Stone Cold Heart

♡ Chapter 3 ♡

The next day, my big sister Dev called me to ask if I can come and chill for a bit since I needed to pick up my daughter anyways. I haven't chilled with her in over six months because of my asshole of a husband. I really missed her and the family. Before heading out, I had to put extra makeup on the bruise Scott made yesterday, that was near my lip. I put on some jeans that hugged my thick thighs. Scott likes to see me in them only for the sole purpose of grabbing my ass. To hide the bruise, he made on my shoulder, I choose to wear a Patriots sweater. Then I put sunglasses one with some black girly biker boots. Before Scott can wake up, I grabbed my car keys headed to mom's house. I text him "Baby I'm going to be at Mom's for a bit then bring Mackenzie home?"
Two minutes later he replied back by saying "You better not say anything about yesterday or else"
"I won't"
"If Mac ask anything, you better not say anything "
"I'm not"
When I arrived at Mom's, Mom was cooking dinner and dad was on the couch watching TV as always. Mackenzie was glued to her tablet but when she looked up and saw me, she ran up to me saying "Mamiiii" as she wrapped her arms around me.
"Ahh" I yelped she stepped back and apologetically asked
"Sorry, what happened?"
"nothing Mami just uh.... fell and had a little bruise"
"Are you okay?"
"Yes"
She looked up to me and puckered her lips asking for a kiss but then she asked
"What happened to your lip?"
"Um...I bumped into something and my tooth sliced my lip"
"aww I hope your boo boo feel better"
"Thank you, sweetheart,"
I could never tell my seven-year-old daughter to know the real reason why or even expose her to the pain that I go through behind closed doors, between me and her dad. She is too precious to know. I don't want her to know until she is older. I don't want this to affect her life somehow. I don't want her to blame herself, I know that she will because I had almost the same mindset when I found out my best friend died at her age. Scott helped me through it and I praise him for that. To get out of my thoughts when she asked me "Mami are we going home now?"
"Not yet baby girl go play on your tablet for a bit, while I go talk to titi Devy, where is she?"
"In her room"
"Thanks, baby girl"
Dad got up and gave me a bear hug "How are you, pumpkin?"
"Good, how are you, daddy?"
"Good, why haven't you've been visiting?"
"Oh, um I was just busy with work and other stuff"
"How has my baby been with papa"
"She has been well behaved"
"That's good"
Mac went back to playing on her tablet. As I went up to mom and gave her a hug. She said "How are you, sweetheart? I missed you"
"I miss you to mama"
"Where's Scott?"
"Oh, he should be going to work by now, because I left a few minutes before he woke up"
"Oh ok, tell him to join us sometime. In fact, we're having a family reunion next Sunday y'all should come"
"Oh, mom I don't know-"
"Please"
"Ok ma we will just for y'all, but it's if he comes home early"
"Thanks, baby girl what happened to your lip?"
"Oh, I uh just had dry lips and it cracked that's all"
"Oh ok"
"Ima be upstairs with Dev"
"Okay sweetheart"
I went upstairs and went to Dev's room. When I opened the door, Dev was on her bed listening to Pandora and painting her nails, like she was ten again. That used to be our thing, when I couldn't sleep for some unknown reason at the time, I would sneak into her room while mom and dad were asleep and we would stay up and chat and do girly things. It was fun back then. When she looked up and saw me, she was surprised. She got up from the bed and hugged me. She said "Sorry, I can't give you a full hug, my nails are wet, but come sit"
I only took off my boots and pretzel formed my legs on her bed. She looked at my whole hands front and back and said "You need help girl; these call for an emergency"
We both laughed, that is until she said "Take that sweater off is warm in here"
"I'm good I don't get hot"
"whatever, lift up your sleeves so I won't get it wet." I did that, not knowing that I forgot to put makeup on the bruise on my left wrist. She looked up at me and said
"Marie....did he do this?"
I stood silent knowing that my secret was blown. I'm so scared that Scott will find out.
"Marie, did he make this bruise?"

In a hoarse tone, I confessed "Yes" She started crying and asked, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"I can't"
"Why don't you leave him?"
"I don't want to Dev, I love him too much, I know he didn't mean it, I know we will get better"
"How long has this been going on?"
"A while"
"Does he touch Mackenzie? "
"I never let her out of my sight, I don't trust him with her at all"
"Good and where else did he hurt you?"
At first, I refused to tell her but she said "I swear not to tell"
"Fine"
I took my hand from hers and lifted my sweater over my head, revealing my torso that had bruises and marks, here and there. She gasped at the sight of me. She gave me a deep hug and asked "Do anyone else know if this?"
"Yeah...Chassidy, I trust y'all two only.... please don't tell mom or dad or anyone. I can't let this get out"
"But you're hurting"
"I know but it's only temporary. But I think that if we have another kid.... just maybe it'll make our relationship better"
"Let's hope so"
She got to giving me a Mani-Pedi, but I almost lost track of time. When I looked at my phone it was 5:25 pm. I then said to her "Devi I have to go"
"Why mom is almost done dinner"
"Tell her to save me and mac a plate I'll be back tomorrow... well I think."
"Okay, let me guess Scott will get mad if you don't be home at a specific time?"
I nodded
"What time does he get home?"
"I don't know if he doesn't tell me"
"Why not? you're his wife"
"I know...but it's complicated ya know"
I kissed her cheek and gave her a hug. Then I went downstairs and gave everyone a kiss before grabbing Mackenzie with me and rushing out the door without an explanation as to why I was in such a hurry. Thank God, I got home before Scott did. I made dinner just in time. I made tortillas for us tonight. Just as I was setting the plates on the table, Mac jerked her head and said "Mama, daddy's home" Scott kissed my cheek but never said thank you for the dinner. I turned around and he grabbed my face and gave me a proper kiss. Although I didn't want to get caught up in the moment because Mackenzie was right next to us, I couldn't help but want more. As we ate, he said to Mackenzie.
"Listen to music princess, Mami and Daddy are having a private conversation"
She put down her finger food and said "Okay" She grabbed her tablet from the charger and blasted music in her ear to zone out our conversation. As we continued to eat, Scott asked "So what did you tell them this time?"
"Oh, um I just told mom that I had dry lips and they cracked, but Mac asked about the bruise and I said that I fell."
"Good, you know I love you right?"
"Yeah"
"And I don't want to hurt you"
"I know
"I just want you to do as told"
"I know...oh baby I forgot to tell you mom said we're going to have a family reunion next Sunday and she wants us to go...can we?"
"It depends what time is it?"
"At 6 to 10"
"Ok ...I don't have work, so I'll think about it"
"Ok"
I hope we do because it's beneficial to me. When he knows family is going to be around, he'd put a facade on and pretend to be the best husband ever. He would butter me up all that time but when they'd leave everything goes back to normal. Some days he won't hit me and some, he won't. But it all depends on what his day was like. But it's worse when he is drinking. So, thank God it's not one of those nights....at least tonight.