Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20A | 20B | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25-26 | 27 | 28-29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35-36 | 37 | 38A | 38B | 38C | 38D | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42-43 | 44-45 | 46 | 47 | 48-49A | 49B | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57A | 57B | 58-59| 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68-69 | 70A | 70B | 71A | 71B | 72 | 73 | 74A | 74B | 75 | 76-77A | 77B | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85-87 | 88A | 88B | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94A | 94B | 95 | 96
PART IV
IN THE DAY OF BATTLE
97
MARINA THOUGHT ABOUT that as she walked the two blocks down the hill to the hospital pushing Susanna in her buggy. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Trey was trying to turn her into a moll.
She stopped cold.
“Goodness gracious,” she muttered, angry that she hadn’t realized that much, much sooner. No, beating Ethel last night had not been a tactic to maneuver her into that role, but it served his purpose.
He trusted her.
He loves you.
Ethel was a hopeless romantic, but Marina had never been that nor would she ever be.
“Hello,” she called softly as she wheeled Susanna into Ethel’s room. It was a private one. Marina would spare no expense and Trey would not deny her the funds.
“Hel—” Ethel coughed.
There were bruises around her neck. “You can’t speak?”
Ethel shook her head.
“I am so sorry,” Marina whispered, sitting beside her, taking her hand. Ethel squeezed it and attempted a smile, but her face was battered and cut. “I didn’t want to tell you how angry Trey still was.”
Ethel had a helpless questioning look on her face and she attempted to shrug.
“He believes he raped me.”
Her expression faded into horror.
“He feels guilty. When he was told I was drugged, he felt … raped. Too.”
Tears began to well up in her eyes and she shook her head.
“I didn’t want to make you feel bad for that, because you did make him happy. I was never going to tell him because I didn’t know what he would do. The worst, I thought, was that he would fire you. I—” She paused. “Every time I go to that speak something bad happens.”
Ethel heaved a weary sigh and shrugged as if to say well of course it does; it’s a bad place.
“I’m going to pay your bills,” she said briskly, turning away to get her the very soft cookies she’d baked. “And I’m going to buy you a house, something little, in a safe neighborhood. Make sure you have food and whatnot.” And whatnot? Good heavens, she was starting to sound like Trey. “I don’t know what you can do to earn a living, though. I doubt you’ll want to go back to what you were doing.”
Ethel shook her head and smiled sadly when Marina put the cookies in her lap.
“Just one?” Marina urged with an expectant smile. “I’m a good baker, but I really only want you to compliment me.”
Ethel laughed. Tried. She coughed.
“Can you swallow?”
She grimaced. Kind of.
“Here, just a little bite.” Marina broke off a piece and popped it in Ethel’s mouth.
Ethel chewed slowly and closed her eyes, then sighed when she swallowed. Oh, Marina, that’s good.
“Did Dot tell you what happened?”
Ethel nodded and tried to smile. Thank you.
“I also told Trey I wouldn’t tell him where I sent you, but it’ll have to be close by. I’m sorry about that, but I want to keep an eye on you.”
She nodded and gestured for another bite.
“Here you go.”
She swallowed, then whispered—or tried to, “Tur … stee.”
“Oh, yes, of course. Of course. I brought water.”
“T’an … ”
“You’re welcome. Don’t speak.” Marina spent the next few minutes helping Ethel eat and drink. “Anything broken?”
Ethel shook her head slowly.
“I’m staying with Trey.”
She nodded and blinked. That’s good.
“He, um … I almost murdered him last night.”
Again she nodded.
“I should’ve, I suppose. But … I told you he sees things in me nobody else does. I can’t let go of that. He’s the only … one who ever … ” Marina’s eyes started to sting now, too. “I, um … I told you I was tetched in the head. Ethel, my husband is a monster. I know that. But maybe a monster is the best I’m ever going to have. Maybe a monster doesn’t deserve anything better than a lunatic.”
Ethel scowled and shook her head emphatically. Stop that.
