Warning contains dark content
Amelia's ten days in L.A. were amazing, coming home she feels refreshed, her body recovered from bruises and she is well-rested. As promised Brian is there to pick her up and seeing her smiling and healthy his worries fade away.
The moment she gets in the car fears hits her like a train. What's Michael going to do now she's back? How will he react when she walks through the door? A small part of her hopes that he's got his act together while she's been gone but she doubts it.
She's happy to see Prince though, "Hi buddy," She puts a finger through the grate to fuss him as best she can.
"He's missed you," Brian chuckles starting the car up and they make the journey back to the flat, "How was filming?"
"Amazing! I like L.A. I get the hype around it now. And we're ahead of schedule for the filming so I should finish filming in a week as long as everything goes to plan," She kind of wished it wasn't coming to an end because it means no reason to leave the flat and being stuck with Michael.
"That's good. Oh, Anita and I are having a family dinner at home on the 18th of November to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary," He suddenly remembers glancing over at her, "It's a while away yet but I thought I'd tell you so you don't book anything over it."
Amelia writes it on her phone, "I'll be there. I can't believe you've been married 10 years."
"We've been together 22 years," He smiles focusing on the road ahead.
It's late when they pull up outside her apartment building and he helps her get her stuff out of the boots, "Do you want a hand taking it up?"
"No, I'm good," She has no idea what the flat will look like or what state Michael will be in, "Thank you for the lift home," She hugs him before dragging her suitcase to the door, Prince in her other hand.
She reaches the door and takes a deep breath, the flat isn't on fire so she can be thankful for that at least. Putting her key in she pushes the door open and the disgusting smell of alcohol is hits her.
Braving it she steps inside and shuts the door, she leaves her case and Prince in the hallway until she knows what's going on in here.
There are beer bottles everywhere and she finds Michael on the sofa watching TV, drinking another beer, "Oh there you are. It's about fucking time you came home."
The feeling of a full battery speaks a bit of fight in her, "And I see you still haven't found a job. Look at the mess in here and the smell," She walks past the TV and opens the balcony window to let some fresh air in, "It's disgusting."
Turning back around Michael is right there in front of her, "Don't you dear speak to me like that. You're a woman and you were put on this earth to do what men say, NOW CLEAR UP THIS MESS!"
She pushes past him, "Do it yourself. It's your mess and I'm not a slave or a servant," She instantly regrets her bravery.
He grabs hold of her arm spinning her around and backhands her across the face, enough to make her fall to the floor, "Clean this mess up," He grabs his keys and leaves the flat.
Holding her painful cheek she lets Prince out of his carry case and he runs down the hall hiding under the spare bed. She then gets started with cleaning up and when she's done she retires to the spare room curling up on the bed and cries her eyes out.
------
It's been over a month since Brian dropped Amelia back at the flat and no one has heard from her. She's not answering calls or texts.
Brian, Anita and Roger have tried going around but no one will answer the door and it's locked so they can't just walk in. They even reached out to John for help and he had no luck either.
"Anything?" He asks Anita entering the living room after coming back from Miami's office.
Anita shakes her head tears building behind her eyes, "Nothing. I've tried her mobile no answer and the landline is disconnected, she not answering the texts either. I fear this is to do with Michael."
"So do I. Miami hasn't heard anything from her, nor have Roger's kids. I could try going around again but there's no answer and the door is locked," He knew he should have gone up to the flat with her when he dropped her off.
"What about her friends?" Anita suddenly thinks, "She's got that premiere next week so she would need a dress fitting with Brianna?"
"Good thinking, I'll ring Brianna," Brian scrolls through his contacts, "You try Rosie and Jessica see if they've heard from her."
------
The truth is that Amelia isn't okay, Michael has taken everything off her, house keys, car keys, phone, purse and now filming has finished she has no reason to leave the flat, not that he'd let her anyway. Michael takes care of food shopping if you can call it that. It's mainly alcohol but he does get the basics and Prince's food.
She's trapped in her own flat, she can't remember the last time she had a good meal and she's so tired. She's covered in bruises and has lost weight, she hardly recognises herself when she looks in the mirror. Poor Prince spends most of his time under the spare bed hiding.
But she has a dress fitting for the Narnia premiere tomorrow, it's her chance to get out. The morning of her appointment she gets dressed, brushing her hair, applying heavy make-up and thankfully it's nearly winter so she can cover-up.
