Love You to Death: Chapter 7

It's finally here, chapter 7 of Love You to Death! This was a fun story to write and I'm very happy with all the views and reccomendations. But a word of caution, this last chapter is very raw and has some strong language and mature themes, so I don't advise anyone who might be offended by either of those to continue reading. I'll put up an abridged version of this chapter on the Sims 3 exchange when possible.

John

I woke up at dawn. Becky was still asleep. She looked like one of the pale pink clouds that were hanging in the sky above the rising sun. I kissed her cheek and got up to get dressed, moving as slowly as I could so I didn't wake her. She moved her head slightly as I covered her with the blanket and got out of the bed. For a second I considered lying back down with her, holding her against my body until she woke up.

But I had work to do. My father would look for me, wondering why the cows weren’t being milked and the chickens weren’t being fed. He’d go in the living room, kitchen, bathroom, every room in the house and he’d look around outside for me for a few minutes before he remembered there was a beautiful woman in the house. He would deny that I would do anything with her to himself at first, then bolt up to this room like a runaway train. He would see us together, and explode into a rage that would shake the entire county. He would lay it on thick. Shame on me for bringing this sin into his godly house. For some reason I didn’t feel ashamed at all.

Why is it shameful that I love her?
I couldn’t believe what happened that night, the night I learned the pleasure of a woman. Everything I was trying to hold back went out of my control when said my name. My name. One month of silence and she said my name. You could have called me the happiest man in the world at that moment. I lightly kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her eyelashes...then our lips met.

“Oh, John…”

"I love you, Becky.”

As I did my chores I kept looking up at the house. My bedroom window. I imagined her sleeping, remembered how beautiful she looked, how soft her skin was, how wonderful it was to hear her whisper my name. It was hard to pay attention to the hose as I was filling the animals’ water. It overflowed and slopped mud all over my boots. I groaned and kicked the mud off my boots, and I could hear someone walking up behind me.

“John, I need to talk to you about something,” Dad said. His voice sounded very serious. I turned to face him, trying not to look as nervous as I felt.

“Uh…about what?”

“About Becky."

I tried to swallow the huge lump that was caught in my throat.

How did he find out? Oh, Lord, what if he heard everything!

Dad sat down on one of the rocks near the fence post. I sat next to him, trying not to look directly at him. I felt myself burning with guilt and embarrassment. But Dad didn’t yell at me, or lecture me, or even mention anything about last night.

If he knew, he’d never say.

“You know, everything that’s happened in the past month with Becky has really got me thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“Well, I was thinking about how much I loved your mother. How much your brother loves Babs. And…”

How much I love Becky. I thought.

“And precious…precious time.”

I looked up at my father. He was staring into the fields ahead of us.

"I’m getting too old, John. I don’t have a lot of time left. Maybe if I had let my pain go a long time ago I could have gotten another chance. But there’s no use in looking at what could have been, but you should look at what can still be.”

“What are you getting at?” I asked.

“Son, are you gonna marry that girl or not?”

“I…”

I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to marry her more than anything. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, to have children with her, and fall asleep every night with her at my side. But I didn’t know if she wanted to marry me. If she believed that a marriage could be anything other than a prison.

I didn’t know if I could give her all the happiness she deserved.

Dad looked me square in the eye.

“Don’t let doubt get in the way of the time you could have together.”

He took my hand, and put something in it. I looked down, and saw it was my mother’s wedding ring. Before I could protest, Dad put his hand on my shoulder and walked away, leaving me along with my thoughts and the huge stretch of fields ahead of me.

“John!”
I got up and saw my brother pushing himself across the yard toward me, grinning at me with a mile-wide smile.
“What’s going on?” I asked.

“John…you won’t believe what Becky just did,” Simon said.

“What?”

“She said ‘hello’ to me! She said ‘hello!’ I knew she’d come around. Didn’t I tell you that?”

“Actually Jake told me that.”

“Right. But I agreed.”

I saw something move near the front door of the house. Becky came outside, and walked to us. She was also smiling. Simon looked at her and grabbed her hand.

“Do it again!” he said excitedly.

“For Pete’s sake, she’s not a dog, Simon!” I said.

“It’s okay, John,” Becky said, giggling.

“Ha! It’s great! I gotta tell Dad!” Simon turned himself around and headed back toward the house. Becky took my hand. I looked down at her and smiled, but I saw a walking stick sitting on her dress.

“Oh, um, there’s a…”

Becky looked down and gasped. I quickly grabbed the bug and she smiled at me in relief. Just to tease her, I put the bug right on her face. She scrunched up her eyes, nose, mouth, everything. I laughed at that look on her face, it was both so funny and so dazzling. The bug took a few steps up her face, not really paying attention to Becky’s discomfort.

