Anguish

The year was 1940, The Bronx in New York.

Most able-bodied men were either fighting in World War II or they were were working on a cause for the war.  Wife beating was tolerated, and Adultery was a crime...

     I continued to watch his eyes and his movements. He was so gentle and tender, and the memory of what had happened between us just the other night entered my thoughts. “Graysen, please stop! You…we  shouldn’t be doing this.”

     He met my eyes; his gray ones were still moist and full of sadness. The corner of his full mouth lifted into a sad smile. “Elizabeth, you aren’t doing anything. I’m just trying to sort through what happened to you.” He lifted the sheets up to my shoulders then carefully tucked it under each of my arms before placing my hands on the top of the sheet and into my lap.  

     He stood there staring at me. Then he said something that completely shocked me. “Elizabeth, I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

     I hadn’t expected to hear anything like that coming from another man’s mouth. Especially not from this man. “Graysen, we barely know each other. You don’t know what you are talking about. Stop, please. I don’t need to hear anything else about fairy tales. I’m married, Graysen. I have three boys, and I’m married.”

     He lifted my right hand up and pressed my knuckles to his mouth. His lips lingered over them for just a second then he set my hand back down on the top of the sheet.

     “This isn’t a fairytale, Elizabeth. This..." He waved his hand over me. "...is your stark, cold reality. Your husband is a wife-beater, and he is never going to stop until he either kills you or one of your sons. I can’t let that happen.”

     “Who knows, maybe after this he won’t be back again. Until then, I will do my best to take care of you and your boys.  I have no rights what so ever, but I won’t let him near you again. From what I saw, he will stop at nothing next time; I’m afraid he could kill you. Then what would happen to your kids, Elizabeth?”