Lucy had taken compassionate leave from work for the remainder of the week, explaining to her line manager as much about the situation as she could – she left out the violence and hoped that Sarah would keep her promise. Andy was very understanding and for that Lucy was grateful. She spent most of the week sleeping and fighting off the depression that threatened to take hold. When she’d texted Sarah the news, Sarah had immediately tried to call her, but Lucy couldn’t handle speaking to anyone.
On her way back from the GP surgery, where she picked up a sick note, Lucy got a text message. It was from Rory. She opened up the message and began to read.
Lucy stopped in her tracks in the middle of the pavement. It had started to rain but she stood dead still and let the water wash away her tears. An affair? Shell? Who the hell?
The tears streamed down her face and she ran the rest of the way home. She burst through the front door. Running up the stairs and into the bedroom, she checked for signs of Patrick. She rummaged through all his pockets, looking for something to prove he was having an affair with this Shell woman. Is this where he went when he said he was going to look for work? Was Shell the mysterious Steve that Patrick was always meeting up with? She could have kicked herself for being so naive.
Lucy didn’t have any time to waste, she went to the wardrobe, grabbed her overnight bag, and began stuffing it with anything that would fit inside. She’d call Sarah and ask if she could stay with her while she worked out what she would do next. Siobhan was being picked up by her grandparents from school and staying the weekend. Lucy would have to figure out a way to explain. She’d also contact the social worker. There was no way she’d allow Siobhan to be left alone with her father.
Rory hadn’t been in contact since he’d witnessed Patrick and Lucy fighting the last weekend he had stayed. Lucy had seen the pain in his eyes and had messaged him to apologize, but Rory was angry at his father. Angrier than Lucy had ever seen him, but she didn’t tell Rory that Patrick blamed her for that. He was just a child and didn’t need to know.
After putting up with the shame, humiliation, and fear for years – this was the last straw. Lucy laughed. An almost hysterical sounding laugh, but then again – she felt crazy. What the fuck was I thinking? Years of abuse … YEARS … in the time they’d been together, and a miscarriage. But when Patrick crossed the line it was by cheating with another woman. The ultimate betrayal. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back!
Lucy was in shock. She frantically threw some final pieces of clothing into her suitcase and looked around the room. It was a bomb sight, clothes strewn everywhere, but she didn’t care anymore. She was getting out. Deep down, she’d always had a suspicion that he’d been cheating throughout the whole marriage, but there was never any evidence. She’d ignored the niggling thoughts. Buried them. Even if she had confronted him, he’d have done what he always did: deny and make her feel like she was being paranoid, stupid, ridiculous.
Lucy looked at her watch. Patrick could be home at any minute. She needed to find her documents: bank book, passport, and the small amount of cash she had hidden away for emergencies. As she rummaged in a wardrobe, she heard a creak on the landing. She froze. It was probably nothing, but her heart was racing. She started searching through the cupboards again, tossing stuff out onto the floor. A cold voice behind her stopped her dead.
‘And just where do you think you’re going, bitch?’
Lucy could smell the alcohol before she even saw him. Had he been in the house the whole time? She could have kicked herself for not checking all the rooms first.
‘You’re even more stupid than I thought. You not going to answer me? Nothing to say? You really think I’m going to let you leave?’
Those were the last words Lucy heard before Patrick’s closed fist connected with the side of her face.