My Bruised Heart

I knocked on the door twice but there was no answer. The door was unlocked, so I allowed myself in. “Samantha, its Angelo, where are you?”
I didn’t hear a response, but I did her muffled sobs coming out from the living room. I slowly walked into the living room to see glass smashed, water spilt, ashes thrown, and complete chaos across the floor. I look into the corner, and see Samantha, crying once again. “Samantha, come here, please, come here.” Samantha looks up at me, and I see the purple color around her eye. She cries out in pain as she tries to stand up. I ran in to help her as she fell to the floor. I press my hand on the right side of her body, and she cries out again.

I was finally able to get Samantha into the kitchen, where I can better see her contusions. The one on her face stretches from the top of her right eye, to the bottom of her cheek bone, and the one on her side lies over three ribs. Her eyes are puffy, red, and blood-shot, her voice very scratchy, and her face seems way over-exhausted. Neither one of us has said a word, but I can see tears forming in her eyes. I grab her close to me and hold her tight as she silently cries onto my shoulder. I hold her like this without speaking a word until all time is lost.

I had gotten some ice cubes in a baggie for Samantha to use to help the swelling on her face, and a cold ace bandage for her to wrap across her ribs. Samantha was now lying down in her bed, and I was lying down next to her, with her head on my chest. Then I finally broke the ice. “Samantha, when are you going to get yourself out of this whole situation? I can't stand to have to keep coming over here and seeing you like this.”

“I don’t know how to get out of this situation Angelo, I just don’t know how. I can't run away, because he’ll just find me again, like he did last time, and I can't go to the police, because they are his buddies, and they will believe him over me any day. I just don’t know what I can do other than stay here and hope for a miracle.”

“We’ll find a way Samantha, believe me, we’ll find a way.” I whispered as my arm pulled her tighter to my chest. As tears fell from her eyes, they left little dark circles across my shirt.

Shouts wake me up from my sleep. I find myself still in Samantha’s bed. The shouts are echoing in from a room on the other side of the house.

“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING IN BED WITH HIM?” A man shouted.

“Jimmy, I wasn’t doing anything. He is only a friend. Angelo is only a friend. You know that he is my best friend!”
“THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN CRAWL INTO BED WITH HIM! YOU’RE NOTHING MORE THAN A MOTHERFUCKING SLUT. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE! I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN!” Jimmy shouted, and I could hear something crash. I ran out to see what had happened, and there she was on the floor, crying and bleeding. Glass coated the floor once again. It almost looked as though we had never cleaned up earlier.

“Stupid little cunt, thought you could sleep around behind my back, and get away with it. You have until I get back to get your shit and get the fuck out. You’re not gone by the time I get back, there is going to be hell to pay? Do you understand me, stupid bitch?” Jimmy looked right at me, and then spit on Samantha. “She’s your motherfuckin’ problem now.” He walked out of the house, and slammed the door shut.

“Samantha, come on, this is the miracle that you have been waiting for.”
“Angelo, I don’t have anywhere to go, and Jimmy knows that. I just, I don’t kn….”

“Samantha, come live with me. We have the space in my mom’s house, and she already loves you. Plus, I can protect you there much better than I could if you were anywhere else. Come on, let’s go and pack up all your stuff, and leave.”
“It’s not as easy as that Angelo, you know that. There is just so much that….”

“Samantha, start packing your bags. I’m not leaving you to rot here with that… I don’t even know what to call him, but you’re not getting left here with him. Even if I have to pack all your stuff myself, you are coming with me.”

It took some time, but I was finally able to convince Samantha to come with me. We had finished packing, and left the house just as Jimmy was coming home. Samantha had grabbed anything that had any sort of value to it. Once we had gotten to my mother’s house, I was able to see the purple coming to color on Samantha’s neck, and the blood seeping out from her cheek bone. My mom nursed her wounds, and gave her some painkillers. I gave her one of my tee-shirts so she wouldn’t have to search for something to wear to bed. My mom had gone to bed and left Samantha and I in the kitchen. “So, Angelo, how are we doing the sleeping arrangements tonight?” Samantha asked as she calmly sipped her tea.

“Well I figured that until we get everything set up in the guest house, you could just use my room, and I’ll just sleep on the couch for now. Is that okay with you?”
“Yeah, that’s perfectly fine with me. I’m just getting really tired, and yeah, can you show me to your room?”

I took Samantha’s cup and placed it in the sink ten feet from where she was sitting. I took her left hand with my right, and lead her up the stairs and down two hallways in silence. We stopped at a white door, with a picture of a sunrise set into its center.

Opening the door revealed a room splashed with color. Sky blue walls, with a white trim. Photographs plastered the surface of each wall. Alongside a view of the starlit night, only separated by glass, there is a neatly made queen size bed, covered in throw pillows of all colors.

“Angelo, your room, it’s gorgeous. It really is.”

“Thanks, you know once I moved out on my own, I really started getting more into the way that things fit together when it comes to design work and such. But that’s a story for another time. I’ll get out of your hair so you can go to bed.” I let go of Samantha’s hand and started to walk out of the room. Then I suddenly felt something warm on my arm. I looked to see Samantha’s tiny fingers laid upon my skin. “Wait, Angelo, please don’t go. I need you here with me.” She whispered as she pulled me closer to her. Our lips only are only centimeters apart, and the space is becoming thinner. I can smell the honey from the tea she was drinking earlier, and the strawberries from her shampoo.

Finally our lips touch, and I feel a rush travel up my spine. Finally, after 14 years, I am able to kiss the love of my life.