Chapter 4: Returning To Hell
Alexz moved quickly through out the house, making sure that every room was clean and that Tim hadn't left anything behind. She didn't want David to suspect anything. Ever since he'd left the day before, she'd been on a non-stop cleaning spree, fearing what David might say if he even remotely smelled something that didn't seem normal. She couldn't imagine the day that he would ever find out that Tim had been there, and she prayed he never would.
She did one last run through the house, being sure once again that everything was in place, the bed was made properly, and not a thing was out of place. She'd washed everything the night before so that not even the bedding would smell like Tim. A part of her wished he'd never had to leave. At least with him there, she felt safe. It was scary to think that his arms were the only place she truly felt safe, but she'd never felt more comfortable than when he was laying with her in their- her bed. Her bed. It was her bed, not theirs.
She finally returned to the kitchen, checking the spaghetti that was cooking on the stove. It was one of his favourites, so she knew that as long as she treaded carefully and didn't piss him off, she might be able to get through tonight without too much of a problem.
She jumped quickly having not heard him enter the apartment, and when he grabbed her from behind, she almost dropped the spoon in her hand and shrieked.
"Holy Sh-shit! David you scared me!," She turned to him her face obviously stricken. He pulled her to him, hugging her roughly. "Miss me?" He asked, she nodded slowly. "I umm, have to get the pasta out before it over boils, dinner will be ready s-soon." Alexz stammered.
She turned away form him, trying to hide her tears that betrayed her. She wished she were somewhere else right now. She tried to pretend everything was okay, but she was scared out of her mind, at what he might do tonight. She hoped and prayed he's just watch TV and fall asleep, leaving her to do whatever.
A few minutes later, the water came to a boil and she moved it to a cool burner, checking to make sure the sauce topping was fully cooked before she moved that as well. She moved across the room, grabbing two bowls to pour the spaghetti and sauce into.
After she finished moving everything, she turned around, to nearly bump into him. She tightened her grip on the bowls, rather than losing grip of them. "Dinner's finished. I'm just going to put it on the table now."
"Took you long enough? What the hell did I tell you about having I done before I got here? I specifically told you I wanted it done before I got home. God damn, Alexz, I'm only here for 2 days. Can't you get one thing done right?"
"David common don't start okay, I made the sauce homemade like, you like it, it takes longer, and I've been sick okay, I haven't felt good at all, so just don't start with me tonight." Alexz set the bowls on the table, and picked up the sauce spoon gripping it, so tempted to just throw it at his dumb ass head. She felt herself become angry and had to force herself to calm down, sometimes she had balls and it only got her into trouble when it came to fighting back with him. She forced herself to breathe.
"You're lucky Al, he said sitting down," She held her breath to keep form retorting. What the hell was wrong with her, she needed to keep her lips shut.
She wasn't even hungry, she didn't want to eat, she knew he'd tell her how fat she looked, and how she shouldn't be eating, and then when she didn't she didn't eat enough she could never win. She wasn't in the mood to feel fat tonight, she hated what he made her feel, she would berate herself for the rest of the night, feeling fat and worthless. She'd sometimes not eat for days, even weeks because of it, until once again she got into trouble for "not eating"...
She walked towards the sitting room, only to be stopped by him. "Aren't you going to eat?" He practically ordered her too, but she simply shook her head, continuing to head for the sitting room.
"I asked you a question, Alexz. I expect an answer with words." She could feel his eyes practically burning into her back, threatening an argument or worse. She wished she'd gone back to Toronto with Tim right about now, even though she knew she couldn't. It only would have been a matter of hours before he would have figured out where she was. God forbid he would find out who she was staying with. Then she would have been in major trouble.
She turned around, biting the inside of her cheek. "No, David. I'm not eating. I don't feel well enough to eat right now. Maybe later."
He shook his head at her, turning away. She made her way into her bedroom, hoping someone would call her to distract her, or that she'd hear something about a movie deal. Anything so that she wouldn't have to spend time talking to him.
When she walked back out into the kitchen for some coffee, she realized that he was on the phone with his mom, he looked up at her and slid the bowl of pasta toward her, "Mom said you wont get better unless you eat, so here eat." He said in a more calm voice this time, must not want to be mean in front of mommy, what song of a mom would treat a woman like that. Now it was two against one.
