She should have been beautiful.
She was a petite brunette of twenty-three of 5'2". Her shoulder length, auburn hair framed a delicate elfin face with green eyes, a button nose and a pair of soft, ruby-red lips. Her figure was slim, yet had all the curves in the right places covered by a short sleeved T-shirt and a knee length denim skirt.
She should have been beautiful.
She should have been beautiful.
Lynne finished packing her suitcase and closed the lid. Then she sat on her narrow bed and looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished, just the bed and a single battered wooden locker. The only decoration was a small crucifix screwed to the wall above the bed head.
There was a tap at the door and a woman's voice said, "They're here Lynne."
She stood up, grabbed the small case and opened the door. Her new friend, Sybille stood there. About 45 years old, she was a blousy looking bottle blonde, somewhat overweight and a cigarette permanently in the corner of her mouth. Her eyes could have been a vibrant blue, but they had seen too much and had lost their lustre. She smiled, "Are you okay love?"
Lynne tried to return the smile, but could not. She was too nervous. She took a deep breath and then nodded.
Together, the two women made their way to the front door of the building where three men stood waiting.
Two of the men, although somewhat larger than Lynne showed a clear family resemblance. The other was a blond man of about 5'10". Broad shoulders and a well toned body with strong well-defined musculature. He obviously worked out on a regular basis. His face was masculine if not classically handsome. But the entire package presented quite an imposing figure.
The older of the other men started to smile when he saw Lynne walking towards them, but his expression turned dark when he saw her face and arms as she came closer. He swore, "Bastard!" He started to shake with rage, "That bastard! Let's find him and kill him!"
The blond responded, "Hang on Brian. The important thing is to get Lynne home. We can think about what to do about Jimmy once she's safe."
Struggling to get his temper under control, Brian was forced to agree. The important thing was to get Lynne home.
Lynne stopped in front of the trio, looked at Brian and burst into tears. He took his sister in his arms and whispered soothing noises as she sobbed uncontrollably.
He managed to calm his little sister sufficiently for her to be led to where his car was parked. Before she climbed in, she turned and looked back at Sybille stood in the doorway of the women's refuge and said, "Thank you."
Sybille smiled briefly and replied, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I never want to see you again," then she returned back inside and closed the door behind her.
Brian took the driver's seat and Tommy sat next to him, leaving the back seat for Nathan and Lynne.
The young man regarded her silently as she sat next to him. Lynne sat with her head bowed and stared at her hands as her fingers intertwined. He had always held a candle for her and it pained him to see the woman he remembered as a happy-go- lucky person with a sparkling personality in such a despairing state.
Her brothers in the front did not dare to speak, if they did then their collective rage would make them spew forth their hatred for the man who had done this to their baby sister, and both knew that the last thing she wanted to hear about was Jimmy.
Nathan too was raging at the changes Jimmy had wrought in Lynne, but he managed to keep his emotions in check so he could at least talk to her. He reached out to touch her shoulder; Lynne saw his hand out of the corner of her eye and without conscious thought, flinched away from him. He recoiled as if he had been bitten, "I'm sorry Lynne," he said, "I didn't mean to scare you."
Lynne looked back at him. She hated what she had become, scared to feel the touch of a man, even one as innocent as what Nathan had attempted. She knew he would not hurt her and she also knew that he had always had feelings for her, but still, she couldn't stand the touch of a man's hand. Her mind always jumped back to the feel of Jimmy's hand as he punished her for real or imagined transgressions.
Her mind floated back. At first he had been an attentive and loving husband, but then one day that had changed. He had been made redundant from his job and had been unable to find another. Depression set in and he had started drinking. She remembered the first time he had ever laid his hand upon her. He had come home from the pub, drunk and they had started to row. Once again, he had spent the housekeeping on drink and he had slapped her.
He was instantly contrite and apologetic and swore never to do it again. Lynne had believed him and forgave him that little slip. But it did happen again, repeatedly and each time he was just as apologetic and each time she forgave him.
The slaps had turned to punches and kicks. His dinner was late, punch. She stayed out too late, punch. She accidentally broke his favourite beer glass when she was washing up, kick. On that occasion he had broken her rib and she had been too frightened to go to the hospital, so it had mended badly leaving the misshapen lump on her side.
He started to tell her how stupid she was, how ugly she was and how worthless she was. And in time, she started to believe him.
Her sex life with him was something she had come to fear and hate. On the rare occasions when he was able to perform, he would force himself on her. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth and physically making her perform oral sex. His rancid breath and unwashed body nearly made her sick, but she had to maintain an air of enjoyment or risk another beating.
One day it came to a head. He had come home drunk as usual and started accusing her of being unfaithful. One of his drinking cronies had told him how she had been seen dancing with another man on one of her infrequent nights out with her friends. The story was a tissue of lies; she never would have dared do such a thing, much as she might have wanted too.
All of her entreaties fell on deaf ears. She could still remember his words, "You cheating slut! I'll show you what happens to wives who fuck around!"
He removed his leather belt and had given her a savage beating on her back and buttocks. She curled into a screaming ball on the floor, but still he hit her until she thought she would pass out.
Then he had calmly lit a cigarette and had applied it liberally to her forearms. The agony had been almost more than she could take.
Once he had finished, he had calmly stood back up, put his belt back on and said coldly, "Now, Bitch. I didn't want to do that, but I had to. You do understand don't you? You gave me no choice."
He then walked into the kitchen and called out matter-of-factly, "Is dinner ready yet?"
That episode had been the turning point for Lynne, she couldn't take any more. She was terrified that the next time he beat her up, he would kill her. Once, she had loved him, but now the only feelings she had were fear and loathing. So, the very next day when he went out to continue with the destruction of his liver, she had grabbed a small suitcase, filled it with her few clothes and headed straight for the women's refuge.
