Back in the 80's

Prologue

"I swear to god Katie, if you don't stop talking about this shit, I'll surely do something I'll-"

OK. Let's stop this here. The image that started to appear in your head can freeze in the middle of this harsh sentence. Like in the movies, you can see a man in his late twenties wearing a somewhat funny expression but know that the situation in not laughable, at all.

This charming man still in his banker costume – that makes him feel power which doesn't exist – was my fiancé, Liam. Continue imagining an angry face and add a single vein crossing the man's forehead that looks ready to pop. Still frozen in the middle of his sentence, remember.

The person sitting just on the other side of the dining table facing him, was me. Katie. The woman that was supposed to marry Liam just months later. Two to be precise.

Now. In that – charming no doubt – head of yours, the woman simply sitting has her cutlery in hand. Her forearms are resting on the side of the table, not moving. Traveling up, you can see that she's wearing a dark and classy dress, the neckline so high that it almost chokes her. Very different from the sweats and sportsbra she was wearing in the morning.

Her gaze is still and her expression blank, nothing going past it. She's just looking ahead of her. To her fiancé. I'm looking at him absentmindedly until-

"I swear to god Katie, if you don't stop talking about this shit, I'll surely do something I'll regret later." Liam's furious gaze traveled to the little bundle of joy him and I had conceived almost three years earlier. Leo looked up from the chicken fingers he was eating – more like sucking on but whatever. His innocent blue eyes were staring from me to his father in question and tipped his head to the side.

Fortunately for him, he couldn't hear his parents arguing more and more as time passed. Leo was born completely deaf, and Liam couldn't help but blame me stating that 'I couldn't even give him a normal baby' just minutes after our son's first cries had echoed through the delivery room.

Now his delirious eyes were headed towards my baby and the first thought that came to mind made me stand up and scoop Leo in my arms so fast that a little shocked gasp escaped from his mouth and the half-eaten chicken finger fell from his hands and onto the floor, staining the carpet.

"Don't even think about it, Liam. Leo did nothing wrong and you know it perfectly well." I spoke calmly, waiting for my fiancé to cool down, this was an all too familiar scenario to me. The dangerous look was usually pointed at me and the times he did act on his words were very few, but I was counting the days.

Immediately, at my words, the fury disappeared from Liam's eyes and regret took its place in the brown irises I had learned to love so much. He tried to approach towards me and our son but my arms only tucked Leo's head further into my shoulder and my feet acted on instinct by stepping back.

"I'm sorry baby, I don't know what came over me. It's just you wouldn't stop talking about all this crazy shit," He stopped and took his head in his hands, when he looked up tears pooled his eyes, "Why didn't you stop, honey? Why didn't you just fucking stop talking?" His eyes tried to catch a glimpse of Leo's face but I didn't let him, "I could've done real damage there, Kat, you're aware of it, right?"

Not gathering the strength, once again to stand up to him, I merely nodded without saying anything else. Soft sighs sounding from Leo's mouth let me know that he had fallen asleep in my arms. I kissed the crown of his head, letting my lips linger on his hair a little longer before turning my back to Liam and heading towards the sleeping quarters.

-

After tucking Leo in bed and succeeding in not waking him up – which was very hard during the brushing of his teeth – I rejoined the bedroom Liam and I shared.

He was already under the comforter and reading something on his phone, not that I was very interested in what he was doing after what he pulled during dinner. I put a straight face on and crossed the room to the bathroom attached. I prepared myself for bed and no word was exchanged between the two of us. I changed into my pajamas and for once I didn't feel obligated to wear those uncomfortable piece of lingerie to please Liam – even though he made me feel guilty to get me to wear them – and frankly, he got what he deserved.

When I couldn't push the moment to go to bed any longer, I got under the covers and searched some warmth with my feet but found none. Nothing reassuring was held in this cold bedroom, I could only hope the morning would come faster.

I turned off the lamp on my side and shortly after Liam turned off his, leaving the room in complete darkness. Liam being his very understanding self snaked his arms around my waist and pressed his chest against my back. The action only made me stiffen, so much that my back started to hurt.

"I'm so sorry for earlier baby, but... you just couldn't stop talking. For once, you could've fucking stopped." Liam whispered in my ear. His words sliced through me, like always. And I felt like a child being scolded, I felt pathetic.

I fought hard to keep a sniffle at bay but the stray tear that rolled down my cheek to meet my mouth couldn't be held. The salty taste was becoming all too familiar these days, I noticed.

Liam kept going, completely oblivious to my state, "You see where that rebellious act of yours led us, Leo could've gotten hurt, all because of you."

I greeted my teeth of hard that they hurt. But I wouldn't let Liam see me cry, not anymore. I closed my eyes and even though my lashes were wet and made it uncomfortable, I tried to find a much needed sleep that wouldn't come.