Today is new day that is what she kept saying to herself, Sookie had woke up this morning dripping in sweat with tears running down her face she had hoped being home again would be easier than being on the run but she was wrong since she's been in her childhood home it has brought back so many bad memories. She scrubbed the kitchen floor on her hands and knees' making sure it was shining, cleaning had always been calming for her and it allowed her to clear her head and think.
Halfway through the house hold chores there was a knock at the door another blast from the pat no doubt, this time when she opened the door she didn't hesitate and wonder if it was him she was starting to feel calm in her own skin for the first time in years. Sookie pulled the door open and smiled when she saw who her visitor was "Bill Compton how are you" she said with a smile, Bill had been one of her only other friend aside from Tara when she was in high school in high school.
Sookie had been very well liked in school from elementary all the way up she had many friends and was very well liked, it wasn't until high school when she fell in love with her future husband that she lost a lot of her friends. Bill was easy to keep as a friend we would meet late at night in the cemetery and talk, he always listened to what she had to say with no judgment not like her husband who felt like she should be seen and not heard like a statue.
She and Bill had never been anything more than friends even though he made it clear many times that he wanted more, he promised to take her away from him and keep her safe had she known what she knows now she would have taken him up on his offer. Gran liked Bill too she always said she could picture their children with sandy brown hair like his and blue eyes like hers, "Sookie" his husky voice broke off her mental rant.
"Oh I'm sorry just memories flooding back" she said without thinking, Bill laughed "yeah I did the same thing when I heard you were back in town" he blushed as he spoke and Sookie couldn't help but notice how little he had aged. They were standing on the porch just staring at each other when she remembered her manors "Bill would you like to come in" she wasn't sure what was in the house as far as food but she was sure she had seen some tea in there somewhere, Bill excepted her invitation with a smile and she led him to the kitchen.
Bill stayed for tea and they chatted about high school and where everyone is now it was comfortable just sitting and catching up on old times that was until Bill asked about him and the sound of his name made her skin crawl. Sookie wasn't up for talking about their lives together it was the one topic she always tried to avoid and she was thankful when his phone started to ring, he looked at the caller id and told her he had to go he stood up pushing his chair in behind him and headed for the door.
She thought it was odd of him to leave in such a hurry even Bill was always well mannered but he hadn't even thanked for the tea, once Bill was gone Sookie went back to cleaning she was putting off going into town she knew there was shopping that had to be done before it got too late but she wasn't looking forward to being bombarded by all the people from her past.
Her plan was to go to Merlot's tonight and see everyone it was a Friday and that was what people in Bon Temps did on Friday nights, Tara and Andy agreed to go with her for support just in case things got to over whelming but she had no food in the house and she had run out of shampoo a few states back. Figuring she would want to wash her hair before going to Merlot's she grabbed her purse and headed out the door, Tara had left her old car in the driveway it was a pile of junk on wheels and she knew she would have to get a more reliable car since she was going to be staying.
The ride to town made her more anxious than she thought it would every corner held a memory of him, her mind was on overload every car seemed to be following her and when she pulled into the parking lot of the shop n snap she could have sworn it was him standing by the pay phone. Sookie knew she would never be free of him even if he was thousands of miles away in another state he was always in her head.
Once in the store she was trying to concentrate on her shopping list but just turning from one isle to another was a task, her fear was taking over as she remembered the last time she had been to a grocery store. It was a warm summer day back before the beatings were a regular thing; she wanted to surprise him with his favorite dinner when he came home from work but she had a terrible sense of direction and got lost on the way to the grocery store.
When she finally made I to the store he was standing out front waiting for her, the look on his face told her he had been waiting for a while and when he walked to his car and pulled out of the parking lot she knew she had to follow him. He pulled into a vacant lot a few blocks from the store and climbed from his car and waited for her to do the same, she didn't know what was going to happen when she got out of the car but her gut told her to drive away.
Sookie got out of her car and started to explain as she walked toward him, his hand flew back slamming her mouth shut and bloodying her nose. He crouched down over her body "Explain now" she started to talk but he hit her again "Explain yourself you whoring around," Sookie looked up at him with tears in her eyes "no never I would never" she whispered and flinched as he took her face in his hands "Explain."
His eyes were calmer less narrow than before so she spoke in a low tone looking deep into his eyes praying for mercy, "I wanted to make you dinner but we didn't have everything I needed and on my way to the store I got lost you never showed me how to use the navigation Hunny" she acted sweet and forgiving something she learned to do after one of his episodes.