Nathan watched Lynne carefully as she sat deep in thought; his voice was thick with emotion as he asked, "Jesus, Lynne. What's he done to you?"
Lynne couldn't answer him, all she could do was sit and weep in silence.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was a few days later. Lynne had been brought home to live with Brian and Nathan in the house they shared together. She had been given her own room and a rota for the bathroom worked out. Both men were careful to give Lynne all the privacy she needed. They knew she was very conscious about her body and the scars it carried.
Their evenings were spent listening to music or watching television in the living room. Sometimes Brian and Nathan would enjoy a beer, but Lynne never drank anything stronger than tonic water. However, this particular evening, Brian was forced to work late and so Nathan and Lynne had the house to themselves.
They were stood together in the kitchen and were just finishing off the washing up. Nathan had just rinsed out the bowl and turned to ask Lynne if she wanted a hand with the drying. She turned her head to look at him and as she did so, accidentally knocked a wine glass from the draining board onto the floor, where it landed and broke into several pieces.
Lynne stiffened as she watched it fall; it was almost as though it was slow motion. She looked back up at Nathan, but all she could see was Jimmy snarling in anger at her clumsiness.
Nathan reached out to see if she was okay, but what she saw was a fist flying towards her.
She screamed.
Lynne fell to the floor and curled into the foetal position, still screaming, "Please Jimmy! I didn't mean it! No!"
Nathan stood in shock. Never in his wildest imagination did he ever expect to see Lynne in the state she in now, "Oh Jesus! What's that bastard done to you?"
He crouched down next to her and tried to gather Lynne into his arms. She felt his touch and started lashing out wildly, desperate to escape the beating she knew was coming.
And still she screamed.
Nathan ignored her tiny, flailing fists. He forced her into a semi-sitting position and wrapped his arms around her firmly, "It's okay, it's Nathan. You're safe here. It's all okay."
Over and over he whispered those words as she sobbed and hammered against his chest. Eventually, she reached the point of exhaustion and her fighting and sobbing died down. She held her arms in front of her chest inside his embrace and she cried quietly into his shoulder. But still he maintained his steady soothing words.
Presently, her crying stopped and she stared into space dully. Lynne felt like a rag doll in Nathan's arms. Gently he picked her up and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. He laid her on the bed and covered her in a blanket and then sat down next to her and stroked her forehead. Her eyes slowly focussed on his face and she tentatively reached up to take his hand. She squeezed it gently, held it to her cheek and gave him a shy half-smile.
Nathan gazed down at her and smiled back gently, "You're exhausted," he said, "try and sleep a bit."
Brian arrived home later that evening and stood in the doorway to his sister's room. He saw her asleep on the bed and Nathan still sat next to her holding her hand. Nathan noticed the new arrival, and at Brian's look of askance carefully extracted his hand and left the room.
Back downstairs, Brian asked what had happened and Nathan recounted the events of the evening, getting more and more emotional as he spoke.
"She panicked because she broke a glass?"
By this point Nathan was shaking with impotent fury and tears flowed unbidden, "Oh Jesus Brian! You didn't see her!" his hand flew to his mouth as though he were about to be sick, "If I ever see him, I am gonna put him in a fucking wheelchair!"
Brian was shocked, he had never seen his friend like this, and the vehemence with which he spoke convinced Brian of his sincerity. He reached out to clasp Nathan by the shoulder and answered, "Join the queue."
Late into the night, the two friends sat together. Brian barely spoke, but he listened as Nathan poured his heart out. How he felt about Lynne, how it hurt him so much to see her like that, what he was going to do to Jimmy if he ever saw him. But mainly how he felt about Lynne.
During a lull, Brian said, "Do you think I'm blind? Do you think I didn't know how you felt? I know you better than you think Nathan," he paused, "I want to ask you a favour."
"What?"
"You've got a lot of holiday time left. I haven't got any. I want you to stay here with Lynne and keep an eye on her for me."
"Of course," Nathan looked a little embarrassed, "Actually I was going to do that anyway."
Brian didn't speak, but he did smile quietly to himself.
The next morning after Brian had gone off to work, Nathan rang his employer and told them of his plans. Once made fully aware of the circumstances they were more than happy to let him have leave at such short notice.
Then he prepared a light breakfast on a tray and took it upstairs. He tapped lightly on Lynne's door and hearing no response quietly entered the room. She was still asleep burrowed inside her blanket. Nathan put the tray on her bedside table and then gently shook her awake by the shoulder. Her eyes opened and he smiled, "Morning. I've brought your breakfast."
Lynne presented him with her curious grin and answered, "There's no need, I'm not an invalid you know."
"I know I didn't need to. I wanted to. Come on, sit up and eat."
Lynne sat up and accepted the tray. The smell of the scrambled eggs on toast made her mouth water. She took a drink of coffee and then set about her breakfast with gusto, "Mmmm," she said, "This is tasty."
Nathan sat and watched her polish off the food, when she had cleared her plate and had drank the last of her coffee, he slowly reached up so she could see his arm as it moved and wiped the side of her mouth with his thumb, "Crumbs," he said.
She shivered slightly at his touch but did not flinch away, Nathan considered that a good sign, "How are you feeling this morning?" he asked.
Lynne looked down, "Better... Nathan... I'm sorry about last night."
His hand dropped to her shoulder and he rubbed it gently, "Don't be silly, you have nothing to be sorry for."
Lynne placed her hand over his on her shoulder and replied, "Maybe, but I wanted to say it anyway," she leaned forward, placed a delicate kiss on his cheek and whispered, "Thank you."
