tired to even think about reading them at that moment so I put them on my night stand. This morning after I called in sick to work I sat on the bed feeling sorry for myself. Then I opened the first letter. It was from Seymour. I almost died of happiness when I read it. I've liked him for the longest time but was afraid to say anything because A I knew Orin would get jealous and B I didn't know if Seymour felt the same way or not. In his letter Seymour told me her loves me and that if I wasn't dating Orin he would date me in a heartbeat and treat me with all the love and respect I need. Before I opened the second letter I thought about what Seymour had written to me long and hard. I promised myself I'd talk to him tomorrow privately during work.
The second letter was from Ronette. Like Seymour's letter the basic point of it was basically telling how concerned her Crystal and Chiffon are about me and how much I should leave Orin. I am so blessed to have such good friends who care about me. I wish Orin could care for me in the same way.
After I took a nap I decided to give Ronette a call, she picked up on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey Ronette, it's Audrey."
I could almost see her smiling through the phone line
:"Hey girl, did you get my letter?"
"Yeah, I did. Thank you so much."
"No problem."
"Orin and I got into another fight last night.
"A bad one?"
"Almost as bad as the last one."
"Do you see what I mean about how poorly he treats you?"
"Yeah"
"Do you wish you'd listened to me from the beginning?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think your next step will be?"
"I don't know.. I definitely think I want to leave him.. I just don't know what his reaction would be."
"Do you think the abuse could get worse if you leave him."
"There's a 50.50 chance. And what would happen if he tried to hurt you guys or do damage to the store."
"That chump ain't got nothing on us and I don' think Mr. Mushnik would let anything bad happen to the store."
I smiled to myself.
"Seymour really cares about you a lot too,, you that right?"
"I didn't before… but now I do.
"Do you think you'd see yourself with him?"
"Possibly. Did you know he wrote me a letter too?"
"No, what did he say?"
"That he was worried about that he loves me and that he would date me in a heartbeat if I wasn't dating Orin."
"Honey, that's a sign. I think you should talk to him."
"You really think we could be a couple?"
"Definitely."
"Okay then I'll talk to him tomorrow at some point.. probably during lunch break."
"We love you Audrey."
"I love you guys too. You're the best friends a girl could ever ask for."
The line went dead.
I don't know where I'd be with out Crystal Ronette and Chiffon. If I had never met them I would probably be the loneliest person on Skid Row.