Good Girl

It feels like we spend the rest of the meal in silence. At least me and Eden are because Terri is talking away, telling stories about her work. I listen as much as I can, make a few comments here and there but my attention is on her.

On Eden.

She’s not looking at me. She won’t look at me even once.

I know I shouldn’t have said it. I know I should have kept my opinions to myself but it does make sense. It makes a lot of sense. Besides if she goes, then perhaps this incessant want for her might go too.

I can see her arm’s already bruising. I can see where that boy’s fingers pressed into her skin and I feel a flash of anger that he had the nerve to do that. If his dad wasn’t who he was I’d drag the piece of shit out right now and beat him to a pulp.

When the meal’s done I pay the bill and we get a taxi home. I wasn’t planning on drinking but being sat there with Eden in front of me and her mother beside me I needed something to steady my nerves. Besides Terri drinks enough to not make any comments.

Terri gets in the front and I sit in the back beside her daughter. My stepdaughter.

She stares out the window. Tilting her body so that her back is angled towards me.

I can still make out the bruise.

“Has he done that before?” I ask quietly.

“Done what?” She says glancing back.

“Grabbed you, hurt you?”

She narrows her eyes. “What do you care?” She half whispers. She’s so angry right now and I don’t even understand where it’s all coming from.

“I care Eden.”

“Then why are you sending me away?”

“I’m not.” I reply glancing to where her mother is sat, only she’s drunk so much she’s half dozing and is blissfully unaware of this conversation.

“Yes you are. You said it would be for the best.”

“Eden. I have to protect you.”

“Is that what you were doing before?” She asks. “Protecting me?”

“Fuck.” I growl and I feel the taxi driver glance to look at me in the rear-view mirror.

I shake my head, hold my tongue. I can’t say anything more right now even if I wanted to because we’ve got another person hearing all of this and I’m a big enough player in this city for any indiscretion to be front page news.

We pull up by the house. Terri wakes up as we come to a stop and I help her get inside. I don’t look back at Eden but I know she’s behind us, walking slowly, as if she’s on her way to her own execution.

I half carry my wife in, cursing her drinking habits and making a note of raising it with her again. When she’s undressed, when she’s in bed, I leave her to it. She can sleep it off, snore it off while I sleep in the spare room.

I head to the kitchen for a nightcap.

“If he’d hit me, if he’d really hurt me would you have done something?” Eden asks and I jump because I didn’t realise she was there. Sat in the darkness. Brooding.

“Of course I would.” I say. “And he did hurt you. You’ve got bruises.”

She shakes her head. “You’re full of shit.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are. You act like you have my best interests at heart but you don’t give a fuck what I want.” She snaps back slamming her fists into my chest before I can stop her.

“Eden.” I growl, grabbing her hands.

“Don’t touch me.” She says pulling away. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me.”

“What do you want from me?” I ask and she stumbles back slightly, as if she’s drunk too, only she’s not had a drop of alcohol.

“You know what I want.” She half whispers before leaving the room. Running to her own.

And as I watch her shadow disappear, I so desperately want to follow her.