Nathan was embarrassed and excited by her kiss. He was also disgusted with himself for being turned on by such an innocent gesture, especially as he knew how difficult it must have been for her. He fought down his conflicting emotions and with just a slight quaver in his voice said, "I'll take this away and you can get yourself sorted out. If you want, we can go out somewhere today. I've taken a few days leave, so whatever you wanna do..."
She considered the proposal, "Well, I do need some new clothes. I don't have many, Jimmy sold most of my clothes along with just about everything we owned."
Nathan stood up, took the tray and said, "That's it then. I'll take you shopping."
"Wait, I... I haven't any money."
"Don't worry about that, I'll sort you out."
"Oh Nathan, I couldn't."
"Rubbish! Tell you what, we'll call it a loan and you pay me back when you can, okay?"
A slight smile, "Okay then, a loan. Thank you."
Later, they arrived at a small High Street Boutique and Nathan said, "Tommy's girlfriend works here, come on I'll introduce you."
Inside, they met up with a tall willowy ash-blonde with a very pretty face. Nathan introduced them and then Julie led Lynne away with a warm smile. Together the two women chose some outfits for Lynne to try on.
While Lynne was in the changing cubicle, Julie popped her head round to ask if she was okay. She saw Lynne from behind bending over to slip on a skirt, she wasn't wearing a blouse.
Speechless, Julie came away from the changing area and sought out Nathan where he stood by the shop entrance. Her face was white.
Concerned, Nathan asked, "What's the matter?"
Julie was close to tears, she swallowed and replied, "Jesus! Have you seen her back?"
"No... Why? What's the matter?"
She didn't answer him, she just said, "You find him, you kick his teeth in!"
Nathan saw Lynne emerge from the cubicle and walk over to them. She gave a twirl, "Well?" She was wearing a long sleeved blouse over a leather waistcoat and a bunched peasant skirt.
Julie managed to squeak, "Lovely. You look lovely."
Nathan agreed absently, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
Eventually, Lynne had selected a few outfits and Nathan paid. Together they left the shop and returned home.
Once they had packed all her new clothes away, Lynne looked at him, "Nathan? You're very quiet. What's the matter?"
He returned her gaze solemnly, "Show me your back."
Lynne's expression clouded, "Why?"
"I want to see it."
"Nathan..."
"Show me your back."
She turned around and unbuttoned her blouse. Her head was bowed as she slipped her top down her arms to expose what should have been a clear expanse of milky skin to his view. He gave a sharp intake of breath and then said, "Why didn't you tell us sooner? Why did you stay with him so long?"
Lynne slipped her blouse back on but did not button it up again, she turned to face Nathan and said, "I was scared to leave him." She was shaking like a leaf. Nathan forced himself to look her in the eye instead of at the narrow expanse of skin left visible by the open blouse. He moved toward her and rested his hands on her shoulders, "All you had to do was call. I would have got you out of there."
She looked frightened as she replied, "I thought he'd kill me."
Nathan embraced her tight and heard her whisper, "I just wish he'd been like you."
That was his first inkling that his feelings for her, feelings he had carried for some years now, were reciprocated. His heart flew, but it was also aching because of what had needed to happen for him to find out. He thought viciously that Jimmy had amassed a score that would be difficult to settle, but he may yet manage it.
A voice from the door surprised them, "Hello hello, what's going on here?
It was Brian.
Lynne jumped like a scalded cat and tried to button her blouse closed, she fumbled but could not make her fingers work, so blushing furiously, she held her blouse closed and bolted from the room and up the stairs.
Nathan raised his hands and said, "It's not what you think."
Brian regarded him carefully, there was an amused glint in his eye that Nathan did not see, "What do you think I thought it was?"
"She was showing me her back."
"Is that what they call it now?"
"Brian..."
Suddenly the other man laughed out loud, "It's not my business, but if you make her happy, then it's okay with me," he stopped laughing when he saw that Nathan had remained sombre. Nathan told him about the scars on Lynne's back.
Brian wobbled slightly and had to sit down, he put his head in his hands and said, "I'm going to fucking kill him. I mean it Nate, I'm going to kill him," he paused and looked at Nathan, "Go upstairs and talk to her. Find out everything he did. I think she'll talk to you."
Nathan nodded and then went upstairs. He tapped lightly on Lynne's door, "Lynne, can I come in?"
She answered quietly in the affirmative, so he pushed open the door and walked inside. Lynne was sat on her bed; her blouse still undone and she stared blankly at the floor. He sat down beside her and asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Suddenly, Lynne threw her arms around him and held him close, he could feel her heart beating fast against his chest and she began to talk. She told him about the first time Jimmy had hit her, all the excuses she had made for him, trying to explain away the marks and bruises that appeared almost daily and finally she told him about the beating that had forced her to flee to the refuge. Nathan sat in silence listening to her story and gently letting his hand rub up and down her spine soothingly.
When she had finished he said, "Well, that's over now. It's in the past and we won't let anything bad happen to you. You're surrounded by people who love you... And you wouldn't believe what your brothers are going to do to Jimmy if they ever see him again."
Against all expectation, she barked a short laugh and then looked at him, "What did you mean, surrounded by people who love me?"
"Your brothers love you and... and I love you."
She returned into her embrace and said, "That's nice."
They sat together in silence for a while and then she released him and said, "Come on, let's go downstairs, Brian will think we've run away," as she spoke, she gave him a sad smile. Lynne buttoned up her blouse and they returned downstairs.
The rest of the evening was spent in relative silence; the three members of the household were content to spend time lost in their own thoughts.
Nathan was thinking about how lovely Lynne looked when she smiled. He just wished her old smile would come back, not the sad half smile that played around her lips now, her real smile. He was also thinking about how much he loved her. And much as he tried to put it out of his mind, he was thinking about the sight of Lynne with her blouse open. He stole the occasional glance at her as she watched television. She was quite the loveliest woman he had ever seen, but perhaps he was a little biased.