She rolled her eyes, taking the food from him, only to met with a smack to the back of the head. Her free hand flew to the back of her head, wincing. She turned around glaring at him before she walked out of the room, back to her bedroom. She shut the door behind her, setting the food on the nightstand. She walked over to her computer, wanting to escape this house somehow. She figured she'd keep the food in there with her for ten minutes or so and then go dump it down the toilet so she wouldn't have to eat it. David wouldn't know the difference.
She looked over at her cell phone on the nightstand, partially hoping it would ring, but another part of her didn't want it to, for fear that he would come walking in here and say something cruel or ask her who she was talking to, purely so he could either put them down, or tell her that she should be spending time with him on his few days off or that she should come out and eat with him. Of course, he'd only tell her to come out and eat with him if he was still on the phone with his mother. She wouldn't do that because she knew he'd only do it if he was on the phone with his mother, and then the minute he would hang up, he'd be back on treating her like shit.
She shook her head, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She looked around the room, wanting to crawl deep into a hole.
She didn't look up when David walked into the room, she rather felt him sit next to her and place a hand on her shoulder, "Al?" She didn't look up knowing his concern wouldn't last long, it only meant one thing. She bit her lip trying not to cry.
"Are you feeling that sick, maybe you should lay down?" He asked. "Mom thinks you should eat, so why don't you try, and then we can lay down for a little while?"
The last thing she wanted was a fight with him right now.
The last thing she wanted was a fight with him right now. She let out a huff of air, nodding. She picked up the bowl of spaghetti off the nightstand and took a few bites, trying to eat without feeling the need to spit it back out. Her stomach was already feeling yuck and here she was trying to force food down to satisfy him. She took a few more bites of it before handing to to him feeling tears in her eyes from how badly just swallowing those few bites was making her stomach hurt. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I can't..."
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she clutched her stomach, praying she wouldn't be sick. She couldn't and she wouldn't be sick right now. Not with him here, and not like this. She didn't want to make him angry or have him say crap about her.
He surprised her when he set The bowl aside, taking her into his arms and rocking her back and fourth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to force you. Maybe we should just lie down for a while or take a nap."
She stiffened against him, not wanting to but she didn't want to fight with him when she felt sick like this. She couldn't handle it with her stomach twisting as bad as it was.
She took his lead and moved back to lay down, feeling tense. He pulled her to him, and she wanted nothing more than to just escape from her own skin at this very moment. She knew what was coming next. As right as she was his hand grazed her shoulder then pulled her into him closer moving to kiss her.
"David I...I can't I don't feel well just a minute ago you cared about that."
"Alexz you know I care about you, I love you."
She rolled her eyes, this man was so far from love he was on a different planet.
She felt his hands touch her side and she froze instantly.
His hands moved from her sides to her front, grabbing for her breasts. She clenched her eyes shut, praying that if she kept them shut long enough he'd stop touching her and leave. Suddenly she wanted Tim back in her bed. With him at least she could count on him not being grabby towards her. She groaned involuntarily, not even realizing she had until her eyes opened and she saw him hovering over her.
"David, please no. Not right now. I really don't feel good." She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ward off the tears that were threatening to fall.
"C'mon Al. I've been gone for a week, and I'm leaving again tomorrow. I think you owe me something, don't you agree?"
"How do I always owe you this? Couldn't I owe you something else?" She asked feeling her hands start to shake. "I f-feel sick, really sick please!" she breathed trying to push him off of her. "C'mom baby you know you want me," he moved pulling her shirt up to expose her breasts. She felt hot fresh tears sting her eyes, biting her lip as hard as she could. "You love me baby," he said, she didn't respond. She felt him touch her bare skin and was immediately disgusted, and sickened. "David please! Stop!"
"No I know you want me it wont take long I want to touch you."
She felt his hands roaming over her body, from her breasts to her sides before moved towards her belt buckle. She screamed, kicking him hard between the legs, but didn't earn anything but anger in reply. He slammed her arms over her head, gripping them down tight light chains, bounding her so that she couldn't move. "Now listen here, you little whore. You're gonna do what I want, and I don't care if you want to do it or not!! Got it!?"
She hook her head quickly, anything to not get slapped. She was fresh out of cover-up, and she didn't want have to wear big glasses in the middle of the winter just to go get it. She knew in the back of her mind that she shouldn't have do any of this, but she couldn't leave him and risk being found and having him permanently damage her in some way or worse
Yes, she wanted to live a full, happy life, but sometimes she believed that there was a chance that wouldn't happen.
