DROWNING

"Babe, I'm home" I yelled as I walked through the doors, groceries in hand.

I did not hear a response so I simply walked into the kitchen to unpack the groceries.

Maybe he was still at work.

But that couldn't be because he specifically said he'd be home early today.

Or maybe he decided to go out with some friends?

"Where have you been?" A voice boomed behind me causing me to almost drop the jar of mayonnaise I had in my hand.

"Jesus, Markus. You scared me" I said as I set the jar down on the counter whilst one hand held my chest to try calm my erratic heartbeat.

"That does not answer my question" Markus spoke and I felt a chill go down my spine.

Why was he talking to me like this? Had I done anything wrong by simply going out to go get groceries?

"Babe is everything okay?" I asked stepping closer to him.

He had been behaving rather strangely as of late. But I had simply been brushing it off as pressure getting the better of him. After all, his new position really had to be taking it's toll.

I'm sure he was just adjusting, that's all.

"Answer the damn question, Rowlene. Where the fuck were you? I called your office and they said you left an hour ago. From what I know, it's just a 10 minute drive from your workplace."

I looked at him, like really looked at him.
Why was he behaving like this?

"Babe, I just dropped by the grocery shop to pick up some supplies. Why are you behaving like this?" I asked shocked by his outburst.

His eyes scanned me silently, and I found myself getting nervous.

Never, in our two year relationship did I get this nervous around him. Of course he did seem intimidating at times but he never made me feel nervous.

Or threatened.

"Go get ready. We have dinner with the Johnsons. Wear that purple dress I bought you for our anniversary" he spoke, seeming much calmer.

I didn't want to wear the purple dress.

I hated purple.

But Markus preferred it this way. He preferred picking my attires for me and I thought it was really sweet.

I hated being told what to do, but when it came to Markus... I just couldn't say no.

"Okay babe. Let me just go shower" I said with a small smile.

As I walked past him, he grabbed me and hauled me back towards him.

"Don't let this repeat itself, Rowlene. You come home straight from work. No grocery shopping, none of that shit. Do you understand me" he said, his grip tightening by the second.

I whimpered

"Markus, you're hurting me" I spoke in a small voice.

"Do you fucking understand me Len?" He shouted and I flinched whilst nodding my yes as quickly as I could.

He released my hand and immediately I ran for the safety of the bedroom.

In all honesty, I didn't feel like going anywhere tonight. I had planned on making a small meal for two for a cosy night in.

But I just couldn't say no and upset Markus. I had already upset him enough for a day. What if I upset him further and he left me? That couldn't happen.

So I headed up the stairs and started my preparations with a cold shower.

The dinner was fairly pleasant of course. But that was until Martha Johnson asked me about the purplish bruise around my arm.

After a cold glare from Markus, I managed to come up with a silly story of how I twisted my arm while at the gym. The Johnson's seemed to believe it, with Martha quickly diving into a story about how a woman in her yoga class once fell and twisted her ankle.

Markus was cold as we drove home. Never, in our entire relationship had he ever been this cold towards me.

"Baby... Is everything alright?" I asked him as we stepped into our bedroom.

Silence.

I was answered by complete silence.

"Markus, have I done anything wrong?" I tried once more.

Silence again.

"Baby..."

"Shut the fuck up Len" he suddenly shouted making me flinch.

I swallowed all the words I wanted to say to him as I quickly closed my mouth and cowered away from him, in...fear.

"What were you thinking, Rowlene? Huh? What were you thinking going to the Johnson's wearing that sleeveless dress. Did you want them to see the bruise and assume I hurt you" he spat after grabbing me and holding my arms tightly by my sides, hurting me wants more.

"But Markus, you asked me to wear the dress."

"You see, you're so dumb that I have to make all the decisions for you." He seethed.

"Now the Johnson's probably think that I hurt you. Did I hurt you, Rowlene?" He asked his grip on my arms increasing by the minute.

Not as much as you are hurting me right now!

I wanted to scream that in his face. But I couldn't. I was too gripped by fear that I just couldn't move. And I didn't want to make him mad.

"Answer me, Rowlene" he bellowed, shaking me violently, making my head bang against the wall a couple of times.

"Markus you're hurting me." I screamed but that just angered him more.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, Markus' palm was colliding with my cheek, the slap echoing through out the room.

"You want to paint me bad to the world? Huh Len? You want the whole world to think that I don't treat you right, is that it? Huh Megan?" He bellowed as another slap met my cheek.

I couldn't speak.

I couldn't breathe.

And as the slaps kept on coming, and the words kept on pouring out. I ended up on the floor, where the kicks began pouring.

"You're so pathetic. You couldn't even change your mind about the dress. You just thought it would be a good idea to show off that awful mark didn't you. You wanted people to ask? To feel pity for you? Isn't it? You wanted to play the victim and paint me the bad guy isn't it?"

And the beatings kept on coming.

Until I couldn't take anymore, and I passed out.

And that was the first time that Markus hit me. And it was the first of many times that followed.