Me, Love, & Secrets

What Did I Just Witness?

I shot up in bed, sweaty and breathless. The nightmare I'd just had seemed more than...real. I couldn't wrap my head around what I'd just seen. My mind was muddled with random thoughts of what had just happened. My phone ringing didn't register in my brain until I calmed myself down and focused on the real world.

What was my mom doing calling at four in the morning?

"Hello?" I answered.

"Your dad is looking for me," she said.

"Mama, what's going on?" I asked, alert and ready to fly back home if I needed to.

"I left him. If he calls you and asks where I am, don't tell him."

"If you don't tell me, I won't have anything to say to him. Are you in a safe place?"

"...I'm currently in Santa Barbara." Just a few minutes away from my grandparents. She must be heading there. "Even if he tries to track me from here, there are too many cell towers around to pinpoint where I was."

"But, he'll know you called me."

"He will, but you have nothing to tell him. Nothing at all. I'll buy a new phone and text you when you're up. Sorry about calling so late."

"It's fine. I'm glad you called me." I sighed and closed my eyes. "Don't do anything stupid. If he calls, I won't say a word. Nothing."

"Thank you, honey."

Our call ended there. I kept the phone to my ear like it was going to help me realize what I'd just heard. It's not hard to understand, but I've been trying to get my mom to leave my dad for so many months. Every time we would try to, he'd beat us. The police would never get involved, because he knew some of them. Us filing a complaint would only make us look like idiots. He treated us well in front of others and our neighbors would never believe he was a violent man. Strange, but not violent.

I brought my knees up and tucked my head in between them. Taking slow, deep breaths, I counted the number of times I'd dreamed of a life without my dad. Lord knows I would have been counting forever if I hadn't fallen asleep. That was good enough for me. No telling where my mind would have gone the longer I was awake.

"Ruby, Dahling," Melinda whispered in my ear. "Roberto is waiting for you downstairs. Breakfast is ready if you are."

"...I'm not hungry and I don't want to see him," I muttered into my pillow.

"Why not? You were more than happy to see him yesterday."

"That was yesterday. Today is a new day. I thought he had to work this morning."

"He does, but he said he had to see you before he left. Besides, he misses you a lot and whatever happened between the two of you doesn't need to ruin your friendship."

If you can say we're even friends anymore. Melinda finally left me alone. I wanted to stay in bed all day and pretend he didn't exist, but he was being polite while he could. Maybe a shower will get me into a talking mood. If not a shower, then food. I always loved the cook's breakfast.

But, even after showering and smelling whatever was waiting at the dining table for me, I couldn't shake the mood I was in. Roberto shouldn't be here, but there he was at the bottom of the stairs. This man is persistent. Annoying even. I bet if he had the chance, he'd kidnap me and hold me captive until I promised to go out with him. As if that would ever happen.

"You waited for me?" I asked. "Aren't you going to be late?"

"...My bosses won't mind. I promised them all breakfast, so I'll be showing up late anyway," he said. "Can we talk for a bit?"