He nodded, moving his hands back down to her jeans as her body began to wrack with sobs. He looked back up at her, wrapping his hand around her throat. "Stop crying you bitch. You know this is what you deserve! I wouldn't have to do this to you if you would just give it to me."
She tried to stop her sobs, but they became faster and louder as he continued to torture her in the worst ways, making her sick to her stomach. She hated him with a passion like no other for doing this to her. For trying to kill her from the inside out.
He moved his hand away and down her body making her skin crawl, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly trying to take herself away. She wished she could reach her cell phone...She felt his mouth on her breast making her cringe from the inside-out and she was almost sure she'd puke.
She wanted to shove him off of her, to push him away, to do anything to get control. She could feel his hands moving into her jeans and it made her feel even worse. She could hear the distant sound of the phone ringing, but she wasn't sure if it was just in her head or if it was actually ringing. She was sure that if he actually cared enough he would have gotten up to answer it if it wasn't just her in her mind, but she wasn't sure. She couldn't stand this. She had to get out she had to get out of this situation somehow.
"Dav- David stop! I'm gonna be sick!!" She pushed him back, trying to get him off of her. She had to get him off. She couldn't handle this. It was too much. She couldn't take feeling his hands on her like burning saucers wherever he touched her, wherever his mouth licked, sucked, nibbled, or even kissed. All of it made her so sick she felt like she might throw up all over him if he didn't move quicker.
Fortunately, he did and she was up running away from him like a mad man. In no time she was in the washroom, retching into the toilet bowl until what was in her stomach finally came up, filling the porcelain bowl. Her stomach still twisted though, though she wasn't sure whether it was from anxiety or from the sheer need to be sick. Every thing about this was sick and she hated it. She hated him. It was inevitable.
She wanted to purge everything about him out of her system but that was impossible. This time she wasn't purging... he'd made her sick. The Flu made her sick, which ever, he made it worse.
The next thing she knew he was behind her a touching her again, was he fucked up in the head?
"Oh baby you turn me on," he said. That was it! She wanted to slap the shit out of him! If she had half the strength she would.
In the next instant she heard the phone ringing again, and he'd moved away from her to answer it, maybe she wasn't imagining it.
"Hey,"
she heard him, answer. His mom again, she knew, this woman couldn't leave well enough alone ever. She listened to see what he'd have to say.
"Yeah I wasn't sleeping, Al is sick, she's throwing up." he acted like he cared so much, gah! He made her so mad sometimes.
"Yeah, she tried to eat actually, shes just feeling really lousy," Like he'd tell her it was his fault, on top of the flu, he made her physically sick, with what he does, with his words, his breath, his hands.
"I'll sleep, don't worry about it, I want to make sure she's alright first. No shes not just being needy, she just got-...okay, yeah, sure." She wanted to tear her ears off her head and throw them out the window, he was sickening in just that alone, his voice oozed with lies, and his mother just took it in.
She groaned, shaking her head. She'd lock herself in here all night if she had to. She wasn't going to succomb to whatever sickening things he wanted her to do tonight. She was feeling far too sick and she wanted to just sleep. Or maybe not sleep but at least rest without having to worry about him trying to come in and feel her up. She hated him for doing that to her. She just wanted to be left alone. Why couldn't he simply understand that!?
"But baby I haven't seen you in days. Baby I miss you. Baby you owe me. Baby I need this. Baby I need that." He always came with an excuse!! It was like he came with a manual of all the things he was going to say and you could almost hand pick them. She hated to be in this house with him. She wanted to leave. She probably would at least consider the thought if she didn't feel so damn sick. But every which way she moved, every time she even opened her eyes, her body ached from her head to her toes, and she couldn't seem to get comfortable no matter what she did.
"Al?"
She heard his voice. She looked up to see him standing in the doorway of the washroom with the phone still pressed to his ear. Why couldn't she just get a reprieve? She hated the way he treated her, but she wouldn't argue with him while he was on the phone with his mom. She'd only get in more trouble for arguing with him, and it would be double the trouble because his mother was on the phone.
"Mmmhmm?" She put a fake smile on, not wanting to argue with him, but knowing that he'd find something to say to upset or hurt her again.
"Why don't you go lie down. I'll get you some soup. Mom insists." He gave her a smile, though she knew it wasn't really directed at her. He was such a mommy's boy and whatever she told him say, think, or even do, he did it to keep her happy. Sometimes she wondered if he only stayed with her because it made him look better to his mother. And even more so, it made her wonder if he was just with her for the money and nice place. It wasn't uncommon for her to go and grab money from her purse, and then find money gone that she'd had set aside beforehand. Time and time again she argued with him because she'd had it set aside for a reason. He'd even taken her credit cards and wouldn't give them back, she'd have to take them back while he was asleep, and he'd find out sometimes, and act like it didn't even belong to her.