Lynne was thinking about Nathan and how supportive and thoughtful he had been. She had always had a soft spot for him. She had never thought of him romantically before, but now she wasn't sure. He had always had a somewhat sensitive nature, but she was only just coming to understand what a good man he was. She sighed inwardly, why couldn't she have fallen for him, instead of... She stole the occasional sly glance at him whilst he watched television and for the first time noticed how handsome he was.
Brian was thinking of new and interesting ways to make Jimmy's last moments on Earth as exquisitely agonising as he could. He was also stealing sly glances at the other two as they pretended to watch television and smiled.
The next few days followed the same general routine, after Brian had gone to work, Nathan and Lynne would enjoy a leisurely breakfast together, she would run through the classified ads of the local paper looking for a job and then they would decide what to do for the day. Sometimes they would go for a walk, or perhaps enjoy an ice cream in the local ice cream parlour. Once they even went to the seaside for the day.
But mostly, they just sat about the living room and chatted. And talked. And gossiped. About everything. Him, her, what he liked, what she wanted out of life, the price of fish, everything.
Lynne had not felt so relaxed being alone with a man in months and she really enjoyed it, especially a man like Nathan. He was thoughtful, considerate and charming. And he never took liberties, no matter how much he might have wanted to. She found herself actually looking forward to the day he would summon up the courage to kiss her.
One morning, they were sat in the kitchen just after breakfast and Lynne was reading the paper, she reached for her coffee without looking and knocked the cup onto the floor. She looked at the broken cup lying in a pool of spilled coffee and then she looked back up at Nathan. He was sat staring at her with an expression bordering on fear. He whispered, "It's only a cup. It doesn't matter."
She half smiled, shrugged and agreed, "It's only a cup."
Nathan quickly moved round the table, hugged her and planted a kiss on her lips. Then embarrassed at his own daring he pulled away, "I'm... I'm sorry Lynne."
Lynne considered what had just happened. She had broken a cup; something that would have earned her a savage beating from Jimmy had just earned her a kiss from Nathan. She found she liked it. His breath was sweet and his lips tender.
Lynne carefully picked up his cup and looking him in the eye dropped it on the floor, then she held out her arms to him, "Do I get another?"
He laughed and said, "I don't believe you just did that."
She replied, "I'll smash every cup in the house if it means that you kiss me again."
Nathan took her hands and pulled her to her feet and then placed his lips against her own once more. He started to pull away after a second or two, but Lynne's arms snaked around his neck and held him tight, prolonging the kiss.
When they eventually came up for air, Nathan whispered, "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."
"You don't know how long I've wanted you to do it."
He looked into her eyes and slowly moved his face towards her for another kiss. Because they were so busy, neither noticed a figure pop up at the window and watch them with a scowl, before melting away again.
Nathan led Lynne through to the living room and they sat together on the sofa. He put his arms around her again and her hands came up to hold his head. They closed their eyes and kissed again. As their lips pressed lovingly together, they slowly opened as their emotions grew stronger, soon Nathan had insinuated his tongue between Lynne's lips and gently touched her own. She responded warmly and her hands snaked around his neck to hold him firm in her grasp. Lynne moaned quietly in her throat as his soft moist tongue wrestled with hers. His embrace became more passionate and she could feel his arms trembling as he held her, just like her own arms trembled as she held him.
Lynne felt his left hand start a slow journey from her back, round her side, over the bulge of her malformed rib...
Her eyes shot open.
She pulled away from him and stood up.
Confused, Nathan gaped at her and asked, "What's the matter?
Lynne couldn't meet his gaze, she covered her face with her hands and said, "I'm sorry Nathan... I can't do this."
Confused, he stammered, "W... Why?"
Lynne shouted, "I just can't!" and then ran to her room sobbing. Nathan followed her and hammered on the door, but she had locked it behind her and ignored his entreaties to talk to him.
Dejected, Nathan returned to the living room and sat in silence until Brian returned home.
"What's the matter Nathan?"
Nathan explained and Brian nodded sagely, "I understand. She wanted to, but she was scared. After what Jimmy put her through, I'm not surprised, " with a heavy sigh, he continued, "But if anyone can help her, you can. I've seen the way you two have been looking at each other. Tell you what. I'll give you both some privacy tonight, after all I feel a bit like a spare prick at a wedding at the moment. I'll sleep over at Tommy and Julie's and that'll give you two this evening alone, after all today's your last day of holiday. Okay?"
"Oh Brian, you don't have to do that."
"I want to do it. I miss Lynne's smile. The one she used to have and I want you to get it back."
After Brian had packed a small overnight bag and left, Nathan returned to Lynne's door and called, "Lynne, I know you're upset at the moment, but I really don't know why. No pressure, but if you want to talk then you know where I am. Okay?"
There was no answer, but he had not really expected one so he returned to the kitchen to prepare a sandwich. He was eating when Lynne appeared in the doorway; her eyes were red with crying. Nathan smiled gently and said, "Hello. There's a sandwich going if you want one."
She shook her head, but sat down at the table across from him, "Nathan..." she began.
He stopped eating and waited for her to continue. She pinched the bridge of her nose and then said, "I just wanted to say sorry, about this morning. I didn't mean to lead you on."
"It's okay Lynne. I understand—"
"UNDERSTAND? UNDERSTAND? YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!" She shouted, her face a mask of fury.
Quietly, "So tell me Lynne, and maybe I will."
Barely able to keep from screaming, she snarled, "You can never understand! How ugly I am... what he did to me... What I let him do to me!"
Nathan remained sat in his chair, ignoring her rage and replied, "I can try, if you'll let me."
