BEING THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

chapter one

She covered her face to save it from another hard blow from the fist of her husband, As she scream in terror, when his left foot slammed into her chest she thought it to be the end of her life and she worried what will happen to her children, he lift his foot with his heavy work man books  kicking her hard as his might  she sail across the living room floor crashing in to the side table, she held her head and scream,
"Mom!" The two children ran to be next to  her,
"Get your ass back over there" their father said  making his way back to their mother, she manage to got up and ran into the kitchen hoping to escape, But her husband follow behind her grabbing her by her hair  throwing another hard blow to her face   sending her back on the ground, she cried out,
"Mom!"  both children squeal then  ran to the door to see their mother on the floor once again,
"Go back to the couch and sit over there" their father hoarse voice echoes in their ears once more,
"Mom!" They cried out again, pushing to get by him,
He grabbed his daughter hand getting her from the door,
"Mom!" The little girl called still want to go to her mother,
"Move" he told her
"Go baby go, I'm fine, go on" Tiana stone told her daughter,
"But mom" Rihanna Fletcher said moving towards her Mom,
"Go to your room!" Aran Fletcher said this time with more anger,
Niccane Fletcher pulled at his sister "let's go" he cried
"But I don't want to leave mom"
"I'm ok" Tiana said she struggles to get off the floor again turning to look at her husband then to the children, she wipe the blood from her swollen lips holding up her belly as she went walking to the sink, thinking it to be over and she could continue doing what he was doing,
He walk over to the door slammed it in the two children's face, walking to Tiana she back herself in the wall, "no, no, please Aran" she beg for Mercy  "I'm  sorry, I'm really sorry" she cried, apologizing for nothing for she never knew what was the cause of him beating her he just got up and started beating her, His hand came  down once  again and another hard blow to the face,
"You fucking little bitch" he slapped her, niccane and Rihanna heard the scream of their mother and rush to the door pushing on it, but it was close they couldn't  get in, they  heard things turning over and the cry of their mother their dad moaning as he send each blow, both children started crying for their mom, crying for help, banging on the door,
"Clean this fucking mess up" they heard their father's voice through his heavy breathing them more scream from their mother and more things turning over, after a while the door open and their father stood huge in the door way,
"Move!" He said pushing the boy out the way, they  both step back    and watch him walk to the  front door, he went straight out  and the sound of his bike roar to life as he started it and soon it roars out the drive way,
"Mom!"
"Mom!"
They both called out rushing to her inside the kitchen she was on the floor picking up fallen pots and pans and other utensils placing them back on the counter, niccane began to help her gather them up, 
"Mom" Rihanna said coming to her side she turn her swollen face side ways to look at it, "oh mom!" She said sobbing, "he hurt you so bad" she said
"Baby it's ok, it's ok" Tiana said taking Rihanna in her arms hugging her, niccane came to hug his mother she puts a arm around him for a while they hug.
"Is it hurting real bad?" Rihanna ask as she cleans her mother's bruises,
"Not now honey, thank you" she said getting up off the chair
"But why mom, why does he do that, what makes him hit you?" Rihanna ask
"I don't know hon but don't worry about it, it doesn't matter now" Tiana said rubbing her daughter's face,
"It matters mom you don't want this, you deserve to be happy" she sob,
"It's alright, it's alright, tell me, tell me how was your day at school?"
The little girl shrugged "Mom school was fine, I got home work" she said muffled moving from her mother moving to  towards the door,
She hate her father for doing this to her mother she didn't know what the reason was for but her mother deserve to be treated better, Rihanna couldn't wait for the day when she never saw him again, it was clear her brother share the same sentiment for he too complain only they were both too young to do anything about it,
"Ok go do your homework,  I'll fix dinner"
"Ok" Rihanna said
"Go on with your sister I'll be there soon"
They went into the study room leaving her to prepare dinner,
Half hour later Tiana checked on the kids both still getting through the home work ,
Rihanna was researching and taking notes on technology and it's resources, while niccane out lines a soccer field and label it for gym class, he was captain of the mini league soccer team and happens to be a grade 'A' student he was only seven years old but already he received two awards for excellence,
Rihanna is co captain of the cheer squad pretty much you could say she's perfect for cheerleading, she love it and enjoy it a lot Tiana always encourage her and push her, she saw them both to be talented and encourage them both, she was their biggest supporter
They were almost finished so she went back to the kitchen, she call up her best friend and talk to her, after each encounter with her husband she share with her friend she was the only person she could tell about it much as she knew it hurt her hearing it hurt her more seeing her battered and bruised, time catch up while talking and she noticed it's little past dinner hours, she was about to call her daughter when they came in,
"Can you set the table?"
