One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  Nightmare In Paradise

Part  |  One

The night after John hit me he hadn't attempted to do it again. He actually apologized and held me in his arms as I cried into his shoulder. Afterward he promised me he would make it up to me with a vacation to Puerto Rico. Apparently he had been planning the trip for a long while, but he said that we'd have to wait until April came since he was busy with work and plus we couldn't just up and leave Cameron when he was only three weeks old.

When April finally did come around I couldn't be happier. I was finally getting a break from the baby and I was finally getting out of the house. I loved Cameron with all my heart, but with John's work schedule I never seemed to get a break. When John arrived home it was normally around six, so we'd eat dinner then he'd lock himself in his office to finish up some work. By the time he was done with that it was nine and I normally didn't put Cameron to bed until nine-thirty. This gave John only thirty minutes to really take care of his son before it was time to put him in his bassinet. I hated our schedule and so did John, but that's just how things are.

"Come on Stephanie!" John called from downstairs.

"Coming!" I call back from upstairs. I was finishing up my hair, which I tied into a braid that laid on my shoulder. I clipped a fake peach colored flower in my hair and smiled down at myself before looking back up in the mirror. I felt beautiful wearing my strapless peach colored dress that went down to the floor. I was sure that John would love it. It was a gift from Alexandria.

As I skipped down the steps and into the kitchen through the dining room, the sound of Cameron's cries filled my heart up with sadness. I skipped over to where John stood cradling Cameron in his arms shushing him. He cries stopped after a while which caused my heart to fill with happiness. 

"Sorry I took so long. Do you like it?" I ask as I look from John to Alexandria then to John's father, Michael.

John just looked at me with a look that I didn't know the meaning of, Alexandria squealed with excitement and Michael said I looked stunning.

"Oh sweetheart you look beautiful. I knew when I saw this dress in the shops that it was for you. Jonathan sweetie, doesn't she look beautiful?" Alexandria asked as she stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders. She had the biggest smile on her face which put a bigger one on mine.

John continued to look at me with the same look on his face before finally he said, "Yes mom she looks like a goddess. That dress will most definitely get heads to turn."

Alexandria continued to squeal and compliment how I looked in the dress while John handed Cameron to his father and continued to give me that same look. I just gave him a small smile, but that didn't seem to change his expression. After fifteen minutes of just sitting there speaking about the trip, it was time to leave to the airport. I almost tear up when I kissed Cameron's soft forehead, but I held them back since I knew I'd see him in a week.

I talk John's ear off about how excited I am about the trip as we walk outside to the limousine waiting for us. John tells me to get in and I happily climb in with a huge grin on my face. Once John climbs inside the car holding one of my suitcases my smile drops and a confused look forms on my face.

"Why did you bring my suitcase in here? Why isn't it in the truck with yours?" I ask as I feel movement from underneath me. I watch as John unzips it and rummages through it. I continue to watch until finally he pulls out a long brown skirt that went down to my feet and light purple fitted V-neck.

"Put that on," he says as he tosses the clothes in my direction. 

I catch the clothes in my hands and look down at them before looking at John again with confusion written all over my face. "Why what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

His head slowly turns toward me and I didn't miss the irritation in his eyes. He sighed in frustration before dragging his hand down his face before sitting back against the leather seats. "Stephanie, just do what you're told and put the damn clothes on. You know better than to wear clothes like that," he said gesturing toward my dress.

I look down and slowly nod my head. I reach behind me and slowly pull down the zipper before wiggling out of the dress. I hated the fact that John was making me change out of something so beautiful. I thought he would love it, but he obviously didn't.

"Oh, and take that stupid flower out of your head while you're at it. It's hideous," he said as he watched me slide my shirt on.

I looked at him for a moment before nodding my head sadly.

The first two days on vacation were great. We walked the beach hand and hand and went sightseeing. It was great to finally let go of all my problems and enjoy myself on vacation. I found myself missing Cameron more and more every day, but I kept reminding myself that the trip was just a week long and I'd see him very soon.

I closed my eyes to hold back my tears before slowly opening them back up. I smiled at the crowd of people dancing and sitting around the fire. John and I were spending our night at a bonfire on the beach that a guy that John quickly befriended invited us to. John had run off with a group of guys while I stood sipping a glass of punch through a straw.

I felt somebody come and stand next to me and for a second I thought it was John. I slowly looked up at the person and smiled. A male with tan skin and long dark hair stood next to me holding a can of beer. "Hello."

He looked down at me and gave me a smile showing teeth. "Hey, the name's Malachi."

My smile widened before turned my head away from him and took a sip of my drink through my straw. "Stephanie."