“Mm! Get it off!” she said.

“He’s friendly. He just wants to say hello,” I said.

“John, get it off!”

I gently picked up the walking stick and set it on the ground. Becky rubbed her face and gave me a playful glare. I started backing away from her, and she started running after me. We ran across the yard, past the chicken coop, scattering all the chickens, and she jumped on my back. Unfortunately, we were at the pond when this happened. I lost my balance, and we both went in the water. The ducks quacked angrily at us and burst into flight. Becky climbed back on me, soaked and giggling.

“Well, now look what you did!” I said, laughing.

“Serves you right,” Becky said. She climbed off my back and we got out of the water. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, and a cool wind blew right through our wet clothes. Becky shivered. I wrapped my arms around her.

"We should go back inside," I said. She took my hand, and we walked back to the house together. I put my other hand over my pocket, where the engagement ring was.

Becky

You have to tell him the truth.

What if Clark finds me what if he hurts John what if what if?

I stripped off my wet clothes and stared at myself in the mirror stared at my scars at my past. I was happy here I ran away from Clark I ran away from my old life but I couldn’t run forever.

If he found me I was dead I knew that for sure and he wouldn’t second guess ending the life of anyone who got in between me and him like Cade like Simon like John. Clark would break me if I left with him and he would break me if I didn’t but if I left if I left…

Nobody else would get hurt.
Cade
Simon
John
Forgive me.

My heart ached as I filled the suitcase it felt like I was already dying. I had to disappear again and all I wanted at that moment was to fade away to turn into the wind into the air into the still night a small echo that felt nothing that was nothing except a faint sound that vanished.

I heard a soft knock on the door.

“Becky?”

I ran to the door so John wouldn’t walk in and see my suitcase see that I was leaving. I didn’t want to see his heart breaking. I wiped the tears from my eyes and opened the door slightly. I kept my eyes on the floor I couldn’t look at him.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Would you come downstairs for a second? I want to talk to you about something.”

I told myself not to go. I told myself not to follow him downstairs not to hold his hand not to brush my cheek against his shoulder not to do anything that would change my mind about leaving him forever.

But I did.

“Becky, there’s something I want to say to you…well, something I want to ask you. I know we’ve only been together for a short time, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” John took my hand, and I felt light as air. He knelt down, and tears began to fill my eyes.

“John…” I whispered.

No don’t do this please don’t do this

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful engagement ring.

“Will you marry me?"

“Oh, John…I…” my voice trailed off. I had to tell him. I had to tell him everything.

John I would give anything to be able to marry you but I’m a liar I lied to you I’m so sorry I’m still married and my husband is out there looking for me I think he’s going to kill me I think he’s going to kill you I can’t stay I can’t let you get hurt please understand John I never meant for any of this to happen I love you I love you but

I love you, but…

The words wouldn’t come.

I looked away. I looked out the window. Something dark loomed behind the glass. I froze and stared at the ghastly figure it stared at me like a tiger at its prey like the angel of death like the rider of the pale horse. I wanted to scream I wanted to run I wanted to scream.

“He’s here.”

"Becky? What’s wrong?” John asked.

I blinked.

He was gone was he?

“Becky? Becky, are you okay?”

“I…I don’t know.”

John put the ring back in his pocket.”Was it too soon? I’m sorry, I didn’t want to make you feel…um…why don’t you try getting some sleep? You’ll feel better in the—”

The door flew open BANG!

No! God, NO!

“What?” John jumped up and turned around. “Who the hell are you?”
“John, get out of here!” I screamed. John’s eyes instantly went to his rifle that always sat next to the back door, and he made a dash for it.

“Clark, don’t!”

“NO! Oh, God! John, no!” I screamed. I fell to my knees gasping in terror.

His dark, heavy boots pounded on the floor. I stared at John stared at the red spatter all over his shirt. I trembled as the boots came closer and closer. A cold stone hand wrapped around my arm that hand seemed strong enough to grate the flesh right off my bone. I stood shakily to my feet.

.

“Hello, my darling,” his voice was tender. He put his lips to my neck, and the gun to my back. “I’ve missed you.”

“Clark…”

“Oh, did you miss me? No…no, of course not. You’re too busy hiking your skirt up for him, aren’t you? Hm? What’s his name? John? Well, don’t worry, you’ll be back with him soon enough.”

