Adrienne rushed from work to grab flowers for the holiday, she could not get over the hiked up prices for a small bouquet of flowers. She knew she had to get something for her lover on Valentine’s Day or she would never hear the end of it.
As she reached to grab a dozen roses she noticed her bruises showing and rushed to cover them. She quickly looked around in fear to make sure no one had seen them. As she turned her head she noticed an elderly woman looking at her with compassion in her eyes.
A wave of humiliation rushed through her body and she felt herself sink within herself. If she did not bring home a gift she knew this might bring on a night of more onslaught, so she swallowed what pride she had left and continued with choosing the flowers.
The elderly woman approached her and handed her a business card, it read Safe Horizon. Adrienne knew this was an organization that helped those in her situation, but had ignored most people who tried to help her.
She met Tanya in a gay club and it was love at first sight. They hit it off right away, they even made out in the bathroom for an hour, went to her place and had the most amazing sex she ever experienced. Those first few days were glorious.The lovemaking was extraordinary, especially after a fight. She knew this was a combustible situation, but she just could not let Tanya go -- not yet.
She knew that there would be dinner ready and a night filled with hot sex. She could not help herself, she was human after all. There was nothing wrong with enjoying what another human could give her, and she loved Tanya.
The thought of Tanya made her heart beat faster and she could not wait to get home. She looked up and realized the nice lady was still standing there holding out the business card and a part of her truly wanted to get help. On a day like today, she just was not ready to leave her lover.
Adrienne looked up at the kind lady and took the card, the lady was saying words to her that she just could not make out. It was not the right time. As she left the cash register, Adrienne let the card fall to the ground.
This post is dedicated to those that are experiencing domestic violence, if you or anyone you know needs assistance contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline who have been a vital link for the safety of women, men, children, and families affected by domestic violence. There are dedicated advocates and staff, who respond to calls 24/7, 365 days a year.
The service provides confidential, one-on-one support to each caller in 170+ different languages. The phone number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Instructions for the #mavephotofiction contest can be found here.
