ANNIVERSARY

It felt good take a load off between flights. Her husband reached for her hand as he fiddled with his iPad . Her daughter scratched forgetfully at her sunburn tucking her nose in her fourth book this week. Her son drew contentedly in his sketch pad. She smiled, enjoying the look of her life. The hateful energy crawled in to the room slowly but with a heat that was unmistakable and as her body tingled; unforgettable. She shuddered. She could feel him and began to hunt for him in the crowd. Would she recognize him after all these years? High school was a lifetime ago. The pain in her once fractured wrist wailed yes. Her mouth filled with a salty scream when she realized the nightmare of a man sat two rows across from her; hiding behind his paper. Her stomach wrenched. She thought she smelled that same sickening sweet aftershave that swept upon her as he pounded his requests into her; corrected her. She felt each scar come to life; aching as if it was freshly carved into her flesh. When her husband spoke, she jumped; yelping like a kicked dog. He chuffed a laugh and asked if she wanted a drink. All she could do was shake her head no. Inside, her soul was screaming:

"The most evil man I ever knew is right there! If you leave me, I’ll disappear. Just like he promised. "

But she smiled and held her breath to stop the tears from rushing out. Her children sparked to life, begging for snacks and a pit stop. She smiled sadly as everyone skipped down the corridor. At least they would be safe.

“Goodbye. I loved you. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.” She thought sadly and shifted in her seat; planting her feet firmly; waiting for her ultimate reprimand.

He had seen her come through security; slowly following her down to her gate where her little chickens pecked around her. The man held her hand carelessly. He stopped and bought a paper, giving her time to settle. He wanted to be sure he got the best seat; to watch. It took her less time than he anticipated. Her head snapped up as she ripped through the faces in the waiting area to find him. He shook opened his paper, hiding from her view. He blinked, recalling how she could push his buttons, behaving inappropriately and needing reminders of what not to do. Theirs was a relationship that was constantly evolving, thirsting for improvements and she always needed to be “told”. He continued to lazily scan his paper. Maybe she knew it was him. Maybe not. He wasn’t in any rush. He dipped the print and was surprised to see her staring at him. He cocked his head, returning her gaze. She looked lovely. She had worked hard to keep from becoming fat. He had hated her weight issues back then. Many incorrect food choices she had worn but it appeared that she had learned. “Good Girl.” He thought, nodding briskly through a tight smile. She was tan from vacation he guessed but the scar across her nose could still be seen. THAT was because she had questioned him when he had told her she could not go out with her whore friends. He was not tall, but strong. She had been his equal from all her running and gymnastics, so he’d had to punch her low in the gut and then sweep her feet out from under her. Using her hair for a handle, he repeatedly cracked her face along the floor. It sounded like a basketball bouncing in a puddle. He saw his signature all over her body; the worst on along the side of her face. She covered it with long pretty blonde hair but he particularly remembered that lesson. It was how they celebrated their anniversary. He savored her terrified anticipation of their last lesson. He leaned forward and rubbed the spot across the bridge of his nose; a mirrored position of her own horrible scar. He grinned and through his bent knees dangled the hands that had broken the champagne bottle across her face as cut her on their “day to remember”. He had straddled her body and choked her; clunking her head against the floor, trying to crush her neck. It was the one time she fought him. She had gotten away, running to another state, never speaking to him again. He had called her only once to promise that no matter how long it took, she would never be that lucky again. All these years and just shy of their anniversary, he would fulfill his promise.


She dug nervously at her palms, ignoring her fiercely bouncing knees. She couldn’t look away although the sight of him made bile scorch her throat. She swallowed quickly in case she needed to scream for help. Her mind began to race; splashing places to go and playing out scenarios that would help end this lifetime of rubbernecking and terror. Her body humming with fear, she stood and cautiously stepped around their luggage, slipped her purse along her shoulder. She walked the opposite way along the terminal. Surely there would be security milling around; someone to help her. Her heart thumped so hard it caused her to pant. She felt him rise and follow. The tears sprung up and raced down her cheeks. She began to match their sad spatters on the floor with her rushed footfalls. Heading straight for the construction sign, she found herself almost at a jog. There were ropes and plastic tarps, painting equipment and tools but not one guard. She had trapped herself. Her mind scurried and forced her to tug impatiently at the mock curtains, ducking in unseen. Her mind clicked off commands and built the list. The work lights weren’t on since it was Sunday. She kicked out of her shoes and carried them. Glancing quickly through the supplies she found what she needed. Her breath was dashing from her lungs so quickly it made her light headed. Nervous spit dripped from the corners of her mouth. She sucked absently at it and kept moving. She needed one more thing… “Hurry!” her mind hissed. She could feel him gliding up close to her. She felt her bladder quiver and threaten to let loose. She gasped and hustled around the last corner.