I was going to die. I knew it for sure this time. Clark dragged me out of John’s house pushed me into his car drove like a madman through the back roads of Riverview County he was angry many times before but not like this not nearly like this. The only thing I could see were black trees raking the sky like thousands of claws. He was driving me right to the devil’s gates. He was going to take his gun and blow my head off and I would lie on the ground bleeding, bleeding, bleeding, like John my angel my fallen angel. The white wings were stained red with blood oh John he didn’t deserve to die like that. Clark shot him cold dead and it was all my fault. He died because of me. I was bad I disobeyed I was an evil night walking jezebel and I was going to burn, burn, burn for eternity.

He stopped the car in the darkest part of the night. He got out and pulled my door open, grasping my hair and dragging me outside. I couldn’t scream or cry. His grip hurt it hurt so much but no sound came from my mouth no tear from my eye.

“I tried to forgive you, Rebecca. I knew you were out there somewhere, and all I had to do was find you. I tried to forgive you, you ungrateful tramp! I gave you everything you needed and this is how you repay me? Screwing some other man? As if he’d ever want a sulky little bitch like you!” He pushed me to the ground he climbed on top of me he closed his hands around my thighs so I couldn't move he was holding me down like a clamp like a wild animal I couldn't move I couldn't get away.

“You’ll learn soon enough, Rebecca. You want to be a tramp, you’ll take it like a tramp!” I opened my mouth I still couldn’t scream. I know he wanted me to eat dirt I was filthy. I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream. He got up when I was crushed and broken, pulling me to my knees.

He pointed the gun at me his face was fire rage hatred insanity death.

I heard a voice in the distance. It came from nowhere. It came from everywhere.

“Stop!”

Was it God?

"Police! Freeze! Drop your weapon!” the voice that came from nowhere and everywhere said. Clark turned, and I saw Jake Harper, John’s friend, holding his gun at Clark. Clark tightened his grip on my arm and pulled me to my feet and put the barrel of his gun to my head.

Am I gonna die?

Am I gonna live?
“Back off! I’ll shoot her!” Clark shouted.

“Put your gun down and let her go.”

“I said back off!"

“Okay, okay, look, I’m putting my gun down. See, I’m unarmed. Now, just let Becky come with me and you can go,” Jake put his gun on the grass. Clark stiffened as Jake slowly came closer to us. He started pushing me toward Jake and Jake reached for me. Clark’s arm jerked and he pointed the gun at Jake I yanked my arm away Jake struggled to wrench the gun away he twisted Clark’s arm until his hand fell limp the gun left his grip.

I collapsed on the gun I pointed it at Clark my hands trembled. Jake stared at me frozen in shock and Clark slowly approached me I backed away as he neared. My finger found the trigger squeeze it don’t squeeze it shoot him don’t shoot him shoot him.

“What do you think you’re gonna do, Rebecca?”

Shoot him.

BANG!
Clark screamed and clutched at his knee I felt like I was watching myself hold the gun pull the trigger I was watching myself about to kill Clark all I could feel was rage blinding rage.

“Becky! Stop!” Jake yelled.

I wanted him to die I wanted him to suffer I wanted him to know what I knew pain suffering agony.

Enough enough ENOUGH you will not make me your victim this time your life is mine this time YOU will burn YOU will bleed YOU will cry YOU will break YOU will YOU not ME.

“Becky, listen, I know you don’t really want to do this. You’re a good person. Put the gun down and I’ll take him in,” Jake finished calmly. I pointed my hand my quivering hand my quivering gun at Clark I wanted to I didn’t want to I wanted to I didn’t want to. I was a good person was I wasn’t I? I dropped my hand. Dropped the gun.

“Agh!” Clark roared. He jumped up at me and tried to grab me again, but Jake was quicker he tackled him to the ground. Jake pulled his arms behind his back and put the handcuffs on him. Clark struggled and glared at me that fiery enraged hateful insane glare but it was not going to kill me he was not going to kill me.

But he had already killed someone else he killed John I broke down in tears. I screamed I wailed I dropped to my knees again I pounded my fists into the ground I pulled up the grass and dirt I let everything out everything I had been holding back all this time so much pain. John was gone shot dead because of me. I loved him and I killed him. Jake walked Clark over to another police car that was pulling up behind his and he ran back over to me. Jake yelled my name he shook my shoulders but I screamed and screamed. John my love my true love he would never hold me again he would never kiss me again he would never hear me say his name again.

“Becky! Becky, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Jake asked.

“John…he killed John…” I sobbed.

“No, he didn’t. John’s alive. He took a though-and-through in the shoulder. He’s in the hospital right now,” Jake said. “Come on, I’ll take you there.”

