Violent Things

Hollis

The wayhis fingernails dug into the flesh of my hand as he drove the few miles toward the beach made me nervous.

Bates was holding in his anger as best he could, and no matter how many smiles he gave me, I knew nothing would be able to sway it unless I told him where I knew that animal from.

Jealousy was what led him to kill my brother.

He came into my home and found another man there that he didn’t know. It blinded him with rage, and he murdered the only other man that ever understood and loved me unconditionally.

A sin I was able to forgive almost immediately because it proved to me that Bates would never let another man put their hands on me again.

Bates Murphy; the conquering hero with cracks in his armor that he’d been desperately trying to mend since that fateful moment and before.

“You’re hurting me,” I state softly.

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” he replied with a nervous chuckle as he eased his grip slightly.

“It’s okay,” I told him as I glanced out of the passenger side window again.

Bates cleared his throat as he eased the car to a stop at the next intersection. A few moments later, I’m jolted forward when he pressed down on the gas pedal.

I don’t look at him though.

His anger has always been something that’s rare to see and even harder to get him to let go of once it descends on him.

A few more minutes went bybefore he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. When I glanced at him, he nodded toward the windshield.

I sat up a little straighter and felt a small smile cross my lips.

No more than half a mile in front of us was this magical beach that I just had to see.

And now that I could see it quickly coming into sight, I would be willing to admit that he was right.

Bates pulled the car into an empty spot near a walkway, then turned it off. I undid my seatbelt, pushed my door open, and stepped out.

The smell of the water, so cool and crisp, wafting toward us, put me in a better mood than I’d been in before we left the mall.

“Want ice cream?” he asked as he made his way around the front of the car.

“What?” I asked in confusion. Bates chuckled as he motioned toward a vendor in a truck parked a few feet away. I took his hand and nodded, letting him walk me over.

“What looks good, Holls?” he asked as we stood and looked at the pictures along the side of the truck.

“Hm.”

I’m not really hungry, but if I say no, he’ll only get even more upset.

“I’ll take that one,” I said pointing at a pineapple flavored popsicle.

Bates gave my hand a tug, pulling me toward the window as he told the driver his choice as well as mine.

I looked at the ocean over my shoulder when the wind carried the serene scent toward us again, then back to Bates when he gave me a gentle nudge.

“Thank you,” I murmured as I took the treat from him. Leaning up, I kissed him on the cheek, before I set to the task of figuring out where the cellophane wrapper came apart.

“You’re welcome,” he replied as warmly as he could. I knew that his mood wouldn’t budge an inch until I told him what he wanted to know, and now that we were safely away from him doing something hasty, I absolutely would.