My Husband and I
Dark Romance ?
Part 3
Episode 34
~ Mary’s POV ~
A laugh tumbled out of my mouth as Abbey talked about his childhood. The silly stories of him and his family.
Wrapped in silk sheets, our naked bodies with legs tangled, I lay with my head and hand on his chest while he had an arm draped over my wrist. Abbey detailed how he and Shola were caught sneaking out when they were kids, causing me to giggle.
At a point, he said enough of his stories and turned to ask about my childhood experience.
When he said that, I felt nostalgic for some seconds but then I began.
“Well, it was lonely. Surrounded by so many children who had yet to be traumatized or already were. I told you I bounced around from different foster care before, right?” he nodded.
“Not all orphanages or foster cares are bad, but the one I was in since birth was one of the worst. It was rough, depressing, and absolutely weird.
Then again, considered myself one of the lucky ones. Sure, I have issues with abandonment and the dark, but at least I wasn’t horribly abused. Not like some of those I called friends who either didn’t make it out of foster care or were disappointed.
“What do you mean horribly abused?” He asked.
“Did something happen?”
“I was once at a good home, a great one with a nice family that had a mom, dad, and a son in secondary school. The parents were lovely for once, but their son didn’t like the attention I was receiving and became jealous. One day, he was told to babysit me while his parents had a date night. Like the good kid they thought him to be, he babysat me until his friends came over. They were all boys,” lost in the memory, I hardly noticed Abbey stiffen against me.
“They smoked, drank and I stayed in my room because I was scared. Although I was little, I had heard plenty of kids get assaulted by someone who was under the influence. Not saying they usually are, but eventually, they got bored and came up to my room. I had the lights huddled underneath the covers with my favorite teddy bear wishing his parents would come home already.”
The door creaked open and I could hear the harsh thudding of footsteps entering the room. What was once a calming atmosphere turned into something darker. Sinister and twisted.
“Oh, Mary,” my son-to-be brother taunted. Peaking my head out of the covers, I saw him and his three school friends, crowding the tiny space I called my bedroom.
“Please, leave me alone.” I whimpered, the voice of a twelve years old.
“What happened?” Abbey’s voice reminded me I no longer was there.
“They started picking on me when I couldn’t leave the room nor get up from my bed, bad-mouthing me to get under my skin and telling me things that made my skin crawl. Until they grew so frustrated that I wasn’t reacting to them. So their words turned into fists as they beat me. But that wasn’t the worst,” I shook my head, solemn.
“They dragged me out of the bed into my closet, shutting off all the lights in the room and keeping me locked in there with a heavy dresser blocking the entrance. I couldn’t get out. I couldn’t breathe or escape as they left me screaming, banging on the door to get out. They ignored me, leaving me alone to cry in the dark.”
“What happened when his parents came home?” I shrugged at his question.
“I can’t remember, I’m certain it’s repressed in my brain. I just know that I was returned to the orphanage soon after.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you, Mary,” I nodded in acknowledgment.
“I remember when you said your past made you want to be the therapist you are now.” He changed the subject, understanding that I no longer wanted to talk about what had happened all those years ago.
“Yes. I got top grades in school and somehow I won a scholarship. As soon as I graduated, I thought I had little to work about but then,” I sighed, getting lost in the memory.
“Then came bills I never knew came with school, so, I had to get a full-time job. I started failing my classes and being harassed at work, and it was so stressful. I wanted to give up.”
“But you didn’t,” he stated, and I shook my head.
“No, I… ,” stopping myself short, I didn’t say more. I felt wrong to bring up my husband while I was with Abbey. As if sensing my hesitation he spoke up.
“You can tell me, pretty,” he stroked a hand through my locs.
“It will ruin the mood.”
“Tell me anyway, I want to know more about you.” With a heavy sigh, I continued.
“I didn’t give up because that’s when I met my husband,” I admitted quietly albeit hesitant.
He was silent for some time as he thought over my words.
“There was some truth to his words when he threw me out. I wouldn’t have or have the things I did without him. He lent me money, found me a job, helped me talk to my professors, and was there for me. For the first time since I had been born into a lowly orphanage, I wasn’t alone. He shaped me into the woman I am now.”
“I doubt that,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“No man could make you the woman you are now. Sure he might have helped you start, but did he earn your degree and gave it to you? Did he work at the job you worked hard to get?”
“No.”
“Exactly sweet Mary,” Abbey kissed the top of my head.
