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Nothing could have prepared her for the phone call she just received. She stood there still as if glued to the floor. Her knees locked with a look of disbelief on her face. The officer on the other end of the line explained there had been an accident involving her husband and another vehicle. As he gave her the details of what she needed to do nothing registered in her brain but the words "dead" and "killed".
Kat was a beautiful modest woman who only wanted the simple things in life. A good husband, a nice home, and a family full of love and security. She never got that, but she did the best she could with what she had. Nick's pastime was drinking. Always had been, since the day they met. Since she married him, she had been living a life of seclusion and loneliness. He controlled her every move and when she did something he didn’t like, she got beat for it. Life lessons he called them. But she believed she loved him desperately and he was the only man she had ever been with.
When she hung up the phone she fell to her knees and sobbed. Why was she crying, she thought. This was bound to happen. Nick didn’t care about anyone but himself and he made that known every chance he got. He was the king of his castle and if you question his authority you would pay with blood or bone. Kat was not crying for her loss, she was crying for the other family, the loss of their daughter. Nick had finally done it, not only did he pay the ultimate price for his addiction, but he took down an innocent young woman with him.
Kat had to compose herself, the children would be home from school within the next half hour. Luckily she had her neighbor who was a good friend and could stay with the kids when she went to identify the body. “The body”. Those words echoed in her head. Nick was no longer referred to as her husband, the man she loved to hate, but as an object.
When Kat arrived at the Medical Examiners office she was escorted down a long corridor through double doors. The walls were painted the color of steel, the floor was cement and it was cold. The only sound to be heard was the clip clop of her sandals and the beating of her own heart. She stood in front of a window and waited for the curtain to open. His face was covered in dried blood. There were cuts all over from being thrown through the windshield. She nodded yes and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She was going through a mix of emotions. The last time she was in this sterile of an environment she was being treated for the side effects of one of Nick’s life lessons.
“Where are my socks?” he yelled from the closet. Fear engulfed Kat as she realized that she had forgotten to do the load of laundry this morning. Things had been hectic with getting the kids ready for school and she was classroom Mom for the day. She didn’t know what to tell him as either way she knew what was going to happen. She sent the kids to their rooms and went to meet her fate. She tried to explain that she didn’t have time to get to it earlier, but would do it now. That wasn’t good enough for Nick. He grabbed her by her hair and slammed her face into the door frame. When she fell to the floor he kicked her in the ribs. He screamed at her that she was useless and a whore. She stood up and he pushed her back down to the floor. Kat didn’t cry or fight back any more because she knew that would only prolong the beatings.
At the front desk the clerk gave her a clear plastic bag containing Nick’s personal effects. Keys, wallet, cell phone, watch and wedding ring. She signed for it and shoved it in her purse and turned to leave. The sound of a man crying caused her to turn and look. He was in his mid 20’s, tall and handsome. An older couple was trying to console him, parents maybe. At this moment Kat realized that this was the husband of the young woman involved in the accident with Nick. As much as she wanted to reach out and apologize for their loss, embarrassment caused her to leave quickly.
The drive home was spent trying to figure out how to tell the children. How was she going to explain this? So young at five and seven she just didn’t know if she would be able to find the right words and not break down in front of them. She had to stay strong for their sake, she was all they had left. Not the best father in the world, but never did he lay a hand on them as he did her.
Sounds of a newborn’s cry filled the room. Erin had a great set of lungs. When the nurse laid Erin on Kat’s stomach and she stared into her daughter’s eyes, she knew her life suddenly took on a whole new meaning. The look of pride on Nick’s face was something she had never seen before. And if only for a moment, Kat had a glimpse of how normal their life could be. She only wished that Nick would look at her so adoringly. They now had their first child and all she longed for was happy life.
With fast food in hand Kat was greeted happily at the door. Fast food was a treat for the kids since Nick never let them have it. It was Kat’s job to cook. Although the kids went on about their day at the table, they knew something was wrong, but they also knew that Kat would tell them when she was ready. So far nothing was out of the norm for them except that Mom didn’t pick them up from school and they got fast food for dinner. Nick never ate with them anyway, so his presence was yet to be missed.
After the nightly routine was complete Kat sat the kids down to let them know what had happened. She spoke softly and the words came easier than she thought they would and without emotion. The children showed a slight look of sadness. The strange thing was that they had to look to Kat for the ok to express any emotion. Feelings were expressed openly and in the end, as long as they had eachother, they all knew they would be fine.
When the kids were asleep, Kat went out to the porch. Numbness was all she felt. Going through the details in her head of what she needed to do so Nick could be laid to rest. At last not only would Nick be at peace, but she would be as well. And the thought of never having to endure another beating at hands of the one she loved, finally brought tears to Kat’s eyes.
