NINE
* * *
Lucy is so jealous as she leaves the pool hall. I guess she has a right to be, since Kevin didn't tell her about his first marriage. He should have told her. But that isn't abuse, like all those negative people are saying. He loves her, and no one abuses someone they love. But I can see where she needs to talk to someone, so it's good she ran into the new Reverend.
Please don't cry, Lucy. It's all going to turn out all right. You'll forgive Kevin, and he'll love you again.
They shift to Eric. I wish he would get over his depression, because he needs to help people. It should be him in the church with Lucy, not Reverend Hampton.
Nearby, I hear something.
A banging.
I turn my head, my mouth full of popcorn.
On the front door.
I rise, move to the door, check the peephole.
Abby.
#
As I open the door she pushes inside.
"Lock it!" she gasps. "Hurry!"
"What is it?" I ask her.
"Hurry! Oh, God, Michelle, please hurry!"
I close the door, lock it.
"Abby, what is it?"
"Him! He's coming! He's right behind me! Oh, God, this is all my fault!"
She's crying now, trembling.
"Who?" I ask. "Who's coming?"
"I had to, Michelle! I had to tell him I was leaving!"
"Vick?" I ask.
She nods, her gaze still down.
"Why, Abby?"
She is about to answer when the pounding begins. The door rattles from the force of it. I turn to my friend, just as she stumbles. For the first time I see her face clearly.
Bruises. Both eyes.
A voice, from outside.
"Open the goddamn door! Abby! Open the door!"
My breath catches in my throat. The door resists another pounding.
Vick.
No. Not Vick. It can't be Vick. Vick loves her. He loves her like a man is supposed to love a woman. He is strong, firm. He guides her, makes sure she is all right, that she does all right.
Isn't that right? Isn't that the way it is supposed to be?
"Open this goddamn door! Now!"
I freeze in place. What do I do? What am I supposed to do? This can't be happening! This isn't the way it goes!
Then the glass of the window by the door shatters with the force of his fist.
* * *
Lucy is so jealous as she leaves the pool hall. I guess she has a right to be, since Kevin didn't tell her about his first marriage. He should have told her. But that isn't abuse, like all those negative people are saying. He loves her, and no one abuses someone they love. But I can see where she needs to talk to someone, so it's good she ran into the new Reverend.
Please don't cry, Lucy. It's all going to turn out all right. You'll forgive Kevin, and he'll love you again.
They shift to Eric. I wish he would get over his depression, because he needs to help people. It should be him in the church with Lucy, not Reverend Hampton.
Nearby, I hear something.
A banging.
I turn my head, my mouth full of popcorn.
On the front door.
I rise, move to the door, check the peephole.
Abby.
#
As I open the door she pushes inside.
"Lock it!" she gasps. "Hurry!"
"What is it?" I ask her.
"Hurry! Oh, God, Michelle, please hurry!"
I close the door, lock it.
"Abby, what is it?"
"Him! He's coming! He's right behind me! Oh, God, this is all my fault!"
She's crying now, trembling.
"Who?" I ask. "Who's coming?"
"I had to, Michelle! I had to tell him I was leaving!"
"Vick?" I ask.
She nods, her gaze still down.
"Why, Abby?"
She is about to answer when the pounding begins. The door rattles from the force of it. I turn to my friend, just as she stumbles. For the first time I see her face clearly.
Bruises. Both eyes.
A voice, from outside.
"Open the goddamn door! Abby! Open the door!"
My breath catches in my throat. The door resists another pounding.
Vick.
No. Not Vick. It can't be Vick. Vick loves her. He loves her like a man is supposed to love a woman. He is strong, firm. He guides her, makes sure she is all right, that she does all right.
Isn't that right? Isn't that the way it is supposed to be?
"Open this goddamn door! Now!"
I freeze in place. What do I do? What am I supposed to do? This can't be happening! This isn't the way it goes!
Then the glass of the window by the door shatters with the force of his fist.