Broken

Written for https://michnavs.wordpress.com/2024/12/03/day-9-of-16-days-of-activism-campaign-violence-against-women/ and http://dversepoets.com/2024/12/02/prosery-taylor-swift/

‘Hello, is it possible you could help me?’ he asked.

A charming smile lit up the room.

Fool me twice, she thought at first. Her ex husband Thomas, armed with a seductive sneer, and expensive flowers, was also an expert and hitting where the bruises didn’t show.

Her memory of his broken body, and fog smashed into her mind, appearing only in snippets.

Not that blame took her hostage anymore. She could wrap guilt in a box, throw it into the deepest ocean, never returning. Although, true. It did not have to end with his death; she could have divorced him.

Taking twenty pounds out of his pocket, he stuffed it into the slot. ‘This shouldn’t happen,’ he said. ‘Violence is unacceptable.’

‘I agree, there is no excuse.’

‘My friend suffered for years. I should have noticed it, but he was careful. Most people got sucked in, but not me.’

‘Is she okay?’

‘Yea, left the … sorry, cannot use that sort of language here. I worry about it, though; he keeps on texting her. Ringing at all hours. I told her to change her number.’

‘That’s a good idea, and there are some cards here. Numbers she can call, sensible advice.’

She drew her hand up to her face before flicking through the pages. Each cook book, filled with simple, but tasty recipes, made her stomach rumble.

‘There are some new ones, if your partner is into cooking.’

‘I’m alone. My wife died of a stroke some time ago.’

‘It’s difficult. I would say time is a great healer, but that isn’t entirely accurate.’

‘We get there.’

Is it true? One wounded animal finds another?

Each morning, his grin brightened her world. Not sure when it happened, or how, but she looked forward to see him. Searched for titles he might like, hoping it would steer him to the shop.

He was everything Thomas could never be. Kind, and with a beautiful heart. His words, never harsh, even when they argued, he would just walk away.

He drew stars around Martha’s scars.

She was eager to live again.