"How much is the fare?" He asked, still staring at my face.
I told him and he dug in his pocket, wordlessly handed it to me, plus a nice tip.
I paid the cabbie, turned back to the house, him still holding the screen open, still staring at me.
I walked up, past him into the house, looking up at him as I passed.
There's more than a foot between our heights, so it seemed like I was looking up forever.
He closed the door, locked it, then leaned against it, bracing his foot behind him.
He said, "C'mere Lil Bit"
I let him gather me to him.
"Aww baby, look at your face, what happened to you! Come on, tell me."
He looked livid!
I took his hand, sat him down, told him what I'd been through this night, and how I was expecting retribution for how I left him, leaving out the exact way I had ended things.
He just sat, held me, and listened.
At the end he said "fuck that muthafucka.
That's what happened when I wasn't here.
I'm here now.
Let him come, if he feeling froggy let's see if he'll leap at me."
And then he kissed me tenderly and gently, mindful of my lip.
His big hands traced the bruises lightly and I saw something in his eyes flicker
He glanced up at the clock, smirked a grin that held trouble.
He said "Why don't you go wash yur face, are you hungry?
Suddenly, I was starving
"Yeah, I could eat" I said
He said softly, his eyes inscrutable, still looking at me, "Go on now, get cleaned up and I'll treat you to breakfast.
I went to the restroom, freshened up and stared at my reflection.
The area under my left eye was bruised and I could see fingerprints around my throat.
No wonder he'd kept staring at me.
I looked a fright.
I walked out to of the bathroom,
found him missing, his keys, which had been sitting there, gone.
Right where those items had been, sat his ankle monitor!
Oh, this was going to be bad!
YOU ARE READING
day1 love
Romanceread along as she becomes who she was always supposed to be with who she was always meant for
