The Rookie and Me (COMPLETE)

one.

It's nearly impossible to believe that it has been five years since I met the monster. Five years that I have had to endure countless amounts of abuse- physical, mental, and emotional. But after last night, watching him put his hands on my four-year-old son, I decided that enough was enough. It was the first time he ever physically harmed my son, but it most certainly would not be his last. I cannot allow my son to live this way any longer. I just have to wait for the perfect opportunity.

It shouldn't be long now before he leaves for work. I look at the clock and watch the hand move in slow motion... tick, tick, tick. It's half past 7:00, he should be putting on his boots any minute now and walking out the door. I waited anxiously on the worn out couch and finished my cup of coffee when finally I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hallway.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" Joe said to me as he walked into the living room.

I looked down at my empty mug and avoided making eye contact with him. I softly said, "I was, um... thinking of going to the store today. Do you want me to get anything specific? I know we're running low on milk and bread."

"You're just looking for another reason to go out and spend my money, aren't you? You are always looking for an excuse to spend the money that I bust my ass for every damn day. Just like last week when you went out and bought Cameron new shoes. He doesn't need any more shoes, Ali. You're just a fucking leech." He growled as he slipped each boot onto his feet.

"Joe, I'm sorry. I have been picking up extra shifts at the diner, and I used my tip money to get him the shoes. He's grown out of the other pairs that he had already. He needed them." I said quietly.

He looked up at me, his eyes black as the night sky. "You callin' me a liar?"

I stayed silent and shook my head quickly side to side.

He stood up from the couch and walked over to me. I shouldn't have said a word. I should have kept my mouth shut and just let him leave. He grabbed my face with one hand and squeezed. "Don't go spending anymore of my goddamn money, Ali. I don't care what you think the little shit needs."

He continued to squeeze my face while glaring hard at me. Tears started welling up in my eyes and I didn't know how much longer I could hold them in. He smiled slyly and let go of my face. He walked away and grabbed the doorknob.

He turned to look at me and said, "You know, you should really be more grateful that I even gave a mooching, ugly slut like you a chance. Ain't no other man on this Earth that would want you. Remember that."

And with that, he slammed the door and climbed into his rundown pickup truck. I watched him peel out of the gravel driveway and disappear down the road. I threw my empty mug in the kitchen sink and grabbed the roll of trash bags from underneath the sink.

I went into my son's bedroom and laid down beside him. "Good morning, sleepy head." I said while stroking the blonde curls off of his face. He opened his eyes slowly and stretched as big as he could.

"Morning, mommy." He said as he continued stretching.

"Do you want to help me make breakfast this morning?"

He shakes his head with excitement. He jumps out of bed and runs straight to the kitchen. "Can we have eggs, mommy?"

"That sounds great, Cam. Let's make some eggs!"

Cameron pulls one of the dining room chairs out and pushes it up against the counter by the stovetop. I grabbed the carton of eggs out of the fridge and helped him crack each one. I poured a dash of milk into the cup and whisked the eggs until they were all broken up and scrambled. I held the cup steady and watched him stir the already mixed eggs around in the cup.