Macy looked away from her. “H-he didn’t mean it. He just g-gets angry and frustrated sometimes.”
“I’ve always believed that a man who strikes a woman is not a man at all, Macy. He is a coward and a bully. That a man would touch a woman in anger, when his strength often is twice hers is, in my opinion, unforgivable.”
Her face crumpled at the words Branna’s father had spoken.
“It takes a strong, brave woman to stand up against such a man, Macy, a strong, brave woman with someone at her back. Will you allow Branna and me to have yours?”
“H-he tried to kill my b-baby.”
“Dear God!” Branna felt her father’s arm around her shoulders as she reached out to take Macy’s hand.
“H-he’s not the man you all know.”
“And this baby you carry, Macy, does it deserve to live with such a man?”
Her eyes were big as she looked up at Declan O’Donnell. “No.” She shook her head. “I want this one to live.”
Branna must have made a noise, because she felt her father pull her close briefly, and she accepted the comfort, too shocked to pull away. Macy had lost other babies at the hands of the monster she was married to. Dear God, she couldn’t get her head around it. Why had no one noticed what was going on in this woman’s life?
“I want you to take these now, Macy. They won’t hurt the baby, but will help with the pain.”
Like a small child, she did as he asked her, opening her mouth and swallowing the Tylenol. Between them, she and her father then cleaned Macy and put a bandage on her cut. He then picked her up again and they went upstairs.
“I’ll leave you to Branna’s care now, Macy, but if you need me, just call and I shall hear.”
She nodded and managed to whisper thank you, and then the door was closed, leaving Branna and Macy alone.
“H-he’s a nice man.”
“He is. Now, do you want a shower or just a wash before you get into bed?” Branna asked.
“Shower.”
She walked like an old woman, but when Branna asked if she was in pain, she just said that her tummy was fine and that the baby was unharmed.
“Brian will be looking for me, Br-Branna. He’ll get angry when he doesn’t find me.”
She was terrified, her fingers twisting into each other.
“Macy, he has no idea you are here with me. Furthermore, he thinks we hate each other, so why would you come here?” Turning on the taps, Branna made sure the temperature was right before she turned back to Macy. “Now, let’s get your clothes off.”
She didn’t leave, because in all honesty, Branna feared Macy may faint and she wouldn’t know. She unbuttoned the ripped cotton and then eased it from her shoulders.
“Dear God, he did this to you?” Branna said, horrified, as she looked at the bruises, old and new she realized. They covered her body.
“I deserved s-some of them.”
“No!” Macy flinched at Branna’s anger. “You did nothing to deserve these, Macy Reynolds. Nothing, do you hear me?”
“You’re sh-shouting. Of course I can hear you.”
Branna cried then, hot angry tears as she pulled the skirt and torn underwear from Macy’s body.
“Don’t cry for m-me, Branna. I’m not worth it.” The sadness in the words made Branna cry harder.
“You are worth a million of that man, Macy, a million of me and everyone else I know. You’re strong and beautiful. Do you know what?”
“What?”
