Now I know better.
I decide to heed Ratchet’s words. He seemed to be right about everything so far.
My lovely Lucette, we’ll soon he together again. The right moment to talk to you will come.
Soon.
Chapter 41
Lucette/Araceli:
“What’s wrong, Araceli?” questions Mrs. Sanchez, concern in her voice. We’re in the kitchen having hot chocolate. The weird feeling I had a few days ago is still with me. “Are you having second thoughts about meeting with Alfredo?”
I shake my head. “No. In fact, I’m really looking forward to it.”
“Then why do you look so out of it?”
I sigh. “I had a nightmare last night about Justin.”
Mrs. Sanchez puts her comforting hand on my shoulder. “One of your repeating ones about your old life with him?”
“Actually not,” I murmur, my voice shaky. “That’s why this one was especially scary. In it Justin knocked on our door and pulled me by the hair to his car.”
Mrs. Sanchez hugs me. I find comfort in her embrace, but I can’t stop shaking.
The stupid nightmare of Justin finding me has made me paranoid because the weird feeling, the panic attack one, has turned into a sensation of being watched. It’s a really awful feeling.
Silly, isn’t it?
I’ve been desperately on the lookout for Justin and his car, but everything seems normal. Everything is calm.
Surely, if Justin had found me he would’ve already confronted me. Patience has never been one of his virtues. He would’ve already exploded on me!
I’m just being paranoid, I decide.
I order myself to stop being so sensitive over a nightmare and a panic attack sensation. I need to start letting a lot of my fear go, so I can start a healthy relationship with Alfredo.
Friday finally comes and I can’t help thinking that I only have to wait one more day to talk to my most awesome amigo. I’ve put the nightmare aside, demanding of myself to stop thinking about it.
Instead, I focus on pleasant thoughts of Alfredo. I’m so glad he made me wait because now I don’t have any doubts that I want him back—if not as my boyfriend then at least as my best friend.
Saturday—here I come!!!
Justin:
Not going up to my wife and claiming our love back has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
The more I think about what Ratchet had advised me, the more I see his point. I don’t want to just go up to lovely Lucette and have her so surprised that she causes an unnecessary commotion. Imagine how freaked out she’ll be when she sees me!
But I’ve waited this long.
Might as well wait for the right time.
I’ve been watching her from a much greater distance from before. She’s been a little twitchy—nervously looking around her. But I know how to hide myself.
Remember, I used to stake her out when we were together to keep her safe. I’m practically an expert on surveillance.
Lucette keeps looking over her shoulder, but I’m too far away from her in my car and with binoculars for her to catch me. I’m so thrilled that she seems to sense me.
It’s our love for one another pulling us towards one another!
We’ll soon be together again! That’s for sure.
Chapter 42
Lucette/Araceli:
It’s finally Saturday! I’m convinced Alfredo still has strong feelings for me and that we’ll be clearing our way to some kind of a relationship when we have our private talk. At least that’s what I hope.
The paranoia about the nightmare is unfortunately still with me even though I’ve told myself a million times to stop letting it affect me. At least it hasn’t drowned me. I feel a certain huge relief when I think about having looked for Justin all around me and not finding him.
The monster for sure would’ve tried getting at me if he’d already found me, I keep reminding myself.
As I get ready to leave the house, I tell myself to allow myself to be happy. I’m about to meet up with Alfredo. I’ve been waiting since Tuesday for the private talk.
Justin is far away. Stop being such a scared worrywart and just be happy.
All is well.
Justin:
I can’t believe my luck! I came early to Lucette’s new home because I hadn’t been able to sleep all night thinking about my wife. In fact, I haven’t been able to sleep very much since finding her!
It’s Saturday and I really didn’t think that she’d be out and about so early, but once I saw her open the door, I just about had to slap myself to assure myself it was her. And she’s by herself for once!
I have to admit that after some of the excitement had worn off, I started to get a little pissed—well, very pissed off actually. Lucette had really put me through something really horrible. She’s still the spoiled rich girl I had first met! You can take the girl out of her spoiled surroundings but can’t take the spoiled crap out of her! She had been doing better when she was with me but now has resorted to her old uppity and selfish ways or how would you explain her behavior?!
I’ll have to deal with her inconsiderate ways later. All I can say is that she’d better have a good reason for what she’s done to me and to us. I tell myself to control the fury while I figure out how to approach her. Last night, I had already broken some empty beer bottles in an empty parking lot just to let off some steam. I’d been drinking most of the night to cope with the situation. My friends had loaded my trunk with beer bottles just before leaving San Antonio to El Paso.
My friends are so awesome!
As I see Lucette rushing towards somewhere with a determined look on her face, I get out of the car to carefully follow her. Good thing she seems to be completely absorbed with what’s on her mind.
A stray thought comes to me and rage boils inside of me.
She’d better not be meeting some guy!!! I’ll kill them both! I swear I will!
Chapter 43
Lucette/Araceli:
I decide to go to the park early to get my head together before meeting with Alfredo. I keep all other thoughts and fears away. I’m going to enjoy the blissful moment of anticipation and hope of new beginnings. It’s really a beautiful day. In San Antonio it would already be hot and even somewhat humid by this time in the morning but in the desert of El Paso it’s a little cool.
