Learning to Love

Chapter 14

Kadence woke to the smell of fresh coffee beside her bed and the sound of Richard humming in the kitchen, like any usual Sunday in the apartment. Except this was no usual Sunday and how did she end up in her bed with her pajamas on.

Memories of the night before crowed her throbbing head and fought for attention, but one thing stood out loud and clear like a siren, Richard strangled and raped her last night. She went to gasp but the pain around her throat was all encompassing and it came out as more of a cough as her hands reached up to touch the swollen and no doubt bruised skin.

Right at that moment, Richard entered with a plate of pancakes, whipped cream and fresh strawberries, their Sunday usual, but she just withdrew and scrunched her legs up towards her when he tried to touch her.

“Oh, my beautiful KK,” he sat down on the bed beside her and placed the plate on the bedside table. “I’m sorry I left a mark last night, but at least this will keep the other men away from you now they know we are together forever.”

Kadence opened her mouth to say, “not in this f*****g lifetime.” But didn’t want to risk more physical contact or him to pull the hair he was now stroking. This guy on her bed, was clearly a lettuce leaf short of a salad!

“Well, I’m sorry to say I have to head back in to work, some fool has entered the wrong details into the system and causing all sorts of drama,” he continued to pat her hair like some kind of dog, “But drive safe back to whoop whoop and don’t hit any ‘roo’s.” he kissed her forehead and left the room.

It wasn’t until she heard the front door click, that she broke down in a wave of grief and tears, her cries raspy from her restricted throat, which she was too scared to even view in the mirror. What an absolute mess this relationship had become and what happened to the man she loved?

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After spending a good half an hour in the shower, scrubbing until the rest of her skin was as red as her throat, in the hopes she could somehow scrub herself clean from last night; Kadence finally wiped the mirror clean and looked at the reddy-purple destruction on her throat and almost started crying again. Drawing in a fortifying wabbly breathe, she pondered on how she was going to manage to keep this monstrosity covered up. She didn’t want to have to explain this embarrassment to anyone, especially in a small town were gossip flies from one end of town to the other within the hour.

She walked over to her cupboard, eyeing off the different items of clothing and started ripping everything from their hangers. She wouldn’t be waiting around for him to come back home to break the news, she’d leave a note and empty cupboards for him as a clear statement of this relationship being well and truly over.

The neat freak she was categorised her clothes into weather themes and was relieved to see she had a few turtle neck tops from when they went over to New Zealand for the ski season last year. That would at least cover the majority of the marks and a bit of concealer and foundation would have to do the rest.

Throwing her clothes into every available suitcase and plastic bag, she dressed and lugged the bags down to the car. One the last trip up, she unclipped the apartment key from the ring and placed it on top of her note advising him of their new relationship status – OVER and he could stick his apartment key where the sun doesn’t shine.

Jumping in the car, she didn’t even bother with one last look back at her home for the last 2 years and pulled out onto the main road headed for her new home. Panna Cottage.

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Bianca drove past Kadence’s cottage on her way home and noticed her car was in the driveway, before she could think better of it, she pulled in and was on the porch knocking on the door.

Kadence hesitantly peeled the door back a fraction and looked out at Bianca in surprise, “Oh, sorry Bianca, I didn’t realise it was you”

Bianca took in her red rimmed eyes and stared at her puzzled by her weird behaviour and wondered what she was hiding when she remembered she was here for a reason. “Look, Dee considers you one of her friends and friendship is important to her.” Bianca shifted awkwardly, “Can you just swing her a message and let her know you got back in one piece? She was checking her phone all bloody day yesterday and annoying the crap out of everyone.”

“Oh,” was all Kadence could manage to say, she’d never had anyone worry about her like that before and didn’t even think of touching base like that, “Thank you, I will. Sorry, I didn’t realise.”

“Yeah well, now you know.” And with that Bianca brushed off the porch and was back in her car and on the road in two heart beats.

Well, that was new, Kadence thought and immediately felt guilty but a little warmed by Dearne’s concern. Walking over to her bench, she turned her phone back on and waited for the continuous buzzing of missed calls, voice messages and text messages to finish and quickly typed out a text to Dee.

HI DEE, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I’M HOME IN ONE PIECE AND DIDN’T HIT ANY ROO’S. LOVE KADIE

Short and simple. No need to elaborate or strike up a conversation of how was my weekend away; yet she knew that would be the first question on everyone’s tongue come Monday. A second thought struck and she realised how rude she must have been, she should probably let Matt know his ute arrived back home in one piece too, so she quickly fired off an additional message.

HI MATT, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THE BEAST SURVIVED MY ESCAPADE TO THE BIG SMOKE AND DIDN’T COME HOME WITH ANY FASHION ACCESSORIES OR DINTS. KADIE

She re-read the message, not wanting to send the wrong kind of message but wanting to keep it light and hit Send before she over thought the whole thing and became an awkward mess.

She quickly checked on the Stew she was making for her and Trev’s lunch for the next couple days and popped a few paracetamol, while she waited for it to thicken.