Who Are You?

IV

Aria, ever the Mommy's girl, timidly walked across the room and to where Stevie was sitting on the floor, her hands covering her face, as she sobbed almost feeling physical pain from how her body was shaking. Aria knelt in front of her mother and pulled her hands away, but Stevie hung her head low, not wanting her daughter to witness the tears, although it was pointless. 

"Mommy, don't cry." The girl crawled into Stevie's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, sweet girl." She replied, hugging her daughter close. 

"Did Daddy make you this upset?" 

"It doesn't matter, sweetie, you don't have to worry about it." She rocked Aria, holding her like a baby, leaning to press a kiss on her little forehead. It didn't take long before Mabel came to join her sister in trying to calm their mother down. Stevie never wanted to seem weak to her girls, so she willed herself to stop crying and managed to get both her daughters to sit in her lap, as they stayed like that for a good while, before she realized it was definitely past the girl's bedtime. "Come on, you two. Let's get you to bed."

Stevie sat in the rocking chair in the girls room, from when they were just babies, while Aria and Mabel put on their pajamas. They got into their beds and Stevie tucked them in, kissing both girls and bid them goodnight. She closed the door on her way out and headed to her own bedroom. 

She was so exhausted from what had happened an hour or so ago, she skipped her nightly routine of creams and skin moisturizers, instead she stepped into the shower to wash the sweat off herself, then put on her nightgown and got under the covers as well. 

Just like Stevie thought, sleep didn't come easy to her. How could it? She threw the man, she called her husband for years, out of her home. David had lied so much to her, about everything really. He knew it all, but he kept it to himself, because of his sickeningly possessive nature. Now it was obvious to her why he was acting so weird, asking her not to leave him repeatedly. She said she wouldn't but that was until Lindsey told her who Dave truly was. Cheating? It hurt, but if she really loved him, she could forgive him. Drinking? Well... he didn't drink anymore. But violence? What kind of man beats a woman? A woman, whom he claims to be in love with? And she was pregnant too... she lost a baby, because of how horrible he was.

The only reason she fell asleep, was because she was so tired from crying. She didn't know if she drifted off right away or was it hours that she spent thinking. But her sleep got disturbed not long after, as she heard footsteps, coming towards the room she was in. It couldn't have been Aria or Mabel, they were heavy and her heart started racing. It was David, she knew it was, but she had no idea of what his intentions were...

Stevie pretended to be asleep, when the door of the bedroom opened. She clutched the covers in her fists, as she felt him coming closer. He knelt in front of her face and caressed it with the palm of his hand. She smelt alcohol on his breath and that frightened her all the more. 

"Leave, Dave. I told you everything I wanted to tell you."

"I'm not going to leave, I came to fix things between us, baby." She felt physically sick hearing him call her that, but she didn't say anything, only inched away from him. "Why are you being like this? Some old boyfriend comes in, running his mouth and you're throwing me out?"

"But you didn't even try to deny everything he said."

"I was wrong, I admit it, but I want things to be different from now on. I know you love me, too. We can be happy if we look past all of it."

"What in the hell is wrong with you, Dave? How can I look past it? Those things you did to me?! You lied about everything, you wanted me to think you're the sweetest caring man, which you are not. I don't want to talk to you, I am not going to forgive you and I certainly am not going to let you move back in."

"Steph, I love you, don't you hear me?" The grip he had on her hair tightened, making her wince. "Let me show you how much, babe. Let me make you feel it."

"I don't want to. We're done, accept that this circus is over. Over!"

He got angry in an instant, pulling the covers away from her body, as he climbed onto the bed. "You made me do this!"

He pinned her hands above her head and attacked her mouth with his own, roughly kissing her if it could be called that, his free hand roaming her almost naked body. 

"Don't, please..." She begged, her eyes full of tears already. "If you love me at all, don't do this, Dave."

But he didn't listen, as he kicked off his shoes and unfastened his belt, his fingers moving to undo the button and the zipper. She just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, as the tears escaped her eyes. 

"It's going to feel so good, baby, you're gonna love it." He rambled, biting and licking her exposed flesh. He gathered the material of her nightie around her waist and struggled to spread her legs, that she was fighting so hard to keep together. "What do you want me to do, huh? I'm just a bedroom kind of guy, is that who I am? What do you want me to do to excite you?" He was mocking her, making her cry harder, as he thrust two fingers inside her. She whimpered and definitely not from pleasure. "You can't be this dry if we're going to make love." He felt that she had lost all her fight and let her hands free, as he got lower, his mouth against her center. "Is this what you want me to do?" She just kept silent, as he leaned closer and did everything, what done with love and care would have had her climbing up the walls and now she felt awkward and uncomfortable. "Are you ready now for me, honey, mm?" She wasn't, far from it, but did he care? No. 

She cried out in pain, as he began pushing himself into her over and over again. She didn't feel anything, she simply wished for it to be over already, as it hurt and made her feel used, taken advantage of.

She felt him tense up and let go in a matter of minutes, as he was careless and drunk enough to empty himself within her...

He rolled off her and onto his side, falling asleep almost immediately. She had no strength in her to fight him again and somehow make him leave. Quietly, she got out of the bed and tip toed out of the room and into the living area, where she had left behind the piece of paper with Lindsey's number written on it. 

She didn't care what ungodly hour of the morning it was, she dialed the number and hoped he would pick up. 

"Hello?" He sounded groggy, had to be asleep.

"Is this Lindsey?"

"Yes. Stevie?" He expected her to call, but not so soon.

"Mhm." She cried. "Lindsey, help me..."

"I'm on my way."