He’s so full of shit. His car was on our drive when I left last night. He’d driven home from wherever he’d been in the state he was in. I shake my head, my mouth still hanging open. My skin tingles. I’m not sure if I’m in shock or just nervous at the sound of his voice. This entire situation is surreal. I’m listening to my husband tell blatant lies about me to one of my best friends.
“Okay. Has she got her phone with her?”
“I think so, but she’s not picking up. I’ve called and messaged. I’m getting worried, Jo.”
“She left on foot at three in the morning, and you’ve not heard from her since? I’m worried too. Have you tried Jemma and Lou?”
“Yeah, I’ve tried both of them.”
“Jay, I think you need to call the police.”
“I’ll keep ringing around. She might’ve called her mum or sister to pick her up. I’ll give them a try. If you hear from her, will you call me please?”
“I think that’s highly unlikely. Why would she wake them up in the middle of the night when she could just come here? That doesn’t make sense. I’m worried, Jay, I really think you should consider reporting this to the police.” Jo rolls her eyes as she talks, knowing full well that’s not what he’s going to do.
“Yeah, I’ll try her mum and sister first, then I’ll do that. Call me if you hear from her. I just need to know she’s safe.”
“Of course, but can you do the same? I’m really worried about her.”
“Yeah, me too, and I will do.”
Jay ends the call. I watch Jo stare down at her phone for a moment before looking up at me.
“I can’t believe the man I just spoke to is the man who did this to you.” She gestures with her head towards me as she speaks, “Do you think it’s a mental health thing?”
Shaking my head, I feel my lips start to tremble as my nose tingles. I really don’t want to cry anymore. I’m getting on my own last nerve with all the crying.
“I honestly don’t know. It’s been going on for almost a year but has really escalated the last few months. I’ve tried talking to him, I booked weekends away for just me and him, and for his birthday, I surprised him with a golfing weekend away for him and four mates.” I shrug. “I don’t know Jo; I just don’t know. It’s not just the violence, it’s the things he says, the names he calls me. It’s like he hates me, despises me. But I have absolutely no idea why.”
Jo’s phone rattles from where she set it down on the counter and I almost fall backwards off the stool. Holding the palm of my hand against my chest, I attempt to calm my erratically beating heart.
“Hey,” Jo aims a raised brow smile my way as she answers. “Yep, she’s right here.”
I attempt to screw up my face in confusion as she hands me the phone, but it hurts so I take it from her. My battered heart that I’d managed to settle does the opposite when I see the name displayed on the screen.
“Shit,” I whisper-hiss before answering.
“Hey,” I narrow my gaze on Jo, and shake my head as I speak.
The bitch winks at me.
“Hey. You okay?” Gabe’s voice sounds down the phone with a worried edge to it.
Again—and not because the sound of his voice does things to me—I forget about my injuries and frown, which hurts my puffy eye, making me wince instead.
“Yeah. . . Why wouldn’t I be okay?” I question. Panicking for a moment that Jo might have called him and told him what happened when I got home last night.
“What’s he want?” Jo whispers from beside me. “Put him on speaker, I want to hear.” I give her my middle finger and turn my back.
“You at Jo’s already?” Gabe asks, ignoring my question.
“Yeah,” is my short reply. I’m probably sounding like an absolute bitch, but I just don’t have a conversation in me right now. Nor am I ready to admit that I was wrong and everyone else was right and I shouldn’t have gone home last night.
“So, you got it all done and moved out okay?” There’s a short pause as he waits for my answer, but I’m unsure of what to say, and he continues before I can get my brain into gear.
“Look, I know it’s none of my business, and I don’t know what it is exactly that you’ve got going on, and I get we don’t know each other, but I meant what I said, if there’s anything you need help with, just shout, and I’m there.”
“I’m good, but thanks.” I let out a long slow breath and give my head a shake as I inwardly cringe at my response. “Sorry, didn’t mean to sound snappy, I’m just tired.”
Jo moves into my line of sight, clicks her finger, raises her brows, holds her palms up, and shrugs, waiting on my response to her earlier demands.
‘Fuck off,’ I mouth.
“Ohhhh. Interesting. You don’t want me listening?” This time she doesn’t bother to whisper.
Ignoring both my apology and Jo’s comment, he continues, “Listen, I got everything done I needed to this morning, and if you’re all set at Jo’s, I wondered if you’d like to come and have a look at this unit we’ve got coming up for rent. . . If you’re still looking?”
I remain silent as I try to think of an excuse, but my exhausted, battle-weary brain has nothing.
“I. . . yeah. I’m still looking, but I’m sorry, I’m not going to be able to make it work today.”
“Tomorrow then? I can text you the address and meet you there around. . .”
“Gabe, look. This is really good of you, but right now, I can’t. I need to find work and just generally get my shit together before I can even consider taking on a rental.”
A menagerie of birds, bats, and butterflies all flapping their wings at once replaces the hollowness in my chest and belly as I start to panic at how much I really do need to organise.
“Look, you need somewhere to live. We can work something out with the rent, it’s honestly not a problem.”
Overwhelmed and exhausted, I’m done with the back and forth and let out a long sigh before responding.
“Again, thanks, but I’m not looking for a handout or any other kind of charity. When I’ve got my life in some kind of order, I’ll be in touch, but that’s not likely to be any time soon,” I bite out.
Leaning forward, I rest my forehead on Jo’s granite benchtop, and almost bang it against the surface before remembering it’s broken and glued together.
I don’t know why I’m being so horrible to him. Even as I’m saying the words and using the tone I’m using I know it’s arseholish of me. He’s been nothing but nice, and here I am being a total bitch.
“Okay. Well, no worries then, Lauren. . .”
I’m knocked sideways and again nearly come off my stool as Jo snatches the phone from my hand.
“Gabe? It’s Jo again, can I call you back? Lauren is definitely interested in the place you have for rent, and we’ll be looking at it soon. Call you back, bye.”
I’m in pain, and can barely keep my eyes open, my mouth on the other hand just hangs there gapping.
“What?” Jo asks but doesn’t wait for an answer. “You need somewhere to live, he has a place to rent, he’s obviously into you, and who wouldn’t want him as a landlord? I’ll go and have a look at the unit for you if you don’t want to go.”