Eve.

a woman's journey of healing.

She sat, moulded to the seat, sweat dripping from the end of her nose. She thought she had seen the last of him but this morning’s episode had proved her wrong.

She had spent many years trying to forget him. Trying to forget how he had tortured her. How he had tied her to the railings in front of her house, naked, exposed for all to see. He had caught her napping when she should have been tending to the house. He had found her, curled up like a cat where the sun fell full on the carpet. The warmth soaking into her bones, nurturing her. She had forgotten that he sometimes returned from work when he had forgotten something. An hour later and it would have been fine. She had just needed to relax. To feel the sunshine on her body, to be warm. He never allowed her out any more. Too afraid of other men’s eyes falling on her.

“So, you want the sun eh?” he had ranted, yanking her to her feet by the hair. “now you can have all the sun you want.” He furiously tore off her clothes, hitting her hard in the mouth when she tried to resist.

“Now you’ll feel the sun.” he said through gritted teeth, his jaws tight with rage. “Now you’ll see.”

She tried to fight him off, to prevent him from tearing off the remainder of her clothes. She pleaded with him, falling over the coffee table, trying to stop him from pulling her hair out. Her face and mouth were numb and beginning to swell but all she was aware of now was being pulled into the street, naked and terrified.

As he opened the front door with one hand he yanked her hair hard and she stumbled out the door. He let go of her then pushed her down the concrete steps which led to their front door. She landed in a heap, her knees and elbows badly scraped on the stone. He undid his belt and tied her by the wrists to the iron railings. She was dazed, barely conscious of what was happening. Blood coated the side of her head, matting her hair where she had hit it on the hard pavement.

“That’ll teach you, you lazy b***h.” He growled through his teeth. “Now you can have as much sun as you like.” He spat at her then turned around and walked back up the steps and into the house leaving Eve tied to the railings by her wrists.

She sat there for what felt like hours but must only have been minutes. The blood on the side of her head was thick now and her face and jaws were badly swollen. She knew she was naked but could barely register it. She felt dizzy, sleepy, and yet the pain in her body, dull and throbbing now, kept her half-conscious.

At first she didn’t hear her, the woman in the fur-stole. All she could see were the blue eyes and blonde bee-hive hair-do, the rings, the jewellery. She couldn’t hear her voice.

“Are you all right?” the woman asked, too quiet to be heard.

Eve’s eyes tried to focus on her. Tried to hear her but her ears were ringing and she couldn’t muster the strength to focus properly.

“I’m going to call an ambulance now.” the lady said and began to slowly untie the belt that held Eve’s wrists above her head. She took off her coat and laid it around her bare and bruised shoulders, covering her nakedness. Other people began to appear now. They had all seen what had happened but had been too scared to step in and help. It wasn’t their business, they had thought to themselves, each face watching the scene through net-curtained windows. They all knew this man and no-one wanted to be on the wrong side of him. After all, it could be their window a brick would come flying through they reasoned. No, better off out of it. Just be grateful it wasn’t happening to them.

They had all known each other for years, had grown up together. But it had taken a stranger, a woman who didn’t know Eve from Adam, to step in and help her, unafraid and compassionate.

The ambulance arrived within minutes and Eve was gently lifted in and laid down on a stretcher. She was given a shot and cleaned up a little, then driven to the hospital. The lady in the fur-stole went with her, lying about their relationship.

“I’m a neighbour.” She had said without batting an eyelid. “ A good friend.” And so she had sat with her, holding her hand, gently stroking her forehead, reassuring her as the ambulance made its way to the hospital.

Eve’s husband had watched the rescue from his bedroom window. Watched the woman in the fur-stole make a phone-call and watched her too as she climbed into the ambulance after Eve. He would not forget her. Memorable face, he thought darkly. He watched, cold fury in his eyes, as the ambulance drove away. He knew this routine. Ambulance comes, ambulance goes, police arrive shortly after. He didn’t care. He knew how it went. He’d been there before. Eve would tell them in the hospital that it had been an accident, a joke that went horribly wrong. She would convince the hospital and, when questioned by the police as to whether she wanted to press charges, of course she would say ‘no’. It was an accident, really. Yes I know it looks bad, but really, I fell down the steps. It was only a joke. We were just fooling around. Really I’m alright.

He knew how it went.

