Revolutions

New Beginings

2 months later

Samanthas POV

Finally, in a woman's refuge that will let us stay and not kick us out after a week! Perhaps now I can get a little job to make some money to get away from this place.

The lady, named Nell, that was vacating the small room for me, was with child, and had a toddler too. She smiled happily as she packed up her last remaining items, her parents allowing her to come home to recover from her ordeal, there.

As Nell picked up her bag she looked around the room.

"I won't miss it but it was a god-send that helped me in my darkest hours" Nell smiled a reassuring smile. It was safe here.

"And with your two little ducklings you will need it. Now a tip! Dakota Park- it's safe, it's fenced, it's lovely. Take them there to free them from the refuge and give yourself some respite if only for a little while"

And with that last piece of advice, Nell was gone.

I settled in and got a feel for the surrounding area. The people in charge of the establishment had rules:

1. You must take all your belongings with you EVERYDAY.

2. You have a bed IF, and ONLY if, you are back to the refuge by 6pm, after that you lined with up with the rest of the homeless on the street waiting for a bed.

There were exceptions of course... allowing us to have an overnight job and the 2 children were watched over while they slept, by staff. If they woke I would be called.

Wandering the streets with a heavy duffle bag and 2 bored children wasn't a fantastic way to take in the sights but we tried to see many things that were free.

Central Park was good but there was crime and some very peculiar people and worryingly unhinged oddballs that were, maybe not dangerous, but still scary and unpredictable.

I had yet to find the fabled Dakota Park.

Johns POV

Two months of recuperation, physiotherapy treatment and healing. It was, or should I say IS, hell.

People pushing, poking and prodding, making my limbs move where they didn't want to go to get them back to 100% making me whole again.

Two months to sort my life out, I nearly died!! I did die! I died on the operating table twice!

In a coma for a week.

Hospital for four weeks after that.

That's where my hours of thumb twiddling really kicked in. Analysing my life - past, present, and future. A few big decisions being made by me, no one else, just me.. and a clear head.

The first really clear thinking I had done in years- The she-tyrant usually thought for me...

1. Divorce her!

2. Get custody of Sean my darling second son and get back on better terms with my first born son Julian, who I realise I have not been a wonderful father to.

3. Re-acquaint myself with some old friends, it's time- water under the bridge and all that.

The paperwork for the divorce was delivered today, I signed it just as fast as I could and sent it back. I was getting Sean, I had him with me already. She hadn't been a mother to him from the start - too busy with other men while I stayed home making bread and thinking she was closing some big business deal.

Where did I go?

I was the fucking MAN, no one stuffed around with me! And there I was, a pandering mummas boy to my wife.

NO MORE.

*********

"Sean get your coat and hat, let's go for a walk" I called down the corridor of our too big apartment, it was actually the entire top floor of the Dakota and another floor again underneath for offices, storage and the like.

"OK daddy can I take my dinosaur, rarrrrrrrrr!" Sean was 5 years old, he looked mostly like his mother with a strong Asian lineage but had my nose (poor thing haha) her dark hair and my eyesight, he wore glasses already.

I put on my new disguise, it kind of reminds me of the one I wore in the movie Help! You know when the lads and I were 'secretly' going to fly to Bahamas.

I have only left the building to take Sean for very short walks.

Apparently, I have an issue with open spaces and crowds- not sure why (I'm being sarcastic here)

"Let's go son, put dino in your backpack ok"

After a stroll to the gelato place down the street we head back to the Dakotas' private park with gelato for us both, and a newspaper for me. Sean loves it here, the area has nice play equipment, rolling lawns, an indoor pool too;

And, most importantly, for now, I feel safe.