The Cross's Curse

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

The Night He Ruined My Life  

"If you're going to report him, you better do it before I try to stop you."  

"Why would you stop me?" 

"He's still my father, even if he deserves to go to jail." 

"Let's eat and then we'll see about that call, okay?" 

"Okay." 

Our dinner was mostly quiet. The sound of shattering glass or a scream filled the room every now and then. It had been like this for months. When Dad lost his job, he found a companion at the bottom of a bottle of Jack and enemies in Momma and me. I remembered the first Friday night he came home like this.

I was playing one of my favorite songs when Dad walked in.  

"Mary,where are you?"  

"In the kitchen. What's going on Evron?" 

"I got laid off." 

"What? You're their best worker, why would they do that to you?" she asked worriedly.  

"I don't know! If I knew I would still have my job and not my last paycheck!" he roared.  

"I'll put in some extra hours at the shop and raise charges on the Square."  

"I don't care what you do. I'm going out." 

He came home a few hours later, drunk and angry. 

He found my mom in the living room and punched her in front of me. I hit him on his shoulder in an effort to help my mom. He slapped me hard enough to draw blood. That was the night he ruined my life.

"Lucy, I'm about to go call. If you don't want me to call speak now or forever hold your tongue."  

"Peace. The words are speak now or forever hold your peace." 

"That word means nothing to me," he spat venomously.  

"Well most people don't ask for a war!"  

He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked at him. He resembled an angel in pain. Pain that I caused.  

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you," he amended.  

"I shouldn't have yelled at you." I started to clean up the table.  

"Thank you." 

"Call them. I'll be in and out of here, so I can honestly say I had no idea you were calling them."  

"Are you sure? Whatever you say could help y'all's case against him."  

"I'll testify against him in court, isn't that enough?" 

"It should be, but it may not be. We'll just have to wait it out and see."  

"There's a phone in here and in the parlor. I suggest using the one in the parlor or your personal phone."  

"Remember to call Madame Liz in about five minutes."  

"Are you done?" I asked, grabbing his half-eaten piece of chicken.  

"Yeah," he said as he dialed 911.  

I picked it up and threw it away. After doing the same with mine, I started cleaning up the dining room. I watched him as he talked with the police. His voice was low and commanding, yet panicked and urgent. 

"Domestic abuse of both mother and daughter." 

Pause.  

"Yes. The father's an alcoholic and is currently abusing his wife." 

Pause.  

"We're at 713 Melpomene. Get here as fast as you can,"he said as he slammed the phone down and walked towards me.  

As soon as the tears fell, he pulled me into a tight bear hug. His warm arms screaming home.  

"It's okay baby; they're on their way. You and your mom are going to be safe soon." 

"Aunt Liz is outside. She knows what to do, right?"  

"Of course she does, you just need to be calm when she walks in," he said soothingly.  

I struggled to get out of his arms. How could I find comfort while my mom was in pain? He let me go and I saw the hurt in his eyes.  

"I don't understand. She won't leave him. If he's in jail, she'll visit. If he ends up in the hospital, she'll stay there overnight. She still loves him after all he's done to us." 

"Well baby, love has a dark side too. Your parents promised each other to stay faithful to each other through darkness and light, and that's what your mamma's doing."

"Aunt Liz," I gave her a quick hug. "He was throwing bottles and I heard the whip often."  

She nodded, but I knew she was furious. She looked at Salem with a look I couldn't decipher. He saw her staring and moved closer to me, almost protectively. She didn't look surprised, in fact, she smirked as if it was a joke.  

"Angel Boy," he became rigid. "What do I owe the pleasure?" 

"The pleasure is all mine Madame Liz," he said, deathly calm.  

"There's no need for formalities. Call me Liz."  

"We can talk after Ms. Marie has been cared for. The police are just about here to arrest him." 

"Good, I'll go get her and start cleaning her up. Lucy, you stay in here with Angel Boy."  

"Yes ma'am."  

I went to the piano. The haunting melody was stuck in my head, but I couldn't play. Salem noticed and came sit on the bench with me. He massaged my hands until I feel them again.  

"Thank you. That usually doesn't happen. Do you want to hear a song?" 

"I'd love to." 

After humming it to myself for a minute, I began to play. It reminded me of an old depressing country song and the Phantom of the Opera. 

"Lucy stop," he cried in anguish.  

"Salem, what's wrong?" 

He moved away from me and sat on the couch. I could hear my mom and Aunt Liz talking, hopefully about a divorce. Thankfully, my dad was still sleeping off the booze.  

"Where did you hear that song?" 

"I know it sounds crazy, but I heard it in my head." 

"It doesn't, it makes perfect sense. She would do something like that," he sighed. 

"Who's she?" 

"It doesn't matter. Are you ready to watch someone get arrested?"  

"I live in New Orleans, people are always getting arrested. The only difference is that I'm about to know how it feels."