My Michelle.- Complete Story!

Chapter 4 - Decisions.

Michelle was discharged from hospital just a week later. Her ribs were still very painful and that, combined with her broken wrist made everyday tasks almost impossible. Despite her protests, she knew living alone at the moment was impossible, so she stayed at Cavendish Ave  to recover. Paul had insisted on this, feeling partially responsible for the events because of the photograph. After a few weeks,  Michelle finally began to recover her strength and think about her future. She knew in her heart that, as much as she was enjoying living with Paul and Rose, she couldn't stay indefinitely. Then, the day after having the plaster cast removed from her wrist, she broached the subject with him about leaving. He was devastated.

"Where will you go?" he asked in consternation.

"Back to my flat," she said softly, "and then I can restart my life again."

"What about Ian? What if he's still there?"

"He can't be," she said softly, "He'll have gone back to America by now. Won't he?"

Just a few days later, accompanied by Paul, she headed to the block where her flat was. She asked him to wait outside, stating that if she didn't come out in a few minutes, to follow her in. Michelle  was determined that if Ian was still there, she would stand up to him, face him calmly and ask him to leave. She turned the key in the door and pushed it open. Smiling for one last time at Paul, she went in. Looking around, it appeared to be empty. Letting her guard down slightly, Michelle entered the bedroom and opened the wardrobe to collect some of her belongings.

"Oh so you're back then? Your boyfriend had enough of you now? Ian. His voice quiet but loaded with danger.

Startled, Michelle turned. Determined to appear braver than she really felt, she looked Ian straight in the eyes. Hatred and loathing spat back at her

"This is my flat Ian." She said calmly, disguising the fear growing inside her, "and I want you to leave. Our marriage is over and I want a divorce."

Ian laughed. His cold spiteful laugh. He walked towards her. Michelle bravely held her stance.

"Divorce? You? No chance!"

"Why? Our marriage is over as far as I'm concerned."

He moved even closer to her, forcing her into a corner of the room. "Our so called marriage," he spat angrily, "is NOT over until I decide and YOU, BITCH, will do EXACTLY what I tell you to." By now he had hold of her by the throat.

Bravely, she pushed his hand away from her face. "NO," she stated again, "NO! You have no right to do this to me! GET OFF ME!"

Immediately, sensing the danger to come, Michelle tried to push past him to leave the room. She wasn't, sadly, swift enough and in one sudden movement he had her held by the hair then swung round and pinned onto the bed.

"GET. OFF!" Each word punctuated to reinforce her statement.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

From nowhere, he started to punch Michelle around the face, anger seething through his every being. "Now I'm going to take what is rightfully MINE!

He started to tear at her clothing. Michelle knew immediately his intentions and was determined to stop it happening.  She started to scream as loud as she could, hoping to alert Paul. Ian, pulling  and tearing away her underwear, became even more violent as she screamed. Blow after blow reined down on her face. She tasted blood, her eyes started to blur as they took much of the attack. Then, feeling him trying to force her legs apart, she knew she had to fight back even harder. She groped unseeing for a weapon. Grasping, she raised an object and landed it heavily, repeatedly, on to his head. With a wild howl he grabbed at the object. He was ready now...ready to turn her defense into her attack. The door burst open and someone grabbed Ian and the object and pulled him from her. Paul. A fight broke out. Michelle watched helplessly as she tried to move herself from the bed. From nowhere the room filled with police.  Paul and Ian were restrained by officers. A female officer moved to Michelle.

 "Let him go," she mumbled through swollen lips, spitting blood, "He helping me. HE," she stated pointing to Ian, attacked me! He did this to me!"   

The officers released Paul then recognized who he was. Ian, still roaring and screaming threats at Michelle, was lead away to a waiting police van. Two officers remained in the room. Names and addresses were taken before an ambulance arrived to take Michelle, despite her protests, to hospital to be checked out. 

Richard Blake, her doctor, met them at the hospital. He was appalled by what he saw and heard. His main concern was whether Ian had managed to 'force' her again but had to settle with Michelle's assurances. Even Paul had to be checked out. Finally, they were  discharged from the hospital several hours later, bruised but not seriously hurt. On arriving back at the house, Rose was horrified at the state of all of them. Rose helped a tired and sore Michelle to her room as Paul helped.