She didn't groan, and instead just got up and went to her bedroom. She shut her door behind her, wanting to turn the lock but she knew if she did, she'd just be in for more trouble. Grabbing her cell phone, She turned to the bed trying not to remember what had just happened, and crawled up under the blankets.
She heard the TV switch on in the other room and prayed he'd stay occupied long enough. She opened her phone and dialed a number, she just needed to hear someone's voice, she needed the safety of knowing someone could hear if something were to happen. She listened as it rang looking up through the semi dark room, and prayed she'd answer.
"Hello?" Alexz heard her voice and let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "Hi Jess it's Al, What are you up to hun?" She let tears slide down her face, feeling an overwhelming urge in her chest that she just had to quiet herself, she couldn't tell her. If she told shit would hit the fan and that would be the end of her safety, he'd promised her so many times while holding her against the wall, he'd kill her, he would bury her six feet under if she ever told anyone.
Her chest felt like it would crack at the sobs she held in.
She held a hand to her chest, trying to breathe without giving herself away. She just wanted him to leave, or to get out of here somehow. She wished now more than ever she had a sun porch or something to go sit on, where she would be free to run if he tried to come at her.
She listened to Jess talk to her about her days events and everything she'd done, all a while letting tears roll down her cheeks. She prayed that she'd be left in here long enough to calm down and then maybe get a few hours of sleep. He'd said he would only be home for a day or so, hadn't he? Maybe she could leave for a few days. Anything to get out of here. Or maybe she'd hear from Tim again. Anything to not have to constantly fear her every move, wondering if his mom would know the minute she walked out her door, wondering if he was coming up behind her to do something. She couldn't spend her life doing that. It would be too much.
"So how are you?" She heard Jess ask her that, and for the smallest second, she contemplated telling her. But as always, she didn't. She would never be able to, for fear that something could happen. He could walk in the room, or Jess could say she was calling the police and coming over. Alexz had tried that once, and it was only a few hours before he had returned to her house and had made her 'pay' for turning him in.
"Um, sick, but I'm okay. David's home for a few days, but its fine." She looked over at the window, watching the sun on the horizon. She wished staring at it long enough would make it just go down and come up and then disappear again. At least then she'd know he was gone, but she knew that wouldn't happen. It never did, no matter how much she wanted it.
"Al?" She heard her call her name, she must have zoned out. "Yeah sorry, I umm..." "Are you falling alseep on me hun?" Jess asked. "No, was just thinking, sorry, I haven't gotten much a chance to see everyone, including my family, I just miss everyone I guess, have you been over at my mom's?" Alexz asked her trying to keep herself from the subject in fear that she'd just blurt it out.
"Everyone is doing well, hasn't your mom called you Al?" Alexz closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before answering.
"We had another argument."
"You should really take some time to go see them hun, they just miss you." Jess told her.
"If it was that simple believe me I would," She wished it were just that simple, but David somehow spoiled everything, leaving bruises on her that she knew her family would notice, she wanted nothing more than to just walk through her mothers door without him, without worrying what they'd find out, without them thinking she wanted nothing to do with them.
"Al, whats wrong? I can tell something is." Alexz shook her head, praying that she could just shrug off this situation without having to go into detail.
"I'm fine. I've just been sick. I'd go see them, but I can't. David's home for a few days, but maybe after I can go see them. He's got plans for the next few days for us," she lied through her teeth. She felt like it was something she did regularly, and it almost scared her. Why could she lie to everyone but Tim? It didn't make sense to her.
She got off her bed and began to pace the bedroom, wanting to leave the house once again. She hated being here.
"Okay well I don't want to be interrupting anything, I have to go for now Al, I'll talk to you soon."
"Okay..Talk to you soon," She didn't want to be off the phone, not at all, but it's not like she could tell her why, it's not like anyone found a reason to stay on the phone with her, she wanted to throw something, to rip something apart, but her body ached at the same time.
Instead, she threw her phone back on the the bed and continued to pace her bedroom, hoping that eventually the sun would go down and she'd be too tired to do anything. She prayed he'd stay on the chesterfield all night and not come in by her. At least if he was out there, she could attempt to get some sleep. She yawned, but she wasn't so much tired as she was stressed. She looked over at the phone on her bed, thinking about calling Tim, but she wouldn't. She didn't want to worry him. She'd made him worry enough in the last week when he'd been there, taking care of her.
