A Promise Well Kept

I've been up since three this morning, thinking about what happened again last night. I don't dare get up from bed since I know it will only wake him and evoke more anger from his touch. I'm twenty three years old and yet, I live in fear of a man I've loved for seven years. He's not always been this way, and I don't want you to think I'm making excuses because I'm not. No, two weeks ago was when everything changed. Changed from the simple life we were living together to a personal hell for me.

Six weeks ago, on his way home from work, Nick was in a car accident that left his left leg broken in two places and his left wrist fractured. Since that night, I've taken complete care of him during his recuperation and have taken the hostility in his voice with stride. But two weeks ago took the cake, and I knew I had to plan my escape from him. While sitting in his usual recliner and barking out his usual orders, I wasn't quick enough to answer his demand and wound up sporting a fist sized bruise on my cheek that lasted for a week and a half. I spent that very same week and a half hiding from my mother and friends; I'm still not sure how I pulled that one off. My five foot four frame barely reaches that monster's chest and when he wants to, he can dominate me with the flick of his wrist. So after three weeks, his wrist was healed and I now knew to be expecting a lot more of these new outbursts.

That was nothing compared to last night though, no, last night was the worst of all. He managed to grab me by my arms and squeezed tightly instantly, leaving bruises then throwing me to the floor, where I fell landing awkwardly in the doorway. His punishment for me didn't end there, nope... I then had to apologize for making a mess by falling into the bookshelf and clean up the books knocked to the floor.

The clock tells me that I've been lying here for three and a half hours and that in another thirty minutes; I can excuse myself to go to work looking for our new place. Just before the accident, Nick and I had decided to move to a house instead of yet another apartment like before. I had only seen one or two places that either wouldn't fit our budget or just didn't fit my tastes, but now I was using the house hunting as a way out of the apartment and away from Nick. In the three and a half hours I've been lying here quietly, I've devised my plan to get out officially. First on the agenda was to tell my mom, this was going to be the hardest since she was pretty much the shotgun yielding type when it came to my boyfriends, past or present. Nick had always been a good guy, never raised his voice or hand to me until just recently so I knew it would be a shock to mom, one that would have her reaching for her guns.

Second on my agenda would be to get my stuff from our apartment and find a place for myself, preferably with mom for a little while. Third, on my growing list of things to do, would be to call off the search for a nice home for two, I swore to myself I would find a nice place to live but it would now just be a little smaller than planned.

The clock finally read seven, freeing me from my quiet hell beside a sleeping Nick. I eased out of bed and made my way to the bathroom only to be frozen in my tracks by Nick's sleepy voice.

"Where the hell you going so early? Why don't you come back to bed with me and let me love on that sexy body for awhile?"

With my back still to him, my eyes rolled up in the back of my head as I thought of him touching me in any way ever again.

"I'm sorry baby, but I have a meeting with the realtor to look at a few new places for us, you know how excited I am to be getting our new place! I need to grab a quick shower then head out, need anything before I go?"

Yeah, like too many of your pain pills? Or some rat poisoning in your eggs? Anything for you darling, anything to get you off my ass for good. I chastised myself in my head, 'You aren't any better than him if you do anything like that! Don't let him bring you down in anyway Madyson Renee! Your mother would be disappointed as hell if you got caught trying to kill him!'

"Naw, go ahead and get your shower baby doll. Make sure to get us a place big enough for all those babies you're going to be popping out, I want a house full of little Jenson's running around! Now go get showered before you're late."

With that I was dismissed to go mentally, and physically, gag at the idea of having any children with that scum. What had happened that turned my loving Nicholas into a sleaze that beats his girlfriend? I somehow don't think it's just the accident, I think that was just the beginning of his transformation. I showered and made a quick dash for my car before he could do anything else to me that I would have to explain.

I rang the doorbell at mom's house, fully aware that it was early on a Saturday morning but I honestly didn't care at this moment. I kept ringing the bell impatiently waiting on her to open up, berating myself for not keeping a key in case of emergencies.

