Domestic Abuse (Marie Spoke Up)
Be sure to read Domestic Abuse (The Sudden Attack) before reading this story.
Justin must have realised that Zell wasn’t at home. He had begun calling her and sending numerous text messages.
Justin: weh yuh deh???
Justin: yow answer yuh phone!
Incoming call from Justin
Justin: Zell where are you??
Justin: yuh run gone a the so-called customer yard!
Justin: a that yuh do gyal??
Incoming call from Justin
Incoming call from Justin
Incoming call from Justin
Justin: Baby please answer me!
Justin: Baby I’m sorry.
Justin: Baby forgive me, I don’t want to lose you.
Justin: I love you Zellane.
Zell showed the phone to Marie. Marie sucked her teeth.
“Lock it off!”
“Zell if you go back I’m done and I’m telling your parents.”
Zell tried to sit up on the bed. She was still in pain, her body was sore from the numerous kicks to her side. Marie aided her. It was easy for Marie to help her up because unlike Marie, she had a slim built body structure. Zell grunted when Marie held her. She sat up and Marie placed a pillow behind her back to provide some comfort for her.
“Marie maybe he is sorry” Zell mumbled.
“He has never said he is sorry before.”
“His father died last month and he is still going through the motions of that.”
“I can’t leave him now, at least let me wait until he gets pass this.”
Marie looked down at Zell in disbelief. Her dark brown pupils were dilated from a lack of sleep, she had not slept all night. She watched Zell all night like a hawk in fear that she might succumb to her injuries or Justin would find her and try to finish her off.
“Well, as me granny always say, if duck nuh left pond then pond will left duck so you choose.”
On top of having to go through this excruciating pain, Zell hated dealing with Marie and her know-it-all all behaviour. She somehow wished she didn’t have to seek her help earlier.
“Marie help me into the wheelchair.”
“I want some fresh air.”
“Let’s go outside.”
Marie helped her into the wheelchair and pushed her outside. Marie looked at her best friend and tears flowed from her eyes. Her heart was torn into pieces to see her in such a position. She wanted so much more for her.
Zell looked up at Marie. She wanted to cry too but she quickly blinked away the tears. She knew she had to stay strong, at least to get Marie to calm down and not blow this situation out of proportion.
“Marie stop that, I’ll be fine.”
“It will all be fine soon.”
“A so love to go sometimes.”
“He loves me, he just needs to control his temper.”
Marie looked at Zell, sucked her teeth in disgust, and clapped her hands together one time. The side of her mouth curled and her full eyes shot daggers at Zell. She was furious. She knew Zell deserved better and wished Zell saw that for herself.
” What is it now Marie?” Zell asked and bowed her head. She was ashamed when she noticed that Marie was disappointed in her.
“Yuh nuh easy to eno Zell, yuh know the dutty bwoy a lick yuh long time and if him never knock yuh out helplessly I wouldn’t hear about it”
” You came to the shop with bruises last month and when I asked yuh claim all sorta things and cover up fi the wutliss man”
Marie sucked her teeth again.
“Stay there mek Justin use him long c**ky and weaken yuh.”
“Man can’t tame!”
“Soon as em realise that yuh forgive him a straight lick again.”
“Look at your face ee!”
“Him never affi lick yuh!”
“Yuh cudda dead Zell!”
“Tell a man try me Marie Antoinette Dawkins and he will not live to tell the tales”
“After mi nuh prefer h**d more than myself”
“And Zell, u know what hot? Yuh might still leave the hospital and go back over there to him.”
“Yuh nuh love yuh self?”
” No sah! Cudda never!”
Tears built up in Zell’s eyes as she listened to the lashing from her friend. She was ashamed for she knew that what Marie was saying was nothing short of the truth. She wanted to leave Justin but she was scared for her life and deep down she loved him and wanted him to change.
She couldn’t go back home to the country either, that would mean that she had failed and she couldn’t risk being talked down on by the people in her hometown community. Zell didn’t know what to do. She hated this and wanted to find a way to get out of this ruthless stage that her relationship was in.
“He said he loves me, Marie.”
“He said he would never do it again.”
“I told him I will report him next time.”
“Me a give him the length of the rope to hang himself.”
Marie shook her head and stared at Zell, her already full eyes popped out even more as she wondered if Zell had damaged her brain when she fell.
“Yuh mean the length of the rope to hang you!”
“Leopard nuh change spot muma.”
“Him know yuh weak to him a that’s why him dweet.”
“Justin is nothing but a cute face and dare clothes.”
“Tell him say me Marie say that!”
“Cause him can’t front me, duppy know who to frighten”
Marie stamped her right foot and shook her body continuously as she tried to control her raging temper.
Zell sighed.
“Marie why would I tell him that?”
“People can change eno.”
“Besides I can’t fight like you.”
“I was raised differently.”
Marie laughed and held her belly.
“Raised differently fi true.”
“Gah all different schools too.”
” Yuh nuh see seh yuh a did the head girl fi the yam head school.”
Zell hated when Marie talk like this. She hated when Marie used her weaknesses to bash her. This is the reason why she kept most of her private life away from Marie. She believed that Marie used these opportunities to downgrade her to feel better about herself. Zell knew Marie wasn’t perfect. She knew she had her imperfections too but Marie always seemed to be an expert on Zell’s misfortunes.
“Marie well you can say anything you want because you don’t have a man, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Your knowledge about these kinds of things are little to none.”
Zell regretted the words as soon as they slipped from her lips. She knew Marie wouldn’t take it lightly.
Marie’s mouth fell open. She peered into Zell’s eyes and held her hands up in a way as if she was telling Zell that she surrendered.
“Okay, madam Zellane Octavia Blair.”
“I hear you loud and clear.”
“The lesson was clear and concise Madam.”
“The next time something like this happens please don’t call my phone because remember I know nothing about relationships.”
Marie turned and walked off. When she got to the car door she turned and gave Zell one last look. She placed one hand on her hip and shook her head.
“Thank God I don’t have a man because if I have to undergo that to say I have a man trust me baby I’ll pass.”
Marie entered her Audi.
“Marie!”
“Marie wait for me nuh.”
“I never meant it like that” Zell protested.
Marie did not respond, she slammed her car door and drove off leaving Zell in the waiting area of the hospital.
Excerpts from ‘Till death do us part’
Copyright © Shana Ledgister (2021)
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