Title: Two Beds and a Coffee
Machine
Part: 1/3
Author: Wendy
Category: 98º
Rating: PG
Copyright: 2000
Toni slowly opened her bedroom door. She looked back just once to make sure Jeff was still asleep.
Quietly, she crept downstairs and looked at the living room. it was a complete mess. She picked up pieces of glass that fell from a shattered vase. She knelt down and felt a twitch of pain in her hips. Taking in a breath, she ignored the pain and continued to clean up.
Looking at the room, a screaming match entered her mind. She then remembered how he slapped her across her face. The smell of alcohol vividly escaped from his breath. A tear fell from her eye and she wiped it away, gently sweeping her finger across the apple of her cheek.
She had done it again. She cleaned up the house as if nothing happened. Only this time, it was different. She wasn't returning to bed.
Toni opened the door to her children's bedroom. They slept peacefully in their beds. Gently, she shook her son's arm.
The little boy's eyes opened within seconds.
"Hey, Scotty," Toni whispered to her five-year-old son.
"What's wrong, Mommy?" he asked innocently.
"We're taking a trip, okay?" she replied calmly.
She saw her son nod in the dim light coming from the nightlight in the corner. She handed over a set of clothes for him.
Across the room, Toni began the same procedure with her two-year-old daughter, Josie.
The two children quietly but quickly got dressed while Toni crept into her room and took out some suitcases. She glanced over to Jeff, whose regular breathing was the only sound heard in the entire room. Her eyes began to water at the sight of her husband.
Grabbing the suitcases, she put them into the hallway. Quickly, she covered the bruise on her face with some makeup.
Her children were readily waiting in their room. They followed their mother as they walked out of the house, for the very last time.
Toni threw the suitcases in the trunk of her jeep. Scotty got in the passenger's side in the front while Toni helped Josie settle in her car seat in the back.
The sky had brightened up as the morning was slowly approaching. Birds started to chirp as a sign of a new beginning.
Toni started the car and silently bade goodbye to Jeff and the house.
Inside the house, Jeff stirred at the sound of the car engine starting, but remained in bed and wound himself into another dream.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And she takes another step
Slowly she opens the door
Check that he is sleeping
Pick up all the broken glass
And furniture on the floor
Been up half the night screaming
Now it's time to get away
Pack up the kids in the car
Another bruise to try and hide
Another alibi to write
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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