One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  Surprise

Part  |  One

It was getting harder and harder to make it through the day without going completely insane. I could slowly feel myself losing hold of my sanity. I mean looking at the same walls and furniture everyday gets pretty frustrating. I was locked up inside the house from eight in the morning to six-thirty in the afternoon, so that was a lot of time to sit around bored. 

The abuse was another thing. The abuse was slowly getting worst if that was even possible. My skin was more black and blue than anything else. The spots that were covered by the color black or blue were pale. My skin used to glow, but now I was almost as white as paper. My blonde hair was lighter than it was seven years ago and was normally covering my face. 

The abuse most definitely wasn't taking a toll on me!

There was mainly just physical abuse and not so much of verbal, but sexual...well I didn't know the answer to that. I recall going on a picnic with John on one of his days off, and I guess the guys were staring at me. I was so focused on how nice the sun felt on my skin that I failed to notice the change of John's behavior. When we arrived home I was grinning from ear to ear. I remember turning to John to thank him for taking me out for the day, but before I could get my second word out he pinned me against the wall. I just looked at him with wide eyes and cried out when I felt him shove his hand underneath my dress and into my panties.

"Do you want the guys to look at you? Do you want them to look at you and think of doing such dirty things to do? Is that it?" he exclaimed without removing his hand.

I wasn't turned on one bit so of course it hurt. Tears stained my cheeks and snot was slowly coming out of my nose as I shook my head. "No I didn't even---"

"Bullshit Stephanie! Don't tell me you didn't do anything when you knew exactly what you were doing when you picked out that dress!" he yelled.

I sob slipped through my lips and I raised the back of my hand to wipe away the snot. "I'm sorry," I say quietly. "I just thought you would like it."

He stood there and just looked down at my broken figure. He blinked once and continued to stare at me as more tears fell from my eyes and more snot left my nose. Finally after about a minute he removed his hand and pulled my dress back down. His face softened and he slowly crouches down a bit before taking both of my hands in his. "Hey, hey look at me. I love the dress Steph. You have no idea how sexy you look wearing it. It's just that I hate seeing other guys looking at you like you're nothing but a piece of fresh cooked meat."

I nod my and quietly whisper, "I'm sorry."

He gives my hand a small squeeze and nods his head. "I know you are, but please just watch what you wear. I don't need my wife walking around here like slut on the corner."

And after that he stood up and walked down the hall towards his office.

That was the day I realized probably needed help. It wasn't like I could just pick up the phone and call Tanya or parents to come save me from all the pain. I loved my husband, but I didn't know how much more pain I could take. I didn't want to leave him I just needed a break so he could get better like he promised and so I could heal. But I knew I wasn't going to be doing any healing soon since I had no phone to contact anybody and it wasn't like anybody came to visit. Or maybe people did try to visit me and John told the guard at the gates to keep them out since he knew their faces.

Help was so close, but yet so far. Well we had the guard at the gate that was just down the long driveway, but about a month ago he proved to be no help whatsoever.

John was having some sort of charity event once again. It was late the night of June twentieth. I remembered the day so well since it was the day I had probably received the worst beating yet. I wasn't paying much attention to John, but more to a man who was no stranger. Douglas Jefferson. I hadn't seen him for about year. He told me about how he had moved all the way to Florence Italy to live with his new bride and now he was back.

On the car ride home John was yelling at me and calling me names while I just sat there in the passenger seat crying my eyes out. Sometimes he would take one of his hands off the steering wheel and hit me across the face.

Once we pulled up in front of the closed iron gates I lifted my head and looked over at John as he spoke to the guard. Knowing I had just a few seconds I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt and hopped out of the car. I could hear John calling my name as he jumped out the car and ran after me. I hadn't made it very far before I felt his arms wrap around my waist. I flailed around in his arms, but nothing seemed to work.

"I'll pay you ten grand in cash to keep your mouth shut about this!" John yelled at the guard.

I quickly looked up at the guard with wide eyes and he frantically shook my head. I started to thrash once again in John's arms and screamed out for help, but the guard just stood looking anywhere, but at us.

John threw me into the backseat of the car before quickly heading over to the driver's side. I tried opening the door, but of course...child lock.

I pulled my legs up to my chest and placed my head down on my knees and sobbed. I dreaded the moment we pulled up in the garage. I wasn't ready for another beating. I didn't know if my body and mind could take even just one blow to the face or even another hard slap or backhand to the face.

When he turned the car off he quickly climbed out the car and came over to the side I was sitting on. I quickly moved over to the other side and try to as close to the car door as I possibly can. He yanks the backdoor on the passenger side open and tries to reach for my ankle. I cry for him to stop, but he eventually grabs hold of me and swiftly pulls me out the car.

Everything that happened after, I rather not think of.

Here it was a hot July evening. It was like any normal day while John was at work. I sat at home watching television or I sat on the living room couch reading a book. Right now I sat reading a book silently to myself when suddenly the doorbell rang. My head instantly snapped up and my eyes widened. We never got visitors so I was pretty shocked and a little happy at the same time.

I wondered who could be at the door since we never got visitors unless it was somebody from John's company. Maybe it was Tanya or even better, my family. I missed seeing and talking to them. They probably thought I totally forgot about them and wanted nothing more to do with them now that I had John. Just the thought of them thinking I had completely forgotten about them broke my heart into pieces. But it couldn't be them. John most likely told the guard to keep them out which is why we never had visitors.

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts when the bell rang for the second time. I quickly bended the corner of the page I was on and threw the book down on the table before hopping up from the couch. "Coming!" I called as I tried my best to make my hair look presentable without a mirror. But that is when I suddenly remember the bruises on my face. 