“No, it’s true. I hear voices. They say things to me. They say I’m homely. They say I’m stupid. They’re always there. Trey is the only one who can drown those out for me. I get to thinking Trey is too good for a lunatic like me, then he does things like this and I think, I don’t deserve any better.”
“Luh hi’?”
Her mouth tightened. “I don’t know what love is.”
Ethel smiled slightly. Me neither.
“The monster and the lunatic. He’s always at work, but when he comes home, he says these things and he can make me believe them. For a little while, while he’s talking. And then he goes back to work, and the voices come back. I don’t ask him to. I try to hide how much I need him, but he doesn’t care if I need it or not. He says it anyway.”
I know.
“He does that to you too?”
She nodded, then shrugged. Did.
“I don’t know if this will make you feel better or not, but he’s ashamed of what he did to you.”
Her eyebrows went up and her mouth pursed. Don’t lie to me.
“That is the truth,” Marina said firmly. “He just had to be stopped long enough for him to calm down and think about it.” She took a deep breath. “I told him you love him.”
Her eyes went wide.
“Ethel, he had to know. If he had known that, he would never have done what he did and I’m not sorry I told him.”
Her mouth trembled and she looked away. Finally she nodded. I know. I’m not sorry I drugged you.
“I’ll come by every day and visit. I can read to you. Do you like stories?”
She nodded.
Marina stood. “Ethel,” she said softly, taking her hand gently. “Can you do something for me?”
She sighed. Probably not.
“While you’re here, I need you to think about what you can do for a living. I just couldn’t bear it if you went back to … fat old men who make you vomit.”
Neither can I.
97
If you don’t want to wait 2 years to get to the end, you can buy it here.
Donations can be made here, if you so desire.
Ah the pathway paved with good intentions.
I’m selling Handbasket Rickshaws. Any takers?
O/T. Technically SFW but also great for gun-nuts (if you’re into that kinda thing….)
Gun Porn would get me in trouble at work.
Don’t google Anna Paulina Luna.
As a fat, old man who can make you vomit, I am offended.
I’m a fat old woman who could probably make someone vomit, so no sympathy here.
I resemble that remark!
Nyuuk!
Get in here, walking dildoes
Where you at?
Blockquote>…walking dildoes…>
I feel triggered.
/walks big meat dildo
These girls are insatiable.
“The best-laid plans of mice and men (and women) often go awry”
Be careful, Marina. Marina seems to think she has all the bases covered…
Thanks, Moj another week to wait for another harrowing chapter. Well worth it though
Mighty nice of Marina to bake Tres’ balls into those soft cookies. She might be overreaching but it might be all that she has.
Not even Florida
Honestly, the drugs are probably better for you than a Whopper.
I learned a new word today. Interquel.
We’ve hit rock bottom as a culture.
Interquel is by definition not first.
I feel stupider for knowing that. Just like every time I read one of your comments.
Highly disturbing local news
I found this helpful.
After the lawyers, then realtors®.
I’ve had to go before the local zoning board 3 times, once to the county commissioners to appeal a zoning board decision, which I was successful. All that proves is that their first zoning was incorrect, if a few bucks can change things.
Zoning is a form of theft.
Anytime I hear someone talking about what landowners should do with their land I ask them “Who is paying the taxes on that?”
I don’t know what to make of it anymore
Of which thing(s)?
I’ve got 2 weeks to teach my kid to drive after I said I wasn’t going to teach him. But, shit, I fucked up his swimming education. I suppose I shouldn’t fuck this up too.
https://youtu.be/9SqM1VX2qlc
‘Preciate you, Gustave.
Ship him out here. I’ll teach him how to drive – NJ style.
I’d wish you a happy Saturday morning, but radar says it’s raining showers up in the mountains.
Next two days are supposed to be worse. 🙁
Wait ’till you see the horoscope!
The arrogance of youth.
I feel like I’m having a fight with a book that demands I be better than the protagonist. Extending grace to fictional people is not my idea of a good time.
Wake up and get down with the Glibness!
🌄😃
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpILIIo9ek
🎶🎶
Good morning, Sean, NA, and Ted’S.!
😉