"What the hell is it?! Oh! Madyson, what's wrong honey what's bringing you here so early?"

I pushed my way in and locked the door's deadbolts before turning back to mom and her comical pajamas.

"Look, I'm sorry to wake you but I had to get out of there. Can we sit down and talk? Please momma, I need your help."

"What the hell happened to you, your eye looks funny, wait, is that a fucking bruise?!?!"

"Yes momma, he's been hitting me for a few weeks now pretty much since the accident. I want out, but I need your help obviously, or I wouldn't be waking you up so early on your weekend."

I spent the morning telling her everything about the past few weeks and how Nick had become violent only after the accident. We both agreed that it couldn't just be the accident and that something else was definitely involved. I even told her of how he continued to act as if we were getting married soon and having children like originally planned. No one likes to hear that their children are being abused, but mom had watched her sister go through the very same thing which made the situation even more difficult.

****

"Come on, let's go down to the river and see what's going on down there today. I'm pretty sure the farmer's market is having a little shindig to raise money; we should go and try to relax a little bit. What do you say?"

I nodded and waited for mom to get changed and ready to go. The river is not only a nice place to go fishing, but has also been turned into a local gathering spot. Because of the natural setting, the farmer's market committee decided to set up their stands there every weekend and most community events were held in the large clearing that surrounds the river, including the high school prom.

Thanks to the recent inhabitation of a family of beavers to our section of the river, the clearing has been flooding after heavy storms. The Williams family, who run the farmer's market, have started fundraisers to collect money to have the beavers safely moved to a better part of the river. I guess I should describe the town a bit; Remington is a small town that not many know of. If you weren't born in Remington nor had family here, you most likely never knew it existed. Although small, we have our fair share of shops and businesses that supply most of the workforce for the population.

The high school is an average sized building directly in the middle of town and is Remington High. Remington High's neighbors are two slightly smaller buildings which house the middle and elementary schools and that makes up the educational system of Remington. Most of the population have never been to college or left to attend only to return after obtaining their degree, this is not to say that we are unintelligent by any means. Up until last year, I personally have been commuting back and forth between Remington and Hendrickson to get my degree in teaching. Because of Remington's relatively small size, Nick's family's construction and contracting business is stationed in Hendrickson as well.

Mom and I made our way to the clearing and noticed a local band playing a few yards from the water and a huge crowd surrounding them. I noticed the Williams family talking to a few people from the church and caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar face before being hauled towards the band by my mother.

"So Janet Wilson just told me that this is another fundraiser to move those damn otters. The band is local and they are friends of the youngest Williams boy, Josh or something."

"Beavers mom, they want to move the beavers. Not otters."

"Oh whatever! They are weird little creatures that keep flooding out the clearing here, that's all that matters really."

I wordlessly nodded and half-heartedly listened to the band, they were pretty good though I was not particularly in the mood for upbeat country music but good none the less. I watched as a few children played by the water, filling water guns and splashing each other joyfully. Mom and I walked around the water, checking out the various booths full of fresh local fruits and vegetables. We meandered around purchasing cantaloupes and a small watermelon for a fruit salad we planned on making for lunch. After taking our items back to the truck, we made our way back to the river to soak our feet in the cool water hoping for some relief from the July heat wave hovering over our small town. We talked idly, never breaching the subject of Nick as we had previously agreed standing in mom's kitchen.

"I want to say something and then I'll leave it alone. You are coming to stay with me for as long as you need, then you can do whatever you like but you are staying with me and that's final. I just don't want you thinking you have to stay with him because you have nowhere else to go."

She threw a small pebble into the water signifying the end of her small rant and I smiled at how easy it was to talk to her. It hadn't always been easy of course, especially during my teenage years but now that I was a bit older, we got along better than ever.

