Chapter Two

Breanna turned on the shower’s faucets and stripped out of the tattered remains of her elegant wedding gown. She felt sick, her stomach hurt, her eyes throbbed, and her lungs heaved for air. She didn’t know if she had broken bones, but frankly, she didn’t care. She would never allow her husband to touch her again. Last night was the worst thing she had ever endured, and she didn’t care if he begged her to forgive him. She would always remember the hate he burned to life inside her.

Washing her hair with shaking arms, she slowly began to wash off as much of last night’s events from her body as she could. She shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, then wrapped her slender bruised frame into a thick towel. She walked to the sink and nearly cried at the sight of her disfigured face. She was black and blue across her jaw, both eyes swollen and black, her lip fat with three bloody slits across her lips. She had the marks of a handprint, as well as the purple marks from Zachary’s mouth across her neck and chest, and her breasts were red and sore.

Turning her face from the reflection that stared at her, she struggled to brush her teeth over the tenderness of her mouth. She walked back into the bedroom and looked at the clock. It was four twenty-three in the morning. She was alone in the room, Zachary’s torn clothing gone, and the sound of loud snoring echoing through the stillness.

Cautiously, she walked into the living room and found her husband unconscious on the sofa. He was on his stomach, his hand wrapped around an empty bottle of champagne, his chest and feet bare.

Ignoring the urge to place the pillow at his feet across his face, she turned and walked back into the bedroom. She glanced at the blood-stained sheets of the bed and felt the tears of memories sting her eyes. Turning to the dresser, she opened the drawers to find their clothing put neatly away. She knew Jasmin and Phillip came by the day before, between the ceremony and the reception, and unpacked their clothes for them. They were scheduled to spend four days at the beach house, then a full two weeks traveling the Caribbean.

Taking her clothes from the drawer, Breanna found their new suitcases in the closet and quietly packed them. She slipped into a pair of black jeans, grimacing when she tried to zip them across her sore and painful hips. Choosing another option, she undressed and slipped on a long sundress, then fastened a pair of sandals across her feet. With her hair pulled into a braid, she finished packing her clothes before walking back into the open living room.

Breanna looked around and saw the dining table loaded down with unwrapped presents. She saw the cardboard wishing well on the chair and walked over to it. Jasmin insisted on having it set up for the guests, so they could leave money for the young couple. She said the type of people the Kendalls invited to the services could afford to leave a few bucks on their way to the open bar.

Setting her bags down on the floor, Breanna lifted the cardboard box, amazed that it felt heavy. Opening it, she found it stuffed full of cashier’s checks, gift cards, and old-fashioned cash. Glancing behind her to her groom, she began to count out the loot. Over sixteen thousand dollars in cash, with another twenty-two thousand in checks. She knew she was going to need something to help her get started on a new life, and the last thing Zachary Kendall needed was more money.

Once the monetary gifts were stuffed in her overnight bag, Breanna walked over to find the keys to her husband’s Lexus on the table next to the front door, along with his wallet and watch. It was an old habit of his to remove everything from his pockets when he came into the house, and it looked like a habit that followed him through the sea of liquor.

Taking his wallet, she pulled out the credit cards he’d gotten for their new joint account, then took the keys and quietly left the house. Fear gripped her stomach as she stowed the two bags into the backseat, then started the engine. A part of her didn’t want him waking up before she had the chance to escape, but another part wanted to know how badly he would feel when he saw what he’d done to her.

The Zachary she knew was loving, kind, and caring. The man she’d spent her wedding night with was anything but gentle. She only hoped he would mourn her when he finally woke up and realized she’d left him.

Breanna sat on the plane, her face hidden behind a dark pair of glasses and a thick layer of makeup. She spent the day searching until she found her father, then sent him a message asking if she could come to his home. He told her he understood their divorce was hard on her, and she was very young when they left, but he was still her father and he loved her very much. He would always have an open door for her.

She purchased the plane ticket with the money from the wishing well, then took out the forty-thousand-dollars from their joint bank account, that Zachary’s grandparents gave them as a wedding present, before cutting the credit card in pieces to prevent her husband from tracking her.

Breanna sent Jasmin a text to say goodbye and explain what had happened, though she refused to tell her where she was going. Her best friend wouldn’t believe that Zachary could be so cruel, so she was forced to send a picture of his handiwork to her. Within minutes, her phone came alive. She received messages from Nicolas, Annmarie, and Phillip apologizing and offering her sanctuary in their own homes. Nobody could believe Zachary could be so ruthless. Then she received three phone calls from her husband and more than a dozen messages.

He couldn’t remember the night before and apologized over and over, begging her to forgive him and come back. He swore he would never drink again and promised to spend his life making up for his cruelty. She refused to respond to him. She couldn’t allow herself to fall back into his spell of charm and passion. She had the pain of his assault to keep her moving forward, and far away from California.

