She by S. E. Walker

Author:S. E. Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: women's fiction, overcoming abuse, family, bailbonds, escape, one brave thing a day, journey out
Publisher: Cooper McKenzie, LLC
Published: 2017-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

She woke the next morning to a sharp jab in the middle of her back from Matthew’s elbow as he scrambled from bed. “Oh God, I overslept again. Why didn’t the alarm go off? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

She didn’t bother to point out that he had just woke her up. It would have been a waste of energy. Since she felt like she had closed her eyes just five minutes before, she did not have energy to spare.

“Forget fixing me a pot of coffee, could you just zap a cup of instant?” Matthew called from the bathroom as he turned on the shower.

Again she did not answer but did pry her eyes open and frown at the wall while she took inventory. She had a thick feeling to her tongue. Her sinuses felt like they were packed with wet cotton. But there was no headache. That surprised her, but she was certain it would hit her as soon as she sat up.

She left the bed in stages. First, she swung her legs over the side and pushed into a sitting position. She raised her arms and stretched before reaching for her sweatpants. After pulling them up as far as her thighs, she planted her feet on the floor and stood before pulling them on the rest of the way. She waited for a morning after hangover migraine to slam home, reminding her of the events of the previous evening. Only stiffness and tightness in her arms, legs, and back reminded her of the physical labor she had engaged in the night before.

She used the half bath downstairs and tried not to look in the mirror. It was way too early to scare herself with that vision. She needed caffeine first. Running her fingers through her waist length hair to push it out of her face, she headed to the kitchen. In seconds Matthew’s coffee mug in the microwave and she had retrieved a Pepsi from the vegetable crisper drawer. With a sigh, she popped the can open, lifted it to her lips and drank straight from the can. She consumed half the contents in a few swallows. When she lowered the can, she burped none too delicately and sighed again when she felt the cold, carbonated, caffeinated liquid surge into her system. After several more swallows, which finished the can, she felt almost ready to face Matthew and what she was certain would be the continuation of their “discussion” from the night before.

Stay strong, stay calm, stay in control. Do not let him bulldoze you. North Carolina is a right to work state and you have every right to hold a job.

But Matthew was late for work. He did not have time to comment on the events of the previous evening. Instead of continuing that discussion, he poured his coffee into a travel mug while again blaming her for his oversleeping. Nothing was said of her job or that he expected her to quit. Had he forgotten?

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