She ask facing Rihanna, she look at her mother's face and her dis went for the dishes then came back, "am I to set a plate for Dad too?" She ask wishing he never had to come back home,
The words barely left her mouth when the loud roar of her father's bike came in the drive way her face twisted with a frown, it soon to die and the front door burst open,
Rihanna look at her mother then to the door as the heavy foot steps came in, he turn to look at Tiana who stood there,
She felt frighten and scared thinking he might hit her again, "finish setting the table honey" she said hoarsely and shakeingly Aran sat down soon as the plate was place on the table Tiana carefully dish on to his plate,
While dishing he kept watch, he grabbed her hand both children sat up straight looking at him, "that's enough" he said
Tiana quickly stop he let's her go and she dish for the children, she set the pot a side pull out a chair as she sat down to eat, Aran spoke, "get me a beer woman"
Tiana start getting up
"I'll get it" Rihanna said standing up,
"Sit down" her father demand, "your mother will get it" he said Tiana got up quickly going to the refrigerator to take a beer out taking it to the table, Aran look up angrily, she for got he only drink hot beers going back to get the hot one, she sat back after giving it, it was a simple dinner very quiet, so quiet they were able to hear each other threw Rihanna watch her father's pallet as it became busy to work the food down his throat,
"Are you done eating?" He ask when he discovered his daughter's watchful eyes, she shook her head nervously and start eating again,
"Boy finish that food it took hard work to pay for food around here" he said
"Yes Dad" Niccane said much as they were both full they did their best to stuff the food in, fear he would beat their mother if they didn't,
Tiana knew Aran didn't have to work hard for he has money and he own the factory where they do construction build and repair and he's always getting contract, rightly Aran must be the richest person who live on this side of fort Collins, but the problem with him his that he likes to reffed because she was just a house wife who has no other income but what he gave her,
"It's my day to do the dishes" Rihanna tried to break the tension, Aran look from her to her mother, he could careless who did the dishes long as it wasn't him, he was already providing everything they need to get on with life, he hiss loudly push out the chair then got up taking up his half bottle of beer he went to the counter to get another he left the kitchen and both children breath sigh of relief,
"Honey you know I can do the dishes" Tiana said
"Mom it's ok" she got up and started cleaning up the table,
Tiana smile and touch her face lifting her chin up wards and rub her forehead on hers,
At eleven Rihanna was a responsible child supportive and well behaved, Tiana was reminded of herself through her daughter she learn her way around like an adult, she was sure it was because of the things she had to undergo happening at home, seeing her father beats her in such a way, she didn't know why she allow him to do it she was supposed to be stronger than that, her parents had taught her how to handle her life but she wasn't handling it, she was constantly being beat and taking for granted, for she knew of his other relationship, but didn't do nothing  it was too obvious she's she was too weak, too weak  to get off the floor, too damn weak to defend herself, she couldn't even say no to the man, well he stand some very good feet over her and he was a heavy striker, how could she fight back a man like Aran
She watch her daughter try to help her but she couldn't fight against her father and niccane was too young to do nothing, he was only seven years old always trying to pull his sister away especially when it seem his father anger would turn on them,
After doing the dishes they went into the living room Aran was there sitting down with his foot on the coffee table he was still in his work boots, Tiana wishes to ask him to remove them from the table or to take those filthy shoes out the living room she has to spend hours cleaning, but could she tell him?, No! She would only be setting herself up to be beaten all over again, she sat with the kids as family times were on and before the children's bed time they always sat together to watch it, every now and then her eyes view the dirty shoes on the coffee table it's only today she clean, having the feeling he was just trying to spite her, it was like seeing it was making her body weak,
When ever Rihanna and niccane didn't have their father in the house it was more fun watching family times than when he wasn't home, they watch family times for the fun of it where they would laugh, but tonight they didn't do much laughing the show ended and Tiana got up "come on you two it's bed time" she said the two kids got up,
"Goodnight pa" they both said,
Aran look with taking his eyes off the television for only a second  both children  look at him then to  their mother,
"Let's go now" Tiana whispered  putting niccane ahead of Rihanna then walk behind them,
She tucked them in under the sheets then read a story  for them from their bed time story book, after the story ended they pray she then left them to go to sleep, before heading off to her room she make sure the place was closed up, her husband wasn't still in the living room and she wasn't sure if he went out  by she made her way to her bed room he was in bed, laying naked on his back, she saw him stroking himself,
