Chapter 11

I walked to the bedroom, pulling a suitcase out. He lost his management position due to sexual harrassment? That explained the pay drop. Now he would probably be out of a job completely. I felt a strange peace settle over me. I was finally done. It truly was all over but signing the divorce papers. I could hear him ranting as I started packing.

“WHAT? YOU DID WHAT? YOU DUMB BASTARD, YOU WERE TALKING TO MY WIFE! YOU ASSHOLE! YOU HANDLE THE BITCH ON YOUR OWN. I GOT MY OWN SHIT TO DEAL WITH.”

He finally walked into the room just as I was finishing packing. I’d taken enough to last a week and would get the rest later while he was at work, that is if he still had a job Monday. He stood there fidgeting for a minute before he started talking.

“It’s not like it sounded, honey. I didn’t...”

“Shovel that horseshit somewhere else, Mark. I guess I know now how come you were so well informed about the behavior of sluts. The relative of your boss? Ever hear the parable about not shitting in your living room? All this time I was working, proud that you could afford your hobby, I find out your hobby was screwing sluts? We’re done, Mark. There’s not a thing you can say that will change my mind. I’ll be back later for the rest of my stuff.”

I thought about what Brian said about being careful if I ever confronted Mark as my head slammed into the sheetrock hard enough to leave a big dent. It would have been bigger but part of my head caught a stud and split my scalp. I was stunned but managed to make it to the living room before he caught me. I shoved the coffee table at him, catching him on his shins and he went down. I was almost to the door when he hit me in the back of the head, knocking me to the floor. I didn’t even try to stand up, I just started scrambling towards the door while he kicked me and ranted.

“Bitch! You don’t leave me! Not now, not ever! You hearin’ me?”

I’ll never know if he meant to do it or if it was an accident but the next kick caught me just above the elbow of my left arm. I can still shut my eyes and remember the sound of it snapping. I think the only thing that saved my life was at that exact second Tammy opened my front door. She had ridden her bike over earlier and I told her I’d made some cherry pies and after they cooled she could come over and get one. I had a habit of leaving my front door unlocked and she had one of just walking in.

She took one look at me, one look at Mark, and ran back out the door screaming at the top of her lungs. She had a good set of lungs. It was Saturday afternoon and people were outside so they looked up to see what was going on. Mark lunged after her and I think that’s when desperation kicked in. He could not hurt that child! I slammed into him as hard as I could and knocked him rolling. It was the opportunity I needed and I was out the door right behind Tammy, my screams matching hers.