The Weaker Sex (Unedited)

Chapter 26

The problem about letting it slide once meant that it was bound to happen again. Of course, it took Tobias three months to get that angry with me again. For the next three months after the junior league party, he was coming home on time every single night with a bouquet or flowers every single night. I'd receive a kiss on the cheek as a greeting and a warm smile before he sat down to dinner with me. I watched his every movement with growing concern. He seemed to be genuine, but I still had that fear in the pit of my stomach. Now however, the three-month honeymoon he'd used to soften me up was coming to an end. The past six nights consisted of him stumbling home drunk soaked in that putrid smell of alcohol and I was reaching my limit.

His old Gamma Beta Phi buddies had returned to town, shouting success and throwing money around. He'd decided he needed several nights in a row to catch up and touch back on his bachelor days where he'd come home at 2 in the morning. That was no behavior for a husband and certainly not a mayor. My frustration with his lack of respect for me had me sitting in the living room with my arms firmly crossed on my chest. It was all I could do to not go out there and find him in the arms of another woman. The grandfather clock in the room struck midnight and right on cue, he stumbled in with a knowing giggle that he was going to be caught. "This is the 7th night in a row." I said, turning on the lamp.

Tobias used a hand to cover his face then slammed the door shut with sudden irritation permeating onto his face. "Go to bed Madison, why the hell are you even still up?" he sniped.

"I've been waiting for you. You're drunk again." I replied.

"I was with the guys."

"Why do you insist on drinking so much? Where were you?"

"With the guys!"

"I asked where, not with who!"

"We went to a bar in Richmond."

"Richmond? That's nearly two hours away! You drove home drunk, Tobias, are you crazy? You could have killed someone or yourself!"

He groaned slamming a fist into the wall. My nerves jumped at the sound, but my anger replaced the chill running down my back.

"Stop nagging me! You cannot control what I do. If I want to drink with the boys, I will." He slurred, trying to make it to the stairs.

I grabbed his arm to turn him around when he swung it back and knocked me onto the floor.

"You promised you wouldn't ever hit me again!" I yelled, as he reached for me and pinned me to the wall.

His hand slid over my neck as he pulled me face closer to his. The alcohol on his breath made me want to vomit.

"I will do as I please. Stop getting into my business, is that understood, Madison?" His voice was so low and calculated as his threat seeped into the latent fear in my mind.

"You are my business." I said, hoping that maybe false courage would give me real courage.

He pulled me off the wall then slammed me back into it.

"I said, is that understood?"

"No."

His eyes narrowed into slit as his nostrils flared and a sneaky fist punched me straight in the nose. I yelped in pain as I dropped to my knees in a stunned daze. Blood gushed out all over my hands onto the wooden floor no matter how much I tried to contain it.

"Madison? Oh my god, Madison, I'm so sorry. Let me help you."

"Get off of me!"

"We need to take you to a hospital."