Fiction
I concede my stentorian blabber mouth had never imagined the cryptic behavior that was creeping pass me all the time. I didn’t even notice it. Irene and I were not close friends. We were associates at work. We understood our roles as co-workers. She was the head nurse who always enjoyed going on shopping sprees with me on our lunch breaks or when we had professional developments in other cities. Most of the nurses on our team adored their profession; what we did daily. We treated each other like family in light of us spending 12 to 15 hours a day together. Irene always spent her own money buying gifts for all of her patients and staff. Yes, she was immersed in a generous spirit. I think about her often. She use to always say to me, “Victoria, you’re going to bring us the victory we need today” anytime we had challenging task to complete as nurses. She believed my aura and name was a positive sign.
In retrospect, Irene didn’t embody the intrapersonal skills everyone thought she had. She was married with 5 children. They all wanted to be in the medical field just like Irene. She was close to perfection as you can get as a mom and wife. I recall her telling me how she use to get very weary about her kids (all under 18) always calling on her for everything. They hardly ever asked their father even if he was sitting right in front of them. They would automatically call Irene if she wasn’t home or if they needed help with something. I remember one year I attended one of her parties with my husband and didn’t want to fix his plate. Irene pulled me to the side to persuade me not to embarrass my better half in front of all the other couples that were in attendance. My husband is not like her husband. He really didn’t mind fixing his own plate. Her husband was a lawyer in a high profile law firm. I truly enjoyed the two of them every time I got a chance to attend one of their holiday gatherings. Irene invited everyone to her house; co-workers, family members and even folks she didn’t know very well. Irene and her family always performed a song with their family. They were the talk of the work environment at our hospital. People looked forward to Irene’s family putting on their family shows for us.
One day Irene called me up to see if we could go shopping together. I did oblige. My husband was getting on my nerves really bad on that day. I told him to watch his kids; informed him where I was going and I left. Strangely, when I saw Irene she was in a different car. Her face appeared different and she had on her sunglasses. Her entire persona was altered; hair, attire and her make-up. I didn’t know who she was. We didn’t go shopping. We parked our cars by the store we usually spend all of our money in but we walked around the strip mall to the local coffee shop. We sat down and talked. She told me she was going away. I just listened to her and remained supportive. I didn’t ask her any questions. She told me she wanted me and her best friend Amanda to be the guardians over her kids if something ever happen to her. I was gobsmacked! It was an honor. I said yes and signed some documents. She told me she was going through a hard time and was going away for a week or two to get some rest. She told me she’d see me back at work in a week and she thanked me. Exactly 2 minutes after Irene left her husband called me on my cell. He told me he forgot to ask Irene something. He said he was trying to reach her. He thought her phone was on silent. He asked me if we were still out shopping. Her husband had called me before so I didn’t think anything of it. I told him we didn’t go shopping. I told him we decided to have coffee at Starbucks and that Irene had left a few minutes ago.
Amazingly, I was clueless to the trauma Irene was going through. To me and the world surrounding them, Irene and her husband appeared like they were the perfect couple. The next morning, I received the news from Amanda that Irene was killed by her husband. She never made it to her trip. She was trying to leave him because he had been beating her for 27 years. Amanda said she knew about the abusive marriage Irene had endured with her husband. Amanda said she urged Irene to get help. Irene always made excuses for her husband and herself. One of the reasons Irene enjoyed inviting people to her house was because she didn't like being alone with her husband. She never wanted us to leave. Sometimes people would stay over her house until five or six in the morning with Irene. Those parties were like a safe haven for Irene because her husband wouldn’t dare hit her in front of their guest. Irene endured too many uncomfortable situations.
I have 2 of Irene’s kids and Amanda has the other 3. Her husband is in jail for murder. I feel terrible for telling her husband she didn’t go shopping on that day. He became indignant towards Irene for lying to him and killed her later on that night. I will never forget her. She was someone who remains unforgettable.
What would you do if you had a loved one or friend who was trapped in an abusive relationship
In retrospect, Irene didn’t embody the intrapersonal skills everyone thought she had. She was married with 5 children. They all wanted to be in the medical field just like Irene. She was close to perfection as you can get as a mom and wife. I recall her telling me how she use to get very weary about her kids (all under 18) always calling on her for everything. They hardly ever asked their father even if he was sitting right in front of them. They would automatically call Irene if she wasn’t home or if they needed help with something. I remember one year I attended one of her parties with my husband and didn’t want to fix his plate. Irene pulled me to the side to persuade me not to embarrass my better half in front of all the other couples that were in attendance. My husband is not like her husband. He really didn’t mind fixing his own plate. Her husband was a lawyer in a high profile law firm. I truly enjoyed the two of them every time I got a chance to attend one of their holiday gatherings. Irene invited everyone to her house; co-workers, family members and even folks she didn’t know very well. Irene and her family always performed a song with their family. They were the talk of the work environment at our hospital. People looked forward to Irene’s family putting on their family shows for us.
One day Irene called me up to see if we could go shopping together. I did oblige. My husband was getting on my nerves really bad on that day. I told him to watch his kids; informed him where I was going and I left. Strangely, when I saw Irene she was in a different car. Her face appeared different and she had on her sunglasses. Her entire persona was altered; hair, attire and her make-up. I didn’t know who she was. We didn’t go shopping. We parked our cars by the store we usually spend all of our money in but we walked around the strip mall to the local coffee shop. We sat down and talked. She told me she was going away. I just listened to her and remained supportive. I didn’t ask her any questions. She told me she wanted me and her best friend Amanda to be the guardians over her kids if something ever happen to her. I was gobsmacked! It was an honor. I said yes and signed some documents. She told me she was going through a hard time and was going away for a week or two to get some rest. She told me she’d see me back at work in a week and she thanked me. Exactly 2 minutes after Irene left her husband called me on my cell. He told me he forgot to ask Irene something. He said he was trying to reach her. He thought her phone was on silent. He asked me if we were still out shopping. Her husband had called me before so I didn’t think anything of it. I told him we didn’t go shopping. I told him we decided to have coffee at Starbucks and that Irene had left a few minutes ago.
Amazingly, I was clueless to the trauma Irene was going through. To me and the world surrounding them, Irene and her husband appeared like they were the perfect couple. The next morning, I received the news from Amanda that Irene was killed by her husband. She never made it to her trip. She was trying to leave him because he had been beating her for 27 years. Amanda said she knew about the abusive marriage Irene had endured with her husband. Amanda said she urged Irene to get help. Irene always made excuses for her husband and herself. One of the reasons Irene enjoyed inviting people to her house was because she didn't like being alone with her husband. She never wanted us to leave. Sometimes people would stay over her house until five or six in the morning with Irene. Those parties were like a safe haven for Irene because her husband wouldn’t dare hit her in front of their guest. Irene endured too many uncomfortable situations.
I have 2 of Irene’s kids and Amanda has the other 3. Her husband is in jail for murder. I feel terrible for telling her husband she didn’t go shopping on that day. He became indignant towards Irene for lying to him and killed her later on that night. I will never forget her. She was someone who remains unforgettable.
What would you do if you had a loved one or friend who was trapped in an abusive relationship