Suddenly, Lynne thrust the sleeves of her blouse up her arms and showed Nathan the circular scars that were dotted about her forearms, "Look at these!" She ripped the blouse from her body and stood up, turning her back to him, "Look at my back!" She started to sob and rubbed her hand forcefully back and forth, through her hair before continuing, "I used to be proud of my body! Now look at me! I hate myself; I hate what I've become. I feel so ugly, I don't know how you can look at me without throwing up!"
"The scars don't matter."
"THEY MATTER TO ME!"
Nathan stood up and came round the table to comfort her, as he reached out, she pushed him away and shouted, "DON'T TOUCH ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Stung, he answered, "Why won't you let me help you?"
Lynne buried her face in her hands and said, "Because I'm scared. I want you and I'm so frightened that it'll all be the same..."
Angry himself now, Nathan shouted, "Don't you dare! Don't you dare compare me to that... animal who did this to you!"
She spun round to face him and slapped his face, "DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO! YOU'RE ALL THE SAME!" Nathan stood there and accepted the blow. As he felt his cheek redden he said, "No we're not Lynne."
Lynne started hammering her tiny fists against his chest, "Yes you are! You're all the same, you start out being all nice until you get what you want!"
Nathan wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed uncontrollably, still lashing out at him, "What happened to me?" she wailed, "I used to be a nice person!"
"You are a nice person, you're a lovely person."
"NO! I'm ugly and I'm stupid and I'm worthless! And I hate myself!" She gradually stopped pounding her fists into his ribcage, she wasn't very strong and Nathan could easily ignore her blows. But still she bawled.
Gently, Nathan eased her away and said, "I wish I could make you realise that the scars don't matter. Jimmy gave them to you, and he told you all those horrible things, but it wasn't true, the stupid, ugly, worthless one in that marriage was him not you."
He let his finger touch her, still slightly swollen and discoloured eye, "Some scars will fade," his hand dropped to the bulge in her ribcage, "And some won't. But it really doesn't matter. Not to me. Because I love you. You, the you inside as well as, if not more than the you outside. And to be brutally frank, I think the you outside is beautiful too."
Lynne stepped away from him, "I know your game. You say the things you think I want to hear until you get what you want! You just want to fuck me, and then what? Brag about it to all your friends I suppose."
"That's not true Lynne and you know it."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want to make you happy again. I want the old Lynne back."
Angry again, she shouted, "WELL SHE'S GONE! GONE FOR GOOD AND SHE AIN'T COMING BACK!"
Nathan sighed heavily, "No, you're right, the old Lynne's gone, but that doesn't mean that the new Lynne can't be happy."
She started moving her hand back and forth through her hair again and said, "Do you think I don't want to be? I do, but I don't know how."
Nathan reached out to stroke her cheek, "Then let me show you."
Suspicious, "How?"
Gentle, "Let me show you how it should be."
Uncertain, "I... I don't know. I mean, I want to trust you but..."
Quiet, "Don't be scared. You need never be scared of me, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
Nervous, "I can stop whenever I want?"
Soothing, "Whenever you want."
Slowly, carefully Nathan reached out and placed a feather light kiss on her lips, she shivered slightly, but allowed the kiss to continue, to develop. Nathan put his arms around her and she returned the embrace. His fingers played up and down her spine, sending tingles through her body. Her own hands remained motionless as she held him, still unsure of her emotions.
He pulled away slightly and said, "Perhaps we should go somewhere more comfortable. I don't think the kitchen's suitable for what I have in mind."
Still a little suspicious and not yet over her anger, Lynne agreed and allowed Nathan to lead her to his room.
Nathan indicated his bed, it was a large double and said, "Lie down on your front."
She did so and after kicking off his shoes, he knelt on the bed next to her, "You're very tense, I think you need a massage," gently he ran his finger along one of the thick red welts that decorated her back and asked, "Do these hurt?"
Lynne mumbled, "No, not any more."
"Okay, just relax now. I want you to enjoy this."
He started to rub her back with slow sweeping motions travelling up her spinal column, over her shoulder blades and down her sides. Once or twice, he snagged his fingers in her bra, so he stopped his massage and placed his hand on the catch. He waited, asking a silent question.
"Yes, if it's in the way."
Nathan undid her bra and she raised herself slightly to shimmy it down her arms and off, then Lynne lay back down again. Once she was settled, he started to rub her skin once more.
After several minutes, he started to concentrate on her shoulders and neck. Lynne couldn't help but let out an involuntary moan as his warm, strong hands eased away the tension in her muscles. She murmured, "You're very good at this."
He just whispered, "Shhh. Lie still and enjoy."
He shuffled up the bed and started working on her arm from shoulder to wrist, making small circular movements with his thumbs. He could feel her cares dropping away under his careful ministrations. Once he had dealt with her other arm in the same way, he moved back to the foot of the bed and said, "Raise your hips, I need to take your skirt off so I can do your legs."
She did so almost as if she was in a trance and he slid the garment down her legs, being careful to leave her panties in place. They were of thin, white cotton with a cherry motif on the backside, and he could make out further scarring on her buttocks through the material.
Nathan carefully took Lynne's left foot and started to massage it firmly, she giggled as his thumb ran long the sole, "Sorry," she said, "I'm a bit ticklish there."
He replied quietly, "I'll be more careful," and continued with his work. After a while he transferred his attention to her other foot and made sure that he didn't tickle this time, before starting on her calves and the backs of her thighs and then onto her buttocks. Lynne stiffened slightly, but when she felt his hands make no attempt to go between her thighs she started to relax once more.
Once he considered this part of the massage finished he asked, "I'll do the front now. Would you like your bra back first, before you turn over?"
