Opening the front door, Kirsty put her bag on the stairs, her coat over the banister and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Warren followed her slowly. Gone were the days when she would help him out of the car. Gone were the days when she would support him whilst he was walking. Today had been hard. Kirsty hated having to lie to Zoe.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" Warren's voice was stern.

Kirsty looked up and noticed what a good wife would have noticed as soon as she walked into the room. The table was laid, three places were set – Nita would be home. Two wine glasses at either end of the table and a bottle of white in the middle.

"Warren it's lovely" Kirsty said truthfully.

"So lovely you didn't even notice".

Kirsty hated to admit it but he had her, she hadn't noticed. There was an awkward silence. Warren had a look in his eyes, one that Kirsty didn't like.

"Sit down" he said. Kirsty obliged. "Nita" he called, before walking over to the oven and taking out what he had cooked for them.

"Smells good" Nita said as she entered the room. As always she went to help her dad. She carried one of the trays over to the table and took the seat next to Kirsty.

Dinner passed uneventfully, Nita chatting about her maths test and a school trip she wanted to go on. Kirsty had noticed that Warren had been drinking a lot of wine. He shouldn't even be drinking with the medication that he was on. As he went to poor the last of the bottle into his glass Kirsty raised her eyebrows, "Do you think you should?" she questioned.

"Don't give me that look. I'll do what I want." His answer was blunt.

"When is Adam back from his holiday mum?" Nita's innocent question saw Warren glare at Kirsty and Kirsty avoid eye contact with him. "Mum" Nita repeated.

"Errrm t.. tomorrow. He's back tomorrow sweetheart".

"Your mum can't wait to see Dr Perfect". The room fell silent with the remark Warren made. Kirsty had sensed the change in atmosphere in the room.

"Got any homework to do darling?" Kirsty addressed Nita.

"Yeh... will you help me with my biology mum?".

"Go and make a start and I'll be up in a bit". With that Nita got up and kissed both of her parents on the head and made her way upstairs.

"Couldn't wait to start talking about Adam could you?" Warren stood up as he said it. Kirsty didn't move, just stayed sat in her. "Don't ignore me".

"Warren... I..."

"Mr perfect. Not a stupid old cripple like me eh?"

"Adam's just a friend Warren".

"I'm not stupid" he hissed, spitting in Kirsty's face.

"Warren not tonight, I haven't got it in me. Please let me go and help Nita" Kirsty pleaded, she knew Warren to well to think that he would just let her go, but she decided to try anyway. She slowly stood up from her chair.

"You think I'm stupid, that I don't know what you've been doing behind my back". Warren spat. Kirsty knew what was coming and ran for the door. Warren, over the other side of the table got there first and slammed it shut. His arms flew through the air and pushed Kirsty against the wall. Pain seared through her body as her back made contact with the wall. Warren lifted his hand and hit Kirsty hard across the face. She cowered backwards tears rolling from her eyes. "Warren..." Kirsty started.

"You're my wife. Not anyone else's." Warren's fierce voice was loud. He landed a blow deep in Kirsty's stomach and she slumped on the floor. Her fragile and bruised couldn't take any more. Kirsty closed her eyes as she hit the floor. She wasn't sure how long Warren was kicking her for. She only became aware that he stopped when she heard the door close again and the television start to make a noise from the living room.

Kirsty managed to make it up to her bedroom, where she went into the bathroom and locked the door. She took a long look at herself in the mirror, and wondered how she had let her life become this bad. After some careful cleaning of her face with some warm water she was looking at her worn reflection in the mirror. She lifted a hand to carefully touch where her stitches were on the back of her head. There was no further bleeding which was a good sign. After carefully changing Kirsty left the comfort of the bathroom, not wanting to catch sight of herself in the mirror again.

Once in bed Kirsty took a couple of pain killers, and after checking and double checking the time on her clock took a sleeping tablet.