Love’s Suicide(58)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“I hook up with random chicks that love a man in a uniform.”

Before I could freak out, he started laughing. “I’m kidding, Kat. Although, there are women that would pretty much do anything for a man in fatigues, I only have eyes for one girl.”

“Stop it, Brooks. Today is not a good day to joke around.” He felt comfortable around me again and it made me happy, but I couldn’t let statements like that get to me.

“Sorry. Are you alright? You seem kind of snappy. Did your being with me last night cause problems with you and your husband? Was it what you said last night?”

I was quiet, contemplating on what I should tell Brooks.

“Talk to me. Am I overstepping? If I’m causing you problems, we can make other arrangements. I mean, I’ll miss being able to see you, but I understand.”

“I’m fine.”

“I know it’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure there’s something you’re not telling me.”

I wanted to tell Brooks the truth. Lying to him hurt me, because it reminded me of the pain that I’d caused him.

“Would it be okay if we just talked tomorrow? I’ve got to go get ready for church.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll call you in the morning.”

After we hung up I looked over at the clock. Even though I had plenty of time, I knew I wasn’t going to leave the house. The last thing I wanted was to have to explain to my pastor that I walked into a door. He’d know the truth and it would cause even more problems with Bobby and me. I didn’t see my husband for another couple of hours. He showed up at the house around eleven with a bouquet of flowers and a card. When he came in he handed it to me and kissed me on the head, as if I would have instantly forgiven him. “Sorry I lost my temper last night, Katy. You need to understand what it’s like to watch you with him.” He sat down at the table across from me. “I don’t want you hangin’ out with him anymore.”

“He’s my oldest friend,” I argued.

“I don’t give a shit. I don’t want you alone with him, ever. Do you understand me?”

I stood up and walked over to the sink. “You can’t ask me to stay away from Brooks. That’s not fair.”

Bobby came up behind me and pulled my hair back so he could shove his face in mine. He’d been drinking again, already this morning. I could smell it on his breath. “I wasn’t askin’. He stays away, or I’ll make damn sure he doesn’t get near that little girl again.”

His threat rubbed me the wrong way. I swung around while my hair was still in his hand. My shove didn’t do much except get him even angrier. He pushed me hard against counter. “Bobby, please. You don’t want to do this. Let’s just sit down and talk.”

My pleas meant nothing. He took his hand and shoved it against my throat, staring me right in the face. As he talked, I could feel his spit hitting me. I tried to squirm free, so I could grab something to defend myself with. “Keep fightin’ me, Katy. You’re goin’ to be sorry.”

I finally got free and ran towards the table. The only thing I could grab was the bouquet of roses. I took ahold of the petals and swung the thorny sides at his face. When he tried to pull away, I shoved them in harder, drawing blood.

He grabbed a paper towel to assess the damage that I’d done to his face and I hauled ass into B’s room. Once inside I locked the door and leaned over to catch my breath. He immediately started beating on the other side. “Let me in, dammit.”

B stood up and started crying in her bed. Bobby was scaring her and I didn’t know what to do. Thankfully, I still had my phone in my pajama pants pocket. I was digging my own grave, albeit desperate to get away from him before he could hurt me.

“Sergeant Valentine.”

I was crying. “Brooks.”

“Kat? What’s wrong?”

I looked toward the door and saw it starting to burst. I knew he couldn’t get to me in time, so I closed my eyes and prepared for what was coming next. “If something happens to me I want you to take her far away from here.”

“What are you talking about?”

Bobby busted through the door and seeing me on the phone made him even more angry. “Is that him? You think he can save you?”

I took the phone and put it back in my pocket, shielding myself with my arms, hoping Brooks could hear and that he’d save me before something terrible happened. “Please don’t hurt me.”

He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me out of the room, leaving B crying on her bed. Once we were in our bedroom, he shoved me down forcefully on the bed and sat on my legs so I couldn’t move. I could hear B screaming and I was so afraid for her.

My face was being shoved into the covers and I was wondering if he was going to suffocate me. He yanked down my pajamas pants and all I could hear was my baby crying in the other room. “Bobby, please. I didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t want to hurt me, I know you don’t.”

He froze and I swung my body around and backed up on the bed. After yanking my pants back up, I stared in horror, waiting for him to jump on me again.

He started sobbing and sat down on the bed.

Honestly I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to run and grab B and get the hell out of there, but I knew it was a fat chance that he’d ever let that happen.

So I ran into B’s room and picked her up, comforting her so she’d calm down. “Mama, I scared.”

That was it. The last straw for me. I had to get out of there until I could get a restraining order against Bobby. I wasn’t going to let him hurt me anymore.

He came into the room, looking even more angrier than the first time. “We need to talk.”

I held B tight. “Not while you’re acting like this.”

He punched a hole in the wall. “You see what you make me do? That pretty boy comes anywhere near you and you’re goin’ to be the one to pay, you hear me, Katy?”

I nodded my head, while shaking profusely. Brooks was already on his way. I knew it because I knew him. That man was born to protect me and if he thought that I was in trouble, no matter how mad he was at me, he’d come. I closed my eyes and thought about Bobby trying to hurt him.

“Leave Brooks out of this. He’s got nothing to do with the way you’re treating me. He’s done nothing!”

Bobby held out his arms for B. She sheltered her face in my bosom and it pissed him off more. He grabbed her from me, making her scream. I grabbed her jacket, determined I was getting her away from him.