Melissa ( book)

Chapter 20

Bonus Elisa

I don't talk much to my daughter, Melissa, about her father, I know she misses him and wants to know more, but I can't tell her everything. When I met Gabriel, it was love at first sight. He had just been in a car accident and was taken to the hospital where I was on duty. At that time I was an extreme romantic, I believed in happily ever after and fairy tales.

I counted the hours until I could go on duty and see the handsome young man who said seductive words to me. We quickly got involved. He was kind, affectionate and I soon found myself at the altar with a ring on my left hand. That's when all hell began.

— Baby, tonight I'm going out with Lúcia — I warned.

— You're not going today! — he said, in a rude tone.

- Why not? — I asked, surprised by his manner.

— I said no and that’s the end of it. You have to stay with me at home — he said through his teeth, his angry gaze directed at me.

— Gabriel, we always stay together. Lúcia is my friend and I have the right to date whoever I want — I pondered, upset.

—But it won't. And another thing, I don't want any of your friends here at home, understand?

— Gabriel, you have no right to prohibit anything — I snapped, altered. When I realized, Gabriel had already grabbed me by the arms and was shaking me violently.

— You're not leaving, Elisa — he shouted right in my face, squeezing my arms tightly. He only let me go when he saw my tears. — I'm sorry, Elisa, for hurting you — he asked, remorseful. And I accepted.

After that day I had no rest. Gabriel started drinking too much, he arrived completely altered by the drink and took it all out on me. At first, it was verbal aggression. Then they became physical. I ended up being removed from work for the behavior I was displaying. I didn't want to tell anyone. What would people think if they knew I was beaten by my husband?

You might be wondering why I didn't break up. Simple. I, like most women who experience domestic violence, thought he would change. He always promised that after a spanking. He said he was sorry, that he loved me so much and I accepted it.

There was only a slight improvement after I ended up getting pregnant with Melissa. When I told him I was pregnant, he cried with emotion and promised he would change. He really tried, I went through the pregnancy without getting hit and he barely drank. The months were full of joy and happiness. My girl was born strong, beautiful and healthy, just like her father. She was the hottest little thing to pick up and squeeze.

Time passed, Gabriel seemed to have returned to being that wonderful man I had fallen in love with. Melissa started to walk and talk. Our daughter had arrived to change our lives, literally. And I thought it would be forever.

It had been three years when he arrived home upset, drunk, out of control. And my fear that everything would go back to the way it was before was real. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk.

“It's none of your business,” he shouted, stupidly. Hurting my heart so much that I simply couldn't hold back the tears. — Why are you going to cry there? — He questioned, rudely.

-— Now I’m the one who says “it’s none of your business”! — I shouted.

And that was my mistake. Gabriel came at me with everything and the slap was so big that the ring he was wearing cut my lip. The taste of blood invaded my mouth and my face hurt and burned like hell. But hatred took over me at that moment.

— You never lay your hand on me again, you brute — she said slowly, so that he understood every word.

— You can stop with the clowning, you hear, Elisa? — He warned, in a threatening tone.

— Gabriel, I swear that if you find one more finger on me, I'll catch Melissa and get out of here — I warned, the finger pointed very close to his face and my eyes burning with all the hate and unshed tears.

I noticed that he had softened. His biggest passion was Mel.

— You can't do this to me, Elisa. I love you — he said, desperately. He took a step towards me and I jerked away.

— You will never touch me again. — I promised myself more than I promised him.

— That's it, Elisa. There's no need to make all this fuss, it was nothing, it was just a tap — he tried to justify it with the greatest poker face.

— Oh, of course, the other times were the same, right? — I questioned, ironically.

— Baby, that's part of marriage — he explained, trying to get closer to me, as if the things that were happening were natural in a relationship.

-—No, don't! — I replied.

Finally realizing that the love I had for him was over. More precisely the day he hit me for the first time.

— I loved you so much, Gabriel, so much. — I started talking, trying to hold back crying. — When you hit me the first time, I thought it was problems at your job and I forgave you, but then it became a constant and you know why you don't remember?

most of the beatings and rapes he committed with me? — I asked in a low voice, so as not to wake my daughter. His gaze was fixed on me, full of hatred. — Because you were always drunk. I really loved you and I hoped you would change, so I stood my ground. Until I got pregnant and I try not to think about whether it happened one of the times you forced me to have s*x. But then I saw a light, you had changed because of our daughter. Or I thought I had, until now — I concluded, panting.

— Elisa, calm down. I love you. Understand that I was sick — he justified, desperate.

-You never loved me. In reality, you don't even know what love is — I accused. He blushed and came at me again, but gave up when he raised his hand to me and saw my gaze meeting his.

- Do you really want to know? I never loved you. Never — he confessed. And even though I already knew that, hearing that left my heart bleeding.

- I knew. But pay close attention, because I'm only going to say it once... — I took a deep breath and looked straight into his eyes. - I want to divorce.

I woke up in the hospital, all hurt. I didn't remember anything, not even how I got there, but I had an idea. My first concern was Melissa.

— Melissa — I shouted, already crying. The door opened and Lucia entered with my daughter in her arms. Relief coursed through my soul as I held her in my arms.

— Calm down, Eli, it’s all over — Lucia consoled me.

- What am I doing here?

— Calm down, Eli, you have to stay well for your girl.

- What happened?

— Gabriel hit you again and ran away to avoid being arrested.

I was stunned, not knowing what to say. I didn't know what to answer.

— He didn't do anything to my girl, did he? — I asked, worried. I looked at every inch of my daughter as she played with my hair.

— No, don't worry. Well, I went to her house to ask if she wanted to go to the grocery store with me when I found you passed out.

My heart hurt when I heard that and I pulled Melissa to lay her head on my chest.

— How long have I been here?

— Four days, to be more exact.

I started crying with relief that I was alive, and my girl was well.

- Thanks friend. — I thanked him, moved.

I stayed in hospital for a few more days to recover and Lucia was more than a friend, she was a sister to me. She took care of my girl as if she were her own daughter and our friendship grew stronger.

I filed a complaint against him and a while later I found out that Gabriel had been arrested, much to my happiness. He was released after some time and disappeared. A while later he came back and seemed to have really changed. As time passed, I allowed him to gradually get closer to us, to see his daughter a few times. But, in prison, Gabriel got involved with some tough people and was soon murdered. Lucia and I swore we would never tell Melissa who her real father was. She just had to know that he loved her. That was enough.

Now I have control of my life. I went back to work at the hospital, I have a beautiful daughter who grew up healthy and intelligent. My friendship with Lucia will be eternal, as will that of our daughters. Melissa and Gabriela are like sisters.

After everything I suffered, I decided that I don't want any more relationships in my life! I want to dedicate myself only to myself and my daughter. My heart is closed to love.