Andrea sighed in despair as she examined her reflection in the mirror. She had done the best that she could. She had put on a loose, long-sleeved shirt with her denim miniskirt, despite the sweltering heat outside. It covered up the nasty bruises on her arms, but despite the layers of concealer and foundation that she had piled on, nothing could hide her split lip and the ghastly purple bruise on her cheek.
She winced slightly, running her fingers lightly over her cheek. Tears filled her eyes – not so much at the physical pain but the emotional. Not once, but twice had Randy reneged on his promise to take care of her and love her. The first time was in the church when they got married. The second was after she had run away from him at the party. Both times, both times he had promised to love and cherish her. Nowhere in his promises did it mention discipline and hit her.
After she had returned home to a wretched Randy, sitting in their living room, he had promised and assured her that all was to change. That he would never revert to being the abusive, short-tempered husband he had become. And, for awhile, it had been the case. For the few months after, things had gone back to the way they had been while they were courting and in the first year of their marriage. Randy had been sweet, caring, loving. He had showered her with love and affection. The daily back massages had returned. Sex was loving and gentle. They resumed their nightly walks and daily chats.
Then, she didn't know why, but things started taking a downward spiral all over again. She couldn't figure if it was because creative had written him out of a title shot or if daily work stress was just getting to him. He slowly but surely started becoming more short-tempered, snapping at her for the slightest thing.
And then... The hitting resumed. The first night he started hitting her again, Andrea couldn't tell if the physical pain or the emotional pain of betrayal hurt more.
Last night had been the worst beating that Andrea had ever received from Randy. In the past, he had taken great care not to hit her in any place that could be seen from the outside – he knew that the wrestlers' wives were close and he didn't want to invite any more trouble than necessary.
But last night, he had foregone even that basic rule.
Last night, Andrea had been really terrified for her life. In an instant, she understood what other people had meant when they said that there were points in a match when Randy would go into 'The Zone' and he would lose control of himself and hit harder than necessary. And, she fully experienced it. Randy had grabbed her off the couch, slapped her a few times, punched her in the stomach, threw her onto the ground and continued a vicious assault of kicking and punching her. He had left her, curled up in a fetal position, unable to move for the pain.
In the past prior to this episode, despite the beatings, Andrea stayed because she wanted to honour her marriage vows, because she was convinced that in spite of all that had happened, Randy did love her and that he was still the same, loving, wonderful man that she had married and given her all to.
Now, she stayed because she was afraid. She was afraid of what he would do if she tried to leave.
And, she was even more afraid of what he would do to her if he found out about her indiscretion. Since that night, she had taken great pains to avoid bumping into Hunter. He had tried to approach her on various occasions, to speak with her, but, she had managed to scoot out of it.
Reminding herself of all this, Andrea forced herself to smile and to look like a happy, pampered, cheery wrestling wife – which she was, if you scratched out the happy, pampered and cheery part. She was on her way to meet Randy at the arena, she couldn't look anything less. Randy wouldn't like it.