Lynne was pleasantly surprised by the question; it showed a consideration that she was not used to. Also, she surprised herself by just turning over to lie on her back, "No," she said, "I think I'll trust you for the moment."
Involuntarily and perhaps, naturally Nathan's eyes were drawn to Lynne's breasts. They were fairly small, barely a handful, but they were firm and upstanding with very little sag as she lay on her back and they were tipped with the most delightful coral coloured nipples. Nathan could tell that she was not excited, merely relaxed and for the moment trusting that he would not do anything to upset her.
He smiled and then began working his hands up and down the fronts of her legs and thighs. As he worked up nearer to her hips, Lynne's breathing subtly changed, it became somewhat shallower and she parted her legs slightly so he could work his hands over the soft velvet of her inner thighs. Nathan was very careful not to touch her too intimately and at one point was forced to stop for a moment so he could rearrange his growing erection into a more comfortable position. Even just lying still on the bed Lynne could arouse him more than any other woman he had ever been with.
Not sure he could trust himself any further in that region of her body, Nathan transferred his attention to her midriff. He worked in tiny circles over her stomach and up to her ribcage. His knuckles brushing briefly on the underside of her breasts as he moved to her sides and down again. He felt tiny spasms as his fingers slid back along the waistband of Lynne's knickers over her stomach before starting the entire cycle again.
After some minutes of gentle rubbing, Nathan was surprised when Lynne took his hands in her own and slid them up and onto her breasts. Neither moved until she opened her eyes to look at him and whispered, "Show me... Show me how it should be."
Nathan leaned down slowly and paused just before his lips met her own. He looked into her eyes and whispered back, "I will." His eyes closed and he kissed her. Quick, feather light kisses first on her top lip and then the bottom.
He traced the line of her jaw with his mouth, stopping every so often to flick out his tongue until he reached her earlobe and began to nibble on it gently. Nathan slid his hands from her breasts and one snaked up her chest and behind her neck so he could rub the base of her hairline with finger and thumb. The other hand moved up and down her left side from the side of her rapidly warming breast to her hip.
Lynne couldn't help but let a soft moan escape from her lips as she succumbed to the loving sensations Nathan was arousing in her. Never had she felt so loved, so adored. Her skin tingled wherever his exploring fingers touched and she felt her head turning almost of it's own volition as he started to trace the line along her jaw and back to her tender lips. She wanted to kiss him again, not the rapid little butterfly kisses he had bestowed so far, but a proper kiss. A kiss of passionate lovers.
Their lips met and Lynne opened her mouth slightly so she could reach out with her tongue to brush against his own. Deep in her heart of hearts, she was waiting for the rough thrusting of an uncaring man to force himself into her mouth, but that never happened. Nathan fought down his rising passion, wanting to keep things slow and gentle. He didn't want to scare her, so he just allowed his own questing tongue to return the soft manipulation of hers, carefully they engaged in their oral wrestling match and still Nathan let his hands wander slowly over her silky, soft skin.
Almost with thought, Lynne reached out and started to unbutton Nathan's shirt until it was totally open. She pulled it out his trousers and brushed it over his shoulders and down his arms. Nathan found himself unable to continue with his own explorations whilst this happened so he quickly pulled it off and threw it onto the floor before returning to her body.
Once his upper body was naked, Lynne began her own tactile exploration, she delighted in his clean aroma, and she wallowed in the feel of his well-toned muscles, such a difference from her husband. And she also found herself desperate to feel him touch her sensitive areas. She wanted him to feel her breasts and her nipples as they hardened with expectation and arousal. Lynne was also starting to feel a need between her legs, a need that had been missing from her life for so long. A small patch of dampness appeared on the front of her knickers.
Nathan let his wandering hand fall to the outside of her thigh. One finger traced a line over the top and on to the soft skin between her legs before moving up and over her pussy. She felt a spasm in her womb as his finger ran over her swollen pussy and back up to her belly. The touch, almost too light to feel was driving her to distraction.
Lynne's own hands also did not remain lazy. She pushed his body away slightly so she could get to his belt and undo it. She had a little trouble with his buttons and his fly, so Nathan reached down to help her. Once opened, he shimmied his trousers down his legs and lay next to Lynne in just his boxer shorts. He jumped a little when she started to handle his hard penis through the material and gently wanked his length.
Nathan placed his hand over hers to stop her and nuzzling into the dip in her throat murmured, "Not yet, there's plenty of time."
Breathing heavily, Lynne answered, "I want it... I want it now."
Again, he just responded, "Shhh," before tracing a line with his tongue from her throat down to her sternum, then over her heaving right breast and onto her stiff nipple. He lashed it with his moist tongue and nibbled it lightly sending Lynne into paroxysms of delight. She arched her back and groaned as small darts of pleasure and warmth spread through her chest. And then she felt his hand gently cup her pussy through her knickers, it was a two-pronged attack on her pleasure centres and she collapsed back on to the bed in ecstasy.
Nathan let his mouth trail down her body, planting gentle kisses every inch of the way until he was at her mound. Using finger and thumb, he slipped the gusset to one side and then thrust his stiffened tongue straight inside her.
Automatically, Lynne spread her legs wider and grabbed his hair in her clutching grasp. She could only breath in sharply with her eyes wide open as she felt his soft tongue work in and out of her soaking hole. And then, without warning, Nathan took her to another level. He pursed his lips around her throbbing clit and breathed in sharply, the warm of his mouth combined with the cold inrush of air immediately sent Lynne over the edge and into a powerful orgasm. She almost screamed with pleasure and tried to force his face even harder into her aching cunt. But still he tortured her, working his lips and tongue over and over her engorged nubbin until the waves of ecstasy made her collapse back onto the bed like a rag doll.