But this time, as the ambulance sped to the hospital, Eve slipped into a coma. The ambulance men tried to keep her stable. Tried to keep her heart breathing, her lungs breathing, until she reached the emergency room. They rushed her through the doors and the lady in the fur-stole watched anxiously. She had to wait in the waiting room. She waited for five hours. As she sat and waited she wondered why on earth she was there? What was she doing? But although she didn’t know why she knew she had to be. There was no question of it. She had to be there to help this young woman, no question. And so she sat and waited, getting up every so often to buy a plastic cup of coffee from the vending machine.

At the end of five hours, during which time she had flicked through each magazine at least twice, a doctor came and informed her of Eve’s progress.

“She’s still in a coma.” He said. “She’s stable but we don’t know when she will come out of it.” Then added.” There are some questions, however, as to how she was co cut and bruised. And……….why she was naked when she was brought in?” He had looked at her then, searching her face for answers. But she had none. She had no idea how the woman she had rescued had come to be in that state.

She sat down with the doctor and explained how she had found Eve, tied up with a belt, naked and semi-conscious. The doctor rang the police and when they arrived, a half hour later, the lady repeated what she had told the doctor. But the police knew the street where Eve had been found and had a pretty good idea of where she might live. They thanked the lady and told her that they would take care of Eve for now but they thanked her for her help. They would get in contact with her again, they told her, when they needed more help. They exchanged phone numbers and the Lady gave them her address. Then they called a taxi for her.

She sat in the back, her fur-stole wrapped around her neck. Her beautifully manicured hands folded around her bag in her lap. She was quiet, deep in thought. Stunned was probably more like how she was feeling. She had never found herself in a situation like this before and it had surprised her that she had found herself in this one.

When she arrived home she paid the taxi and went into her beautiful home. Once inside she headed straight to the dining room and to the drinks cabinet where she poured herself a large gin and tonic. She stood there in the beautiful, but empty, dining room and downed the drink in one go. She placed the empty glass on the silver tray and walked upstairs to her bedroom. She sat on the edge her bed and kicking her shoes off she lay down on the fresh cotton eiderdown and stared at the ceiling, a single tear falling from her eye. She lay there for a very long time...thinking...about her own life... and where it has led her so far...

Eve lay in her hospital bed, tubes in her nose, a breathing tube taped to her mouth, Vaseline on her closed eyelids. A machine monitored her heart rate and breathing. No-one came to visit her. No-one even knew she was there, she had led such an isolated existence. She had spent the majority of her days alone, keeping the house clean for her very particular husband. Her days had been filled with washing clothes, bed-linen, towels. He insisted she wash them by hand. Machines made you lazy he had said. Wouldn’t have one in the house.

He felt the same about all mod cons. No Hoover, no clothes drier, nothing which would mean making her life easier. Work makes you strong, he had explained to her, makes you value life. All these mod cons, he had spat, turns you lazy.

Once she had queried him. If that was so then why did he have a computer in his office? And a coffee machine? The office cleaner he employed used a Hoover.

He had belted her so hard across the head that she had landed on the floor on the other side of the room. She never questioned him again. But she didn’t blame him. His mother had brought him up that way. He had had a hard life. Surely he deserved some peace now?

Over time, Eva slowly, and often painfully, learned how Jack liked to have things done. She never questioned his methods even though sometimes she felt that there might have been a better way of doing them. But now none of that mattered. She was in a hospital bed, unconscious, kept alive by machines until she decided, on some deep, deep level how she wanted to spend the rest of her life.

Did she want to come back into the world? This cruel and vicious world? To Jack and his house, to her isolation and pain? Or did she want out of it all? Forget about this life. Maybe the next one might be a better idea. On that deep, deep level she hovered in the middle. Weighing the pros and cons. To go or to come back? Which was it to be? She would need time. Time to reflect, to rest, to peruse possibilities. Would she be a coward if she left now? Not able to face the outcome of this sad life. Or could she find a way through, to access strengths she didn’t know she had? Beat her way out of a life with Jack. Make a better life for herself? If she left this life now did it mean that she would have to do it all again, next time around? Surely it would be better to deal with it this time around? To get through it? She knew it wouldn’t be easy. She knew she’s have to fight. Could she? Would she find the strength? She had time. She knew that. So she stayed, deep in a coma, until she decided, one day, that she would try it again.

She woke up the following morning. When she had recovered enough her doctor gave the police permission to interview her. Yes, she told them. She would press charges. She was scared but adamant.

“You won’t change your mind?” they pressed, “Like before?”

“No.” she had answered quietly, solidly. “No. I won’t change my mind.”

