THE PAST
She was exhausted. She had just finished scrubbing the kitchen floor and she still had to do the toilets. They would never let her rest for at least an hour. She dare not complain, ever. The memory of what happened the last time she complained was still fresh on her back. Just as she was about to leave the kitchen a woman walked in. She had on a trouser with a 6 or 7 inch heel, she also had a leather jacket on and she was mindlessly chewing a gum.
Crap!
"Hey....my baby is getting better. You just cleaned the kitchen without complain" the woman drawled.
"I'm not in the mood to talk" Laura tried walking past her but she held her back.
"You can't walk out on me. It's disrespectful" she scrowled.
"I just want to clean the toilet. Can't you just let me be mum"
The woman brought out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, took out one and lighted it.
She took a long puff before turning back to Laura. "I want to talk to my daughter. How hard can that be".
"Your daughter....I don't think you deserve to call me that. Anyway I'm busy. We can talk some other time" Laura said and walked away. She knew she was going to pay the price for what she just did but she couldn't stand in the same room with that woman. What the hell does she mean by she wants to talk. Since when did she ever want to talk.
Unbelievable!!!
Later that evening after she had finished washing the toilets and making dinner, Don came to her room.
"What happened between you and Diane today" he growled. Laura flinched.
"Nothing" she whimpered. He grabbed her by her hair and threw her across the room. She fell over the wooden cupboard in the room. He walked towards where she laid, when she tried to lift her head he gave her a blinding slap. She felt blood on her lips.
"Don't you ever....do you hear me" he yelled. Even though her body felt like it was on fire she nodded. Over the years she had learnt to respond immediately or she would get worse beating.
"Ungrateful slut" he muttered before leaving the room.
Laura crawled into a corner and sobbed. Crying and sobbing had been her companion in the past years. She didn't know who to talk to or call for help. She lay in the corner for a long time and when she was sure Don wouldn't come again she crawled up to the bed and slept.
Later that night she heard a loud bang on the door. She mustered enough strength and went to open it. It was one of Don's boys.
"Get ready. Time to work" he said and walked away. Fresh tears dropped from her eyes.
***
Laura packed the grocery bag into the taxi she had stopped. She had told herself she needed a lot of groceries but looking at what she bought now she felt she was crazy. She bought so much groceries. Although some of the things she bought were necessary house stuffs like cutleries and all. She was starting life afresh so she needed fresh things. Lolita had succeeded in finding a good place for her. She was able to negotiate well with the seller and she got the place at a reasonable price. For two weeks she had been arranging the place and she had been doing a good job of it. Leaving Lolita's motel turned out to be a sad thing for her because she was beginning to get used to the woman. She had started getting comfortable with her and was even engaging in long conversations with her. Lolita had helped her in arranging the house most of the time. She was like a mother she never had. Just as Laura was about to get the last grocery bag she bumped into someone and the bag flew straight up. The bag landed on the ground with a loud thud and her groceries scattered all over.
"No no no no" she shouted. She looked up to see just who she had hit. She found a young man looking down at her. "What the hell is wrong with you" she shouted.
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to" he replied and bent to help her arrange the grocery.
"Your sorry don't mean shit to me. Weren't you looking" she continued angrily.
"Whoa whoa whoa....I said I'm sorry. I didn't see you there" the guy retorted.
What the...!!!
"Well next time look where you're going" she retorted. The guy straightened and looked at her. This helped her get a better view of his face. He looked very handsome.
"Are you ok? Are you mentally ill?" He asked.
What!!!
"Cos if you are I can understand why you're behaving this way. If you're not then you have no right to talk to me that way cos I said I was sorry" he continued.
Handsome piece of shit, she thought to herself.
"Oh really....you can take your sorry and shove it up your ass" she returned. She quickly put the bag into the taxi and before the stranger would tell her any other thing, she got into the taxi slamming the door as she did and asked the driver to take her home.