"Michael, I need my phone, purse and car keys please," She carefully shakes him awake.
He grunts into his pillow, "What the fuck for?"
"I have my dress fitting with Brianna for the premiere. If I don't turn up they'll call the police, this is part of my work," She reminds him, she amazed the police haven't turned up already.
"Fine," He huffs sitting up and rummaging through the bedside draw, "How long does it take?"
"Including travel, about three hours. It takes time to pin everything," Three hours is more than enough time for her to get there and back, have the appointment and get some lunch.
"Any longer than that and you'll pay for it," He warns handing her the stuff, "Now go, I'm timing three hours from the moment I see your car leave the car park. Oh and I'll check your phone when you get home so don't reply to any messages or call anyone."
She races out the flat and down to the car. Getting in she checks her phone seeing so many missed calls and texts. She was just about to call Brian back when the car door opens and Michael gets in snatching the phone off her, "You don't really need this for a dress appointment do you," He shoves it in his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Amelia whimpers knowing exactly what he's doing meaning she's not getting out.
"I'm coming with you. I'm not stupid, Milly, I know what you were going to do. Now drive or you'll be late," A sneer lurks on his face.
She drives to Brianna's studio hoping that she can get a message across to Brianna somehow. "Are you coming in or staying in the car?" She sighs pulling up outside the building, grabbing her sunglasses from the glove compartment. She doesn't want people to acknowledge her.
"Of course I'm coming in," He snarls grabbing her wrist before she can get out of the car, "Remember what I said, you say a word and its the newspaper for those photos and I'll beat you black and blue."
Amelia pushes the door open and climbs up the steps to the studio Michael right behind her. The look on Brianna's face tells her she looks bad but she subtly shakes her head encouraging Brianna not to comment, "Brianna, this is my boyfriend, Michael."
"Right well if you can just sit there," Brianna points to the chairs behind him by the door, "Milly, fitting room. We'll be out in just a moment."
"I'm coming with her," Michael demands.
"Not in the fitting rooms your not," Brianna stands her ground using a tone of voice Amelia has never heard, "We'll be ten minutes and then we'll be back out, if you don't like it, leave."
Michael sneers but pulls his phone and sits on the chair.
"What the hell is going on Milly?" She whispers once the fitting room door is closed, knowing that she can be heard through the door if they speak normally, "Brian rang me said they haven't heard from you in over a month."
"Is he here?" The mention of Brian's name lifts Amelia's spirits, he is worried.
"No, but I said I'd call him after your appointment," Brianna then changes her voice speaking louder for Michael to hear, "If you can just remove your clothes and step into the dress."
Amelia smiles knowing what her friend is doing, "Thank you. He's taken everything off me, phone, purse, keys, I'm trapped in my own flat."
She strips off her clothes and Brianna gasps, she has bruises everywhere and her weight, well she was a healthy skinny before but this, "He's hitting you. When was the last time you had a proper meal?"
Getting no answer Brianna adjusts the laces in the back, "I need to call the police."
"No don't," Amelia spins around to look at her, "He has photos that he will release to the papers. And please don't say anything else out of turn, he'll take it out on me later because you ordered him to sit there. I just need you to tell my mum and Brian that I won't be at the anniversary meal, he won't let me and they cannot call the police."
Knowing they've been too long in the fitting room Brianna tells her to go out and stand on the podium. Michael looks pissed off so Brianna works quietly pinning and making the occasional comment, "You've lost a little weight since I let saw you, your dress needs taking in," She giggles at the end to make sound like a compliment.
Looking in the mirror Amelia can see all her bruises on display, especially her arms, "I was wondering. Since it's going to be cold for the premiere would it be possible to add some sleeves?"
Her chest and face bruises she can hide with heavy make-up and because the dress is long it hides her legs but nothing is covering her arms, "Of course," Brianna smiles grabbing some extra fabric, "We can't have you being cold."
Michael groans standing from the chair, "Do you have a toilet?"
"Yes, out the door down the hall to the right you'll see the sign," Brianna replies watching him go and once the door is closed she keeps her voice low, "I have to call the police, Milly. This is wrong."
Scared that he will come back in any minute Amelia snaps, "Don't you dare! If you want to keep my business then keep your mouth shut."
"I'm not going to take that to heart because I know you're scared but you have to get out of there before he kills you," She pins the sleeves in place, she can't let her friend suffer like this.
"I know that but I can't until I know where the photos are..."
