The Breakup Read Free

- he would’ve come after me like he did last night. Then Daddy and The Brothers would end up defending me and probably get charged with assault and go to jail.” Aja hung her head, feeling shame and defeat wash over her. Now that she thought about it, it really was a stupid reason for staying with an abusive man. The fact is, Stephen had damaged her self-esteem without her even realizing it. He’d berated her and demeaned her so much that she’d actually started to believe him, even though she’d been raised to believe in herself.
     
    “You really should stop taking responsibility for protecting your father and brothers, Aja,” her mother said, cutting to the heart of the matter. “They will do whatever they like no matter how much either one of us try to protect them.”
     
    “Yes, I know you’re right, Mother.”
     
    “And why do you still persist in calling your brothers by that silly name?”
     
    “I don’t know, that’s how I think of them in my head. They’ve always been The Brothers to me.”
     
    Her mother gestured at the tray. “Go ahead, have some coffee and get cleaned up. I think your father’s right about you making a statement. They should see the damage Stephen inflicted on you. If he decides to bring a civil suit against you, he won’t have a leg to stand on. Or a cock.” She left the room laughing to herself.
     
    “Ha, ha, ha.” Aja called out to her mother’s back. Why is everyone so amused? It’s humiliating.
     
    Aja came down the stairs after cleaning up. She didn’t want to speak to the media, but her mother’s thoughts about the civil suit made sense, so Aja didn’t attempt to cover up the bruises. She could hardly stand to look at herself in the mirror. You could clearly see two handprints around her neck. Her arms had circular bruises on them and her cheek had a red welt with crusted blood in the middle where Stephen had punched her with his class ring. For once, Aja was glad she had a tendency to bruise easily.
     
    “Come, Aja, let me see you.” Her father stepped through the alcove from the living room. He took her hands and scrutinized her face. “Did the police take photographs of your injuries?”
     
    “Yes, but they didn’t look as bad as they do this morning.”
     
    Aja could see the fury in her father’s eyes. He was trying to keep calm - for her sake, she knew. Ever since she was a little girl, she had felt that her father was indestructible. Now, as she watched him struggle with his anger and shame over not being able to protect his daughter, she was afraid of losing him. He had been such a pillar in her life that Aja couldn’t imagine how she would live without him.
     
    “I love you, Daddy,” she said and threw her arms around him.
     
    “I love you, too, pumpkin.” He brushed her hair back and asked, “Do you think you can make a statement to the media?”
     
    “I think so, if you come with me. Mother explained the importance of showing what Stephen did in case he wants to bring a suit against me.”
     
    “That’s right. We need to cut him off at the knees.” He smirked.
     
    “Don’t say any more,” she warned him and rolled her eyes. Everyone is a comedian this morning.
     
    Father and daughter walked outside and took up a position on the front porch. Aja stared at the multitude of jostling reporters, all of them there for a piece of her story. Her stomach rolled and she was afraid she would humiliate herself more by being sick in front of them. She clutched her father’s arm tightly and tried to steady her nerves.
     
    Her father told the reporters that she would make a statement, but that she wouldn’t answer any questions as she was still very shaken up. He turned and pulled Aja in front of him, but kept his hands on her shoulders. He was a tall man, towering over her five feet, two inches. He made her feel protected and safe despite the horde of people in front of them.
     
    She swallowed and started to speak. The first thing