Actions Speak Louder Than Fortune Cookies

51 - Verdict

"Rylee. Seriously. He scares me. The only reason I haven't tried to whisk you away from him is because I'm honestly afraid he'll beat you...or...or kill you."

"He wouldn't do that Alexa."

"Then what is this?" Alexa said, snatching Rylee's arm in her grip, turning it to show the hand shaped bruise on her upper arm. "I'm not blind and I'm sure as hell not dumb Rylee.
It kills me to see you living like this. You used to be such a free spirit and now you're a...a little canary trapped in a cage, forced to go chirp in a coal mine somewhere."

Rylee knew where she was going with her metaphor. Coal miners would keep canaries in cages and take them deep down into coal mines with them. They would whistle and chirp, happy as can be, not knowing they were being used as a safety system for carbon monoxide. Soon enough, the canaries would die from CO poisoning, for the benefit of someone else.

"I feel like you really need to do something. Or these bruises are going to turn into something worse."

Rylee stared at the floor. Deep down she knew Alexa was right. But she couldn't just leave Michael. It would never be that easy. She had no car. She had no money. Nothing. Everything she had was somehow tied to him, he'd made sure of it.

"I...don't know how. "

Alexa could've almost cried at her sentence. A first step towards escape for her best friend. "I'll help you Rylee. I love you. I want you safe. Please. Please Rylee."

"What should I do? He'll find me wherever I go Alexa..."

"Come stay with Mark and I. He's knows what's happening. He's onboard with you staying with us. He also has a pistol in the safe..."

Rylee hesitated for a long moment. "Okay. But I need time to sort through my stuff. Figure out what I can take."

Alexa nodded. She hated knowing her friend would still need to suffer a few more days in this relationship but hearing those words from her were better than the "no, I'm fine/we're fines" that she had been spouting for the last six months.

"Mark and I will help you get your things. Just let me know what day. But please, please make it within the week Rylee."

Rylee nodded and stood up, ushering Alexa towards the door, "Michael will be home any minute. You should go but I'll keep you posted."

"Okay. I love you Ry."

"I love you too Alexa. Thank you."

As soon as Alexa departed with a hug and a wave, shutting the door behind her, Rylee immediately fell to her knees and sobbed. Alexa was right and she needed to get out as soon as possible.  She looked at the clock to see that Michael would be home any minute. She wiped her eyes dry, and patted down the clothes she was wearing to look more put together. She walked into the kitchen for a glass of water.

~

Just like clockwork, Michael strolled through the door kicking off his shoes at the door.

There was a moment of silence. And then Michael's loud voice cut through it, echoing through the apartment. "Rylee. Come 'ere." He pushed up the sleeves of his button up, loosening his tie.

Rylee's blood ran cold at the sound of his angry
voice bellowing through their apartment. She set down her glass and walked back to the living room.

"Hey Michael, how was your day?"

He stalked over, grasping her chin and cheeks in his palm, squeezing them tightly in his hold.
"Who's...is that?" He pointed towards the front door, pointing out the abandoned umbrella. Shit.