Abused

He must have been scared enough to call 911. I lay in a pool of blood it was running down my face. A bone protruded at the elbow. I had blacked out feeling disoriented I could hear my husband talking on the phone.

The sirens in the distance, then four paramedics filling the living room all asking questions.

I could barely hear my husband telling them I had fallen down the stairs, they gave me oxygen and proceeded to lift me on the stretcher hooking me up with tubes. Jim my husband told them he would ride with me to the hospital. 

When they told him, he would have to follow the ambulance there was no space for him is when he whispered in my ear I will kill you if you do not tell the doctor that you fell. He was not aware of one of the paramedics over heard him as he backed away. Jim wanted to know what hospital I was going to as they hurried me out the door.

The paramedic radioed ahead changing the hospital as they drove away. Also speaking softly reassuring me I would be safe. Taken into surgery right away given a shot the pain eased. When I woke, my arm had a caste, they had shaved my hair where they had sutured my large wound closed.

I could hear yelling out in the hall or was it just my head pounding I was not sure, until Jim’s voice came through loud, he wanted to see me now. I could make out the doctor telling him, he could see me in an hour after I came out of recovery. Then the door flew open Jim standing there his eyes wild and furious, wanting to know why they had taken me to a different hospital and not told him.

Two police officers, arrived through the door, taking hold of him, when Jim told them he was on the job, they relaxed their hold. Jim came over to the bed bent down whispered to remember that I had fallen. Then he was lead out.

I must have slept as the sun was shinning through the window, a doctor arrived checked my stitches telling me my hair would grow back soon enough. I had not even seen my face as he brought a mirror. My face swollen, black and puffed up he had really done a job on me this time. I could not move without shooting pains through my body. Another shot and I was out again.

I awoke to a policewomen standing looking down at me, she was not from Jim’s precinct as I did not recognize her. Another woman came into view she wore a suit and carried a briefcase. Kate was in uniform, Joan a lawyer. Apparently, the report the paramedic filled out brought them here.

Then the questioned started, how long had Jim been abusive towards me? Had I told anyone? Did I not think it was time to lay charges against him before he did kill me? Joan put a paper in front of me it was a signed by a judge for a restraining order, and a charge of assault  all I had to do was sign it. I started to shake realizing if I signed this document, my life would never be the same. I had tried to leave Jim two years ago, he had come after me dragging me home threatening if I ever tried to leave him I would be dead with no trace of where he had buried me alive.

Kate took my hand giving me a pen, she told me she knew what was going through my mind as she had been with an abusive husband for a year until she finally decided to stand up for herself, leaving him and charging him. She now lived a full life never looking back on that horrid year. She would be there to help me get through this.

I signed.

Jim’s partner arrived with a huge bouquet of flowers that afternoon. Jim had signed the card. The nurse came in with a vase I told her to throw them in the garbage. Mike told me that Jim loved me and wanted to start over again. To give him a chance. When I told Mike that I was charging Jim and had a retraining order against him, I thought he would fall off his chair. What was wrong with me he would lose his job if he went to court or jail?

All I said was he should have thought of that when he was beating on me.

Kate was there when they released me from hospital, she insisted I come stay with her, as she had a two-bedroom condominium. She and her partner would go pick up my things when they knew Jim was out. I should make a list of what I wanted from the house, I only wanted my clothes and a few personal items everything else had no meaning for me.

I slowly regained my strength, my arm had healed, I had gotten a short haircut it was time for me to get back to work. The court date was two months away and I had not heard anything from Jim or Mike. Starting to feel myself again, I went to a self-defense course with Kate and her friend Beth. They included me in their nights out with friends it was a hopeful chance at happiness.

Sundays was a day we all went jogging or climbing and I felt in better shape than ever. The sun had bronzed my body, even been asked out on a few dates, which I turned down, as I just was not ready to have a man in my life yet.

Kate was on night shift this week so I had stopped on the way home from work to pick up a few groceries and a bottle of wine. As I walked up the street I spotted Jim’s car parked in front of our building. He was leaning against the trunk as he spotted me a wide smirk spread over his face. Those eyes told all he was pissed off and it showed.

I did not slow my pace as I approached, he stepped away from his car as I shifted my grocery bag to my side hip. He told me it was time for us to talk before I proceeded with the court hearing and I should drop all the charges against him. I had reached the stairs to the condo starting to climb when he reached for me turning me towards him. His eyes were deadly sinister as I grab the railing and pushed him down the stair. He stumbled caught himself before he slipped to the sidewalk.

It gave me time to slip inside the door, locking it behind me. Taking out my cell phone, I dialed 911 he could see that I was phoning and turned towards his car.

  

Raising his hand, as if he was going to shoot me.

The police arrived questioned me on what had happen, they picked Jim up at the house kept him overnight as his alcohol level was high. He was out the next morning. The phone calls started late that night he had received the divorce papers, he said he would sign them if I dropped all charges. I told him I would get the divorce anyways when they found him guilty in court.

The night before court Kate was on a stakeout she would be home in time for court. I had run a bath put on some music and lit some candles pouring myself a glass of wine. Heading into the bathroom to relax my tense body I slipped down into the bubbles. Feeling my body start to relax half dozing the phone beside me rang, looking to see who it was I did not recognize the number. Deciding not to answer I let it go to the answering machine in the living room.

His slurred voice was yelling for me to pick up, as he knew I was home. Then the banging at the door, I jumped from the bath threw on my housecoat heading towards Kate’s bedroom. She had shown me where she kept her personal gun. I tried to remember what she had said about the safety as she always kept it loaded. I was in a panic trying to remember, when the front door crashed open.

A click told me I had released the safety as Jim stood at the doorway of the bedroom. The surprise showed as he noticed the gun in my shaking hand. He lunged, quickly towards me swatting the gun from my hand, as it flew across the floor. He grabbed at my housecoat pulling it off as I scrambled towards the gun. He was going to reach it before me, as he went to pick up the gun, he had not seen me take Kate’s statue from the table. Hurling in straight at his head it connected with his forehead he went down on all fours stunned. Picking up the statue, I hit him again, he was breathing ,but unconscious

The police arrived taking him away.

The judge sentenced him to five years for attempted murder. He went to the prison where he had convicted many criminals over the years. He would not have a good time there.