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“Now,” is all I said. I didn’t need to say anymore Jeff knew it was now or never.
Over the past few months, Brad has been getting angrier and angrier. He assumed he would be a partner in his Daddy’s firm, and the more time that went on where he was not, the angrier he got. That anger was being directed at me.
Today in the bathroom was not the first time Brad held me by the throat. Two weeks ago, we went to dinner with his parents and some associates.
His father spent most of the dinner singing the praises of one of the associates who had just closed a multimillion-dollar deal. I could see Brad fidgeting at the table, ordering more drinks than usual. That was the first time I had to drive his BMW. That was a graduation present from his parents. Brad was drunk, and I knew it was not going to be a good end to the night. I had tried to drop him at his place, but he insisted on coming to my apartment.
Once we got up to my apartment, he got rough. He tore my shirt to get to my breast. I pushed him back and told him he was drunk and it was late. Brad latched on to my throat and pushed me against the wall. That was the first time I truly feared for my life.
He took two steps to close the gap between us, leaned down to my ear, and whispered, “You are such a fucking tease. I’m going to bed.” And then, he bit my earlobe hard.
When he let me go and walked to my bedroom, I dropped to the floor and stayed there the rest of the night.
“What about your lease and all your stuff?’ I heard Jeff ask while he put his hand on my shoulder to bring me back from the horrible memory I was having.
“Brad is at work, so I will go back and grab my clothes, my guitar, and a few personal items, but the rest I don’t care about. The landlord can toss it. When I’m on the road, I will email the landlord and explain the situation and hope he lets me out of my lease. If not fuck it, I don’t care I need to go now. Brad will come back tonight I can’t go through this again. I can’t.” I ended the comment with a deep breath.
Jeff walked down the hall to his bedroom and returned, handing me the debit card. Not long after working at the bar Jeff and I went to lunch after I asked him if we could stop at the bank that was across the street. We went in, and he waited as I opened an account. As we were leaving the bank and Jeff walked me to my car, I handed him a debit card.
Looking down, Jeff asked, "What's this?"
"It's a debit card, dummy," I chuckled.
"I know it's a debit card, but why are you giving it to me?" he asked.
"I know we don't know each other that well, but I trust you. Can you please hold onto this for me?"
"Are you doing something illegal?" he asked, lifting one brow.
"God, no! Nothing like that." I held my stomach, laughing. "I just have a habit of losing things," I lied. That was the first of many lies I would end up telling Jeff.
That night, when we finished work, I handed him a portion of my tips and asked if he would deposit it into the account, also giving him a stack of deposit slips. Jeff eyed me cautiously, trying to figure out why I would ask him to take my money and trust him to deposit it. But Jeff, being the sweetheart he is, just took it and said, "Sure, I'll make the deposit for you."
That was the kind of friend Jeff was—no, is—he would do anything for you. That's why I never told him everything; I knew he would react and he would get hurt. Jeff was a solid guy, but he was no fighter; he was a writer. It was more than that, though. I didn't want him to look at me the way he did when I arrived at his apartment. I was ashamed of my situation.
How could someone like me end up in an abusive relationship? I grew up with tough brothers who taught me to take care of myself in a dangerous situation. Somehow, I cowered down and became weak, or at least that's what I thought of myself.
Looking at the debit card, I slipped it into the side pocket of my leggings. I then reached up around Jeff's neck and pulled him into a hug. I squeezed even though it hurt. I had to say goodbye to my best friend I made here. More than that, I was saying goodbye to a person who became family here, the only family I had here. Tears started to roll down my cheek onto Jeff's shirt.
"Don't cry," he said, possibly feeling his shirt getting wet. "You leave here and don't look back. I'll take care of whatever you need done here. This isn't goodbye; I promise I'll see you again. I can come visit you in Florida."
"You promise you'll stay in touch with me and come see me?"
"Palm trees and warm weather—of course, I'll come see you," Jeff said with a calming smile that almost showed that cute dimple he had.
That was Jeff, always making me smile even when I was at my worst. "I'll miss you so much," I whispered to him.
"Let me come help you pack up, please."
"No, it's okay. I can do it. If you return with me, it will be too hard to leave."
"I'll miss you so much."
"And I'll miss you. Thank you, Jeff, for everything." I lifted my face up to meet Jeff's eyes and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. "I'll text you when I get on the road." And with one last hug, I slipped out of his embrace, then out the door running to my car.
4
MACKENNA