She was startled when she heard her phone ringing, but she grabbed it and answered it. "Hello?" She spoke softly, not wanting to give away the fact that she was talking to someone, whether David was still on the phone with his mother or not.
"Alexz, honey. I have a few things I need to do. Can I drop the kids off by you for a bit?" Her eyes widened in worry and fear as she heard the question come from her mothers mouth. David could be an asshole, but he was even worse when Trinity and Isaiah were there, though she wasn't sure exactly why. They'd never done anything to him, but he was always complaining when they were there, and even acted out against them for the smallest reasons. She hated seeing him do that. Those two kids had been through enough, yet time and time again, he continued to do it, not thinking of anyone but himself.
"I know you're busy hon, but your sisters are already gone for the day and they're having a sleepover with their friends, and your fathers sick. I'd really appreciate it if you could do this for me." Alexz couldn't tell her her mother no, no matter how much she didn't want those two babies put in harms' way. She wasn't going to tell her mother something when she knew she needed the help.
"Yeah mom, sure. Bring them over." She bit the inside of her cheek, praying that they'd be okay and that he would keep his hands off of them. She prayed he wouldn't touch any of the and that her mother would come get them without a single hair harmed on anyones head.
She emerged from the room anxiously, she needed to tell him, surprises were a bad thing.
"David my mom has to drop off the kids, I'm sorry, she has no one else my dad is sick, and thats not a good thing..." She trailed off wincing and waiting for him to explode, she knew his mother would have something to say about this too, along the lines of how she was gullible, and could care less about how David felt, she knew she'd be yelled at for this, but she couldn't say no with her dad being sick.
"What?! Alexz dammit do you ever fucking ask!?"
"David this is my house if you don't like it you can leave!," She retorted and instantly regretted it. He had his own place she wondered why he couldn't ever go home when he wasn't working. He practically lived here, just to control her.
She saw him move, but didn't dodge him in time before his hand connected with her face.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that again, you little bitch! who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that? what did I tell you about talking back to me huh?" He grabbed her by her arms shaking her. Great this was going to be a long night...
"David my mom...my mom's going to be here, she'll know you hit me if you do it again, please just stop!" Alexz cried, if he hit her any harder it would be noticeable. Of course her mom called when she needed something, Alexz couldn't find it in her heart to say no.
He backed off, only because she was right and he didn't want to risk getting into trouble. "Fine, maybe I should leave," he spoke sarcastically. She sighed, walking over to the chesterfield. "Do what you want," she spoke honestly, but softly. If he left, great. If he stayed, well, then she'd have to deal with him. But that was what she did all the time anyway. She did nothing more than just deal with him.
She stood when there was a knock at the door and walked to answer it, seeing her mom with the two kids. They hugged her two legs and she couldn't help but smile, hugging her her mom. "Hi, mom..."
She smiled and hugged her daughter back. "I'm sorry I have to run out like this, but I have to get to work. Maybe when I pick them up, okay?"
Alexz couldn't help but frown, knowing that this is what it had come to with seeing her family. Unless her mother was asking her to babysit or stopping by to pick up the kids, she rarely saw them these days. She couldn't be around them according to David because apparently they put ideas in her head that were bad for her, and they weren't worth her time. Yet he could beat on her and his mother could treat her like shit and she could spend all the time in the world with them.
She said goodbye to her mother and then lifted Isaiah into her arms, walking into the sitting room with the kids. She settled them on the chesterfield, turning the channel so that they could watch cartoons and she could hopefully get a song written or at least some type of work, though something told her that what she wanted wasn't going to happen.
She walked towards her bedroom to get her computer, only to be shoved against the wall by David so hard, she felt like her shoulder blades might cut into the wall, though she knew it wasn't possible. "David, please stop. Whatever you want I'll give it to you but not now. Not in front of the kids," she tried to reason with him, though she was sure he wouldn't listen. He never did.
"Why should I give in to what you want, you little whore? You never do anything I want, so there's no reason for me to do what you want. That'd just be contradicting myself, eh Alexz?" She clenched her eyes shut, feeling the seething anger drip from each and every one of his words. No, she didn't give him what he wanted 99 of the time, and when she did it wasn't willingly. She absolutely hated the way he treated her, but she wasn't going to give him what he wanted without a fight. It wasn't fair.