I sit on the bench in the quiet and isolated portion of the park. It’s got a desert motif and is picturesque with mesquite and cactus here and there. The swings and children’s playground are on the other side of the park.
I take deep breaths in and out. Checking my watch, Alfredo should be here in fifteen minutes.
Fifteen minutes! Yes, I’m nervous, but it’s a good nervous.
Justin:
“Who are you waiting for, Lucette?” I growl, bile in my mouth.
Chapter 44
Lucette/Araceli:
Chilled to the bone as if I’m in some kind of a surreal, terrifying dream, I turn my face. The monster calmly stares back at me. His face is red and his nostrils are flaring. He stinks of alcohol.
Am I asleep at home in my nightmare? I ask myself. But I know the chilling answer. This is for real!!! My heart pumps so hard it wants to explode. My head swirls with violence. Sweat pours out of me.
MY GOSH!!! OOOOH NO!!!
I should’ve listened to the weird sensation—my instincts had been trying to warn me! Now it’s too late.
I’m all alone with him, and I recognize his violent stare. He’s about to pound me—really let me have it. I’m in the usual zombie-like state I get when he furiously glares at me.
Wake up from zombieland! I tell myself.
Wake up!!!
“You’d better tell me who you’re meeting, Lucette!” he snarls, his fist shaking in my face.
If I tell him I’m meeting a guy I’m dead for sure. And also, if I keep zoning out the way I always have, I’m at his total mercy!
Make your own luck, lucky Lucette, I demand of myself. Get out of the stupor!
“Justin,” I manage to say, my voice really shaky. At least I’m talking.
“I’m glad you remember your husband’s name!!!”
I really want to correct him about our fake marriage but of course I don’t. Yet, surely he must’ve found the letter telling him we’re not married. He’s delusional, I ascertain. “Of course I remember your name, Justin.”
“You don’t know what I went through to find you, Lucette!” he snaps, his eyes watery. “How could you do this to me?”
His fists become even more knurled, but he anxiously surveys the area instead of hitting me. He’s never beat me out in the open except for slap me in the car, and I can tell he’s debating whether to let me have it. He knows I’m waiting for someone, so he must be asking himself whether it’s a good idea to whack me with someone about to come. I play it up by looking at my watch.
“This is the last time I’m going to ask you who you’re waiting for!!!” he bellows in my ear.
Think fast! I tell myself. Or you’ll die here and now. It becomes clear to me that everything I had been feeling recently was absolutely true. I was being followed. Justin’s been watching me. You don’t know how relieved I am that Alfredo and I had been broken up for all intents and purposes. Justin couldn’t have seen me with him, but he had probably seen me with the Dynamic Trio.
“I’m waiting for my three girl friends,” I assure, trying to make my voice as steady as possible.
He nods, his face losing some of its fury. “I’ve seen you with them.”
Inside, a breath of relief goes through me. I had guessed right. Now for some more acting.
“Justin, you do love me! You found me!” I gush while my stomach is turning. “I’ve been waiting for a long time for you to find me!”
He looks puzzled, his glare softening. “What?”
“After the miscarriage I went into total despair. If I couldn’t stop blaming myself then how could I expect you to forgive me?”
His face completely loses its fury. “I knew it had to be something like that for you to leave me,” he murmurs, his eyes totally soaked in water as he sits next to me on the bench.
“Then when the letter came about us not really being married I figured you wouldn’t want me anymore, but that you would want to live up to your responsibilities.” I made my own eyes throw out streams of tears. “I found a way of getting away so you’d be free to make of your life what you wanted, but I kept hoping you’d come and find me.” Taking out tissue paper from my purse, I dab at my fake sobs.
With abrupt energy he thrusts me to his chest, my face feeling the sudden pain of the hard hit. “How could you ever think that I’d stop loving you, my lovely Lucette!”
“I just couldn’t believe you could still care for me after the miscarriage,” I warble.
He pulls me away from him and lands his mouth on my own. The sloppy kiss almost makes me vomit, but I force myself not to wretch. Finally, he disengages. A wide grin takes over his expression.
“I love you so much, Lucette!” he announces. “Don’t worry about not legally being my wife. In my heart you never stopped being my ball and chain. We’ll get officially married as soon as possible.”
“Awesome,” I prattle, attempting to sound sincere. My skin is crawling, but I try to smile.
“We’d better go before your friends show up,” he states. “Why risk complications?”
I nod. Alfredo is due to be here any minute, and who knows what’ll happen if the both of them confront one another. It’s just too dangerous with Justin as strong as an ox. Once outside of the movies, Justin confronted two guys because he said they were staring at me. Justin beat both of them up!
He swings his arm over my shoulder when we stand up from the bench. His steely limb traps me as we start walking. I’m forced to follow his lead.
“We’re never going to be apart again,” he asserts. “We’re bonded forever, Lucette. Soul-mates forever!!!”
I try to concentrate on not tripping with him so close to me. I try to figure out what to do with this terrifying situation. Right now he’s lovely dovey but believe me when I tell you that the guy can turn on a dime.
