I woke up torpid, slowed by sadness, and frightened by Wendy's journal. After I finished reading it, I cried softly again. Hers was a bitter experience with Augustus.
She sponsored Augustus' trip to America, married him with her own hard earned money, and was paying him allowance every month.
But instead, he was flirting with white girls and bringing them home, right before her eyes. And when she complained, he would beat her up.
My heart slammed like a wrecking ball. I became bold, waiting for the next slap to come through my face so that I can stab him to death.
"I am sorry about your friend's death." Shan broke the silence, his voice sounded slightly rough as though some unexpected emotions had partially locked his throat.
"I will get over it soon." I said Softly and then continued " do you know what killed her?" I asked weakly.
"What?" His lips twisted with derision.
"Her husband. He killed her, he pushed her down a storey building. She lost her pregnancy, she died. Her husband used to beat her, just as you beat me, just as you maltreat me, hit my head on the wall and make me look reckless." I said slowly as my visage changed to stern, my voice had a tremor in it.
I am sorry." He said in a broken whisper.
"I am tired of your sorry Shan. My friend's painful life history of how she went through pains, beatings, violence from the hands of a man she called her husband is written in that Journal!" I pointed my finger to the journal on the table angrily.
My heart beat slowed inside my chest. Shan became momentarily dumb.
He stared into my eyes that seemed to sparkle with anger and sadness.
"What I mean is..." He faltered.
"You don't mean anything Shan. But I swear on Wendy's grave, the day you lay your hands on me again, I will kill you before I will be handcuffed to whichever prison in America!"
Silently, he walked out of the room, leaving me with my worries and murmurs. He had never seen me so bittered. Guilt hung over him like a heavy cloud.
I calmed down sufficiently again.
***********
Few months later, I could regain myself properly. I began to make budgets and plans for my life, especially my ambition.
It was evening, Shan decided to make dinner. I waited anxiously to also tell him about my plans of going back to modeling full time, until when baby comes, since it was our happy moments.
He appeared on the dinning table with boiled brown rice and Chicken sauce. He placed them one by one on the dinning table. I scooped the rice into a plate, and began the conversation.
"I wanna resume work. Get contracts from a few fashion brands like under armour, Victoria secret and Dorothy Perkins. I read on a fashion blog yesterday, they need models." I said calmly, chewing my rice gently.
"You wanna walk naked in Victoria secret panties? You wanna disgrace the family? what are you up to?" His voice become high.
"no! Not all of that shit. what am I going to do? why did I come to America Shan?" I asked, dropping the cutleries.
"You came to see me, you came so that we could have a relationship. I paid your fees, I own you, you should listen to me, you are not going for any damn modeling!" he screamed and threw the chicken sauce on my face, dragging my hair to the ground and slapping my face.
I kicked him hard on his legs and stabbed him hard with the table knife I used in eating. There was tension in the air as he ran after me like with all his strength.
I ran across the road, and he ran after me still. Before I could turn again, I heard a loud smashing sound from a car. My heart trembled, Shan was hit by a car.
I ran back to the scene and held him tight to myself. His eyes were wide open, he wasn't breathing, but his heartbeat was beating.
Story written by VickyBon
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