Lynne could do nothing but gasp for air whilst lying limply on the bed. She could feel Nathan slowly sliding her knickers down her legs, but she was unable to do anything to help him as she rode the intense roller coaster of her own emotions.
Nathan, once he had removed her knickers, slid between her out thrust legs and positioned his hard cock at the entrance to her soaking vagina. He whispered, "Do you want this?"
The expression of pure lust on Lynne's face was the only answer he needed, so slowly, he entered her, thrusting gently and pushing only a few inches at a time inside her love channel as she bucked underneath him, desperate for him to fully embed himself. Lynne pushed her pussy up at him as he slid further inside until his entire 7" of hard steel was inside. He couldn't believe how wet she was as she received the intruder into her cunt. It was almost as though she was ejaculating her sweet juices.
Nathan gazed into her eyes as she returned the stare and whispered, "This... This is how it should be."
And he began to thrust in and out. He angled his entry so that his cock rubbed along her clit with every stroke, and he did so maddeningly slowly. Lynne, once more found herself unable to speak, all she could do was hold him tight and shake her head from side to side as the sensations built up in her womb. She was aching for him to take her, to slam his hard cock into her and fuck her, but he just continued with the same slow, rhythmic motion that was making her pussy boil.
Lynne thought she might pass out, it was incredible. Nathan's cock was arousing a passion like she had never, ever known and she loved it. A small orgasm broke in her womb and she clenched her soaking pussy tight around him. Nathan grunted at the unexpected extra tightness and had to force himself not to spill his seed right there.
"Oh my God," he moaned, "You're incredible."
In response, Lynne reached up and pulled his head to her own so she could kiss him fiercely and thrust her tongue into his mouth. Then she pushed his head away and snarled, "Fuck me! Fuck me hard!"
Nathan increased the tempo and power of his thrusts, "Like this?"
Lynne's eyes fluttered closed and she moaned, "Harder... Harder."
He pulled his prick almost all the way out and then slammed it back inside her forcefully, "Like this!?"
"Oh yeah!... Oh God!..."
Lynne pulled her legs up, opening herself up as wide as she could for Nathan. He slipped his arms under her knees and then started pounding his throbbing member in and out of her sopping hole. Their pubic bones slapped together and Nathan's balls nudged her arse with every thrust.
Together they could feel a monster climax brewing as Nathan's cock began to twitch with the beginnings of a huge cum and Lynne's cunt was almost spasming around his slick length as he slid in and out.
And then Nathan came. He groaned as spurt after spurt of thick, pearly white cum jetted up her pussy and hit her cervix, triggering Lynne's own orgasm. If she thought her earlier climax had been good, then it was as nothing next to this one.
She tensed up, her eyes open and staring at the ceiling. Her mouth was wide open in a grinning, silent scream, the only sound she was able to make was a keening growl in the back of her throat. White hot spears of ecstasy shot from her womb to her brain and a fiery heat filled her belly, growing to consume her whole body in it's orgasmic warmth. She could feel Nathan's rigid cock tight inside her contracting pussy, shooting it's streams of cum inside her and each one signalled another wave of pleasure from her womb.
And then they collapsed together, kissing and hugging feverishly. Nathan moaned every time Lynne's still spasming pussy squeezed his over sensitive prick, still embedded deep inside her even as it started to soften and shrink.
Once he felt able to speak, Nathan murmured, "And that my dear, is how it should be."
Lynne smiled dreamily and whispered back, "I think I may let you talk me into this again."
Nathan chuckled, "I love you."
She responded, hugging him even closer, "I love you too."
And together they fell asleep in a tangled, loving heap.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Nathan opened his eyes and stretched. His eyes drifted over to Lynne where she lay, still asleep, next to him. Her duvet had slipped slightly and her bare leg poked out from underneath it. She lay face down with her arms pushed underneath her pillow and her face had the relaxed innocence of a person who could finally sleep peacefully. A single lock of her hair and fallen down in front of her face and moved back and forth as she breathed. He smiled to himself as he shimmied round to lie on his side, facing her and reached out to gently move the errant strand of hair from her face.
His touch roused Lynne from her slumber, her eyes slowly opened and his face swam into view.
"Morning," he whispered. Lynne gave him her little half smile and replied, "Morning." She reached out an arm and snaked it over his chest to pull him close for a hug. Lynne burrowed her head into his shoulder and sighed in contentment.
She heard him murmur something and pulled her head away to look him in the face, "What did you say?"
"Marry me."
Lynne sat up, almost in shock, "Nathan, I can't, I'm still married to... him."
"Then get a divorce and marry me."
She looked at Nathan where he lay and said, "I don't know. I mean, I love you but..."
Nathan could see she was scared. Not of him, but the idea of a husband. After all, she had come through a bad experience of marriage. He sat up next to her and put his arm over her shoulder. With his other hand, he turned her face toward him and said, "I'm not trying to pressure you. All I ask is that you think about it... Please."
Lynne started to cry softly as she let Nathan draw her in and hold her close.
Later that morning Nathan and Lynne ate breakfast together in silence. The only noise was the thump of the mail delivery and the local paper landing on the hall floor through the letterbox.
Once finished, Nathan stood up, and got ready to go to work, he kissed Lynne's cheek and said, "I'm off, I'll see you later. Will you be okay on your own?"
"I'll be fine."
After he had left, Lynne cleared away the breakfast things and sat down on the sofa to scan the local paper for situations vacant when she heard the doorbell chime and went to answer it. She opened the door and her heart leapt into her mouth, it was Jimmy. He was about 5'6", overweight, unshaven and dirty. His hair was uncombed and he stank of stale alcohol.
She was scared and asked, "What do you want?"
Jimmy's speech was slightly slurred as he answered, "I want to talk to you."