She wanted to scream at him, she wanted to yell at him to get out of her house, to leave her alone, and to never come see her again. "David just..." She stopped herself from saying anything further, not wanting to get into it here with the kids having just got here. "Not right now, please? The kids just got here. Let me get them settled in and then if you need something, I'll get it for you, okay?"
"Fine!" He was seething and walked out but not without slamming his fist into the wall and glaring at her first.
She decided to get the kids settled and ready for bed knowing that they'd be here for the night. She needed to avoid David as much as possible.
She bathed the kids, gave them a snack, then moved through the house to turn off lights, and rock them to sleep one at a time. She'd in between baths set up a playpen for Isaiah to sleep in, and rocked him to sleep first rubbing his head with her hand and singing sweetly. She hoped that David would just keep his mouth shut long enough so she could get them asleep.
They fell asleep fast leaving her with nothing else than to clean up around the house, as tired as she felt, she felt like she'd just drop but she had to keep moving and keep occupied long enough to avoid him and pray he'd fall asleep.
She started with the sitting room, cleaning up the floor where the kids had been playing and left him to watch what he was watching before putting away the toy bin in the storage closet where she kept things for them. She moved next to the kitchen, washing up the dishes and cleaning off the counters before she swept up the floor. She thought about mopping to make time pass and have another excuse for not sitting down to spend time with him, but she was getting exhausted and she really didn't want to after everything else she'd done that day, on top of being sick.
She walked out of the kitchen, shutting the light off. She looked over at the chesterfield, seeing David still watching TV. She prayed he was too wrapped up in the show to pay attention to her. As she made her way towards the hall and didn't hear him moving, she felt hopeful that she might actually be able to get away with this without him making her do anything. Her mind quickly changed though as she heard him coming up behind her and shove her against the wall. She winced but didn't make a sound as she was turned around and slapped hard across the face. She winced, feeling hot tears brim her eye lids.
"What'd you think you would just go to bed and get away with this? That nothing would happen and I'd just let you do what you wanted? Next thing I know you'll be thinking you can bring people here to have sex. Is that what what you're doing? Is that it Alexz? Are you trying to become a slut?" She felt his hand wrap around her neck and she winced, grabbing at his wrist in attempt to pull it away, but he was sgrabbing at his wrist in attempt to pull it away, but he was squeezing so hard she could barely braethe.
"Da-Dav-..." She couldn't breathe, and each moment longer that he squeezed, she struggled harder to take in a breath. She felt tears run faster down he cheeks, ironically running past his hand gripping her by the throat. She tried to pound her fists into his chest, but her weak movements were nothing against him as her body begged for oxygen.
Finally he let go, but only to throw her to the floor and begin kicking her in every open spot. She cried softly, knowing if she sobbed that it would only get worse. He always told her she was a baby if she cried, and while she couldn't stop the tears, she could do her best to keep from making noise while crying. She breathed heavily, choking to get air into her lungs that ached and burned while still enduring his abuse.
Alexz crossed her arms shielding her face with them, hoping he'd just kill her and get it over with. She didn't move when he walked away from her, "I'm going to take a shower, stop being a baby and get the fuck up! When I get out be ready for me, you said you would later." He told her, his voice sounding sickeningly sweet.
Alexz forced her body into movement, struggling in pain as she moved, it hurt to breathe, She looked up at him to be knocked backwards once again his fist connecting with her face more than once. "Stop being a baby, if you wake up the kids you'll regret it!" He said then moved away from her once again.
She covered her face with her hands pulling them away to reveal blood. She was bleeding. She touched her lip gingerly he'd split her lip what was new? She felt her face knowing it would be bruised and swollen very quickly.
Having heard the shower, she moved as quickly as she could grabbing her keys she dressed the kids in their sleep having to wake up Trinity and quiet her, she moved to place them into her car, quietly, every breath she took was sheer agony at this point.
She took one last look up at the apartment, seeing the washroom light shut off. She knew he'd realize he was trying to leave soon enough, so she raced around the car to the front seat, yanking her door shut. She started the car and threw it into reverse, pulling her seat belt on as she did. Isaiah was still fast asleep, but Trinity was half awake, still bewildered as to why Alexz had woken her.
She started pulled out of the driveway and sped down the street, driving nearly a mile before she figured out where she was going. She couldn't go home because her family would know and no one was there anyway. She couldn't leave the city because she didn't have any clothes for the kids, and she couldn't leave the city with them anyway, and she couldn't go to one of her friends.