Kat was a beautiful modest woman who only wanted the simple things in life. A good husband, a nice home, and a family full of love and security. She never got that, but she did the best she could with what she had. Nick's pastime was drinking. Always had been, since the day they met. Since she married him, she had been living a life of seclusion and loneliness. He controlled her every move and when she did something he didn’t like, she got beat for it. Life lessons he called them. But she believed she loved him desperately and he was the only man she had ever been with.
When she hung up the phone she fell to her knees and sobbed. Why was she crying, she thought. This was bound to happen. Nick didn’t care about anyone but himself and he made that known every chance he got. He was the king of his castle and if you question his authority you would pay with blood or bone. Kat was not crying for her loss, she was crying for the other family, the loss of their daughter. Nick had finally done it, not only did he pay the ultimate price for his addiction, but he took down an innocent young woman with him.
Kat had to compose herself, the children would be home from school within the next half hour. Luckily she had her neighbor who was a good friend and could stay with the kids when she went to identify the body. “The body”. Those words echoed in her head. Nick was no longer referred to as her husband, the man she loved to hate, but as an object.
When Kat arrived at the Medical Examiners office she was escorted down a long corridor through double doors. The walls were painted the color of steel, the floor was cement and it was cold. The only sound to be heard was the clip clop of her sandals and the beating of her own heart. She stood in front of a window and waited for the curtain to open. His face was covered in dried blood. There were cuts all over from being thrown through the windshield. She nodded yes and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She was going through a mix of emotions. The last time she was in this sterile of an environment she was being treated for the side effects of one of Nick’s life lessons.
“Where are my socks?” he yelled from the closet. Fear engulfed Kat as she realized that she had forgotten to do the load of laundry this morning. Things had been hectic with getting the kids ready for school and she was classroom Mom for the day. She didn’t know what to tell him as either way she knew what was going to happen. She sent the kids to their rooms and went to meet her fate. She tried to explain that she didn’t have time to get to it earlier, but would do it now. That wasn’t good enough for Nick. He grabbed her by her hair and slammed her face into the door frame. When she fell to the floor he kicked her in the ribs. He screamed at her that she was useless and a whore. She stood up and he pushed her back down to the floor. Kat didn’t cry or fight back any more because she knew that would only prolong the beatings.
At the front desk the clerk gave her a clear plastic bag containing Nick’s personal effects. Keys, wallet, cell phone, watch and wedding ring. She signed for it and shoved it in her purse and turned to leave. The sound of a man crying caused her to turn and look. He was in his mid 20’s, tall and handsome. An older couple was trying to console him, parents maybe. At this moment Kat realized that this was the husband of the young woman involved in the accident with Nick. As much as she wanted to reach out and apologize for their loss, embarrassment caused her to leave quickly.
The drive home was spent trying to figure out how to tell the children. How was she going to explain this? So young at five and seven she just didn’t know if she would be able to find the right words and not break down in front of them. She had to stay strong for their sake, she was all they had left. Not the best father in the world, but never did he lay a hand on them as he did her.
Sounds of a newborn’s cry filled the room. Erin had a great set of lungs. When the nurse laid Erin on Kat’s stomach and she stared into her daughter’s eyes, she knew her life suddenly took on a whole new meaning. The look of pride on Nick’s face was something she had never seen before. And if only for a moment, Kat had a glimpse of how normal their life could be. She only wished that Nick would look at her so adoringly. They now had their first child and all she longed for was happy life.
With fast food in hand Kat was greeted happily at the door. Fast food was a treat for the kids since Nick never let them have it. It was Kat’s job to cook. Although the kids went on about their day at the table, they knew something was wrong, but they also knew that Kat would tell them when she was ready. So far nothing was out of the norm for them except that Mom didn’t pick them up from school and they got fast food for dinner. Nick never ate with them anyway, so his presence was yet to be missed.
After the nightly routine was complete Kat sat the kids down to let them know what had happened. She spoke softly and the words came easier than she thought they would and without emotion. The children showed a slight look of sadness. The strange thing was that they had to look to Kat for the ok to express any emotion. Feelings were expressed openly and in the end, as long as they had eachother, they all knew they would be fine.
When the kids were asleep, Kat went out to the porch. Numbness was all she felt. Going through the details in her head of what she needed to do so Nick could be laid to rest. At last not only would Nick be at peace, but she would be as well. And the thought of never having to endure another beating at hands of the one she loved, finally brought tears to Kat’s eyes.
posted by Saphire's Realm at 9:59 PM
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