"Close that door" his hoarse voice otter, Tiana look at him, then look at the door, she wanted to run back out and scream, "close the damn door" he said, Tiana  closed the door leaning back on it, her body trembling from fear, seeing him in such a way she knew what he's going to make her do,
"Come over here now woman" he demanded,
On shaking feet Tiana walk to him, she sat next to his feet on the bed with her hands on her lap  trying not to focus on his nakedness but he pull at her hair turning her to face him, "I want you on me woman" he said
"I have to shower" Tiana said shaking on her words as she look back at his hard manhood,
"What for if i said do it, it means before you take a shower" he told her,
Tiana fight back tears as she got out of her clothes seeing him just laying there watching her, his disgusting eyes follow her hands down as she removed her clothes, he grip his manhood in his hand as he stroke himself waiting for her to climb in bed, she crawl on the bed laying on her back, it felt like a job doing what he commanded trying to save herself from getting beat,
"Stroke it" he said taking her hand to it, "stroke it hard" she hold his manhood in her palm as she  stroke it hoping it was the way he want it,
"Hoo yeah! That's right woman" he said lifting his head to smile at her, squeeze on her breast then grab her flesh Tiana force back nervous tears , he got off his back to come on top of her push open her legs as he sank himself inside of her, he wasn't very tall in size where manhood was of concern, but thick  enough, enough to hurt her for he was tall in body heavy in weight, and strong in muscles and powerful in his strike,  he bed her in the same manner he beats her, much as she didn't want to cry, she only could cry she wasn't allowed to hug him or hold him in time like these thought she got pass the times when she wanted to she didn't care anymore she just wanted it to be over even before it begins,  she didn't want to anyway or another, as he said he didn't make love he only screw , and he always screw the hell out of her like she deserves nothing better, she grip the sheets gritting her teeth as she pray it to get over soon, it wasn't for her it was for him he came as usual, leaving her bruises, wet and messy, as always,
For a few minutes she lay there trying to breath she didn't want to think of it didn't want to think on life this way,  wishing that she could  go back and change things but it wasn't going to happen, much as  she love the two children,  she  would change who she have them with, hoping not to make the mistake of becoming pregnant for this man ever again, she hate her husband, hate her life with him hate being beat then bed, but with two children and no job it's hard leaving her husband who provides for her, the house across the street from them belongs to her it was willed to her by her parents but how could she leaves and go across the street from him to live he would haunts her, she got off the bed and walk to the shower she sank in and finally more tears started coming tears she was so tired of crying, tears she hope one day will be tears of joy, she would love to one day get her life back from this viscous man that stole it but how for she was no super woman she couldn't defend them self,
Maybe if she didn't marry him life would be so much better she wouldn't be facing this, but how could she tell he was going to beat the crap out of her each time she blinks or breath.
It was hard living that life having to be beaten then have to fullfil his needs, time after time too often it happens she was hurting herself allowing him to take advantage of her, she thought of many ways to go away from him her mind kept saying run many times but could she, what would she run to this was the life she has now and if not for her she'll have to stay for the children.
S

he has no money, no job, there wasn't a chance of her finding any she has no skills now to say she would go out looking for work, it's true that he provides for the children but what did he do for her she was holding on to thread for the house haven't been rented for some time now and it was the only other means of getting money, so she could say now the money for the children was the only income she wasn't sure when someone will call with interested to rent her place, people were looking for places more on the town side of fort Collins, she sigh wipe her swollen face, many times she thought of leaving Aran but she wasn't going to leave the children with him probably it's why she hasn't left just yet, she was sure her best friend wouldn't left her on the street but it would be unfair of her to ask her to take her  on with two children and it wasn't that she had money to help her and she has just a small job it was her husband who does most of the providing and much as she knew he wouldn't have a problem she didn't want to do it, she didn't want to burden anyone with the problems she was having much as she share with her friend for she felt if she didn't talk about it it would drive her mad.
Every morning Tiana used to walk the children down to the bus stop, today she had to trust her children to to walk there on their own, once she was like this she never wanted to be seen, she hurts seeing herself this way but having someone seeing her like this would hurt even more.