EXTREME TRIGGER WARNING-
Nicole looked through the curtains and watched Richard drive off for the airport. After she knew he was gone, Nicole grabbed her purse and keys and drove herself to the emergency room. She wanted to get the glass out of her head before it began to fester.
Usually over the years Nicole rotated between three local hospitals so that she wouldn't raise suspicion. The last thing she needed was people stirring up trouble for her. Richard always let her know she can't afford that bill.
Richard was a successful corporate attorney. He had a lot of friends in a lot of places, high and low. He promised to ruin her if she ever made waves for him or tried to leave him. Slowly over nine years he molded her into an obedient wife one beating at a time.
He was smart enough to never strike her directly in the face. Only landing heavy blows where her clothes covered the evidence from the rest of the world. Even smarter was that he knew she had no family other than her sister and he made sure she hadn't seen her in many years. There was no one to run to, no one to care about what happens to her, other than Tina. But she couldn't let Tina get hurt in the crossfire.
It wasn't always like this. He made her believe when they first got together that he cared about her and loved her, that they would be a family and make a family together. She knew on her wedding night she made a mistake, but it was too late. She took her marriage seriously and wanted it to work. She reasoned that if he changed to be like this, maybe he could change back to the sweet man she thought she knew. She cringed at her naivety and continued driving towards the highway. As she passed Pike Place market she couldn't help but think of the time many years ago, she saw the pure unfiltered evil him.
A few months after their first wedding anniversary, she found out she was pregnant. It brought her a ray of hope in a world of darkness. If he knew she was carrying his child certainly he would be more careful with her. The beatings would finally stop and they could be happy and have the family she always envisioned.
She was bursting with excitement to tell him and decided to buy him a present to commemorate this milestone of the unexpected but very welcome news. She went downtown and found a small little gift shop in Pike Place market that would inscribe anything you bought from them. This cute little shop had so many adorable options from leather wallets to sterling watches. After perusing the store for quite a while and considering each option carefully she finally decided on a sturdy, sleek, black and gold fountain pen. She had it inscribed to say, 'To My Truest Love September 3rd, 2009. Our Family Begins.
She was beside herself with anticipation and with the gift in hand, she headed towards the door ready to start this new chapter of her life. She finally had her family.
On her way out to the parking lot she noticed a dirty scrawny little dog sitting on the wayside whimpering at her. She bent down and the little pup scurried to her and licked her hand. Her heart melted a little.
"Aww you poor little baby! are you out here all on your own? you look so skinny and hungry!" she pet the dirty little dog and he jumped around with pure excitement.
She and Richard already agreed on no pets since they were so busy, but she couldn't in good conscience leave him on the street. She made the decision to take him home feed him, clean him up and take him to the shelter tomorrow.
She scooped him up and, on the way home she bought him a can of dog food, some dog shampoo and a little leash and collar. When she pulled into the driveway, she was excited to see that Richard's car was already there. She grabbed the bags and the dog and rushed in eager to deliver the good news.
"Honey! I'm home! I've got something for you- well a couple of things." She was beaming ear to ear. She shut the door and as she turned on her heel Richard was standing there in the entryway.
She slightly jumped, his sudden appearance taking her off guard. But her good mood let her relax when she saw it was him. She let out a small laugh as her body became relaxed and was about to start talking when he said," What the fuck is that?' He pointed to the dog in her arms as his eyes narrowed. Her body immediately tensed realizing the danger in his tone.
The dog let out a small whine as if it picked up the tone shift. She quickly began to try explaining that it wasn't staying, she was only going to wash him up and take him to the shelter but before even one word could come out, he knocked everything from her hands and snatched the dog. The dog immediately began to wiggle and tried to break free as he both growled and whined.
"Didn't I tell you?!" He snarled at her, "Didn't I tell you no fucking pets? Stupid bitch!" as he said the last words, he poked her in the head enunciating every word.
"I'm going to teach you a fucking lesson today you stupid whore!" He pushed her over and then he tightened the dog's collar and mounted the leash on the banister halfway up causing the leash and collar to become a noose.
Nicoles eyes widened frantically as she saw the scene play out before her and she quickly scrambled to her feet and ran towards the dog to pull it down. When Richard saw her trying to save the dog it only angered him more. He grabbed her by the throat and pushed her back. She staggered backwards but caught her balance and seeing the dog struggling she lunged forward without thinking, desperate to save him.
"Nooooo!!!!" she screamed as she moved towards the dog. "Richard STOP! STOP!!! Please! You don't understand!" Right before she reached the dog Richard grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head to the ground.
That day he mercilessly sent blow after blow to her torso. Eventually the dog quit struggling, became silent and all you could hear was the sound of his fists on her flesh. When he was done, he got up and left without a word.
Nicole couldn't move at first. Everything hurt and she could feel something warm and wet between her legs. After a while she managed to get up. She pulled the dead dog down, hid him in a closet covering him with a sheet and went to the hospital.
That day she had 7 broken ribs, damaged kidneys and she lost the baby. When the doctor asked what happened, Nicole told her she fell down her stairs. The doctor just stared at Nicole. She opened her mouth and closed it without saying anything else.
When she got home that night Richard was still gone. She grabbed a shovel from the garage so she could bury the dog in the backyard. Every time the shovel was pushed into the ground and came out with soil her entire body was sweating as she endured the pain. She wasn't able to make a huge hole, but it was big enough for the small dog. She sobbed as she placed his stiff little body in the grave and apologized over and over. Apologized to the dog. Apologized to her baby. Blaming herself for being foolish enough to think Richard could ever change. Blaming herself for bringing the dog home, even for just a bit.
She sobbed as she thought about how all the little dog wanted was security, love and companionship, and she was going to help him on that path. She knew how that felt. All she wanted was to have a family to love and to be loved by and instead...because of her... they were killed. Two lives and a spirit cut down by a monster that night.
She sobbed and sobbed and when she thought she couldn't cry anymore, she managed too anyway. That was the night she knew that she hated Richard with every bit of herself. But that was also the night she knew equally to be afraid of him. That was the night she saw a look in his eyes that she wished she could forget but that was permanently burned into her mind. That night she knew without a shadow of a doubt he was evil.
He had allowed himself to become completely unveiled in a way he had never shown before even during his rages with her previously. With the dog she buried the pen she had bought Richard and the dream she had for a family or of a happier tomorrow.
She never told him of that pregnancy, and she became pregnant a couple times after and never told him either. It always ended the same anyway. He would beat her, she would miscarry. Finally, she secretly had her tubes tied. She became afraid of what would happen if a pregnancy ever made it through to the end. What abuse their child would endure. She could never forget that night with the dog, just like she couldn't unburden the guilt she carried. She knew deep down her choice was the right choice. Even if it meant watching one of her greatest dreams fade away.
Nicole turned into the hospital parking lot breaking her out of her flashback. She found a close spot to the door and turned off the engine, happy that she was off work today and that she wouldn't have to come up with a lie to tell Tina for not coming to work.