I looked back up at him and noticed him grinning down at me. "What a beautiful name Stephanie. It's nice to meet you. I noticed you standing here alone and though you needed some company."

I laughed a little and continued to look him up at down. He was taller than me, but his face looked so young so I knew I had to be the older one out of the two of us. He had a muscular build, but he wasn't bulky. I could tell he was most likely Puerto Rican just by his features. I smiled and looked down as I felt my face heat up. "Thanks for the company I really needed it since my husband ran off with a bunch of guys he just met."

I looked back up at him once a heard him clear his throat. His eyebrows we furrowed and his mouth was slightly tiled downwards. "Husband?" he asks. I hold my left hand up and he examines the ring on my finger. He lets out a whistle and chuckles. "Wow he must be rich."

"He runs his own company in New York which is where we live. We've been married for five years now and I just recently gave birth to a baby boy. His name is Cameron and he's a month old. We're a nice and happy family," I say with a huge smile on my face.

"Stephanie!"

My head whips around to find John standing a few feet away. His hands are down by his sides and his hands are clenched into fists. I noticed the angry look on his face and instantly my heart sank like the titanic. "Yeah?"

"Get over here right now!" he yells, which causes people to turn their heads. A few groan in annoyance and some shake their head. I stand there for a moment before slowly walking towards him. Once I'm in arms reach of him he roughly grabs my arm and pulls me into his chest. "Where in the hell have you been? I've been looking all over the place for you and here you are standing here talking to some random guy."

I grimace at the smell of alcohol on his breath. "Well you ran off with a bunch of random guys who you just met."

He chuckles humorlessly before moving his arms around my waist. "Aw Stephy baby wants to get smart," he says as he looks me right in the eyes. Without warning he slaps my backside three times which causes a few people in the crowd to laugh.

My eyes tear up and I suddenly want to go home. "John you're embarrassing me. I...I want to leave."

He breathes out through his nose before snatching my drink out of my hand before marching over to a nearby rubbish bin and tossing his drink and mine into it. He grabs my arm again and starts to drag me away from the crowd and off the beach.

We catch a cab back to our hotel and the whole ride is silent. I was hoping that John would have calmed down by the time we pulled up, but I was wrong. I could tell he was upset still by the way he dragged me through the lobby into the elevator and down the hallway to our room. He pushed me down on the bed and paced back and forth in front of me with his index finger over his lips.

I sighed and sat there for a few minutes before glancing back the clock on the nightstand that read ten. "Can I call Alexandria?"

John stops pacing and quickly turns to me with a scowl on his face. He reached for my arm and pulled me up. "You think you deserve to talk to her after the way you've been acting? I probably would have let you call her if it weren't for that smart mouth!" he yelled. Before I could say anything, he backhands me in the mouth causing me to fall on the bed on my side. I gasp and quickly bring my hand up to my mouth. Tears sting my eyes as I look down at the blood on my fingers.

"Get up!" John yells. When I don't listen he takes a fistful of my hair and wraps his hand in it. He pulls me up so my wide fear filled eyes are leveled with his. "When I tell you to do something you do it am I understood?" I nod my head and shut my eyes. Suddenly his hand connects with my cheek unexpectedly and my eyes shoot back open once I land on the bed again.

A sob leaves my mouth when I hear the sound of his belt being pulled off. I let out a scream once I feel the cold leather slap against my skin hard. I slide off the bed and onto the floor with my hands raised above my head, but John is quick to move them out the way. 

"Stop I'm sorry John! I'm sorry! I love you I love you I love!" I cried as he repeatedly hit me with the belt. He doesn't stop until my back is pressed against the wall and my cheeks are soaked with tears. Just when I think he's done he grabs me by neck and squeezes.

"You want me to stop? Have you had enough?" he asks and I shake my head. He chuckles and looks me right in the eyes. "Really because I don't think so." He let's go of my neck before motioning for me to stand up with his index finger. "Up."

I slowly stand up and look down at tears fall down my face. "John please I'm sorry---"

"Shut up and take your clothes off," he growls as he crosses his arms over his chest. I shake my head and he sighs in frustration. He takes a step forward and reaches for the hem of my shirt before pulling it up and off my body. He takes off everything I have on before pointing at the bed. "Get in the bed."

Tears fall down my face faster and my sobs are uncontrollable. "John please anything but this!"

I stand there sobbing as he continues to pull his shirt off and his pants. Once he's just left standing in his boxers he wraps his arms around me and lifts me up. I scream as he walks me back to the bed and throws me on top of it. I continue to scream and cry as he climbs on top of me. He takes both of my arms in his hands and places them above my head before taking them in one hand. He ignores my cries and reaches for the lamp on the nightstand.

And then the lights went out.