Wounded Heart

Chapter 1

                Lydia opened her eyes to the sound of stumbling feet and crashing vases. She didn’t know how she got here. It seemed crazy how her life was turned upside down. Lydia sighed as she sat up and made her way towards the source of the noise she sadly knew too well. As she saw the doorway of the kitchen, she slowed down. Even after all this time she was still terrified of these nights.

                “Lydia,” Aiden slurred put as he saw his wife standing there patiently. “I love you, you know that.” He gave a drunken chuckle. Lydia walked past him and started to boil the water for coffee.

                “You have to sober up Aiden, Melony is still asleep and I don’t want her to find you like this.” Lydia said calmly. Aiden walked to her and grabbed her arm roughly, turning her to him and glaring at her.

                “You don’t tell me what to do you stupid bitch!” He shouted quietly. “I tell you what to do, do you understand me!” He asked in a deadly voice. Chills ran down Lydia’s spine, as he let go of her and stumbled his way to the living room. Lydia felt a pair of eyes on her and she turned to see her daughter.

                “Baby,” Lydia said quietly, “I need you to go to your room and not come out. Do you understand?” She asked and her little girl just nodded in confusion. “No matter what, you stay in your room and you keep it locked until I come.” Lydia said as Melony nodded and ran back to her room.  Lydia sighed and got herself together and took Aiden his coffee.

                “Aiden, here have some coffee.” She said setting it down in front of him. Aiden looked up at her and then at the coffee, a deadly look in his eyes. Lydia breath caught in her throat and she started to back away quickly. She knew that look too well now. Aiden jumped up and grabbed the coffee and threw it after her. Lydia felt the burning sensation on her calf as it hit her. Lydia started to run towards her bedroom, but Aiden caught her on the stairs. He grabbed her by her hair and threw her down; Lydia went tumbling down the stairs.

                “What did I tell you!?” He shouted at he stomped towards her. Lydia dragged herself into a corner, forming a little ball.

                “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean too, I just wanted to help you!” Lydia said in fear as she felt Aiden kneel beside her. Aiden grabbed one of her wrist and yanked on her, revealing red marks from the fall on her hands.

                “You always do this! You should be grateful but all you do is bother me, tell me what to do! It’s not your place Lydia!” Aiden shouted. Lydia let out a whimper and Aiden had had enough. He dragged her across the kitchen, cutting her as the glasses from the vases made contact with her pale skin, into the living room and punched her repeatedly and as every blow came Lydia let out a startling scream. Lydia begged him, pleaded with him to let her go. It angered Aiden even more and he took off his belt, whipping her. The pain was almost unbearable and just as Lydia started to lose hope of this ending, Aiden screamed a frustrated scream and stood up, kicking her once before he stomped upstairs, breaking everything insight on the way.

                Lydia curled herself into a ball and sobbed, hating herself and hating her life. Lydia heard a door open and her and her whole body tensed up, Aiden was coming back to finish his business she thought. But it wasn’t stumbling and sloppy stomping like she had expected. It was light footsteps, and Lydia peeked through the cracks of her hands and saw Melony. Melony stood there, her face tear stained and her blue eyes so lost and confused. Lydia gasped and little and scrambled to her feet, every inch of her body hurting, but not letting it show.

                “Let’s go baby,” Lydia said as she grabbed Melony’s hand and started limping towards the door. “Let’s go visit Uncle Scott, okay.”