“You did that all on your own. You need to give yourself more credit for your accomplishments. And I know it’s not my place, I don’t mean to overstep, but he said those words to undermine you. To belittle the strong woman I know you are. He didn’t make you into the woman you’re, you did that all by yourself.”
Sitting up, clutching the sheet to my naked form, I looked down at him. My heart was beating fiercely inside my chest while pondering his words. His eyes peered into mine as he settled his hands on my lips.
“I’ve never thought of it that way. He’s always been one to point out when we would get into arguments or slight disagreements that I’ve accepted it.”
Abbey shook his head, frowning. Before he could speak I carried on.
“It’s always been that way since we got married. I thought it was normal.”
“Not at all my dear.” He reached a hand up to cup my cheeks, holding me. His eyes conveyed how serious his next words were going to be.
“That’s manipulation, Mary. Emotional abuse.”
I shook my head denying it, trying to remove myself from him. However, Abbey wouldn’t let go even as I tried. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say anymore. I shouldn’t have told him anything.
“And putting his hands on you as he kicked you out, shouting at you…,” he trailed off, his brow furrowing in anger.
“Mary…,”
“Stop, I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” I said as my eyes welled up.
His eyes softened, seeing the distress on my face.
“Alright,” Abbey spoke, but his face told me it was far from ‘alright’. He was upset but didn’t want to upset me. He lowered me back down to lie on his chest again and I did, seeking his warmth.
Using one of his hands he ribbed up and down my naked back to soothe me. After a while in tense silence, I spoke up.
“I’m sorry…”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he cut me off. I shook my head a little, brushing him off.
“Yes, I do. It’s not that I don’t know these things. He has anger problems and sometimes I can be the cause of them.”
“Pretty…” his voice sounded pained.
“But I know there is no excuse for how he treats me. I just don’t know what to do without him. I’m terrified to be alone, Abbey. I can’t do it again, I can’t.”
“Shh,” he hugged me tighter to him as I cried. My body shaking from my painful sobs.
“When he put me out in the rain, I thought I wouldn’t make it. It was dark, so scary and he knew how I felt about my past, and yet…” I broke off, continuing to cry as Abbey held me.
“You won’t ever be alone again. I’ll make sure of it, Mary. I promise, darling.”
***
The clock read three in the morning as I lay staring at it. Abbey’s arms were wrapped around my waist, hugging me tight to his body as light snores escaped him. I would have been sleeping, but I couldn’t from the conversation we had earlier.
Maybe I’ll feel better if I get a bottle of water. Slowly, to not wake him up, I exited his arms and then the bed. Throwing on one of his button-up shirts that fell to my thighs, I left the room.
Although it was dark, I knew where to go since I’d been living here awhile. I walked down the stair. Upon reaching there, I walked down and made my way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I grabbed a water bottle, leaving the door open to see while I uncapped the bottle and took a few sips. It was quiet in the apartment except for the faint hum of the fridge. Very peaceful until I heard a voice I hadn’t heard in a while, nearing scaring me half to death.
“Mary?” a deeper voice than Abbey called out, making me turn around to face the date.
“Shola., I whispered, staring wide-eyed up at the man I hadn’t realized I missed.
Though we hadn’t spent one-on-one time together, I loved his foot rubs. Those nights he would sneak into my room and leave medicine for me, thinking I didn’t notice. His gestures were sweet and entirely thoughtful.
I shouldn’t be feeling this way, I already had Abbey, his best friend.
“What are you doing?” he asked, coming closer.
“I could ask you the same,” though I knew without a doubt that he had been with a woman since he stunk of cheap perfume. The scent reached me from where he stood.
“Outside,” was all he said looking at me expectantly. I waved the bottle of water around, nervously.
“Thirsty.”
“Would be surprised if you weren’t,” he muttered, but I couldn’t be sure if those were his exact words. Before I asked him to repeat what he said, he spoke up.
“Can I ask you something?” I nodded.
“Is this what you usually do?”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand,” I said. My face held a look of confusion as he approached me.
“Seduce men and then return to your husband once they get attached?”
“Excuse me”
“Because that won’t work here, Abbey isn’t someone to throw away once you’re done with him.”
“I would never…”
“So, I’ll tell you this once, enjoy your brief vacation here, but when the time comes, you’ll leave.”
He turned his back to me, leaving the room without sparing me a glance. How did he go from being a softie to an @$$h0le? I sighed, calming myself once he left. I wouldn’t let his words get to me. I wouldn’t.
Although a part of me couldn’t help but feel a pain in my chest as his words. I was deeply hurt.
To be continued…
Frank The Writer