 

Over the years she had forgotten about how it had felt to be married to Jack. She hadn’t seen him in so long and her life had moved on. She didn’t feel like the same person she had been back then, but suddenly, seeing him again like this, had brought it all back. It flooded into her mind, into the very cells in her body. It too remembered. The beatings, the shame, the powerlessness, the fear. She was surprised at the intensity of the feelings which arose. Scared that they would overpower her, like before. She consciously tried to control her breathing. She unclenched her hands and fumbled in her bag, trying desperately to look busy. Perhaps he won’t notice me she thought. I am older now. I look nothing like I used to.

 But he did recognise her. How could he not? He had spent ten years married to her, ten long years. You don’t forget someone you’ve been with for that length of time.

“Hello Eve.” He said to her. “It’s been a long time.”

“Yes, yes it has.” she stammered, desperately trying to find something at the bottom of her bag. Anything!

“How are you these days?” he asked, smiling inwardly at her discomfort.

“Oh, you know………….” she answered, finally closing the clasp on her bag. Still afraid to look at his face.

“Yes, I do.” He answered. “Life’s treated you well I see.” He looked her up and down. She hated that. She knew he was playing games with her, trying to unnerve her.

“Well, its been OK. Nothing special.” She felt annoyed with herself. He still made her feel like nothing, even after all these years.

They had separated, then divorced when he had received his fifteen year jail sentence for extreme cruelty and attempted manslaughter. He had served only eight. Now he was free. She never imagined that she would bump into him like this. Chicago was a big place. But here they were and she felt like she had gone back eighteen years.

“If you’re not in a hurry, perhaps we could have a coffee?” he offered, then added “talk about old times?” and he had smiled that charming, false smile. The smile that really meant he was angry, seething inside.

When she saw it she remembered. Remembered everything. Everything he had ever done and she knew right there and then that she would never allow him to do that ever again.

“I don’t think so Jack.” She answered smiling at him herself. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” And she walked away from him to catch her train home.

As she sat in the carriage, the train pulling out of the station, she began to shake. She held the edge of her seat and sank back into it allowing it to support her. She was sweating profusely but didn’t notice until a bead of sweat dropped off the end of her nose and landed on her bag in her lap.

She laughed suddenly. Relief washing over her. She had walked away. She had done what she had always been afraid to do. To say NO to Jack. She stopped laughing, feeling suddenly self-conscious and smiled to herself, relaxing more as the train sped along the tracks. She watched the trees and the landscape as it flashed past her. Then she closed her eyes and sighing, deeply murmured to herself “I won. I won.”

She repeated the words all the way home, letting them sink in as deep as they possibly could.

“I won.” she said, one final time.

And she had.

 

Reviews

[Aspiring Angel]

As we have been talking back and forth in message I know pretty much what you are expecting from me in review. Firt of all you have marveously brought Eve's plight to the public eye. Even though abuse has long been a soapbox issure with me, spousal abuse I have never had to face. Thank God. BUT .... ther are so many women, and yes, even men, that do. I am not sure what your laws are in England for the abused spouse, but here, they are badly in need of changes here that never seems to come. There are shelters, but too few. Call the cops? Well maybe they will show up and maybe they won't. It all depends on how many times they have been called to the same address for domestic violence. If the petrified woman is afraid to press charges as your Eve was, they give the abuser a slap on the wrist and tell them that they shouldn't do it again. They may take them off to jail but they post bond and are out within 24 hours and come to replay they same horrible scene all over again.

Your story needed to be told, just in the way it was told. I know that perhaps you could have gone into why Jack wanted to remember the kindly strangers face, but the story was not focused on her. It was focused on what goes on that we so often do not see, or care to see, behind closed doors.

The one important thing about the lady in the fur coat is that SHE DID take the time to see. That SHE DID come to Eve's aid and stayed with her to make sure that the police were called and Eve was in the best hands for that moment that she could be. Her role is important because she is EXACTLY whom we all should be. It is hard to stick out your neck for a stranger but you leave it to someone else to help and most likely help will never come.

Thank you SO much for sending me this! Wonderfully done and expressed.

Blessings to you,
Lesa

[Legion]

I like this story about the revelation of within defined by what is without. Was a bit curious as why you would have Jack remember the woman's face that rescued his wife and do nothing with it. Also, what about that woman in particular. Did she not check up on Eve? Her dissappearance from the story was a bit abrupt. Still, it was a good story with a strengthening ending. Kudos.