"What are these photos?" Brianna intrudes.
"They were just a bit of stupid fun on valentines day when things were still going well but there sexy dirty photos. Once I've found them then I'll plan how to get out but not before. I..." Amelia pauses when Michael comes back then pulls Brianna into a hug, "I love the dress, Brianna. Thank you so much."
When everything is pinned Amelia gets changed with Brianna's help, "Now am I dropping it off or are you getting ready here? It's closer to the venue," The redhead suggests hoping to get her friend out of the flat.
"It will be here," Michael confirms for her, "No space at home."
Amelia agrees, "Yeah what he said."
"I'll see you on the 30th then," Brianna follows them to the door. Once they're both gone she calls Brian, "Hello Brian?"
"Brianna. Did she turn up? How was she?"
"Yes she turned up but he was with her so we couldn't talk much. He's taken her phone off her and everything else, she trapped in her own flat."
"Then I need to call the police."
Knowing what the photos are she can see why Amelia doesn't want them to call the police even if she doesn't like it, "No don't. He's got photos of her, I won't tell you what sort but they're not the sort you want to be splashed across the newspaper. She asked me to tell you she won't be at the anniversary dinner, he won't let her."
"Shit! How did she look?"
"Bad. She's covered in bruises, she's lost weight and she looks tired," She's worried about what he's going to do to her friend because she ordered him around.
Michael punished her by not giving her any food for the next 24 hours as well as forcing her to have sex with him.
The premiere is getting closer and Amelia is glad of it. She doesn't have a plus one for the event so Michael can't come with her but now she plans to get out she just needs to find those photos first.
------
The afternoon of the premiere once again Michael came with her to Brianna's studio, "So what am I wearing?" Michael asks as Amelia does her make-up in the mirror.
"You're not coming," Amelia tells him firmly, "We had this conversation already. I don't have a plus one so you can't come."
"What?!" His fists ball but he remembers that Brianna is in the room.
Sadly Brianna had to leave the room, she was desperate for the toilet and she hung on as long as she could not wanting to leave Amelia alone, "I won't be a minute. I'm just going to the loo then I'll help you with your dress."
Amelia nods and as soon as she's gone Michael seizes the back of her hair, "You better come home because you know what I will do if not. Oh, and you're going to pay for speaking to me like that."
He lets go before Brianna comes back and Amelia follows her into the fitting room rubbing the back of her head, "Did he do something? I'm sorry I couldn't hold off any longer."
"It's fine but I need a favour?" Amelia steps into the dress.
"Anything. Just name it," She'll do what she can to help her friends.
"I haven't found the photos yet but I need a way out when I do. You're going to drop my clothes off in the week right?" Brianna nods doing the laces up and Amelia continues, "I need to find some sleeping aids but in liquid form. Put it in the bag with the clothes so he won't see it?"
"Why liquid?" Like before she switches her voice for Michael to hear, "It fits like a glove, oh let me fix this seem."
Amelia has to stop herself giggling, "Liquid form because I can put it in his beer, he'd see a tablet so it has to be liquid. I'll pay you back and it's not illegal stuff its what people struggling to sleep take."
"Oh don't worry about that, I know they sell it over the counter in pharmacy and boots, I'll get some a promise," She switches her voice again, "Right out to the mirror and we'll make sure you're ready to go."
Doing as ordered Amelia stands in front of the mirror and smiles a little, the dress is beautiful, it's just a shame she's the one wearing it.
She managed to cover up her bruises well but the weight loss is like an elephant in the room. It will be all over the newspapers, she can just feel it.
"Beautiful," Brianna compliments. The car taking her there arrives and Brianna and Michael escort her down, "I'll drop your clothes back in the week."
"I'll see you later," Michael warns.
Being in the car Amelia felt free and she tries to enjoy her night staying as long as she can, the dress seems to distract people from her body but eventually, she has to go home.
She thought he was asleep when she got back he was face down on the bed so she goes to the spare room and gets out of the dress. She puts it in a dress bag she had in her wardrobe and was putting it in the spare wardrobe for safety when he came into the room.
"Your back," He growls, "That little stunt at Brianna's is going to cost you. Do you know that letterbox your dad gave you? Well, I'm adding it to the threat, you try to leave and it goes up in flames, letters inside. Oh, and as for your punishment," He grabs her wrist pulling her down the hall. She tries to pull out of his grasp panicking when he closes the door.