He was so much older than she was and at 20 she thought he was everything in this world. Thomas was almost twice Phylicia’s age, of course her parents did not approve and like most young adults her parents were talking in vain. Phylicia was with Thomas since she was 17 or at least to her that’s how it was. Thomas was a contractor who came to do some work on her parents house the summer before her 18th birthday. There were guys there around her age, but that’s not what she had wanted. There was something about Thomas that set him apart from any man she had ever came in contact with even her dad.
Thomas stood in the doorway to the bedroom as Phylicia sat on the bed. He was 6′3″ 191 lbs of lean muscle. His skin the smoothest toffee and his hair the deepest brown. She looked over at him, smiled and continued to strap her heels. His dark brown eyes had always reminded her of a deer; innocent but strong, enduring. There was something about his gaze was always able to keep her captivated and at the same time put a fear in her that made her feel like without him her life was nothing. She loved this man with enough emotion she felt like the only thing capable of keeping them from each other was death.
She chose her outfit carefully wanting to stray away from the jeans and t-shirt she would normally wear. She was petite all around standing at 5′4 and still in the featherweight division but worked well with what God gave her. It was not often that she would go out without him and he did not like for her to be too many places without him.
“Phylicia, what time are you coming home?” He asked intrepidly.
“Around 11:30 or 12.” Phylicia stood up and walked over to where he was standing, cocked her head to the left and smiled. “I know you’ll miss me but try not to miss me too much I know where home is.”
He shook his head and turned around toward the kitchen. It was 8:15 p.m. and she was to meet her friends at Chili’s by 8:30. She kissed him good-bye and was gone. She returned home at 12:30 a.m. She knew that those little 30 minutes had made a big difference because she did not call. When she walked in the house shoes in hand he was sitting in the chair watching sports center. Phylicia put her things down on the end table by the door and asked him if he wanted some of her food.
“That’s what you say after you come in late and don’t call…”
That’s how the argument started. She stood in the doorway a little bruised and busted lip thinking about how dumb she was. In love with a man who although he gives her everything and anything she could possibly think she wanted he had his dark side. Her breathing heavy and her pulse racing she wanted to leave and wanted to stay. She felt like she had no where else to go if she did leave. She had left her parents house shortly after turning 19 and have not really spoke to them since then. Her friends all have places but it’s rare when she does see them. It’s not that she wanted it to be that way but more like she was slowly manipulated into believing that this man was the only person she needed in her life. Now here she is living with someone who has everything she does planned for her, someone who only allows small amounts of her time to be dedicated to her. Her idea, dreams, hopes and wants all taken down to something so small and insignificant that it seems like she cannot think for herself. As a woman she has allowed a man to break her down in the worst way.
She showered to try to relieve some of the pain in her body and crawled into bed. He was already laying in the bed and watching sports center. Phylicia lay there wondering how much longer she could continue to live like this or what would happen if they end up bringing a child into this equation and how much different life would be in either scenario. Her body was tired, her mind was tired and she felt defeated again not even a tear would pass her through the cracks of her eyes. Thomas pulled her closer to him and instantly her body tightened up. She did not want him touching her but speaking out about it would only cause further complications. She relaxed herself and instantly fell asleep within his arms. Regardless to what happens she knows that she would always love Thomas.
The sirens could be heard three blocks over. There Kaia sat sobbing in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor clutching the butcher knife not really sure about her surroundings. She knew deep down that she had really messed up and there was possibly no way that she would be able to get out of this. There were police in the room trying to figure out what exactly happened.
At 5′4, 120 lbs Kaia was what most people aren’t dedicated. Dedicated to her family, her job, beliefs, but most of all her man. There was nothing like Adan Smith. To Kaia he was the definition of the perfect man. 6′1″, slim, but well defined, decent job and loves his momma. The relationship was heading in the direction of marriage and she knew it.
“Ms. Tranoble you are going to have to let go of the knife and come with me.” Officer Bradley was trying her best to coax Kaia without causing any further damage.
“It wasn’t always like this.” At this point she dropped the knife and was lead away by Officer Bradley.
She stared out the window as she and Officer Bradley drove through the city. The same city that she not even one hour ago was just enjoying herself in. Already knowing that things change fast actually seeing how quick things changed had sent her into shock.
“It just wasn’t always like this.” The only thing that she seemed to be able to say.
“Wasn’t always like what, Kaia?” Although Officer Bradley spoke Kaia didn’t answer. “What happened back there? You know this is some mess you have gotten yourself into…”
As the officer spoke Kaia’s mind began to think back to when things were normal for her. It has only been the past year that things have begun to spin out of control. The control she has always tried so hard to maintain she seemed to watch it gradually slip out of her hands.