A loud splash drew both of our attentions and my heart stopped dead in its tracks from the sight that greeted us. Little Samantha Hart was standing at the riverside screaming for her twin sister, Savannah, who had fallen in the water! Before I knew what was happening, I was in the water pulling a gasping Savannah to the shore when my tennis shoe caught on something, pulling me and Savannah under.

I lifted Savannah as high as I could trying to keep her above water just long enough for someone to grab her, my legs kicking trying to kick off my shoe or disentangle myself from whatever had a hold on us. My lungs were screaming for air and my arms were slowly letting go of Savannah when I suddenly realized I didn't feel her in my hands anymore and I knew I had failed the little girl and her family by letting her go. I was slipping away from consciousness when something wrapped around my waist and my foot, I felt something tugging at my shoe laces when everything went black.

****

My body jerked the life back into me as someone was forcing air into my lungs. I coughed and felt arms wrap around me and hold me close while sitting me upright. I was aware of my surroundings and myself but couldn't get my eyes to open fully to alert me of who was holding me. I felt myself get dizzy and grabbed onto whoever was holding me and held on for dear life, afraid of getting sick or falling backwards.

Gentle hands soothed my hair as a soft voice spoke in my ear, "Shh, I've got you darlin' its alright, I've got you."

Yep, I died. At least I'm in heaven, I mean, it's got to be heaven if an angelic voice like that belongs to the man holding me right? From what I can tell, he has large arms that are currently wrapped around me tightly and has a bit of stubble on his face, which keeps brushing tenderly across my cheek. And did he call me darlin', the one damn name in the book that melts me from the inside out? I swear, I better not be dreaming this because that would be pure evil after the past few weeks!

I started coming around because I could feel the ache set in throughout my body, but not only the old aches from Nick but also the new from fighting the current. Groaning, I tried opening my eyes yet again and found that, though a little painful, it was actually possible to do so now. I forced my eyes open and found the face that matched the body and voice of my angel and dear god he was just that. Dark blonde highlights that looked like sand naturally wove their way through light chocolate colored hair just begging for my fingers to run through it, blue eyes with flecks of green in them stared at me with worry, and the stubble I felt earlier was barely visible but there none the same.

I fought to get up and evaluate myself privately for further damage but the angel's arms tightened around me slightly.

"Not so fast darlin', you've just been through a very intense situation, give yourself time to calm back down okay? I'm not going to hurt you, you're safe with me."

'You're safe with me.'

That one short phrase echoed in my head as I threw my arms around the strangers' neck pulling him closer. A soft chuckle was the only sound I heard besides my mother yelling my name from afar. I felt the now familiar strong hands rubbing my back gently unaware of the bruises a mere inch or so below them. My yelp and flinch alerted the angel however to my discomfort and froze, slowly pulling away from me to look into my tightly shut eyes.

"Hey, don't hide from me darlin' look at me so I can help you. Please?"

My eyes slowly opened as tears strolled down my cheeks and the stranger gently wiped them away with the pad of his thumb.

"Here's a towel John, wrap her up and let's get her somewhere away from everyone's prying eyes. Dr. Whitlock said he'd meet us at my place since he lives just down the road from me. Come on, I'll fix you a nice hardy lunch for your troubles with my girl here."

His voice was warm towards me but had a hint of anger in it after my outburst of pain, and I knew he knew something wasn't right.

"Yes ma'am, I'll carry her to your truck and just ride with you if you don't mind. I'd like to stay with her is all, if you don't mind I mean."

I normally hated being carried, no matter the reason or distance but couldn't find the strength in me to fight it as he lifted me bridal style into his arms and carried me off to mom's truck. His previous words repeated themselves in my head and I oddly did feel safe in his arms. I silently memorized the angles of his face and the feel of his arms, just in case this scenario were never to be replayed in any form and ached a little at the thought of never being in this man's arms again. I was too tired to notice that Gregory Jenson was standing beside the river, awestruck after watching the emotional exchange between the stranger and me.

