A Little Piece Of Heaven
The Beginning
Chapter One:
“You know that I’ll find you, Angel. I always do.” Eric leered. I pushed back farther in the closest, trying to myself to the wall. I know I can’t hide forever, but I’m not making this any easier for him. We go through this every night. He’s been drinking. I can tell. He’s never this eager without added encouragement.
I heard him going through my room. I hide in the hall closet this time. It’s deeper and there’s no light in here. He slammed the bedroom door. I heard him storm down the hall. He’s never been good with losing or patience.
“Angela, this would be so much easier on you if you just came out. You might even enjoy it.” His voice keeps getting louder. My heart is beating so loudly, I swear he can hear it. I can feel myself shaking. It feels like I’ve got a nest of angry hornets trapped in my stomach. I’m terrified. I have to show it now before he finds me. Showing fear in front of him is a weakness that I can’t afford to have. If he breaks me – he wins. I can’t let him do that. “I’m getting angry.” He growled. I bit my lip to keep my breathing quiet.
The closet door opened. I didn’t move a muscle and breathed as slowly as possible. He’s gonna find me. I forced my eyes to stay open. I want to see it coming. He moved back towards me, slowly, feeling everything around him. I tried to scoot back farther but met nothing but wall.
I felt him before I saw him. Even in the dark I can see the hunger in his eyes. I can’t swallow. I can barely make out his sneer. I can feel his breath on my face. It’s the same cat and mouse hunt – every night. He moved his hand onto my waist, holding me to him. I don’t want this. This isn’t how things are supposed to be. He’s supposed to be my step-father.
“Why do you insist on making me chase you?” He asked. I can smell the bourbon on his breath.
“I’m not yours.” I told him, keeping my voice steady.
“That’s what you’d like to believe. Angel, you’ll always be mine. No man is going to want you knowing that you were mine first. Remember that next time you’re convinced I don’t own you. I think I’ll remind you tonight.” He chuckled. I feel sick to my stomach.
“I’ll never be yours, just like my mother wasn’t. Do you think you were her first choice? You were her third husband. She never stopped fucking around behind your back. She just wanted an allowance so she could drink her life away. You were just convenient.” I pushed back against him. He stumbled and I moved past him. He didn’t come after me, so that must mean he’s working up to something.
Last night I got lucky. He passed out before he could do anything. Sunday I wasn’t as lucky. He lost a client at work. He needed to take his anger out on somebody. That person was me. He kept the bruises under control. As long as I dress carefully they aren’t visible. I feel like I was hit by a tank and then some. I used to get recovery days before he’d get bored and ‘play’ with me again.
Things didn’t start out this way. When my mom first brought him home he seemed like a stand-up guy. I’m not really sure what changed.
My mom has been an alcoholic since I was little. My guess is he didn’t know that much before he married her. She wasn’t neglectful per se, but she’d never win a mother-of-the-year award, either. I can’t say much about her, but she was there for the most part.
She died a few years back from alcohol poisoning. I can’t say I was surprised but it was an eye-opener. She was really gone. I was alone. Well, except for Eric. I honestly didn’t know if he’d decide to keep me around or not. After I turned fifteen it became apparent why he kept me.
It started slowly. He’d look at me for a little too long or ‘accidentally’ graze something that he shouldn’t. Once it started it kept getting progressively worse. I had to put up with it because I had nowhere else to go. My real dad was never in the picture. He’s loaded so I was always more than taken care of financially, but that was it. My grandparents took my mom’s death hard and couldn’t handle seeing me. I was stuck. If I can survive until I’m eighteen then I get the trust fund my mother left me, and I’ll be able to leave. I only have six months to go.
I’ve got friends, sure. And I have a few that I actually talk to. I don’t let anyone over unless I’m home alone most of the time. It’s too risky.
I ran my fingers through my hair and locked my bedroom door – both deadbolts and the chain. I can’t sleep otherwise. I can always sneak out the window if need be. We have one story house. Thank God. I laid down and pulled out my cell. I jumped when knocking shook my door.
