Randomly dedicated to QueenJADRGC

My face was numb and tears were streaming now. I managed to make it to the bathroom. I locked the door behind me, and peered at my face in the mirror. My fair skin was swollen and red. My hair was a mess, and as I reached up to stroke my lips which were bleeding, I realized that I was shaking. My chest heaved and I let out a sob.

There was a knock at the door, but I ignored it. I kept crying. Crying helped clear my head.
There was a sound from behind the door and suddenly it opened. Jeremy was standing there with a cloth in his hand. I turned away when he approached me, but he just pulled me to him. I let him wipe at my bruises and tears. He didn't say anything, but his eyes were hard like he was still upset.
He washed my face and then silently lead me into our bedroom. I watched him as he stood over me. He stared back and then sighed.

"I'm sorry Grace. You know how I get when I'm hungry. You shouldn't have provoked me," he whispered.

That statement didn't sound right in my head. Had I provoked him? Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about the phone? Maybe I should have just made him dinner like he wanted. He does work hard...

"Grace come on say something, please," he said leaning over to stroke my cheek. I winced at the contact. My head was now pounding. I needed to lie down.

"Y-you love me, I-i know t-that," I stammered softly, "I just don't understand why you do this to me, to us, Jeremy."

I turned my face from him and climbed unto the bed. My eyes were burning. I needed to be alone right now.

"Grace... babe, I don't know what's wrong with me okay. I just... snap sometimes. You bring out the worst in me at times."

I let his words soak into me. Was I really the reason for his behavior? Did I bring this on myself?

"Is that why you'd rather spend time with Cecil? Is it because I stress you out?" I asked meekly.

Jeremy sighed loudly. I felt his movements on the mattress as he crept up next to me. His lips found my cheeks and gently he laid kisses all over my face.

"Grace you know you're the only one for me. You know I love you to death. I love you and our son so much. Sometimes I don't react the way I should. I shouldn't hurt you. I don't like making you cry. When you cry it breaks my heart," he said gently.

"Sometimes you don't even leave me a choice. I don't deserve to be accused by you. I'm the head of this home, okay? By the way, Cecil isn't anyone you should be worried about. She's just a friend. Nobody can take away the love I have for you."

I let his words circle my head.

"I'm sorry I upset you,"

A silence fell over us for a while. I snuggled closer to Jeremy. He wrapped his arms around me.

"You won't leave me, right?" He asked suddenly.

My stomach tightened at the thought of leaving him.

"Of course not! Jer come on let's just forget that any of this even happened."

"Okay."

.......

I must have drifted off to sleep. I woke to the sound of Levi bawling his little lungs out. I turned over to Jeremy, but he wasn't there.
The house was dark. The desk clock flashed 1 a.m. Levi must be hungry. I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the nursery. A faint glow came from his night light. As I picked him up his cry's subsided to short heaves.

"Alright little man let's get you fed," I whispered to Levi.

As I nursed baby my mind wondered to Jeremy. Where could he be? Why had he left? Why hadn't he told me that he was going out?