To Be Loved

Part 1

Karen Clark-Smith sat in the waiting area of an attorney's office, covered from head to toe in dark clothing. Hours away from her residents, she was wondering if she could trust anyone. Everyone loved Jason, even her family, who was fooled by his charm. She needed someone in her corner for once—not just for herself but also for her unborn child.

The Clerk called, "Mrs. Smith, Mr. Sheard can see you know

Karen nodded, stood up, and grabbed her belongings. " I thought his name was Evans?"

The young male answered her, "Yes, he had an emergency, so Mr. Sheard agreed to take the case unless you wished to reschedule.

Karen quickly said, "No, it's okay."

They entered the office as Mr. Sheard said, " Thank you." Karen looked at the man in front of her. He looked familiar, but she paid no mind to it. He was a well-trimmed man with an expensive suit to match. His cologne enticed her. Karen swore under her breath that it must be the pregnancy hormones, she said to herself.

"I am J Drew Sheard. I assume you are Karen Clark Smith", he paused, having a background in the Christian church. "Like from the Clark Sisters, he laughed." Thinking it was a fake name.

" Please call me Karen, and yes, from the Clark Sisters," Karen said, still looking down

"Okay, well, you can call me Drew. Wait, Karen." He picked himself up from the chair and hugged her. He felt Karen flinch, so he quickly released her. " I apologize. I haven't seen you since we were 16 years old. Are you okay?"

"Umm. Hey, Drew, I thought you and your family moved to Texas away from Michigan".

Drew said, "I moved back here about three years ago. That's enough about me. What can I assist you with?"

Karen signed and said, " I saw Mr. Evans in action for one of the church members' divorcees, and I wanted his help with mine and some form of protection against him."

"Okay, the next question is why? " Drew asked

Karen removed her glasses and pulled her shirt down slightly. She was revealing a black eye and a full handprint on her shoulder. She pulled her hair up, showed a bruise around her neck, and said, "The beating is getting worse; he doesn't care about the bruises anymore.

Drew was getting heated inside because he always hated women beaters. " How long has he been doing this?

Karen looked away ashamed and cleared her throat." About seven years before you pity me, no one will believe me. Jason Smith is compelling and charming. He has all my family thinking I'm an ungrateful whore, and it's all my fault. I tried leaving several times.

Drew looked at Karen's beautiful face and said, "Karen, I feel like you're omitting something."

Karen said everything I tell you is private and off the record between old friends, right?

Yes, even if I'm not your lawyer, everything you say I will keep. Said Drew, angry and sad for his old friend

Our marriage was arranged because my parents felt their children needed wealthy men. We were already household names, but they wanted us to marry for money and status. When it was my turn, they said I wasn't going to find someone who loved me, who looked like Jason Smith, and who was as wealthy as Jason Smith anyway. I've always been the biggest and shyest of all my sisters, so I believed them.

He was always jealous and aggressive. He would slap me because his mergers fell through, or because I had sung to the fans during our performances, or because my outfits were too long, the rehearsal was too long, or the food was not cooked fast enough. After year 3, the beating got worse. Karen was telling her story while playing with her fingers nervously.

"How worse than that?" Drew braced himself for his friend's truth