Lynne tried to slam the door in his face, but he was too fast and pushed it wide open, knocking her backwards onto the hall floor. He closed the door behind him and stood over her, "I said I wanna talk to you. Who do you think you are? Running away from me, I'm your husband!"
She could only stare at him, terrified of what he would do. Jimmy continued, "But now I find you shacked up with another man. You whore! You think you can get away that easily?" He bunched his fists and snarled, "Well I know how to deal with a cheating slut like you!"
Lynne knew what was coming and desperately tried to scramble away, but she was too slow. She felt his hand grab her hair and she yelped in pain as he started to drag her into the front room. Jimmy, even in his drunken state was more than a match for her and he easily overpowered her.
Once in the living room he threw her onto the sofa, raised his hand and gave her a ringing slap in the face. The shock and pain made Lynne cry out. She screamed for him to stop and desperately tried to defend herself, but it was no good. The slaps turned to punches and she fell onto the floor in a ball, trying to protect herself. Lynne felt a patch of warm wetness grow on her forehead and stinging blood started to seep into her eyes, almost blinding her.
Jimmy took a couple of paces back and then gave her a running kick in the abdomen. Her breath was forced from her lungs and she felt sickness rising in her stomach. Bright lights danced in front of her eyes and she could hear the blood thumping in her ears. Lynne could feel herself slipping away into unconsciousness and knew that she might never wake up if she did.
Lynne could hear Jimmy shouting as he lined up another kick, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. It was as though he was shouting from the end of a long tunnel and the echoes took all sense away from his words. Dimly, she saw the door open behind Jimmy.
It was Nathan. Lynne tried to reach out for him but could not make her arms obey her.
She saw his expression change from shock to anger to rage in a split second. She watched him storm across the room and grab Jimmy, spin him round, and punch him hard in the face.
Jimmy tumbled backwards with blood spurting from his crushed nose and tripped heavily over Lynne's prone figure to land sprawled on the floor. He screamed in pain and raised his hands in surrender, but Nathan ignored the gesture.
Nathan fell upon him like a god of righteous fury!
Lynne felt her gorge rise, her stomach churned; she vomited and began to slip away into insensibility. The last thing she saw was Nathan kneeling over her husband, his face a snarling mask of pure fury, slamming his fist repeatedly into Jimmy's face, punctuating every blow with a shout, "Bastard!"
And then all went black.
She never felt the gentle arms lift her back onto the sofa and wrap her in a blanket, or felt the cold, damp cloth carefully wipe the blood from her face and wipe the slimy, bitter vomit from around her mouth, or the small plaster cover the cut on her forehead.
And she never heard Nathan make a call on his mobile phone and say, "Brian... Bring Tommy, there's someone at the house you want to talk to... Yes, it's him... No, I got here in time, he knocked her out but I think she'll be fine... As soon as possible, I want him gone before she comes round... Okay, ten minutes."
Lynne did not hear her brothers arrive, she did not feel Brian gently stroke her cheek, she never heard Tommy gulp back a sob at the sight of his sister.
Still she slept in blessed peace, she never heard Jimmy's frenzied, almost incoherent pleading as her brothers dragged him from the house.
When she eventually came too, the first thing she saw was Nathan's concerned face, "Are you okay?" he asked. Lynne tried to sit up and winced, she felt sick. And then she panicked, "Jimmy!" she cried. Nathan took her in his arms and whispered, "It's okay, it's okay. He's gone and he won't be coming back."
Lynne was inconsolable, she sobbed, she wailed and she wept. Jimmy was gone and Nathan was here, but still she could not get away from the fear that her husband instilled in her. Nathan patiently and quietly held the grief-stricken young woman and just as patiently whispered words of comfort. Until finally her sobbing and wailing died down, more from exhaustion than any lessening of emotion.
And still he held her close. He said, "I will not let anyone hurt you ever again. I love you Lynne."
She pulled away from him and looked deep into his eyes. Carelessly, she wiped her mouth and nose on her sleeve and blinked away the last of her tears. His gaze never left her own as he repeated, "I love you."
She kissed him fiercely and then asked, "How come you came back?"
He looked a little embarrassed, "Actually, I forgot my keys and had to come and get them... Lucky I did, I suppose."
She remembered the look on his face when he had opened the door on Jimmy and her, and she also remembered his expression as he was beating Jimmy's head into the carpet. He had just jumped in to protect her, with no thought for himself. She felt his powerful arms around her, arms capable of such brutal violence in her defence, but so gentle when they enclosed her. This man who had made love with her. He hadn't fucked her, he hadn't just got his own pleasure with no thought for her feelings, he hadn't forced his attentions on her. No, he had made gentle love with her. Nathan had cherished her; he had worshipped and adored her.
Lynne looked back into his face and could see nothing but love. Pure, unconditional love. The same love that lived in her own heart for him.
"Yes." she whispered.
"I've never left my keys at home in seven years."
Lynne treated Nathan to her little half smile, "No silly. Yes I'll marry you."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The divorce from Jimmy was granted in absentia, as he had not been seen for some time and no one knew where he was. Also, the past history of his violence toward Lynne allowed a rapid decree absolute.
Brian and Tommy wouldn't tell Nathan what happened to Jimmy. All Brian would say about it was, "Don't worry, you won't see him round here any more."
Nathan never asked again.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was a small Registry office wedding. Just Lynne and Nathan with Brian as the best man and Tommy and Julie as witnesses. After the ceremony and the happy couple had posed for photographs, Nathan embraced Lynne and kissed her gently on the nose. She shivered slightly.
In the arms of her first husband she had felt pain, suffering, anguish and frightened.
In the arms of her second, she felt loved, cherished, warm and something else, something that was the best of all. For the first time in her life, in the arms of her husband she felt... safe.
Her smile lit up the room.
