I hear the door to my house slamming at five am.

I'm now fully awake.  Thanks alot Jeremy. I twist and turn for almost an hour. And then I impulsively decide to call Nathan.

It rings for almost like a minute before he answers.

"Hey Gem." He says and his voice stops my heart.

"Hi Nate. " I say. And then stop to think why I actually called him.

"Did you... need anything?" He asks. His voice drops a bit.

"Is Ethan awake? I kind of miss him." I say shyly.

"I dont think he is. Do you want me to check?" He asks.

"Please." I almost beg.

There is a bit of anxiety knowing that I left my child with complete strangers. But there's just something about Nathan that makes me feel...at home.  Safe.

He mutters a soft okay. Then gets up.  He walks for a while before knocking on a door.

Did he just knock?

"Hey buddy? Are you awake?" He whispers.

A few seconds pass before he whispers again.

"Mommy wants to talk to you. Are you able to talk?" He asks.

"Okay, I'll come back to get the phone yea?" He says. Then I hear my angel's voice.

"Yes. Hello mommy." Ethan says.

"Hi baby. How are you?" I ask.

"I'm pine mommy.  Are you pine?" He asks.

"Im fine baby. Why are you awake at this time?" I ask him.

"I couldnt sleep. So I was counting sheep." He says and I hear a yawn from him.

"Okay sweetie. Be good okay? Give the phone to uncle Nate." I instruct.

"Bye Mommy." He says.

"Bye baby." I whisper.

I hear his little footsteps padding down the floors.

"Uncle Nate, I'm done." He says.

"Okay buddy go back to bed." He says to him.

"I cant sleep." He whines.

"Okay...what would your mom do when you cant sleep?" He asks. After a few seconds of quiet.

"She tells me to sleep with her on her bed." He says.

A few seconds pass before they speak again.

"Okay.  Come sleep with me in my room." He says. They both walk.

"Gem. I'll call you later yea?" He asks.

"Alright. Goodnight." I say.

"Goodnight my Gem." He says. My heart skips a beat.

And not to mention how much my heart melted at the transaction between him and my son.

I hop out of bed and prepare for work. Soon I'm out and about. I get to Tyler's coffee store and I get Arraine and I coffee and muffins.

Of course have a few conversation with Tyler about literally everything.

Then I head into work.

Arraine is seated in her office as always. She seems so relaxed.

"Goodmornomg ." I say placing the snack on her desk.

"Morning Gem. Have a seat." She says.

"This sounds important." I tell her. She smiles.

"Sure. Well since you'll be working with Nate. We have to come up with a time table. I've agreed and accepted the idea of you working only a selected list of days.

So this is how it will go." She begins then pulls out a large calendar.

"On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  You come to me. But I can call you to come in any day except Sunday. On those days, you will only work for two to four hours max.

Then the rest of the days are for Nate. Of course, the first month you're going to have a flexible schedule.  This is because there might be trips here and there. But dont worry. Just relax." She says.

I nod. That seems fair to me.

"Alright. You may leave. And congratulations on your new job." She says.

Soon enough it's time to head back home. I take a walk back home, hoping it will relax my muscles and clear my brain.

And it does exactly that.

I get into the house and prepare a mushroom and chicken stragonaff .

After plating the dinner, true to my everyday schedule. I prepare myself for a soak in the tub.

To my surprise Jeremy walks in.

I have no idea where he heads to everyday, but he always comes home late. This is the first time he is here so early.

"She left me." He mumbles to himself.

He is drunk.

He looks at me and smiles. I smile back and then head upstairs to the bathroom.

I try to make as little contact with him as possible. It's only a matter of time before he notices that Ethan isn't at home any more and I'll have to tell him something.

Of course I can't say that he is living with another man. So I'll have to lie and say he is living with Alice again.

After the soak. I head to bed. The coziness over takes me and I fall asleep.

A loud crack of the wooden floor has my eyes flying open. My eyes land on the little digital clock I have on my bedside table.  One AM.

Did someone break into the house?

My bedroom door creaks open and a tall figure tip toes in and towers me. I immediately make out the face of Jeremy . What does he want.

He kisses my cheek. I flinch ,but I try to act asleep as much as possible.

My heart is pounding. There is no premonition that can prepare me for what this man is about to do to me.

He shakes me awake. I look at him. Dead in the eye.

"I'm trying to sleep." I whisper. He smiles.

This is the second time he's smiled at me today. What could this mean.

"Please just kiss me." He begs.

I look at him. Disgust paints over my face.

"No, let me go back to sleep." I instruct.

"Please Jenny." He begs.

"No means no Jeremy . Now leave." I say..

He stares at me. For so long that, I swear he just read my soul like a book.

The wham. He punches me right on the cheek. My face feels as though it has been reconstructed. 

He pulls me out of my bed and hits me. Pain jolts everywhere. My entire body cries. Then he says some, something that has me tensed.

"I asked nicely."

I rips my pyjama shorts off and then mimicks his move on my panty.

He unzips his pants and pulls his underwear down.

"Jeremy I said no." I try to sound stern but instead my voice sounds like the scares little girl that I am.

He throws me on the bed.

"Dont move.  It'll only take a minute. " he says.

He holds my hands in one of his large ones. And he buries himself inside me. My entire body is still painful from his punches and kicks.

He pushes himself inside me more violently. Making me feel weak. His large hand moves from my arms and immediately my wrists ache, that's going to leave a bruise.

Then he holds my neck. He pushes his hand further with much more anger and I struggle for air.

"Wipe those tears away." He grunts through his teeth.

I do just that. Afraid to anger him.

I dont dare make a sound. I may have been a brave woman once, but now? I'm afraid. I'm afraid of this man.

He spills himself into me.

He repeats this action at least twice then he pulls his pants up and leaves my bedroom.  My entire body is trembling but I have no words or tears for this.

My hand dials a number I've found to be my solace.

"Gem, why are you calling so late. Are you alright?" He asks.

"Nate? Is Ethan awake?" I ask.

I expect him to walk out of his room to check but he answers immediately.

"No, he's sleeping. Are you alright Gem?" He asks.

"Is he sleeping there with you?" I ask.

"Yes. Gem is everything alright?" He asks the last time.

"Yes. Goodnight." I say and I hang up.