Thirty in Thirty

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Valerie took a sip from her cup of coffee, then leaned across the table. "You know, you'll always be under his thumb if you keep that attitude," she said quietly.

Alice glared at her friend. "You can't judge me! You have no idea what my life is like."

"And that's what every other battered wife says as well." Valerie sat back and stared hard at her friend. "If only you could hear yourself as others hear you, then you might realise what kind of a life you're living."

Alice closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Every week for the last six months she had heard the same words from Valerie. They had become meaningless with repetition. She let her friend's tirade wash over her and, when Valerie finally stopped talking, Alice stood up. "You're just jealous," she said. "And you can't stand me being happy. Well, that's it. I'm off." She picked up her coat from the floor and headed for the door of the café.

"I'll see you soon," Valerie called after her.

Alice spent the next hour wandering blindly around town before finally heading for home. Her friend's words had cut deep into her. Yes - Bradley could be difficult to live with at times, but that wasn't his fault. He worked hard, and he deserved to have a clean house and food ready on the table when he came home. It was Alice's lot to keep her husband happy. Wasn't that what life was all about?

By the time Alice returned to her house, it was late - later than she had intended. As she walked down the street, she could see that Bradley's car was parked by the front door. Alice checked her watch and quickened her pace. She didn't want Bradley to be upset at her.

"Where have you been?" Bradley shouted at Alice as she hung her coat up in the hallway. "I've been home for nearly half an hour!"

"I'm sorry," Alice began, but her husband ignored her.

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. You're always off with your so-called friends, aren't you? Well, maybe I should make sure you stay at home. What do you think of that?"

Bradley continued his tirade as Alice prepared the evening meal. She didn't try to argue with her husband or defend herself in any way. Even if she had wanted to, Bradley wouldn't have listened to her. Finally, she set the plates of meat and vegetables down on the table. Bradley stared at them.

"What's this?" he asked.

Alice stuttered nervously. "It's your favourite. I thought ... ."

"You thought wrong!" Bradley said. "It's too late now." He pushed the plate aside. "I'm going out."

"What time will you be back?"

"What do you care?" Bradley snapped, then stormed out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.

Alice spent the rest of the evening putting the house to rights and cleaning up. She kept Bradley's plate until bedtime, then scraped the congealed remains of his meal into the bin, before going to bed herself. Alice fell asleep, wondering where her husband was.

In the morning, Bradley's side of the bed was empty. It was obvious that he had not come home. Alice spent the morning doing her chores and preparing the evening meal. She fretted about her husband, wondering where he might be and when he would be coming home. Alice felt that she must have done something really bad for him to punish her like this.

At just after one o'clock, Alice's phone rang. It was Valerie.

"I don't want to talk to you," Alice told her friend. "Not after yesterday."

"Well," Valerie answered, "I want to talk to you. Meet me at the café in an hour. I'm not taking no for an answer." Then she hung up.

Alice arrived at the café on time. Valerie was there, waiting for her at their usual table. Alice sat down. "I'm here," she said. "What do you want?"

Valerie smiled at her. "You remember what I said about your attitude?"

Alice grimaced. "That hurt me."

Valerie held up her hand in a placatory gesture. "I know. And I'm sorry. But I meant it. So, I decided that instead of blaming you, I should help you."

"How?" Alice asked.

"Here." Valerie reached into her handbag and pulled out a bloodied bundle of tissues. "There you go. I decided I'd make sure that Bradley could never put you under his thumb again."