Kaia and Adan had known each other for years. The last year of their relationship had become the opposite of everything she knew from him. He became aggressive and abusive in every way imaginable. It was small things at first, his temper flaring when she spoke something he did not want to hear and popping up at her job in the middle of the day starting arguements. She could not figure out exactly what was wrong with him and what she was doing which she knew was nothing.
The day had finally come two months ago when he asked her to marry him. Despite the strange behavior and the treatment she had been getting she more than happily said yes. So it was set in two and a half months they were going to be married and she would become Mrs. Adan Smith. Nothing could take the high she was now on.
Together they planned a wedding that was for their closest friends and family and a honeymoon in Europe that would last for ten days. Everything in the wedding was agreed on together except for the dress. The dress that hung in the foyer closet still waiting to be unwrapped. The dress that was for the wedding on Saturday that now has turned into funeral plans.
The lights in the city blurred her vision through the tears. There was nothing to undue the pain she has caused. Nothing any one could do to take the hurt that has caused the death of her once beloved Adan.
“It would make things a lot easier if you would speak about what happened in your home tonight Ms. Tranoble. We have 15 more minutes of a car ride if you want to speak.” Officer Bradley was still talking and Kaia was to lost in thought to respond. She looked down at her blood stained clothes and began to wonder what exactly went wrong.
Kaia had been out all morning trying to get the last set of goals accomplished before the wedding. She still had to see the caterer and the florist, but that was going to have to wait until tomorrow. The sun was going down and although she had no immediate plans to return home until later she was tired and wanted to rest. She could finish up tomorrow.
She pulled into her parking spot and sat in the car for a moment going through her blackberry checking the things she had got accomplished today and seeing all what she had to do for tomorrow somewhat hoping for a light day. She gathered her belongings and began to proceed into the house. Adan was already home.
She walked in, dropped her purse on the coffee table in the front room and proceeded to the kitchen. Pouring herself some water she stopped because Kaia thought she heard a talking in the bathroom. Adan comes out of the bathroom, zipping up his pants and talking on the phone. Kaia smiled and began to drink her water. All of a sudden her teeth clanked with the glass, her head hit the cupboard and she immediatly dropped her glass.
The arguing started and she did not even understand why.
“We’re supossed to be getting married in two days and you want to run around like some tramp!” His face was distorted with anger. “I’m not going to marry some slut!”
He did not know it, but his words hurt her and stung like salt in an open wound. The pain in her eyes he could not have seen because he proceeded to call her everything he could think of, but a child of God. All the thoughts of everything she had been going through with him for the past 4 months was beginning to take it’s toll on her. He slapped her, choked her and shoved her around. They screamed and she cried.
“I can’t take this any more and you don’t have to worry about marrying me or what I’m doing any more because I want you out!” With those words she threw the half carat diamond ring at him and began to walk back into the kitchen. “You need to start packing your stuff and leave before I call the police and have you escorted away.”
“You think that it’s that easy? You think that you can just stand there and say that you don’t want to be with me any more and that’s just going to be the end of it? That you’re going to throw away a relationship because you don’t know how to act?!” Adan pushed her into the counter.
That was it, she spun around knife in hand and allows the cool blade to sink into abdomen stepping closer to him pushing it deeper inside. She began to cry. Her emotions running at top speed racing through all of them at once, hurt, anger and frustration. She was tired of being pushed around by someone who claimed that they loved her so much. A man who said he was devoted to her and only her stood there looking more shocked than hurt.
“You just don’t get the point do you?” She rammed the knife into his side. “Someone who claims that they love someone so much has become such a monster and feels that it’s his right to talk to someone any kind of way?” She began to slide the knife out and pull it to the side making what looked like the start of a smile across his stomach.
“Can’t move can you?” The blood began to flow steady from the incision that she was making. “Don’t ever stop to think that I have feelings too? where are you getting this shit that you are coming to me from? Are you producing little tete-a-tete’s in your head with me and some man that makes you look like the devil’s advocate?”
Kaia pulled the knife out and Adan fell to the floor. “You crazy stupid bitch! You’re ass better be in a running mood because I’m going to do to you what you couldn’t do to me.” He was beginning to get up from the floor balancing on the counter to keep from slipping in the blood. He had lost a substantial amount of blood and the color was beginning to drain from his face. When he regained his balance he was trying to get Kaia. She found the knife in his chest before she knew it. He released the counter and went to the floor.
Kaia let out a scream that even she thought came from somewhere else. She pulled the knife out of his chest and stood there watching him bleed. Paralyzed with fear she could not move. Someone should be calling 911 a voice kept saying in her head. She still doesn’t know who did.