“Angela, I need to talk to you. Look, if you come out we can go to dinner and I can tell you how the next few weeks are going to go. I won’t touch you tonight. You have my word.” Eric spoke clearly outside my bedroom. He may be slime but he never breaks his word. I put on my chucks and sweater. I grabbed my keys and phone and opened the door and faced him.
“You should have started with that in the first place.” I told him. He didn’t saying anything just eyed me.
“You need to change if you want to go out.” He told me. I nodded and went back into my room. I shut and locked the door before he could object. I pulled off the sweater and the sneakers. I opened my closet and pulled out black sinister heels and started leafing through my tops. I pulled on a thin black, cashmere sweater and a burgundy blazer. If this isn’t nice enough he can blow himself.
I always feel better about going out somewhere with him. There’s only so much that can happen in the middle of a restaurant. There are too many witnesses.
~*.*~
I sat down at the table and ordered. I waited for Eric to start talking.
“You look nice.” He complimented. He bit his lip.
“Thanks.” I told him, flatly, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.
“I have to go out of the country for a while. I know that you can’t miss school, so I’ll be going alone. Will you be alright at the house for a while?” He asked. I shrugged. I love when he leaves on business trips.
“How long is awhile?” I asked him.
“A month or so – at least three weeks but no longer than four.”
“I’ll be fine. Just leave the debit card that has my name on it, too.” I told him. He smiled.
“What is it with females and shopping?” He laughed. I shrugged.
“You like shopping more than I do.” Scary but true. He always wants to go shopping.
“I’d like you to help me pick out a few new suits tomorrow after you’re out of school. I leave tomorrow night for Japan.” He told me.
“Alright.” A month without him sounds like heaven. Something tells me things are going to get really bad tomorrow night as a parting gift from him. Last time he left for a trip, I couldn’t walk for days. I doubt I’ll be sleeping tonight.
“You know that I’ll find you, Angel. I always do.” Eric leered. I pushed back farther in the closest, trying to myself to the wall. I know I can’t hide forever, but I’m not making this any easier for him. We go through this every night. He’s been drinking. I can tell. He’s never this eager without added encouragement.
I heard him going through my room. I hide in the hall closet this time. It’s deeper and there’s no light in here. He slammed the bedroom door. I heard him storm down the hall. He’s never been good with losing or patience.
“Angela, this would be so much easier on you if you just came out. You might even enjoy it.” His voice keeps getting louder. My heart is beating so loudly, I swear he can hear it. I can feel myself shaking. It feels like I’ve got a nest of angry hornets trapped in my stomach. I’m terrified. I have to show it now before he finds me. Showing fear in front of him is a weakness that I can’t afford to have. If he breaks me – he wins. I can’t let him do that. “I’m getting angry.” He growled. I bit my lip to keep my breathing quiet.
The closet door opened. I didn’t move a muscle and breathed as slowly as possible. He’s gonna find me. I forced my eyes to stay open. I want to see it coming. He moved back towards me, slowly, feeling everything around him. I tried to scoot back farther but met nothing but wall.
I felt him before I saw him. Even in the dark I can see the hunger in his eyes. I can’t swallow. I can barely make out his sneer. I can feel his breath on my face. It’s the same cat and mouse hunt – every night. He moved his hand onto my waist, holding me to him. I don’t want this. This isn’t how things are supposed to be. He’s supposed to be my step-father.
“Why do you insist on making me chase you?” He asked. I can smell the bourbon on his breath.
“I’m not yours.” I told him, keeping my voice steady.
“That’s what you’d like to believe. Angel, you’ll always be mine. No man is going to want you knowing that you were mine first. Remember that next time you’re convinced I don’t own you. I think I’ll remind you tonight.” He chuckled. I feel sick to my stomach.