Breanna tried to ignore the glances she received from those who sat around her. She knew she looked like hell, and the makeup really didn’t do much to hide the marks on her face, but it was the best she could do. She barely looked up when the flight attendant brought her the supper she’d ordered, then placed the earphones in her ears and tried to concentrate on the movie.

Her phone continued to buzz until she finally shut it off. She saw Zachary’s name flash across the screen with the onslaught of texts and voicemails. She ignored two texts from Jasmin, three more from Phillip, and two voicemails from the Kendalls. She was tired, sore, and embarrassed. She didn’t intend for her friend to pass her picture around, and she wasn’t ready to discuss her plans with anyone. As of now, the only thing she was thinking about was trying to pick up the pieces and move forward.

The flight was long and lonely, despite the comfort and attention of first-class. Breanna tried to shake the memories of her wedding night from her mind, but the best she could do was force back the tears from her swollen eyes. She couldn’t forget the pain and suffering and each time she moved she felt the ache from their joining.

With a heavy sigh, she removed her glasses and turned to look out at the setting sun. Vermont was a long way from the west coast, but hopefully far enough to prevent being tracked by her in-laws or husband. The plane wouldn’t be landing for another three hours, but purchasing the direct flight was probably one of the smartest moves she’d ever made. At least the only people to stare at her were those closest to her, and not passing her by at an airport.

The flight attendant arrived to take her plate away and asked if she wanted anything else. She asked for a pillow and a blanket then settled her seat back in hopes of catching a little sleep. Her head ached, her face throbbed beneath the swelling, and her lungs fought to gain air. She was tired, her heart empty and her mind reeling with images of what could have been. She wanted to hate Zachary, but a part of her refused to allow it. She was angry, distressed, and confused. How could the man she loved be so vicious?

Taking the items, the young woman brought to her, Breanna turned away from the older woman who stared at her. Since the airport, the woman and her husband had watched her with a curious expression. Twice, she was certain they would say something to her, but she lowered her eyes and turned away, preventing them from interrupting her sorrow and grief. The last thing she needed was to be chastised for her appearance or reassured that she could make her marriage work.

With a heavy sigh, she finished her wine and removed the earphones. She wasn’t in the mood to watch a senseless romantic comedy when she was struggling to find a future of her own. She closed her eyes and once again tried to push aside the horror of the past twenty-four hours.

She was nervous about seeing her father again after all these years, but she was more afraid of what he would say when he saw the bruises. About the only thing she could do now was move into the future one step at a time. A future, far different than she had anticipated when she awoke the day before.

Breanna’s eyes slowly began to close as she felt the warmth of the plane lull her into a quiet slumber. As she began to drift to sleep, images of her wedding came floating back to her. She smiled as she saw herself dancing in the arms of her husband, feeling the love and warmth they shared in each other’s embrace while hundreds of guests looked on.

She startled suddenly when a gentle warmth touched her shoulder and she opened her eyes. She turned her head toward the seat next to her, seeing the older man who had been staring at her. He sat down, a kind smile caressing his thin lips. He didn’t look like he was going to chastise her, in fact, he looked at her sympathetically.

“I don’t mean to disturb you, miss,” he said in a soft voice that was low and kind. “My name is Robert Schultz. I’m a minister with the Lutheran church. I couldn’t help noticing your condition, and I wanted to make certain you were alright. Is there anything I can do for you?

“No…thank you,” Breanna said, clearing her throat softly. “I’m alright.

“I won’t pry into your business, but if you need someone to listen, or you just need to talk, please contact me.

The old man reached into his jacket pocket and removed a small white card. He handed it to her then took her hand in his and patted it in a gentle caress.

“My wife and I live in Burlington Vermont. I heard you tell the reservation clerk that you were going to Stowe. That’s about forty miles from Burlington. If you need a place to stay...

“No, thank you. I have everything taken care of.

“Forgive me, but you look like you’ve been through a lot. We run a home for our Shepherd’s lost sheep and offer job training, schooling, whatever you may require. Our church is open to all, and we would like to extend the invitation to you.

“Thank you, but I’m staying with my father,” she told him. “He’s meeting me at the airport when we land.

“Do you have enough money? Will you need a job?

“No, thank you. I have plenty to see me through until I get on my feet again.

“Are you sure you’re safe?

“Yes, very safe,” Breanna said with a forced smile. “I suppose I just didn’t choose my…friends…well enough.

“We all make mistakes, but that’s one of the things that helps us mature and hopefully avoid those errors in the future.

Breanna smiled again as the older man let her hand go, then walked back across the aisle to where his wife sat listening to them. She nodded to the older woman, then pulled the blanket a bit higher around her shoulders and turned back to the window once again.

She may have different feelings come tomorrow, but for now, she wasn’t willing to discuss her problems with a stranger, no matter how kind he seemed.

Next chapter