Jake had to help me stand up because I couldn’t find the strength myself. I wanted to run I wanted to fly to John but Jake almost had to carry me to the car. The other police officers put Clark in the backseat of their car while I rode with Jake through the woods the siren blared but all I could hear all that existed were Jake’s words.

John’s alive. John’s alive.

“The whole squad was talking about you. They said you faked your own death and your husband was worried about you. Worried, right. Since John already told me about your scars, I just put two and two together. I’ve been keeping an eye on you both since then.” Jake explained to me on the way to the hospital.

“He told you Clark hurt me?” I asked.

“Not in those exact words. He asked what would happen if a woman was being beaten by her husband, what charges you can make against him. I told him not much would happen, even if she was covered head to toe in bruises and scars. I’m sorry, Becky, it’s gonna be impossible to prove he did anything to you. But he will go to jail for what he did to John. He’ll never hurt you again.”

“That’s enough,” I said.

Jake and I ran into the hospital’s emergency room. He asked the receptionist where John was, and the woman behind the desk told us he was in the recovery room I didn’t want to wait for the elevator I ran up the stairs I ran I had to go to John I had to see him. The rooms sped by it felt like they were running past me and I was standing still I couldn’t go fast enough.

I stopped. I put my hand on the door it was open slightly I could hear them talking Simon and Cade Babs was in tears I peeked around the door. Jake came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders.

“…you’re the luckiest idiot that ever walked the earth,” Simon said.

“This is all my fault! I should have told you everything to begin with…I didn’t think he’d find her, oh, I’m so stupid!” Babs cried.

“Well, if you happen to rescue another woman from her insane husband please warn us next time,” Simon said. “And to be honest, I wouldn’t expect any less of you.” He looked out the door in my direction I hid behind it and he waved at me.

No, not me. Just Jake.

“Hey, Jake! Thanks for helping out! You’re a real local hero!” Simon said.

“Ahem, helping out?” Jake asked.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You did great. Protect and serve!”

"Jake."

John.

“Is she okay?” John asked.

“Why don’t you ask her?” Jake suggested.

I walked into the room slowly. Simon and Cade and Babs and Jake watched me come in but my eyes were on John. He was okay he was alive it was a miracle. My heart was so full but it was no longer filled with fear, no longer filled with sorrow, it was filled with love with happiness. Real happiness.

“Hey, Simon, Cade, you guys want some coffee?” Jake asked.

“And donuts?” Simon asked.

“Sure,” Jake chuckled. They walked out the door, leaving me and John alone together. I walked over to him and sat down. I looked at his bandages, his arm in a sling and felt suddenly horrible so guilty that he was here in the hospital. He almost died because of me. I put my head on his hand and broke down crying sobbing trying to say I was sorry. I was so sorry for everything.

“I’m sorry.”

But I didn’t say that.

“I’m so sorry, Becky. I didn’t know what he was gonna do…if he was gonna try to shoot you so I just stayed down when he shot me. I wanted to stop him—”

“Wh-why are you apologizing?” I exploded. “This is my fault!” I couldn’t believe it, he was lying in a hospital bed after cheating death after Clark my husband shot him and he was apologizing to me. Clark followed me he was going to kill me, he almost killed John. It was my fault.

“No, it’s not. You know, all I could think about when your husband took you away was that he was going to kill you. I was afraid that I’d never see you again. I wanted to take a bullet right in my chest if it meant you could get away. I think…it wasn’t just a miracle that I survived this, and that you survived this. I think…the biggest miracle is the day we met."

I lifted my head up and rubbed the salty tears from my red face. I looked at John into his eyes, his soft warm eyes. I wanted to dive into them like pools of water and feel all of him surrounding me like when he smiled. When he kissed me. When we made love.

“I…I think so too,” I said. My hands trembled again. I looked over to the chair where his clothes were sitting. I shakily stood up and walked over to them. I reached inside the pocket of his overalls, feeling for the delicate and beautiful ring he tried to give me last night. I pulled it out and stared at it for a moment.

Do I deserve this

Do I deserve to be happy after everything I did?

I lied

I put his life in danger

Do I...
Enough.
I turned to John and walked back to him. I wasn’t going to be afraid anymore. I wasn’t going to live like this anymore. He looked at me, then at my hand. I slowly opened it, and I placed the ring back in his hand. He looked torn. Wounded. It broke my heart to see his face like that. He looked away from me.

“Becky…I…understand if…you don’t want to marry me. I know you’ve been through a lot, and it’s going to take time for you to heal. But…if you ever change your mind, just remember that you’re the only one for me." I put my hand on his face, turning his head back to me. I leaned forward and kissed him.
“Ask me again,” I whispered in his ear.

The End