When Carter sailed in through the front door later that day Abby was
feeding Adam and putting him to bed.
"What put you in such a good mood?" she asked, noticing his broad grin. He
put his arms around her waist.
"Coming home to you, of course," Carter murmured in her ear. Adam drifted
off to sleep in his cot and Carter began to kiss Abby's neck.
"If you wake him up, you're dead," she smiled and led him out of the
nursery, closing the door behind her.
"I'm sorry, have I been naughty?" Carter asked her grabbing her and holding
her close. Abby pulled away.
"No, but you are being weird," Abby raised one eyebrow suspiciously.
"What's with you today?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," Carter kept approaching her and she kept backing
away. "Come on, Abby. What's with you today?" Carter's behaviour was
beginning to scare her as Abby kept backing away. He wasn't normally so
pushy. Her back reached a wall and she began to feel panic rising in her as
Carter kept advancing, with a crazed look in his eyes that she hadn't
noticed before.
"John?" Abby asked, her voice trembling.
"Yes, honey? I'm right here," he smiled.
"Carter, seriously, what's wrong with you?" He pinned her up against the
wall and looked down her. Her heart beat so fast that she swore he could
feel it, pressed up against her like that. As he leant down to kiss her,
she ducked out from under him and he hit his head on the wall. She brushed
past his leg and caused an object to fall out of his pocket. It hit the
carpeted floor with a thud. Abby snatched it up, quickly. As soon as she
had it in her hand she knew.
"Oh Carter," Abby whispered. She looked up at him, disappointment and fear
formed tears in her eyes. "Oh god. No, Carter. Please." She shook her head,
not wanting to believe it.
"What do you mean 'No, Carter?" He asked, turning on her, rubbing his
forehead. "I'm not a damn dog." He stopped trying to seduce Abby and now
felt angry at her.
"Why did you take them, Carter?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but it
still shook with fear and anxiety.
"Cos I felt like it, ok?" he snapped. "God, you're acting like you're my
mother or something. I can take care of myself, y'know, Abby."
"Well obviously not if you let yourself get like this," she answered
automatically and then wished she hadn't said anything. His eyes blazed in
a way she had never seen before.
"For God's sake, Abby," he shouted at her. "What's with the interrogation?"
In the next room, Adam woke up and began to cry. Abby slipped into the next
room, glad to have the distraction. She picked up the crying baby and tried
to comfort him, but in a way, she was also trying to comfort herself.
Carter followed her into the room.
"Really, Abby, why are you being so pissed off?" he took hold of her
shoulders and forced her to face him. Adam cried harder.
"Please, John, you're upsetting Adam," Abby tried to calm him down.
"Upsetting Adam or upsetting you?" Carter asked. Me, you're scaring me.
Abby thought, but said nothing.
"I'm not good enough for you, am I?" Carter snarled. "I'm never good
enough."
"I didn't say that, Carter," she told him, holding Adam close to her.
"For God's sake," he yelled, angrily and punched at her. She ducked just in
time and he hit the shelf instead. As the shelf crashed down with soft toys
and picture books flying everywhere Abby took her chance to quickly leave
the room. A bag with baby stuff in sat by the door, unpacked from when
Adam was at day-care. She also took her handbag and made for the front
door. If she didn't go now, he might seriously hurt her, or worse, hurt
Adam. Carter came out of the room and saw her.
"Where do you think you're going," Carter shouted at her. Abby turned and
looked at him, desperately trying to calm her nerves.
"Away from you, Carter," she answered and quickly went out of the door.
* * *
It was only when she was halfway down the road when she thought of where she might go. She was just walking, but she had nowhere to go. What if he came after her? She needed somewhere that she'd be safe. Somewhere close by. When she finally stopped to think, she realised she'd walked in the exact opposite direction if she was intending to seek refuge at Susan's or Jing-Mei's. She couldn't go back on herself, not now; she might meet Carter on the way. Her feet had automatically taken her in this direction. If Carter found out, he'd be livid. She could only walk on, go straight on. Straight on to a place where she knew she'd be safe. Luka's.
* * *
It was only when she was halfway down the road when she thought of where she might go. She was just walking, but she had nowhere to go. What if he came after her? She needed somewhere that she'd be safe. Somewhere close by. When she finally stopped to think, she realised she'd walked in the exact opposite direction if she was intending to seek refuge at Susan's or Jing-Mei's. She couldn't go back on herself, not now; she might meet Carter on the way. Her feet had automatically taken her in this direction. If Carter found out, he'd be livid. She could only walk on, go straight on. Straight on to a place where she knew she'd be safe. Luka's.