“I love you so much that it hurts!” he bursts. “You really don’t know how deep my feelings for you are! I practically wanted to commit suicide when I came home and you weren’t there!”
After a few seconds of us silently walking, he makes a growling noise. “Why aren’t you saying anything?! I’m pouring my heart out to you, and you’re just a bump on a log!”
Think fast! “I’m so overwhelmed with you having found me that it’s hard for me to talk,” I murmur, my voice shaky.
He sighs. “You’re overwhelmed? Try being me. You just don’t know what it’s been like for me,” he retorts.
“I’m sorry, Justin.” Terror is striking me. The monster’s mood is starting to turn.
“You should be!”
Diffusing his explosive personality is very, very difficult. “I’m sooo sorry.”
He sneers loudly. “You know, painting me out to be a wife beater really sucks, Lucette! Did you have to get with a women’s shelter?” he snaps. “Couldn’t you have found another way of leaving San Antonio?!”
I need to do something now or who knows what’ll happen. After he gets to a certain boiling point, he’s at the point of no return, and he lets his violent fists do the thinking and talking for him.
I frantically look around me. Nobody is out and about. What bad luck, I say to myself. Unlucky Lucette. But then I quickly tell myself I don’t have time to wallow in self-pity. I’ve got to make my own luck! C’mon, Lucette—think, think hard! No more zombie! Find a way out! You’re not the same girl you were before—the one who only saw a sea of hopelessness. You’ve found your guts! You’ve found your true self in El Paso. You can get out of this situation. THINK!
I refuse for my life to be in slavery anymore. I’m in charge of my existence now.
Then a bright lightbulb turns on in my head. With him clutching me, I had been trying to avoid getting my feet entangled with his steps when I suddenly figure out my escape plan. Tripping at the chosen spot, I find my solution. When I hit the ground he lets me go by reflex so he won’t go down with me. I immediately tightly curl myself around his legs.
“What in the world are you doing?!!!” he snaps, totally taken by surprise.
Oh, yeah!—I know what I’m doing.
He tries to get me off of him but can’t as I squeeze my arms around his legs as much as I can. He tries to walk but stumbles. My plan is working like a charm.
I had read somewhere that curling yourself around someone’s legs renders that person almost immobile. It unbalances the person without the free use of those limbs.
“Lucette, get off my legs!!!” Justin screeches, still trying unsuccessfully to pull me off him. I’m so relieved that he doesn’t have a gun. Justin has always liked the feel of his own fists as they crashed into something. Other kinds of weapons, except for his own two hands, have never interested him much.
Justin stumbles all over. He’s completely disoriented as I swiftly tighten my left arm around his legs to let my right hand free. My hand flies toward the object to finish executing my plan.
With all the force I have inside of me— the burning rage of what he’s done to me, the desperation to stay alive—I seize the large rock and ferociously swing my hand straight to his groin.
“OWWWWW!!!” he screams.
Justin:
The agony is so excruciating I nearly faint! Instead, I double over, grabbing my privates in throbbing and piercing pain. Why would my wife do this to me?!!! I just can’t stay upright anymore, so I tumble to the ground with Lucette finally letting my legs go.
She jumps off the ground like a jackrabbit and sprints away. My gosh—I just can’t believe she’s running away from me!
Leaving me again!
What in the world is with her? Did the miscarriage damage her brain somehow?
I manage to get through the pain and stumble up. Rushing after her, as fast as I’m able with the pain still threatening to send me under, I go after my wife.
I’m really pissed off!
Really, really pissed off!
Wait till I catch her!!! I say to myself, knurling my right fist into a tight flaming ball.
Chapter 45
Lucette:
Running for my life, I quickly turn my head to find that Justin is coming after me. He’s injured so he’s trailing me by quite a few yards. Still, if I don’t keep my stride, he’ll catch up to me, so I abruptly turn my head frontward.
Look ahead, I tell myself. Don’t look back anymore. It’ll slow you down.
I open my mouth wide and start screaming, “Fire! Fire!”
Along with the tidbit about the leg thing, I had also learned that people usually don’t like getting involved in violence but will rush out to see a fire. I needed to do something about the isolation with Justin.
Finally out of the lonely park, I hit the streets which are dotted with travelling vehicles here and there. “Fire! Fire!” I keep yelling. People in cars with the windows rolled down start looking at me with perplexed looks. I guess they’re wondering where the fire is. I’m hoping that at least one of them calls the police.
Uh oh!—I can hear Justin gaining on me. He keeps calling my name and I can hear his voice getting closer and closer. I quickly turn my sight right and then left before a usually busy intersection. No cars coming. I say to myself. Lucky.
Crossing the street in a sprint, I keep hastening towards safety. I’m practically out of breath, but there’s no way I’ll stop running. No way!
Uh oh!—I see Alfredo coming my way in a rush. He’s seen me and apparently Justin too because he keeps looking at me with a worried face and then his sight shoots behind me.
While Alfredo doesn’t know what Justin looks like, he’s probably guessed what’s happening by the terror on my face and the strange situation unfolding.
ERRRK!
Suddenly, squealing tires!
Tires that are trying to brake!