Acrimony: Until Death

Magnets

"After he hit you. What happened?" I shut down, I couldn't process. Finding the writing my mother left me had given me a seedling of hope....but it also stripped the rest of my walls. I missed my mother. I wanted her to tell me this herself. To tell her she was wrong and I was amounting to nothing. That she saw wrong maybe she meant my sisters. Hell they had the booming business. After that I stayed home. Took a day off. "Why?" Because I couldn't find my mask. I couldn't just go to work as normal. I was traumatized. "By Robert?" Who else! "What...besides the initial hit made it so damaging?" That's the dumbest shit I ever heard. "Melinda...Think." His reaction........that's what terrified me the most. "Let's get into that. Tell me what happened."

Stepping out of the shower Melinda sighed. She had forgotten what a break felt like. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, the way she slept all day yesterday had been everything. She desperately wanted to do it again, but she had already lost a days wage. This would have been prime time for her rainy day fund. Looking in the mirror she turned examining her cheek. She was pleased to find it was back to normal. Aside from some tenderness. That moment was still raw in ber mind. He just walked away.....like nothing.

Getting dressed for work slowly she dreaded leaving her room. She slowly headed downstairs expecting him to be working on that damn battery. To her surprise the smell of cooked food hit her nose. Robert casually making breakfast. She stared at him weary of his intentions. She hadnt seen a lick of him since he hit her. Looking up he flashed her a mega watt grin. Setting a plate down on the table. An expectant look in his eyes.

"You have 45 minutes before work. Plenty of time to eat." He stated, pulling a chair out for her. He was so cool and calm. As if he hadn't knocked my brain loose a day before. Acting so nonchalant. I was alarmed, this man rarely did a damn thing. Suddenly I had eggs and bacon? I sat my ass down.

"I think I made a breakthrough yesterday on the battery. One of the damn peices wouldn't fucking work, had to go out and get a new electric welder." He spoke, taking his seat across from her. She blinked fury rising inside her. He stole her money....for a fucking tool. Had the nerve to sit here and say that knowing they didnt just have "extra" money.

"I got this one bug to work out. It sparks occasionally. Shocked the fuck out of me last night, but I'm almost there." He continued, essentially talking to himself. Looking up their eyes locked. A tense aura around the two of them. This wasn't normal, when was the last time this dining table was used?

"Why so quiet Mel? If its about the other night I forgive you. We're good now." He casually stated, scarfing down his food. Noticing she was picking at her plate her stomach churning. I was forgiven.......ME! He was working his manipulative tounge. Making me doubt my own right.

"I love you still. I was hurt but I'm okay now. We're okay now, dont stress." He smiled.

"Robert.....you hit me." Melinda stated, his smile didn't falter at her words. Rather brightened a bit in reality.

"We were both upset. My lips almost healed. I been putting that one cream on it." He spoke, she frowned setting her fork down.

"So you're just going to act like you didn't hit......your wife?"

"Speaking of healing. I'm not going over your sisters house anymore. And I dont want Jo over here anymore. Their a bad influence on you. I know it was them forcing you to go out." He muttered.

"I'm a grown ass woman Robert. I can go out! I dont need permission. And I doubt you're invited to anything else after what you did!" She snapped, he casually munched on a piece of bacon simply looking at her.

"We're a unit. We roll together, or not at all." He spoke, though his face was calm the tone of his voice brought her back to that night.

"How did you know where I was?" Melinda questioned, surely no one had told him. They couldn't have, they wouldn't do that. Not with the way they acted when he got there.