A Reaper's Mission

Chapter 18: Gina and Owen (Emma)

Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse

We arrive in a different neighborhood. This house is a bit more in the countryside, so the houses are more spaced out. I look at the house we arrived at and blanch. It's a barn red house with white trim. Just like the one I grew up in. I look at the front porch and I can already see me and him sitting there. We would talk about idiotic stuff until the moon was high in the sky and the stars went on for miles. It was those moments I cherished the most. Now, I want to puke at the very thought.

CRASH!

I jump and look over to Michael who has a grim look on his face. A woman's yelling voice reverberates until it reaches us. I can't hear the exact words, but I could hear the contempt. I stare at the house. Is it like my house? Seemingly normal, but inside a living hell?

"I suppose I should give you the rundown," Michael says his voice hollow. I look over and I almost fall down in surprise. His face is just completely defeated. His shoulders are hunched, and his eyes don't have their normal shine. "My charge is Gina. She and her husband of three months live here. His name is Owen."

"Only them?" I ask.

"Yes," He whispers closing his eyes. So, more than likely that woman's voice belongs to Gina. "We should go in, but just now that this family situation isn't happy," Michael says, looking scared to even go near the stairs. Yet, he still goes. He makes his way up the stairs and through the door before I finally move. What does he mean this situation isn't happy? Is Gina being abused? Is she more like me than I realized?

I walk through the door only to hear more smashing glass. "WHY ARE YOU COMPLETELY USELESS?!" I hear the woman's (Gina's) voice scream. Her voice echoes through the quiet dark house. As if wanting to continuously torture whoever was on the receiving end. I hear a quiet voice respond, but I can't make out the words. All I can tell is that it is a male's voice. I go deeper to try and hear them, "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" I jump back terror climbing up my spine.

"USELESS WHORE!" I remember his words. She has the same tone that he did. I back further away, wanting to run back out the door and never stop. I can't stay here.

"Emma, come on," Michael says his voice wavering. I glance at his back, with his still hunched shoulders. He's staring at the ground as if he can't stand the sight before him.

"WHY DID I MARRY SOMEONE AS USELESS AS YOU!" The woman's voice screams. Gina. Gina is yelling at someone. Her husband? Oh, please no. I walk forward and stand by his side. I wish I hadn't. I wish I had run.

The scene is heartbreaking. A man, Owen, is sitting at the kitchen table, set for two. Owen's openly crying, and he looks completely broken. On the other side of the table stands a woman, whose face is completely red. She's staring at the man before her in disgust.

"Gina, please I tried. I made us supper." Owen says gesturing at the homemade meal. I wonder how long he spent cooking it. I used to spend hours cooking the perfect meal for him.

Gina promptly sweeps her arms across the table, knocking the meal to the floor. The sound of the plates shattering is unbearable. Owen flinches and looks down at his lap. He bites his lip, as if fighting back a sob. "I don't want anything you made! Why can't you have a job? Why do I have to make all the money while you sit on your ass like a damn bum?!" Gina yells, slamming her fist on the table. A sob escapes Owen.

"I'm trying, Gina. I swear I am. But no one will hire me." He pleads. He looks up at her with his tear-stained face. Tears she caused.

She huffs in disgust, "I can't say I blame them, who would want to hire a loser like you?" She starts walking away from the table. "Dammit!" She yells, punching the wall. Once more, Owen flinches, looking terrified. His shoulders are hunched, and he's looking down at the floor, at the remains of his beautiful meal. It's as if she's the alpha and he's the beta showing her his belly.

"I'm sorry. I promise I'll try harder." He says, clenching his fist, looking up at her with so much determination. She gives him a scathing look and scoffs.

"What's the point? You will always be useless." She replies, walking towards the place where Michael and I are standing.

"Where are you going, Gina?" He asks, his voice panicking. He jumps up and follows her.

"I'm going out to find a real man, who can satisfy me." She says, making it to the front door, slipping on her shoes. Owen stops dead in his tracks, his face crumpling.

"Don't leave Gina. Please." He says, whispering. "I promise I'll become the man you want and deserve. Just give me another chance." Gina looks over her shoulder at him. There's nothing but coldness in them.

"I'm not that patient." She retorts, opening the front door and slamming it shut behind her. All three of us stand in silence, staring at the front door. We all hear the car startup. We all hear the crunch of the gravel as she backs up. We hear the fading sound of the engine until it's completely silent. I turn my attention to Owen, who looks so destroyed. He silently climbs up the stairs. I could hear the creak of every step as he goes.

"Michael," I whisper, turning around to look at him. I'm terrified to see the resigned look on his face.

"They've been like this for about a year now." He says, his voice is so quiet, yet so loud in this broken home. "It's gotten worse since Owen got laid off about a month and a half ago."

"They've only been married for three months though," I say, not understanding how Owen could marry a terror like her.

"There's a cycle to abuse," Michael says, leaning against the wall, looking so tired. "The abuse takes place, then the abuser comes begging for forgiveness. They promise it won't happen again. The abused believe them and then it happens again. Over and over." I look over at Michael and see him staring up at the ceiling, tears falling down his face.

A wave of anger washes over me, "Your job is to stop her from doing this." I tell him, finally finding my footing. "This is all your fault!" I say. Michael laughs a bit.

"You really don't understand anything about guardian angels, Emma." He looks at me, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. His face is dark, nothing like when I insulted Loreto. "My job is to be the voice in their head telling them the right thing to do. They have the option to ignore it and Gina does." He says, looking bitter. "She has a very unhealthy way of getting her stress out and poor Owen is the punching bag." He looks at the ceiling, "His guardian and I have decided the best course of action is to keep putting the thought of leaving in his head. Gina needs to decide to change on her own."

I shake my head, "Doesn't she see the pain she's causing?" How could someone be so heartless? At least he pretended to care.

He gives a bitter laugh, "Of course she does. She doesn't care. Owen crying is what she wants." Michael looks so...angry. "Owen is so kindhearted, and he hates solving things through yelling. He loves her so much; he tries so hard to make her happy. But...he doesn't stand a chance of ever-changing her, because the moment he showed how much it hurt, it was over. She will torment him as long as he stays." I glance at the ceiling and pity the man probably crying into his pillow, thinking of how his wife hates him and loves his pain. How she leaves to find another.

Oh God, is that how he felt? No. No, he never loved me. But Rex did. Did I hurt Rex by coming and going? Him knowing I didn't love him as he loved me. Am I Gina, instead of Owen in this situation?

"Is there anything we can do?" I whisper, closing my eyes. Whatever is wrong with me is not the important thing right now.

A new wave of tears rolls down his face, "We wait. It's up to him whether he leaves or not." I turn away. Why can't the answer be anything else? Why do I have to be useless in this situation? I feel the tears burning behind my eyes and I let them go.

Ahouse. A house supposed to be home. A house containing a brokenhearted husband,a defeated angel, and a sympathizing reaper. All because of a cruel-heartedwoman.