He looked at her for a minute before he took her hands and pulled her up to him giving her a kiss on the cheek, he followed her back to the grocery store and waited in his car while she had to go in and shop for his surprise dinner. It was the first time he had shown her just how cruel he could be, her face was purple and fresh blood stained the pink dress she was wearing all the while she had to smile and act like his loving wife.
The groceries were delivered from that day on he did everything he could to keep her in the house, she was his trophy wife only pulled out on special occasions and his punching bag in between. Sookie managed to get everything she needed and was waiting in line someone tapped her on the shoulder, her heart started to pound and she almost ran from the store screaming. Trying to stay calm she turned to see an elderly woman who was handing her a coupon for her shampoo, Sookie felt silly for over reacting the way she did but she thanked the woman and paid for her things.
When she carried her groceries to the car she was felt a little calmer now that she had made it through the store in one piece; on the way home she watched the people in town go about their day no one was wondering if there was someone waiting to get them. She realized she was ok if he were here he wouldn't attack her in public he liked to keep up appearances, he would want her somewhere private so he could rape her when he was done.
Sookie made it home in time to put away her groceries and shower before Tara and Andy would arrive to pick her up, now that she concord the grocery store she was feeling a little excited about going to the bar. Her panic set in once she was in the shower what about Jason she hadn't thought about what she would do if she saw her brother, Jason hadn't spoke to her in over five years thanks to her inability to say no to her husband.
Five years ago Jason came to California to visit of course he came unannounced but he was her brother and she welcomed him in their home without thinking it would be a problem, her and Jason were sitting on the sofa when he came home from work the look on his face told her there was trouble but she didn't care she was glad to see her brother. He plastered on a smile while saying hello to Jason and even made it through dinner and a movie like everything was ok, later that night after she made up the couch and kissed her brother goodnight things changed.
She walked into the bedroom thinking everything was great but once the door closed a hand clamped over her mouth while another pounded into her spine, his fist thumped through her body over and over before he threw her on the bed. The air left her body and her eyes felt heavy but that didn't stop him from climbing on top of her, as he ripped her clothes from her body he scolded her for not asking to have a visitor in his home. "Say you're Sorry" he whispered then a sharp pain shot through her body and everything went black.
Sookie woke the next morning sore and groggy she walked to the bathroom to cleanup, she cried quietly as she splashed the warm water on her face and felt the stinging in her spine black and purple bruises covered most of her back. When she walked into the bedroom she noticed the clothes that were sat out for her and the tear came again, a spring dress cut low in the back lay on the bed and she knew if she knew he wanted Jason to see what he had done.
After putting on the clothes and adding a thin knit sweater as an attempt to cover the marks on her back Sookie headed for the kitchen to make breakfast, when she walked into the room his face curled up in anger and she begged him wither eyes looking from him to Jason over and over. He said nothing to her just sat staring holes in her flesh as she cracked several eggs into a bowl, it didn't take long for him to take action he walked over pretending to help and dumped the eggs down the front of her sweater before pulling from her body and exposing what he had done.
Jason screamed when he saw her back fluttering his hands he asked what happened to her, Sookie didn't answer her husband didn't give her time "your sister needs to learn to follow the rules of my house" he said as he threw the sweater into the trash . Jason lost it running toward him throwing punches through the air, Sookie couldn't stand it if he hurt her brother she screamed bagging them to stop no one listened instead he wrapped his arms around Jason looking her in the eye he slammed Jason's head into the counter.
Jason fell to the ground unconscious and Sookie ran to his side "why" was all she could say "He will be gone before I get home or I will kill him" Sookie's heart broke she knew he would do it she had to make Jason leave. She put a cool towel on Jason's head and waited for him to wake up "you have to leave him Sook" he said looking up at her "Jason I can't, you just have to go" Jason's eyes grew wide he understood what she was saying and he wanted to drag her out kicking and screaming but she would just go back.
Jason was angry he refused to leave unless she came with him and when the door knob turned she fell to her knees and begged him to just leave, "what the fuck are you still doing here" he said to Jason from the doorway. "I'm not leaving without my sister" Jason moved closer to Sookie but she jumped up and told him to get out her fear for his life making the words heavy. Jason still refused to leave and Sookie could see the anger growing in her husband's face, she walked to the phone and called security to walk her brother out.
Jason cursed and screamed begging Sookie to come with him until his pity turned to anger "if you stay you can forget that I'm your brother I won't help you I won't know you anymore" and he was carried from the building.