Lindsey begged Stevie to let him accompany her, but she didn't think it was the wisest idea. It was her family, her husband she had to deal with. Lindsey simply cared for her and wanted to protect her, but it was about time she took matters into her own hands. She gave him a kiss and promised to come back later tonight.
Stevie entered the house through the front door, it was deathly quiet, but Joe's car was parked outside, so he had to be home. Maybe he was asleep and she desperately hoped that to be true. Stevie wanted to have some time alone with Nicole first. She checked everywhere, but her daughter was nowhere to be seen either.
The plan was to tell Joe she was done and he wouldn't get to play her anymore. Stevie was going to pack her things and leave. She climbed the stairs and without a thought, pushed the bedroom door open and she wasn't even angry at what she saw.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me, Joe." She sighed, seeing her still husband by law with another woman in their marital bed. "Is this your way of proving me you love me?" Stevie looked away, until the girl, she could hardly be called a woman, gathered her clothes and ran out.
"It's not like you're around." Joe replied, without much emotion in his voice.
"I sleep in this bed, I don't want some cheap slut's skin touching my fine cotton sheets."
"Cheap slut? You two have a lot more in common than you think, then."
"Your words don't even hurt me anymore, Joe. You can stop trying."
"It doesn't become any less true. It's not me or Nicole you called to tell where you were, it was him."
"Because I care a lot more about him than you and Nicole hates me, so I didn't see a point in contacting either one of you. You've turned my daughter against me years ago."
"You'd be surprised. I'm not sure why, but she was worried about you. She obviously worries about her daddy to, she didn't let me go over there and fuck him up, his face deserves a good beating."
"And you would have just loved that, wouldn't you? All you've ever cared has been looks and the younger the pussy the better, right? That's where we're different, Joe. I love Lindsey for his heart, something you don't have."
"Why are you so brave, huh? Is your lover hanging around somewhere, to run to your rescue?"
"No, he's not here. And I don't need him. I've been afraid of you for too long. It's time I stand up for myself."
"I'm giving you a chance to disappear from my sight, before I add some color to your face too."
"You're the coward, Joe. Beating a woman, who doesn't even put up a fight?"
"You're pushing it, Stevie. I'm close to losing it."
"What then? What exactly are you going to do to me? Rape me, hit me? Do both at the same time? It's nothing new, is it?"
"Listen you!" Joe lunged forward, grabbing Stevie by the arm, but she pulled away from him. "It's nothing you don't deserve!"
"Do tell what did I ever do to be treated this way?" She stood, with her arms crossed, infuriating him further.
"You're a fucking whore, always have been, always will be. Cheap, coked out whore!"
"And I'm still not half as bad as you."
"You've brought this on yourself!" Joe was luckier this time, having a tight grip on Stevie's hand.
"I hate you. I hate every fiber of your being!"
"You're going to pay for this little act of yours today." He sneered, twisting her arm. "Kneel in front of me."
"No."
"GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES!"
She only did, because he pushed her down. His hand twisted in her hair, keeping her close to himself. He hadn't dressed up from his encounter with his mistress, making her sick.
"This should shut you up!" She turned her head away, but he jerked it right back to face him. "Open your mouth."
"Uh-uh." She mumbled, her lips sealed.
"I said..."
"Let her go!" Nicole had listened to every word that came out of her beloved father's mouth, tears streaming down her face, as she stood in the doorway, terrified by the sight in front of her.
Joe was taken aback and his grip loosened, allowing Stevie to get up and away from him. "It's not what it..."
"Looks like? Is that what you were going to say?" Nicole spat at him, approaching Stevie and hugging her close. "I'm so sorry, mom. I'm so sorry I didn't believe you!" She sobbed, now Stevie was the one doing the comforting.
"It's okay, Nicole. You didn't know, you couldn't have known!"
"Nicole, look at me!" Joe tried, after grabbing the bed sheet. "Please, sweetheart. You've got the wrong idea!"
"I heard everything you said, you bastard! I stood outside and listened! I listened to you calling mom cheap coked out whore! I saw you forcing her into... into..."
"Don't, baby." Stevie took Nicole's face in her hands and smiled the best she could, to calm her daughter down. "Trust me, it's nothing I haven't been put through before. He's called me worse."
She just started crying harder, wrapping her arms tighter around her mother, asking her for forgiveness repeatedly. She then looked at Joe again. "How can you be such a hypocrite? I was coming inside the house, when a half naked woman ran out! How can you believe you're better? You're completely delusional!"
"It's her own fault, Nicole! She made me do and say all these things!"
"Will you shut the fuck up? Leave! I don't want to ever see you again!" Nicole screamed, using the last of her strength. "Leave mom, move out and disappear from our lives for good!"
There was not much Joe could say back to that. He grabbed his clothes that were scattered on the floor and left as asked.
Stevie took Nicole by the hand and they took a seat on the bed. Nicole pulled Stevie in another hug, trying to assure her of how sorry she was. "You don't have to cry, Nicole. You don't have to cry for me. What you saw has been going on our whole marriage, I'm used to it."
"It's not right! I can't believe him! Oh God, mom I can't say how sorry I am I didn't pay much attention to what you said before. I honestly didn't think he was such a horrible man!"
"Stop thinking about it, sweetheart." Stevie said, stroking her daughter's hair. "Let's just hope he's gone this time."
They didn't speak for a long while after that, before Nicole looked up and Stevie waited for what was to come. "I want to..."
"What, baby?"
"Can you ask... Lindsey to come see us?"
