I haven’t been on the boards much this week. This is the reason. I don’t really know how to tell this so I will start at the beginning and work through it.
Background
Rose and I are friends. She used to work at the cinema; she pops round to my house every couple of weeks for tea and a chat. We text chat quite a bit. I know Rose’s husband, H. She has 2 teenage girls A&E.
Rose often complains about her marriage. H pays no attention to her. She does all the housework and cooking and so on. They both work. H comes home, plonks himself in front of the computer when he gets in from work and barely says a word. Rose sleeps on the couch, mainly because of H’s snoring - which he refuses to do anything about. Despite that, when I have visited them, they have seemed to get on reasonably well.
Sunday
I am at work. I switch my mobile on during my lunch break. Get a text from Rose asking what time I finish, can she come for a chat when she finishes work. I say 6, and that it is fine. In my mid-afternoon break, I get a further text saying she hasn’t been in to work, and she won’t be coming round, she’ll text me later on.
Later that night, I get a whispered phone call. Now I am deaf, and struggle with phone calls, but whispered ones are impossible. It is clear she is distraught, but I can’t make out exactly what she is telling me. I make certain she doesn’t need me to do anything.
What transpired is this:
Rose had been shopping with H on Sunday morning. When they finished and got in the car, she said to H, “Can we talk?” She tried to tell him her feelings about their marriage and how she feels neglected by him and has done for some years. H hasn’t reacted well to talks like this in the past. He doesn’t this time. He pushes her out of the car and drives off.
That afternoon there is a blazing row.
That evening, he approaches her, tells her he is sorry and makes solicitations for sex. She tells him she doesn’t feel like it. He continues and she again tells him no. He proceeds to tip a bottle of lemonade over her, drag he out of the house and shut her out, telling her, “That’s what you’ll get every time you refuse.”
She is now out of the house in the snow, with no shoes and no coat. She trudges round to a nearby friend C’s house and stays the night there. Later H comes round to the friend’s house to see if she is there. Rose hides in the toilet and C’s husband tells H she is not there.
Monday
I get a phone call from Rose at 9am, asking if she and the girls can stay with me. She tells me a little of what transpired. I, of course, say yes.
I do a bit of tidying and cleaning. I live on my own, and don’t have a terribly big house, but I have a spare room and a foldaway bed and a sofa big enough to sleep on.
At about 2pm I get another phone call, she is on her way.
Rose has been back to her house. H has gone to work. The girls let her in and they proceeded to get as much stuff as possible into her friend’s car and come to my house.
The girls go out for a walk, and Rose fills me in on the details and shows me her bruises.
After some discussion and phone calls, eldest daughter A decides she is going to stay with C, who has a son who is A’s friend.
Rose brought some food, so she cooks dinner. The four of us eat dinner. Afterwards, we sit and the girls play on the Nintendo hand-held game. Every time a car goes past, Rose says, “Shh, shh.” She is clearly terrified H is coming to find them. When the doorbell goes, she won’t let me answer it, because she is convinced it is H. Poor C is left out in the snow until she phones.
Rose and E have the camp bed and couch in the living room. They want to be together and they refuse to take my double bed. I leave the heating on for them, so it is too hot for me. I don't sleep well and dream of being chased by H.
Background
Rose and I are friends. She used to work at the cinema; she pops round to my house every couple of weeks for tea and a chat. We text chat quite a bit. I know Rose’s husband, H. She has 2 teenage girls A&E.
Rose often complains about her marriage. H pays no attention to her. She does all the housework and cooking and so on. They both work. H comes home, plonks himself in front of the computer when he gets in from work and barely says a word. Rose sleeps on the couch, mainly because of H’s snoring - which he refuses to do anything about. Despite that, when I have visited them, they have seemed to get on reasonably well.
Sunday
I am at work. I switch my mobile on during my lunch break. Get a text from Rose asking what time I finish, can she come for a chat when she finishes work. I say 6, and that it is fine. In my mid-afternoon break, I get a further text saying she hasn’t been in to work, and she won’t be coming round, she’ll text me later on.
Later that night, I get a whispered phone call. Now I am deaf, and struggle with phone calls, but whispered ones are impossible. It is clear she is distraught, but I can’t make out exactly what she is telling me. I make certain she doesn’t need me to do anything.
What transpired is this:
Rose had been shopping with H on Sunday morning. When they finished and got in the car, she said to H, “Can we talk?” She tried to tell him her feelings about their marriage and how she feels neglected by him and has done for some years. H hasn’t reacted well to talks like this in the past. He doesn’t this time. He pushes her out of the car and drives off.
That afternoon there is a blazing row.
That evening, he approaches her, tells her he is sorry and makes solicitations for sex. She tells him she doesn’t feel like it. He continues and she again tells him no. He proceeds to tip a bottle of lemonade over her, drag he out of the house and shut her out, telling her, “That’s what you’ll get every time you refuse.”
She is now out of the house in the snow, with no shoes and no coat. She trudges round to a nearby friend C’s house and stays the night there. Later H comes round to the friend’s house to see if she is there. Rose hides in the toilet and C’s husband tells H she is not there.
Monday
I get a phone call from Rose at 9am, asking if she and the girls can stay with me. She tells me a little of what transpired. I, of course, say yes.
I do a bit of tidying and cleaning. I live on my own, and don’t have a terribly big house, but I have a spare room and a foldaway bed and a sofa big enough to sleep on.
At about 2pm I get another phone call, she is on her way.
Rose has been back to her house. H has gone to work. The girls let her in and they proceeded to get as much stuff as possible into her friend’s car and come to my house.
The girls go out for a walk, and Rose fills me in on the details and shows me her bruises.
After some discussion and phone calls, eldest daughter A decides she is going to stay with C, who has a son who is A’s friend.
Rose brought some food, so she cooks dinner. The four of us eat dinner. Afterwards, we sit and the girls play on the Nintendo hand-held game. Every time a car goes past, Rose says, “Shh, shh.” She is clearly terrified H is coming to find them. When the doorbell goes, she won’t let me answer it, because she is convinced it is H. Poor C is left out in the snow until she phones.
Rose and E have the camp bed and couch in the living room. They want to be together and they refuse to take my double bed. I leave the heating on for them, so it is too hot for me. I don't sleep well and dream of being chased by H.
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