The only thing aware to me at that moment was how safe and comfortable I felt as I fell fast asleep in the stranger's arms.

****

"She's covered in bruises Mary Alice and some of them look to be weeks old. Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Jackson Whitlock, you know for a fact that it's not my story to tell!"

"That may be true ma'am, but I can't help her if I don't know what's going on. You know that whatever you or she may tell me never leaves this house. You have my word that I would never spread gossip concerning my patients."

I made my way to get out of my childhood bed only to be stopped by a gentle hand.

"Don't you worry a bit about that, you just relax and get your strength back. The doctor's just worried about you is all and when you feel up to it, we'll all sit down and talk about it together."

"Who-who are you? You look kinda familiar but I don't really recall where I know you from, well besides the river today..."

He sat down on the bed beside me and looked at me as if memorizing my face. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but couldn't really say anything since I was doing the very same thing to him.

"I'm John Williams; I graduated a year or two before you in high school. I just moved back to town about a month ago to take over a few things for my parents' upcoming retirement."

It hit me like a ton of bricks; I knew exactly where I knew the mystery angel from.

"You were good friends with Travis weren't you? My god, I haven't seen you in almost six years!" The sadness in his face told me I was right before the words ever left his mouth. Travis had been an amazing person and even better big brother. He was the only person I had ever felt close to besides Nick, his funeral being the day I turned completely towards Nick emotionally.

"I still can't believe what happened almost seven years ago now, Heather has never been the same since that night and I don't think she ever will be honestly. She loved your brother with all her heart, and felt she should have died in that accident too. I had to leave for a while; I couldn't take living in the city that is practically a memorial to him. It was too hard to go to the places we used to hang out in, so I left to get my shit together."

I had heard Heather say the very same thing to me. When Travis lost control of his truck that night, a lot of things changed. Heather had only sustained a small cut to her forehead but had also lost the baby she was carrying. Travis would have been a great father and was excited as hell to be one, even at the young age he was. Heather works at the bank with mom but hasn't married nor does she really date, poor girl misses my brother with everything she has.

We sat silently for a while, not looking at each other but fully aware of our fingers touching.

"You saw them didn't you, that's why you're here isn't it?"

I knew he had seen the reaction to his touch on my back so I was sure he had found a way to see them while he was holding me.

"He has no right to touch you like that Madyson. Travis would have his ass on a stick right now and you know it. I also know that he wouldn't want me to just sit around and let it happen either, so what are we going to do about this?"

"We? This isn't your fight; you don't have to worry about me."

"Well I'm making it my fight damn it! I promised your brother a long time ago that I'd take care of you if ever he couldn't and I keep my promises Madyson Hanson. You'll come stay with me if that's what it takes, I said you were safe with me and I meant it even though I wasn't aware of just how in danger you were at the time."

"No."

One word. All my body could muster was one single word that turned his entire face from worried and caring to slightly angry and hurt.

"I promised you-"

"And you'll keep that promise. But I'm not moving from his home to yours. That would make me look loose and cheap and I am neither! I know what he's doing is wrong and I'm getting out. That's why I was with mom today, I came by early to tell her about Nick and ask her to help me."

We sat silently and I almost jumped out of my skin when he softly spoke.

"You know, Travis gave me something about a week before the accident."

I stared at him in disbelief; Travis had never mentioned anything about it. I watched as he pulled out his wallet and handed me a worn out picture and I almost cried when I saw it. Two couples were sitting together at a picnic, Travis sitting with Heather in his lap laughing at John who happened to be holding me.

"Oh my goodness, I remember this! We had all gone to the community picnic and I had fallen in the woods, you had just bandaged up my scraped knee. I never knew someone had taken a picture of all of us."

A few happy tears strolled down my cheeks as I took in just how happy Travis and Heather looked. They had announced their engagement a few days prior and their new edition that very day. I had never seen my brother so happy, and it hurt to know I'd never do it again.