Ventura, California
Emme
“Thanks for such a good night girls. I needed this bad!”
I was sitting in the front passenger’s seat of Monroe’s SUV on a Friday night headed back to my house. Monroe was driving; Nikki and Charley were in the backseat. My girls had just taken me out for my twenty-fourth birthday celebration.
Today was not my birthday, though. My actual birthday was going to be next week. Today was simply the only day that I would be able to safely escape to thoroughly enjoy a night out with my three best friends in the whole world.
Seth, my boyfriend for the last eight years, left three days ago to go out of town on a business trip. Yes, I’ve been with Seth since I was sixteen, which sadly, feels like a lifetime. I often found myself reminiscing about the early days of our relationship when we were so in love. But oh, how things have changed. Now I need to prolong a night out with my friends for days or weeks at a time because I can’t get away. Because if I dare to leave the house for anything other than work when Seth is home, I’ll pay for it.
“We love you, Em. We’d never let your birthday pass without a celebration…even if we have to do it in secret,” Monroe said.
“Yeah, but it’s awful that we need to wait until he’s not around so we can spend time with you,” Charley chimed in.
My friends knew that things had changed in my relationship with Seth. I didn’t exactly share how bad it had become with them, but they knew enough to know that they didn’t like him very much anymore. Their opinions of him would drastically change if they knew everything.
I sighed. “I know, but can we not talk about this now? I’ve got a mere five minutes left with you three. Can we please have this end on a happy note?”
Nikki spoke. “So, is it just me or did anyone else think that Miss Monroe was a bit harsh with Mr. Blue Eyes tonight?”
“Oh, come on. I’m a sucker for a pair of baby blues, but I just wasn’t into him,” Monroe retorted.
Charley then said, “I’ve got to agree with Monroe on this one. She’s something special and has every right to be picky.”
“I’m just saying, you aren’t going to find a good one if you don’t give any of them a chance,” Nikki said.
And just like that, Nikki managed to turn the conversation away from my current relationship. I looked back at her as Monroe began to protest Nikki’s statement. I mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her and she gave me a quick wink. I know she wasn’t thrilled with my relationship with Seth either, but she also cared enough about me to respect my choice. If only it were my choice anymore.
Two minutes later, we pulled up in front of my house.
“You sure you don’t want to stay at my place tonight, Emme?” Monroe asked.
“I’m sure. Thanks again for the fun tonight. I’ll call tomorrow. Love you girls,” I said.
“Love you, Em. Happy Birthday!” I heard Charley yell from the backseat.
Monroe and Nikki both wished me a happy birthday again as I closed the car door and turned to walk up to the house. I pulled out my key, put it into the lock, turned to wave to the girls, and pushed open my front door. After I walked through the open doorway, I closed the door and flipped the deadbolt.
Shower and bed. In that order. I had two more nights alone before Seth returned and I intended to enjoy them fully. I walked up the steps and went down the hall to the bedroom. As soon as I stepped inside the room I stopped dead in my tracks. Seth was standing about five feet away from me. I took a step back, shocked to see him there. Shit.
“It seems as though my instincts were right,” he seethed.
I said nothing. I knew that would put me in no better position.
“Knew you couldn’t be trusted. Purposely told you I had a meeting on Monday morning and wouldn’t be coming home until Monday night just so I could come back early and confirm what I knew to be true.” He paused a moment looking me up and down, a look of disgust in his eyes, before continuing. “Look at you. Dressed like a whore. What were you doing, Emily? You think you’re going to find someone else and leave me?”
“I’m sorry, Seth. The girls wanted to take me out for my birthday. I haven’t seen them in such a long time and I really missed them. I’m sorry,” I said as my entire body tensed in anticipation of what I knew was coming.
“Did you think you could go and I wouldn’t find out?” he asked as he took a couple steps closer to me.
“I swear, Seth. We just went out for dinner and drinks. I was only with the girls,” I answered, my stomach tightening.
“You lying bitch! You think you can leave me?” he roared as he leaned into me.
I shook my head.
And that was when Seth struck. His fist came up and cracked my jaw. My body jerked back and my hands came up to shield my face from any further blows. He punched me in the stomach and I immediately moved my hands over my stomach. He clocked me again in my face. This time, he hit me in my right eye. I tried to protect my face, but he struck again splitting my lip open. When my hands moved to my mouth, he came at me from the other side and punched me in the left eye. I bent over trying to protect my face; so, he grabbed me by my hair and threw me to the ground. Seth stood in front of me and repeatedly kicked me in the stomach before he moved behind my back and kicked my ribs. This was the worst I’d ever experienced his rage. I wanted to scream from the intense pain I was feeling, but I couldn’t. I could barely breathe.
“Stupid fucking whore! You are mine,” he yelled as his kicks moved from my ribs to my lower back. The pain was unbearable and I was certain I would die.
