“A worthless ex-con who can't even feed herself without me. What exactly do you think gives you the right to make a scene?”
That sentence went in like a blade dipped in ice, driving straight into my chest.
“You know perfectly well why I went to prison……”
My voice shook.
Back then, Hubert had been nothing but a broke teaching assistant fresh out of college.
He'd crossed the wrong crowd and gotten cornered in an alley by a whole gang of them.
It was me who grabbed a kitchen knife, took down three of them, and dragged him out of there half-dead.
To keep it from ruining his future, I took the blame for everything and turned myself in. One year.
When I got out, the record meant no one would hire me.
Back then he'd knelt in front of me and sworn an oath.
He'd said he would take care of me for the rest of my life, that he'd never let me suffer even a little.
And now he was using “worthless ex-con” to humiliate the very woman who'd thrown away her whole life for him.
Hubert clearly realized he'd said the wrong thing.
He turned his face away, a little uncomfortable, his tone softening.
“What's the point in dredging up ancient history?”
“Whatever this is, we'll talk about it at home. Don't embarrass yourself here.”
I looked at him, my voice flat.
“If you won't sign, we can settle it in court.”
The color drained from Hubert's face in an instant.
But before he could get a word out, Roberta suddenly stood up, eyes rimmed red.
“Please, don't be upset, either of you. This is all my fault.”
“If it bothers you, I'll take Kevin and go right now. We'll never trouble you again.”
As she spoke, her tone abruptly shifted.
Her voice cracked with sudden hurt:
“But whatever you have against me, take it out on me.”
“Why would you hurt my child? He's so little. How could you bring yourself to do it?”
Every eye in the room swung toward him.
There, on Kevin's fair little face, were several bright red pinch marks.
I froze.
I had only pushed him away just now. I hadn't touched his face at all.
The unease that had just risen in Hubert flipped instantly into fury.
He glared at me, venom in his eyes.
“You animal.”
“How did I never see it before, how vicious you are!”
“I didn't hit him.” I dug my nails into my fists, my voice trembling.
“If not you, then who? He pinched himself?”
“A child that small, hurting himself just to frame you?”
Hubert let out a cold laugh, his eyes full of disgust.
“You have disappointed me beyond words.”
“For your punishment, you'll slap Roberta ten times, and we'll call it even!”
Hubert shot a look at the people around him.
Two men immediately seized my arms, one on each side.
I fought with everything I had. It made no difference.
“I'm sorry, I really don't have a choice……”
Roberta came over and offered up her fake apology.
Then she raised her hand and struck me hard across the face.
Once, and again.
She hit harder each time, her nails raking my cheek until the blood wouldn't stop.
Cynthia was sobbing her heart out beside us, throwing herself forward to pull them off me.
Hubert held her back, hard.
Ears ringing, vision spinning, I crashed to the floor, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth.
Hubert stood over me, his tone carrying a trace of weariness:
“Good, now you know your mistake.”
“Behave yourself from now on. Stop giving Roberta and her boy a hard time, and let's all get along like a family.”
With that, he draped an arm over Roberta's shoulders and left with his people, laughing and chatting as they went.
Cynthia threw herself into my arms, crying, her little body shaking hard.
Even so, she stretched out her small hand to wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth.
My daughter choked out “Daddy's bad. I don't want Daddy anymore……”
I looked at my daughter's tear-streaked little face and pulled her tight against me.