I quickly looked around the room for some makeup just lying around and found some on top of the stone mantle next to a picture of John and me while at some party hosted by his parents. I frantically looked around for a mirror and when I couldn't find one I quickly ran out the room and up the stairs. I made it to the fifth step when the bell rang once again. "Just give me a second!"

I quickly run upstairs into the bathroom and apply the makeup to my face and check if it was okay. Once I finally thought I looked good enough to show my face I ran out the room and down the stairs. Just as I touched the last step the bell rang once again. I groaned at how impatient this person was before shuffling towards the door. Once I stood in front of the big translucent glass double doors I took in a deep breath and opened them. I gasped once I saw the person who stood in front of me wearing a frown on their face. My eyes immediately started to tear up and my heart ached.

"Tanya? But how, how did you even---"

"New guard, the last one was a real bastard," she said as half of lip rose into a half smile. I let out sob just as laugh left my mouth. A single tear fell down my face and she just shook her head. "So, are you going to invite me in or are you just going make me stand out here and burn to death?"

I laughed again before quickly moving out the way to let her in. She thanked me before stepping inside the house and looking up at the ceiling. I closed the door behind her and leaned my back up against it.

"Wow this place looks exactly how I last saw it, and that was almost three years ago," she said as she turned towards me with a smile on her lips.

We stood there staring at each other before finally I couldn't take it any longer. "Oh Tanya, you have no idea how much I've missed you!" I say as I bring her in for a hug. I give her a tight squeeze and she laughs before pulling away.

"'I've missed you too Steph. Everybody has actually," she says, but she says the last part quieter.

I nod my head before gesturing towards the living room. "Why don't you go take a seat while I get us something to drink? Orange juice sound good?"

She nods her head. "Yes."

I smile and head into the kitchen as she heads in the living room. I grab two glass cups from the cabinet and pour us both half a cup of juice. After putting the cap back on the jug and placing back in the refrigerator I grab both of our cups and head into the living room. Tanya looks up at me with a smile just as I enter the room and I return it. I hand her a glass and she thanks me as I placed my cup down on the table and sit down. I say a quick you're welcome and turn to look as her as she drinks a little bit of juice before sitting it down.

She smiles at me and I smile back just as I place my hand on her knee. "So how has these past couple of years been?"

She looks at me and grins. "Fine I guess. It's been long, but fine. Tyler got custody over his son which is a good thing and Taylor is going to be in preschool this August. Also I just gave birth a few months ago. I think he's somebody you should meet."

"Really?"

She nods her head and continues to tell me about she's been these past few years. I nodded my head paid real close attention to what she said. I was really interested in what my friends been up to since I haven't talked to her in almost three years. It seemed like she living a pretty good life while I wasn't. 

After she had finished telling me about her good life it was silent for a few seconds before finally she let out a sigh and looked me right in the eyes. "Everybody's misses you, you know that? Your family Todd Tyler.....me."

I nod my head. "Of course I do. It's just that John---"

My eyes widen at the mention of my husband. John has taken away everything I loved and cherished. I only had him, but that isn't enough. I had very limited time outside the house, I couldn't even go outside without his permission, and he didn't let me have a cellphone.

Suddenly my body starts to shake and a sob leaves my mouth. Tanya immediately pulls me into her arms and squeezes me tight. "Tanya you have no idea how hard and painful it's been. I'm not allowed to leave the house or even call anybody. I want to leave so badly, but I love him too much to go. I want to just go live with mom and dad for a while so he can get better, but he wouldn't like the idea. He would probably..."

Tanya moves her head off of mine and looks down at me with her eyebrow raised. "He would probably what, Stephanie?"

My eyes widen and my face pales. "He'll beat me." I quickly hop out of her arm stand up. I pull at my hair and pace around the room. "Oh god, he'll beat me if I tell him that! He'll beat me for a lot of things Tanya! Like...he'll beat me if he finds out you were even here! Oh god Tanya, you have to go, now. Just leave and don't tell anyone you saw me. Just let them continue thinking that I completely forgot about them."

Tanya quickly hops up from the couch and places her hands on my shoulders. "Stephanie, listen to me. You need to calm down, okay? Take a seat and just relax." I nod my head and slowly sit back down. She sits down next to me and places her hand on my knee. "Now, what do you mean let them continue thinking that you completely forgot about them? Stephanie, nobody thinks that. I mean your brother thinks that you chose John over them, but he doesn't think that you forgot about them. Your family has tried getting hold of you, but I'm guessing John took your phone. They have even tried visiting you. The guard never let them in so they just stopped trying. They knew if you wanted to get in contact with them you would, but they never thought that you forgot about them."

I look over at her with teary eyes and my mouth open. "So...they don't think I forgot about them? They know I still love them."

"Mhm," she says.

I look over at the huge Roman numeral clock hanging above the stone mantle and sigh. John would be about in about an hour and a half which meant I had to start dinner or else I wouldn't be finished by the time he got home. I wipe my tears away and try to give Tanya a smile. "Tanya thank you for coming by, but John is going to be here soon and I don't want you here when he arrives. You can come by tomorrow if you want, but make sure you come between the times eight and five."

She smiles before leaning over and pulling me in for a hug. "Of course I'll come by again tomorrow."

She stands up from the couch and I follow right behind her as she makes her way out the living room. I follow her to the front door and watch as she pulls it open and takes a step outside. Before she goes I suddenly remember something. "Tanya?"

She looks back at me and raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

I sigh and look down at my hands. "Don't tell anyone, please. I don't want them to worry about me."

She looks at me for a moment and sucks in her lips. She debating whether or not she should do me this favor or not, but after a minute of thinking she nods her head. "I promise you I won't. Just be careful, okay?"

I sigh and give her a sad smile. "I sadly can't promise you that."

She smiled back and then was gone.