“I’ll never be yours, just like my mother wasn’t. Do you think you were her first choice? You were her third husband. She never stopped fucking around behind your back. She just wanted an allowance so she could drink her life away. You were just convenient.” I pushed back against him. He stumbled and I moved past him. He didn’t come after me, so that must mean he’s working up to something.
Last night I got lucky. He passed out before he could do anything. Sunday I wasn’t as lucky. He lost a client at work. He needed to take his anger out on somebody. That person was me. He kept the bruises under control. As long as I dress carefully they aren’t visible. I feel like I was hit by a tank and then some. I used to get recovery days before he’d get bored and ‘play’ with me again.
Things didn’t start out this way. When my mom first brought him home he seemed like a stand-up guy. I’m not really sure what changed.
My mom has been an alcoholic since I was little. My guess is he didn’t know that much before he married her. She wasn’t neglectful per se, but she’d never win a mother-of-the-year award, either. I can’t say much about her, but she was there for the most part.
She died a few years back from alcohol poisoning. I can’t say I was surprised but it was an eye-opener. She was really gone. I was alone. Well, except for Eric. I honestly didn’t know if he’d decide to keep me around or not. After I turned fifteen it became apparent why he kept me.
It started slowly. He’d look at me for a little too long or ‘accidentally’ graze something that he shouldn’t. Once it started it kept getting progressively worse. I had to put up with it because I had nowhere else to go. My real dad was never in the picture. He’s loaded so I was always more than taken care of financially, but that was it. My grandparents took my mom’s death hard and couldn’t handle seeing me. I was stuck. If I can survive until I’m eighteen then I get the trust fund my mother left me, and I’ll be able to leave. I only have six months to go.
I’ve got friends, sure. And I have a few that I actually talk to. I don’t let anyone over unless I’m home alone most of the time. It’s too risky.
I ran my fingers through my hair and locked my bedroom door – both deadbolts and the chain. I can’t sleep otherwise. I can always sneak out the window if need be. We have one story house. Thank God. I laid down and pulled out my cell. I jumped when knocking shook my door.
“Angela, I need to talk to you. Look, if you come out we can go to dinner and I can tell you how the next few weeks are going to go. I won’t touch you tonight. You have my word.” Eric spoke clearly outside my bedroom. He may be slime but he never breaks his word. I put on my chucks and sweater. I grabbed my keys and phone and opened the door and faced him.
“You should have started with that in the first place.” I told him. He didn’t saying anything just eyed me.
“You need to change if you want to go out.” He told me. I nodded and went back into my room. I shut and locked the door before he could object. I pulled off the sweater and the sneakers. I opened my closet and pulled out black sinister heels and started leafing through my tops. I pulled on a thin black, cashmere sweater and a burgundy blazer. If this isn’t nice enough he can blow himself.
I always feel better about going out somewhere with him. There’s only so much that can happen in the middle of a restaurant. There are too many witnesses.
~*.*~
I sat down at the table and ordered. I waited for Eric to start talking.
“You look nice.” He complimented. He bit his lip.
“Thanks.” I told him, flatly, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.
“I have to go out of the country for a while. I know that you can’t miss school, so I’ll be going alone. Will you be alright at the house for a while?” He asked. I shrugged. I love when he leaves on business trips.
“How long is awhile?” I asked him.
“A month or so – at least three weeks but no longer than four.”
“I’ll be fine. Just leave the debit card that has my name on it, too.” I told him. He smiled.
“What is it with females and shopping?” He laughed. I shrugged.
“You like shopping more than I do.” Scary but true. He always wants to go shopping.
“I’d like you to help me pick out a few new suits tomorrow after you’re out of school. I leave tomorrow night for Japan.” He told me.
“Alright.” A month without him sounds like heaven. Something tells me things are going to get really bad tomorrow night as a parting gift from him. Last time he left for a trip, I couldn’t walk for days. I doubt I’ll be sleeping tonight.
This is an amazing story. Some chapters were hard to read but I was hooked. Thank you for sharing it.
2/16/18