With those choices gone, it only gave her two choices. She would either have to go back home after driving around for a while, or she'd have to take the kids to Patricia's house and pray that she watched them while she went to the hospital. She bit her tongue, not wanting to do either, but her chest her so bad she felt like if she breathed any deeper than the shallow attempts she was taking in was that her lungs might explode.
She arrived at Patricia's house and turned of the car. She pulled her seat belt off and got out of the car, moving around to get Trinity out of her booster seat before she removed Isaiah from his car seat. She took Trinity's hand in her own and walked to the doorstep, knocking softly on the front door. A few minutes later, Patricia opened it, and the frown on her face gave away the fact that Alexz didn't look any better than she felt. "I have to go to the ER, please. I need you to watch them..."
"Oh my god! Come in here for a minute please Alexz," Alexz nodded tears making paths down her face once again. She moved into the house where Patricia could get a better look at her. "Damn him! David did this didn't he?" Patricia asked, Trinity's eyes moved up to meet Alexz face realizing for the first time that she was crying, she suddenly began sobbing and clung to her. Patricia took Isaiah from Alexz arms and laid him out on the chesterfield, motioning for Alexz to sit for a minute. "My car is running..." Alexz said. "Here hand me the keys, I'll have Chip shut it off for a little bit, let me get a look at you, make you some tea or something," Alexz reluctantly handed her the keys not having the energy to argue the subject.
"Alexz you can't go to the hospital they'll arrest him for this," Patrica said handing her a cold-pack for her face. "What if I don't tell them what happened?" Alexz asked pleading. "It hurts to breathe!," She sobbed.
"Listen to me, I'll keep an eye on you here, and If I need to I'll call an ambulance, You'll be okay, I won't let anything happen, They won't just accept that you wont tell them. You'll be okay, you're probably just badly bruised." Patricia tried to convince her. While hiding her car keys in the mean time.
She couldn't watch her son go to jail, he needed to be in church not jail.
Alexz shook her head, nearly hyperventilating from how badly her chest was aching. Taking in the smallest breath made her ache. "I have to...I can't...My chest..." Hot tears ran down her cheeks.
Patricia shook her head, grabbing a clean cloth out of a drawer and wetting it with tepid water before walking back over to Alexz, wiping away at the cuts on her face. "Really Alexzandra, it'll be fine. Just calm down. Crying is only hurting you worse."
Alexz shook he head, putting the ice pack down. She needed to see a doctor. Being sick was only making her body hurt so much worse, and Trinity was crying just as much as her. She lifted her into her arms even though she ached badly, and held her close. "Its okay baby girl."
Alexz looked up at his mom, pleading with her eyes, Patricia moved to take Trinity from her arms and bring her into her husband to calm her down, and maybe watch cartoons while Alexz and she talked.
Patricia handed Alexz a glass of cold water which she took, and sipped at her parched throat almost resisting it.
"You'll be okay Alexz do you want to tell me what happened?" Patricia asked, Alexz looked at her suddenly she felt really sick again. "Al?" She asked again looking at her.
She shook her head, throwing a hand over her mouth and running from the room. She made a mad dash for the washroom, throwing herself over the toilet bowl just in time as her stomach reprieved, and she threw up into the porcelain bowl. Her body ached even worse now and she wanted to crawl in a deep hole, but she wouldn't, no matter how sick she felt.
Patricia came in behind her, shaking her head sadly. "You really are sick. Gosh, Al. Maybe we should have you lie down for a bit and get some rest..."
Alexz shook her head getting up and walking to the vanity. She turned the water on and cupped a little into her hands, sipping it into her mouth to rinse it out before she spit it back out. "No, no I don't need to rest. My chest hurts bad. I really think I should go into the ER. Please." She knew she was begging now but her body ached bad. She needed to see her doctor.
"Alexz listen to me you will be okay, main thing right now is the flu, we need to get you better. I'll make you some garlic soup, you need to lie down, going to the hospital is not going to solve anything, but added pain, because they will ask questions that you'll need to answer, I'm not watching my son go to jail because you two cant get along."
Alexz wouldn't fight with her any longer and sighed, nodding. Patricia led her to the guest room, turning on the bedside table lamp. She helped her to lie down and slipped her shoes off, covering her up. Trinity came up behind Patricia, looking up at Alexz. She crawled up into the bed next to her, snuggling up next to her. Alexz hugged her back, rubbing her hair down. "Get some rest, babygirl. We'll be here for a little while..."