Incredibly, after what felt like hours, he stopped. I could only see clearly out of one eye as my other was already beginning to swell, but I saw him walk toward the dresser and then he moved to the door to the bedroom. As he walked out of the room he said, “Waste of my fucking time.”
I stayed put, fear having taken over me. I hoped he would leave, but knew better than to expect that that would happen. Instead, he made his way down the hallway into the bathroom. I heard the water in the shower turn on. I waited a few minutes and listened, making sure that he was actually in the shower before I moved.
It was in that moment I made a decision. Despite the excruciating pain radiating through my body, I knew I had to get up and get help. I crawled over to my purse which had fallen on the floor just inside the bedroom doorway. I pulled my phone out of the purse and called the only person I knew who was close enough and could help me.
The phone rang once before I heard, “Hey, Em. What’s up?”
“Taj.” I barely squeaked out.
“Emme? You ok?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
“Please help. He’s going to kill me.”
“Who, baby girl? Where are you?” he asked, now on alert.
“Seth. He came home early. The girls just dropped me off,” I paused to pull in a breath, then continued. “I need to get to a hospital, Taj. Please.”
“Stay with me, Em. I’m already on my way.”
“I can’t,” I winced, attempting to breathe. “He’s in the shower now. He’ll be out soon.”
“Two minutes, baby girl. I’ll be there in two minutes.”
“I have to go, Taj. There’s a key under the flower pot next to the stoop.”
I disconnected the call and put the phone back in my purse. I didn’t have the strength to move from the spot I was curled up in on the floor.
Even though it felt like an eternity I’m certain it was less than two minutes later when I heard the front door open. Thankfully, Seth was still in the shower. I heard Taj’s footsteps as he quickly climbed the stairs. He made it into the bedroom, looked at me, clenched his fists and jaw, and murmured, “Motherfucker.”
“Taj,” I whispered from the floor.
I heard the water turn off in the shower.
He bent down and picked me up off the floor. My body screamed in agony at the movements.
“I’m sorry, Emme. We’ve got to get you out of here.”
“Thank you, Taj,” I said as he began walking towards the stairs.
The bathroom door opened and Seth stepped out to find me in Taj’s arms. I felt Taj’s fingertips dig into my skin ever so slightly.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Seth demanded.
Taj ignored Seth, quickly moved around him, using his body to shield mine, and carried me down the steps. After he descended the stairs, Taj walked out the front door and brought me to his Jeep. He opened the car door and put me in on the passenger’s seat.
“Be back, Em.”
“Taj, he’s not worth it. Come on,” I pleaded.
“Emme, I’ll be right back. Use my phone and call the police. This motherfucker is not getting away with this shit.”
I located his phone in the center console and called the police. I gave them my address and explained what had happened. They had units on the way.
And that was when I heard it. The gunfire. I froze in the seat willing Taj to walk out the front door. As the seconds ticked by and he didn’t come out I decided to go back in. I began to climb out of the car. I winced in pain with each step I took. I finally made it to the front stoop. Hunched over, I pushed the door open and walked back into the house. I looked up as I stepped inside and lost it at what I saw.
“Oh, God. No! Taj,” I managed to yell somehow. Taj was lying on the floor in my living room with blood pouring out of his body. I made my way over to him and crouched over him. I framed his face in my hands. “Taj, please. Oh, God. I’m so sorry.”
“Tell Charley I love her,” he whispered. “Tell her I’ll always be with her and that she’ll never be alone.”
“No, Taj. Don’t you dare. You stay with me,” I cried as I took his hand in mine.
“Get safe, baby girl. Go get safe,” he managed to whisper through his short, quick breaths.
I stayed right by his side, curled up next to him because I couldn’t move anyway, and I felt the life leave his body. Tears streamed down my face as I heard the sirens approaching. I heard the back door to the house slam. I assumed that was Seth running, but I wasn’t going to leave Taj. The front door finally opened. Two officers made their way over to me. Several others followed behind them. I heard lots of orders being barked by the officers, but I didn’t pay much attention. I felt one of the officers wrap his hands around my shoulders. I tensed.
“Not going to hurt you, darling. You’ve got to get up so we can help him. We have to do that even if he’s responsible for what happened to you,” the officer said.
“He saved me,” I whispered.
“Come again?”
“I called him to come get me and take me to the hospital.” I pointed to my body and face and said, “My boyfriend did this to me. Taj saved me. He died so he could save me. Oh God. What will I tell Charley?”
“Who’s Charley, darling?” the officer asked.
“My best friend. She’s never going to forgive me. This is her brother,” I said as I kept my face pressed to Taj’s chest and my breathing became rapid. “I killed my best friend’s brother.”
“She’s going into shock,” I heard one officer yell out to whoever else was in the room.
I suddenly felt very tired.
Exhaustion came over me and everything went black.