He couldn’t believe what she’d done. He stopped briefly to turn and see no one noticing them. Then he smiled and stepped in through the plastic hearing it crinkle like a candy wrapper. “Sweet treat indeed.” He giggled. He could smell her sweat and perfume. His shoes crunched along the grit from the construction. His body was tight and eager; almost unable to believe the luck he’d had today. He couldn’t wait to be the last to touch her. In all of their lessons, she had never thought things through he reminisced sadly. She always made stupid mistakes and now he would make her understand; fully. He hummed their song softly, studying the scruffy tracks she’d made in the dust. He heard her crying. It was almost celebration time. He kicked at the tools left around, picking up a pipe and some extra cable.

“Olly olly oxen freeee…” he sang gently, dragging the pipe along the chalky drywall.

She craned her neck under the mask and little cap she wore. She needed to stay focused. She only had one shot to get it right. The painter suit caused her to slip on the wobbly chair but not before she got off the first swing. She caught him by surprise for only the second time she could remember. His body whirled in the opposite direction. She lunged, swinging wildly and breaking him down to all fours. The pipe skittered away but he grabbed at her ankle; grunting and snarling. She hit him again hearing sharp crack as his wrist snapped.

“Lesson LEARNED” she wheezed through paper.

 There was a thick crunch as his skull gave way. He lolled to his side, his eyes straining find her. Blood and swelling tissue obstructed his view and thoughts. She beat him like the piñata she’d been all those years ago; the sobs exploding from her chest with each heave. He groaned and collapsed. Hearing only those two words he’d forced her to say after every single beating. Only when exhaustion had stripped her of all ability to do anything but wretch did she slump next to him. The blood on the painter’s suit was crimson and gooey. It smelled the way her mouth had tasted after each pop in the face he delivered. The hammer was clumped with bits of him. Dragging herself over to the storage closet, she poured the bleach into a bucket and dunked it. She tugged at her latex gloves and placed them in a folder with some neatly stacked papers; work orders. Stripping out of the bloody suit, she proceeded to dump paint thinner on the spots, rubbing them vigorously. It turned pink, then she stuffed it into a paper bag from the floor and carried it out back in to the airport. She stopped at a service counter to fill out an application for a credit card and catch her breath. The loud speaker confirmed a boarding flight three gates down.

“Oh shoot that’s mine. Can I take this with me and mail it in?” she asked sweetly. “Ohhh no. I screwed this all up. I should know better than to rush. Can you shred this since it has personal info on it?”

The woman said she didn’t have a shredder but the business center did and it was on her right just near her gate. She quickly gathered her papers and found what she needed, slipping the envelope through the grinding blades as they ate her bloody gloves. A janitor pushing a cart filled with trash was heading for the back hall to empty his load and was only too happy to make room for one more little bag. She walked quickly back to her seat and rejoined her family.

“Where did you skip off to?” her husband asked leaning in and kissing her. He pulled away noticing her smeared make up and sweaty head. “You alright?” His gentle hands traced her chin. A look of worry crossed his brow. She smiled weakly.

“I’m just tired and I don’t feel well…all of a sudden. I’ll feel better when we get home.”

“Well, just rest on the plane. I don’t want you to be sick for our anniversary.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” She said softly and got in line to board the plane.


I hope you liked it.  I was pretty pleased even if it is a little bit long.  Believe it or not, I trimmed it. Stupid windy writers. :)
Well, I'm glad you stopped by.  I'll see you soon I hope.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.