Chapter 2

Rose's Pov

My eyes felt too weak, when I opened it gradually. Everything seemed blur before me as I tried to know where I was. I felt this sharp pain in my head as I tried stretching my neck from the pillow which I noticed was supporting it.

I kept rolling my eyes from one side to another as I could faintly see someone looking deep into my eyes with so much concern. Although the picture wasn't clear,but I could tell it was a female and she was in great fear as I had her speak while holding my hands tightly.

Although it wasn't all clear but I could tell she was not having a happy look as I felt tears drop on my hands. Then I felt a touch on my palm and a tiny voice which I quickly recalled.

" Thank God you are alive, I have been so worried and I kept praying that you over come this. I'm so glad you are finally awake", the voice said as my eyes beamed brighter and I got to see Sharon in tears beside me.

She already had a red nose and I could hear her trying to blow her nose. Her eyes were already red and her hair was so unkempt. I slowly touched her chin and she gave me that little beaming smile which she always did whenever she was happy.

" Where am I?", I asked ,struggling to get up ,but suddenly felt a sharp pain below my abdomen. I groaned in pain as she held me tight and tried supporting me.

" Relax , don't stress it. You are in the hospital currently. please relax", she replied, getting hold of my arm with one hand and my shoulder with the other.

I gently laid back to the bed when the pains I felt were immense with Sharon's support on my back. I tried to recall what had happened and how I had to find myself in such a painful state. Although I felt this heavy weight in my head but I tried to think.

Soon it all clicked back, how Sammie had abused me ,how I passed out and how I kept crying in a loud pitch when I saw the blood gushing out of me.

My legs felt so light and my hands were shaking. I could tell my weight was like that of a piece of paper which was being carried away by a little push from the wind.

" Stay calm, the doctor said you would be needing alot of rest", Sharon said as I laid still noticing the oxygen mask set over my nostrils. I tried to feel my breath and noticed that I was fine and didn't have any difficulty in breathing.

" Take this off", I said faintly to Sharon trying to remove that oxygen mask.

" No Rosie, the doctor would do that when he arrives .All you have to do is relax", she repeated retraining me from moving at that point.

I looked around the room to find Sammie ,but he wasn't there. It wasn't as if I expected him to be here, he might probably me very happy that he had succeeded in beating me up again as he always did.

He should be given an award for his constant act I thought.

"Where's that monster?", I managed to ask, with hot drops of tears rolling out by the side of my eyes.

Sharon gave me a confused look but managed to put up a little smile.

"What monster?", She asked rubbing my hair which was covered with a surgical cap.

"Where is Sammie ?", I said.

"Oh!, He just stepped out a few minutes ago before you woke up. He has been so worried and stood all night waiting for you to wake up. He wanted to get you some fresh clothes", Sharon explained.

It was quite shocking to hear that Sammie had the guts to stay at the hospital all night after what he did to me the day before.

I immediately knew that he might have not told Sharon what he had done to me, of course he would be so scared because he might to locked up for attempted murder.

" How's my baby doing", I asked Sharon so inquisitively.

"What baby?",she asked in ignorance.

"Sammie beat me up, and kicked so hard on my belly. I saw blood gushing out, before I passed out. How's my baby doing?", I stated quietly in tears holding firmly to my stomach and rubbing in gently.

Sharon was so shocked, I could see how reddish her eyes had turned and the anger in her eyes.

" You mean Sammie actually did this to you? He called me over to the hospital and told me you were attacked by robbers. I had no idea you were pregnant either. The doctor only said you needed enough rest before he left with Sammie",Sharon explained in anger.

She gently pulled the hospital maternity gown I wore from my shoulder to see the heavy marks I had gotten from the beating Sammie gave me when he landed those heavy strokes from his belt.

" This is wickedness! I'll get the doctor",she said leaving the room.

I laid quietly, thinking about how Sammie had fabricated such a stupid lie about my being attacked by robbers when he was the one who had turned me into his punching bag.

Sharon returned with the doctor, and I could glaringly understand why Sammie had brought me there. It was Doctor Smart, Sammie's younger brother who owned Grace healing hospital. I was so sure he must have told him that he had done this to me.

Smart walked slowly to my bed ,forced a smile on his face as he checked my vital signs.

" It's good to see you awake Rose", he said, after feeling my heart pressure.

" How is my baby doing?", I asked him,I knew he must have known that I was pregnant. His brother must have told him.

" You see , right now you must rest. That's not really important now", he said.

" What do you mean by that's not important doctor? Tell us how the baby is?", Sharon said.

Smart took a deep breath and from his eyes I could tell all wasn't well.

" I'm so sorry Rose, we lost it", he said leaving almost immediately.

Those words kept repeating it's self in my head, "we lost it". This was the third miscarriage I had gone through all because of Sammie's attitude towards me.

I was so fed up and had been hiding it from everyone especially Sharon and my dad. But this was the height of it. It was the first time I had to pass out and almost lost my life.

Sammie knew that the only hospital were he could get enough immunity was his brothers and that was why he had brought me here. I had just lost any baby , because of his stupidity and wickedness and all his brother did was to beg and ask me not to report it to anyone.

I immediately knew that it was time to put an end to this abusive marriage. There was no way I would keep leaving like this with Sammie. He obviously didn't want me to stay alive. I didn't want to be seen in the Society as the woman who was so scared to talk and leave her marriage because she was once helped by her husband.

