Taking Faith Read Free Page B

disrespecting me?"
    She stopped at the doorframe just in time to see his father grab him by his collar and slam him against the wall as he'd done the night before. He punched the side of his head and Roger saw her out of the corner of his eye. "Go!" he yelled at her before looking back at his dad. "Father, I wasn't being disrespectful."
    He smacked him on the side of the head again. "Oh, yes, you were!"
    She disappeared inside the room and shut the door. She searched the room for a hiding place and jammed herself into the closet, slamming the door behind her and pushing the shoes out of the way. She brought her knees up to her chest and rocked as she wrapped her arms around them. Her pinkie finger caught something and she raised her hand to see in the sliver of light.
    It was a ring.
    He'd put a ring on her I'm Married finger and she hadn't even realized it. She jerked her hand back down and tried not to think, but it was awfully hard when all she could hear was the yelling and banging going on out there. She didn't get it. Why did Roger, who was exceptionally larger than his father, let him do that to him? He could easily have defended himself from the blows if nothing el se. And why hadn't he hit her? Sh e could tell by the look on his face he wanted to. Or he at least wished that he wanted to. It would make things easier for him if he would.
    She leaned her chin on her hands and closed her eyes. After some time, she heard the door slam and then Roger's footsteps were coming. She tensed, not sure of what to expect from him. The bedroom door opened and then the closet door. He stared down at her and she waited once more.
    "We've got to get ready to go to Alex's," he told her, his voice low and strange. "Get up."
    "Why?" she whispered before she could stop herself. She saw his face turn hard so she hurried up to finish her sentence. "Why don't you fight back?"
    His face turned several shades of red before settling on one dark and embarrassed and angry. He held his hand out and she took it and he pulled her up quickly. His face was just inches from hers and he said his words to her in harsh whispers. "I don't fight back because that would be disrespectful, something you apparently know nothing about!"
    "My parents never treated me that way," she whispered and he raised his hand…as if to hurt her, but she knew he wouldn't. S he just knew. She didn't even flinch. He held his shaking hand there for a long time trying to work up the courage to do it. Eventually he lowered his hand and grabbed her face in his hands.
    "I wish I could hit you . I wish I could do what I'm supposed to do, but I just can't seem to…" He shook his head and let her go."Get dressed. I brought some of my mother's clothes here for you. They're in that dresser."
    She stood silently, her face burning. He'd touched her so gently, though his words had been harsh. He wished he could hit her… She shook the thought away and went to the dresser. She pulled out a dress and was surprised that it was her size. It was purple with flowers, something she would have never worn before all this. She pulled off her clothes and slipped the dress over her head. She stared at herself in the vanity mirror. She looked an awful mess.
    Oh, well.
    She made her way to the living room and stood in the entrance as he buttoned his shirt. He was mumbling to himself. It looked as though he'd worked himself into a frenzy, too. When he saw her , his eyes stayed on her longer than usual and she squirmed, shrinking against the wall.
    All she wanted to do was go to bed and cry, but now she had to go and meet another man and his wife. Maybe she would recognize her. She tried to keep that thought together in her mind. He jerked his head to the door and she made a slow path there. He grabbed her upper arm gently and turned her to look at him. "Do not try to run. Do you understand?"
    She nodded, feeling a tear slip from the corner of her eye. He kept going. "The house we're going to…Alex.