Trinity nodded, resting on the pillow next to Alexz while Patricia exited the room, grabbing the phone. She dialed the number to Alexz's apartment, hearing him pick up. She could practically feel her sons anger on the other line of the phone, and he hadn't even said anything yet.
"She's here right now, David. You need to calm down!" She spoke in an angered voice. "Why the hell do you think you have the right to do this to her David huh, I don't care how angry you were," She yelled through the phone. "You could have killed her this time, your lucky I saved your ass again!"
"Mom she deserved it!"
"David you need help! You need to go get help before you do end up in jail, is that what you want, you want to lose her and go to jail?" Patricia asked. "I thought church would help you, I don't know David maybe I'm wrong, I never raised you like that. I don't want my son going to jail, I had to stop her David ..."
"Stop her from what mom?"
"Going to the hospital and turning your ass in David!" she responded.
"Oh that little bitch, shes just wants to ruin me is all mom."
"David you hit her!!."
"She deserved it!."
Alexz sat up in bed, and removed a sleeping Trinity from on top of her arm. Her chest burned, with her movements, but she'd thought she heard Davids name, and was afraid he was there, when she realized Patricia was on the phone. She coughed hard, tried to catch her breath and coughed again. How could she rest like this? She moved from the bed, overhearing the conversation. She felt like hell. She emerged in the doorway of the kitchen.
"I never said I wanted to put him in jail..." She whispered from the doorway. "I wasn't even going to tell on him, I just wanted to get checked out." Alexz let tears fall again, she could never turn him in could she? Everyone would hate her and nothing would happen. He'd get off and she'd be worse off.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to eavesdrop I just n-need a drink, I don't feel well," Her voice gave in to another coughing fit leaving her doubled over holding her chest.
Patricia let out a heavy sigh, momentarily turning herself back to the conversation. "Hold on." She set the phone down on the table and grabbed the glass of water that she'd gotten Alexz a few minutes ago and walked over to her, helping her to take a drink from it. "Go get back into bed. I'll bring you some tea in a minute for your throat."
Alexz nodded, taking the glass of water with her while Patricia walked back over to the table, grabbing the phone. She walked out of the room to the porch. Even though it was cold, she didn't want Alexz to hear what she was discussing with her son. "You need to calm. Down, David. Otherwise someone else is going to get you into trouble and its not going to be Alexz! Maybe you should be seeing the pastor more than this. Especially if you're pulling shit like this."
"I didn't do anything to her that she didn't deserve, mom! She didn't even ask me to bring those kids over! Just told her mom it was fine!"
Patricia shook her head, holding it in her free hand. It amazed her that her son could be so selfish and disconnected from the big picture. That was far from what she had raised him to be like. "That is not your home, David. You can not make those choices for her."
"She's my girlfriend, and She'll be my wife mom I'll say or do what I please, I'll make the choices I want to make, these are my rules, she has to ask first."
"David..." She didn't have words anymore, but she knew she had to make sure her son wasn't jailed for this shit...She sighed and stepped back into the house, glancing at the bedroom before telling her son she needed to get off the phone, she clicked the button, then placed it onto the base...She turned to see Alexz in the door way completely dressed, the kids both standing at her side.
"I should go home, before he gets to angry,... Can I have my keys? trust me I'm not going to go to a hospital with these kids..." Alexz tried her best not to look terrified, as she handed her her keys. She thanked Patricia and moved out the door.
She settled the kids in the car before getting in the front and starting her car. Tears filled her eyes as she pulled out of the driveway, heading towards home. The closer she got to it, the more shed didn't want to be there. She drove around for a bit instead, knowing he didn't know that she'd left. She'd make it home in a bit but she needed a moment before she went home. If she showed up in tears, he'd only use it against her more and destroy her worse than he already had.
After a few minutes she decided it was best to get home in case his mom had in fact called to tell him that Alexz was on her way home. She pulled into her driveway and shut the car off before getting out and removing the kids from their seats. She carried a sleeping Isaiah and held Trinity's hand, taking them into the elevator. As they made their way up, she could only pray that David had fallen asleep since he'd talked to his mother, though she was sure he hadn't. Things never fell in her direction.
The elevator dinged, alerting her that they were on the right floor and she let out a heavy sigh, walking to her door. She let go of Trinity's hand long enough to unlock the door and open it. She shut the door behind her, not seeing David in the room, but as she heard footsteps, she froze.
Here goes nothing.