Sharon held tight to my hands as I stared into the empty space while thinking. She was in tears and also angry about the whole situation.

" Was this the first time he did this to you?", She asked as I nodded in a no form.

" Why didn't you tell me all these while, you kept this suffering all to yourself Rose. I'm so mad at you now", she scolded a little.

I apologized to her and told her that Sammie always begged for forgiveness after each beating and he'll always promised never to do it again, hence I thought it best to keep it to myself.

" That bastard! He is going to pay dearly for this, What a wicked act", Sharon said furiously.

As she kept talking ,Sammie stepped in and immediately rushed to where I laid.

" Don't even try going close to her ,you abuser!", Sharon said to him.

From the look on his face it was clear he was shocked to discover that I had already told Sharon about what happened. He should have known that there was no way I was still going to try covering up his shit, I am a human and not an object that could be controlled everytime.

" How could you Sammie? You killed your own child with your hands", Sharon kept ranting loud.

Sammie tried calming her down as he went down on his kneels claiming he had not done it ,Sharon remained so irritated, she wasn't ready to take his explanation and I could tell that she could do anything at that moment.

" I know it's my fault ,but please believe me I was just so angry that Rose had refused to listen to me", he said.

" Listen to what exactly Sammie, to the fact that you wanted me to quit working at Sharon's restaurant. That's the only place that makes me happy Sammie", I managed to voice out.

" What! you actually wanted her to quit working , because I restricted you from coming into the restaurant to cause havoc with my customers?", Sharon asked.

" That's the reason he beat me up Sharon", I said.

" Look Sammie, I would make sure that you pay for this , I promise you that and don't even dream of laying your hands on her any further, or....", Sharon said as she left the room banging the door quite hard at us.

Sammie still on his kneels, crawled towards me and held my hands , I tried pulling off but he held tight.

" I'm so sorry Rose, I know I hurt you badly and we had to loose our baby. You never told me we were expectant , I would have been more careful", he said.

Was he trying to say that he would only avoid laying his hands on me if I were only pregnant. The look I gave him while he said those words were that of one who was irritated. How can a man of his age be Thai stupid and I wondered where his manners where and how he ever reasoned.

" Come on babe, I didn't mean it that way, don't get me wrong. You know I have a bad temper and we should try as much as possible to avoid it from hurting you",he said.

I kept mute and looked away ,not to get a glance on what his face looked like when he said those words . Was this man being serious here? I asked myself.

" Okay look here, you can keep working with Sharon, and I promise ,I won't come after you at work", he said pushing my chin to face him.

The door opens and my dad walks in hastily. The look on his face brought me tears. Sammie was shocked. Father was so angry and I could tell that he already knew about everything. I could only pray that he didn't have to take matters into his hands and attack Sammie at that instant.

" Oh my dear Rose ,I rushed as soon as I heard. Sharon called ", he said in tears as he walked towards me.

" Good afternoon Mr Hardin", Sammie greeted ,but dad ignored.

" I want to take my daughter back home with me, we'll file for a divorce immediately", he told Sammie.

" What ? it hasn't gotten to that Sir", Sammie said as he was pushed off by my father who sat at the edge of the bed and held my hands.

" My dearest daughter, I'm so sorry that I couldn't listen to you when you complained about this so many times. Don't worry I'm here now and I would bring an end to this ridiculous marriage", father said.

Sammie gets up from his kneels and laughs out loud, Dad and I became so surprised to see him laugh that way.

" Mr Hardin, do you really think you have the power to break my marriage whenever you desire? Don't forget how much you would have to pay me back if you venture into such and don't forget I know all about your drug and illegal acts. If you try taking Rose away from me then I am going to expose all your acts to the authorities and you know what that means, you sick old man", Sammie said giving the deadly smile he gives me whenever he is about beating me up.

The look on dad's face wasn't good at all and it seemed like he was already in great fear .I could feel his pain, he was thinking about how Sammie had done such ridiculous thing to me and here he was also raining his threats at him.

" You bastard! I would not let my daughter stay with you anymore. Go do your worst!", father said.

" Alright then,watch my actions from now" Sammie said almost leaving.

" Sammie wait! Dad doesn't mean his words . I'll stay ", I said as he smiled and left.

I knew what was going to happen if he stepped out of that door with the mindset that I was leaving. Dad would be arrested for so many crimes and he might be serving the rest of his days in prison. Dad was already sick and if he went to prison he wouldn't even last for a week there.

" Why did you say that Rose. I want you to leave him and it doesn't matter what he does to me, as long as you are safe that what matters to me", dad said.

" Dad it matters alot, if I leave, Sammie would never let me be and you will go to prison leaving me all alone in this world to face him. I'll rather stay than watch you go to prison", I said in tears.

Dad could feel my pain and I also felt his. looking at him ,I saw a man who had made so many mistakes in the past and wished that he could remedy them ,but it was already late.

If only dad had not given me up for marriage back then, maybe our lives would have been fair.

Smart walked in , he greeted dad and urged him that he was going to talk to Sammie and warn him to refrain from the abuses.

" You'll be discharged tomorrow morning. I promise he won't do this to you again. if he does, then I would handle him myself", Smart said to me.

I sighed in pains , imagining how I was going back to live with Sammie again. The torture I would face again and who knows how many more babies I was going to loose in the future. I knew that I most protect my father that was all that mattered to me.