”FAIR AND SQUARE”

“Alright Girl, go in there and say what we practiced.” Rochelle was scared, and not to

mention hesitant, but she knew it had to be done. She finished cleaning the kitchen after

dinner and headed towards the living room. She made sure to quietly unlock the front

door when she passed it just in case she needed to make a quick escape.

Daniel was flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch on

television. Her chocolate Lab Coco was sitting next to him. Coco was a house warming

gift from her grandmother so she wouldn’t feel lonely in her new apartment.

“Daniel, can we talk?”

“Not right now Ro. I just want to relax and watch TV.”

The release of the words that she held prisoner in her mind for almost a year instantly

terrified her to hear them spoken out loud. Rochelle’s hands began to shake as she held

them together in front of her. She knew that if she did not persist that she would loose

her nerve and maybe her only chance to be freed of Daniel’s abuse. So she went on.

“But this is very important and it can’t wait.” This was out of character for Rochelle

because she knew that the time after dinner was when Daniel needed to unwind. As per

his instructions, he was not to be disturbed.

Daniel refused to turn the volume down and slammed the remote on the coffee table.

“Ro I’m telling you now, this had better be real important and quick. Speak!”

“I’ve been thinking about us and I just think it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”

“What are you talking about? Are you actually wasting my time with this

nonsense?” Daniel exhaled sharply.

“Can I finish relaxing now that you had your little girlie moment?”

“I’m serious Daniel. Neither of us has been happy for a while.”

“Do you have some other dude on the side?”

Rochelle started to back up slowly as Daniel angrily got up from the sofa and began

walking towards her. He had that look in his eyes like he did all the other times right

before he’d hurt her.

Baby I love you but, I’m just saying that I think we’re growing apart. You need

someone who’s better for you than me.”

“Who is it Rochelle? Is it that guy from work that brought you home when your car

broke down? See, I knew this would happen. Now you know why I got so upset when I

found out that you’d rather get help from a stranger than the man in your life!”

Daniel was still walking towards her. She had backed up so much that she ended up

in the bedroom. With one hand extended behind her so that she wouldn’t bump into

anything and the other extended in front to block any blows, Rochelle attempt to put

Daniel’s mind at ease.

“Sweetheart, please calm down. There’s no other guy on the side. I’m not seeing

anyone else and I’m not interested in anyone else. I simply think it’s best for both of us

to spend some time apart.”

Rochelle’s heart was pounding so fast that she thought it was going to explode right

out of her chest. Daniel sat down on his side of the bed and covered his face with his

hands. Rochelle desperately wanted to escape before he had yet another chance to be

violent with her. His quick paced and labored breathing caused her to pause. In the past

she would comfort him when he was upset. This time she thought she could use it to her

advantage.

As she slowly took a step towards the bedroom door, Daniel immediately looked up.

His expression changed from anger and upset to disgust and loathing. It gave Rochelle

chills and suddenly she was completely frozen with fear.

“Ro, I understand what you’re trying to say. I know we’ve been through a lot, but if

we can make it through you loosing the baby, we can work through this. Besides where

would you go?” Daniel has a condescending look on his face assuming Rochelle had no

where else to go. At no point did reality hit him to remind him that this was her

apartment to begin with.

“I’d probably stay with my sister I guess.”

Daniel was quiet for a minute and then replied, “Well I can’t make you stay and it

sounds like your mind is made up.”

Rochelle assumed he was in acceptance and sat down on the bed next to him to finish

their talk.

“I’m so glad you understand,” said Rochelle breathing a sigh of relief.

Daniel’s heavy breathing continued and began to make her uneasy. As she kept her

eyes focused on the bedroom door she could hear the drawer of Daniel’s nightstand

opening. Rochelle turned back towards him only to find herself looking down the dark

barrel of a gun.

“Daniel what are you doing? Are you going to shoot me?”

“I found you fair and square.”

Those were the last words spoken. Two gun shots were fired and then Rochelle felt

like she was passing out from fear. She had no idea what was going on and could no

longer hear Daniel or the television anymore. She thought he might have turned the gun

on himself until a slow burning wave enveloped her face. Soon, this warm sensation

crept down the whole right side of her body and then it turned cold.

All she could think to do at this point was to wake herself up, get off the bed, run as

fast as she could and yell for help. Unfortunately, as hard as she tried she could not move

or make a sound.

Rochelle began hearing a familiar voice calling her name. She opened her eyes to find

herself in her old play room at her grandmother’s house. Her grandmother practically

raised her while her mother worked and went to school full time. They were extremely

close and spent almost every waking moment together up until a year ago. Her

grandmother’s body was found at the bottom of the stairs with a broken neck.

“Baby Girl?”

“Nana? Is that you? How could you be here? What’s going on?”

“Yes sweetheart. It’s me.”

“This is not possible. I don’t understand.” Rochelle thought she was in a bad dream

that she could not awake from.

“It’s ok. I had to come back to help you but we don’t have much time.”

Her grandmother tells Rochelle how Daniel broke into her house a year ago and held

her captive while he ransacked her house looking for valuables.

“I remember when you knocked on my door that Saturday after my birthday. He saw

you through the window and tried to get me to let you in. When I refuse he became

enraged. I managed to break free but he caught me at the top of the stairs and pulled me

down.”

“Oh, my God! Nana I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault Baby Girl.”

“Yes it is. I should’ve known something was not right when you didn’t answer the

door. I hate myself. Sometimes I’m too passive.”

“Rochelle, you can not place the blame on yourself. This was not at all your fault.

Right now I need you to fight for both of us.”

“But I want to stay here with you Nana.”

“But nothing. It’s time for you to fight because Heaven’s not ready for you yet. Help

is on the way just hang on.”

Rochelle watched as her grandmother’s image began to fade and reached out to grab a

hold of her. She felt someone’s hand holding on to hers and then heard sirens and the

loud television.

“Grandma where are we going?”

“Don’t worry Miss. You’re safe now. We’re going to take good care of you.”

Rochelle was finally able to really open her eyes. Through a small plastic mask on her

face she could read the letters “E.M.S.” on the shoulders of the two men standing over

her.

Then she heard the man on the right say to the other, “It’s a good thing we were down

the street when the call came in.”

The man on the left replied, “She’s lucky the guy walking that chocolate Lab

heard the shots and alerted the police .”

LP Thomas  11/22/2008

~ by lornasweets on 04/15/2009.