I think this will have one more chapter. This gets into the back story of these two and again I will warn you, that this pulls from personal experience. I never thought this would go in this direction but it seems to me that the fates have meant this to be. I hope for those who are going through abusive relationships and feel as if you cannot love or trust again, I tell you to continue to have faith that you will.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and comment please...yes...you...you there...comment.
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The next six months into the relationship Mitch and Jade slowly started to pull their shields down. Jade couldn't get past the fact that this wonderful man could see so much in her. They shared their dating horror stories and it progressed through dates, nights just hanging out with each other and yes, video games. Jade had gotten hold of one of her favorite fighting games, Soul Caliber IV and was wrapped into the game when Mitch called.
"Hey baby! How is your day off?"
"Oh, I'm just opening a can of whoop on Darth Vader...Damn! He just air choked me! Sonuvabitch!"
Mitch chuckled. He noticed that when Jade was playing any game, she got so wrapped up that it was amusing just to watch her play. She was such a nerd, but he learned that over the months that it was just one facet of her multi layered personality. There had been a hitch in their time together. He kept hearing her call her self 'The Beast' or a monster a few times and he always wondered why. He would ask and she would become sullen faced and silent. She would hang her head and he would just hold her.
They had not had sex since their first meeting and he really wanted to get a sample of her body but she wasn't willing some days and other days, her job would wear her out. Jade had started feeling that she wanted to take this to the next level and with all of her previous situations, she was the one to push and got burned in the end.
Mitch wanted to take it further with her, but the last love in his life burned him badly. He had dated Lorena Jensen for over two years and in the beginning, she was a caring individual. Problem was with her family and friends thinking that he was never enough. Never enough money, possessions, time and of course, he was always 'cheating' on her, though they never proved any of it. Instead of going with her own mind, she wanted to be accepted and on the inside, never thought too much for herself.
When he in the Army, he was a helicopter mechanic around the time of Desert Storm and was caught up in an overnight raid which took most of his company's lives. In the struggle to save fellow Sgt. Lassiter, he was attacked by soldiers. He was slashed several times across the chest, a few across his arms,a bullet wound which ripped past his tendon in his left thigh and one deep slash that crossed the bridge of his nose to the corner of his lip. He eventually found a Jeep, fleeing to the closest Army base. He and Sgt. Lassiter were then treated. Later on, it was revealed as he was recovering that out of the one hundred and twenty eight in his company, only a third had survived. The news didn't want to reveal this slaughter, but he was silently declared a 'hero' and was honorably discharged.
During his two year stint in that hellhole, he had sent a couple of emails to Lorena a week, and the response was immediate. As he was in recovery, he could send more emails and eventually he sent the email to let her know that they were letting him come home. She was so excited, that she planned a party in his honor. When he met her at the airport, she rushed into his arms. Crying and kissing him all over, she looked at his face, beholding him. The first thing that caught her attention was the scar on his face. He had told her about how he was injured in the email, but this was her first chance to see up close. She cringed on the inside a little, masking her face so that he didn't notice.
As time went on, she began to see the rest of his body and tried to encourage him to wear certain t shirts when they went out in public. Dark, with witty words and pictures to withdraw from the scars on his body. In the beginning, he took it as her ability to adjust, but as the words of others rose due to his looks, her 'love' for him became more of a like, and from like it became tolerable. She continued to listen to the words of her 'single' short minded friends and became short minded herself.
Mitch had planned on a day in November to propose to her. She had been with him after his arrival home and the rough times he had adjusting to sleeping under quieter skies, but every now and again, the memories would shake him and she would be there to comfort. He loved her.
So on this Saturday night, he knew she was coming home late from the office and had set up everything. Candles, mood music, dinner, flowers, you know, the works. When she came home, she saw all that he had done and instead of a look of wonder, a stone face shaded the truth. Asking him to have a seat, she sat in front of him, stocking legs crossed, and spoke what was in her soul.
"Honey, I don't think we should be together any more. I've been trying to let you down easy, but I didn't want to hurt you."
Mitch was floored. His heart began to beat erratically, his mind trying to scan through what he might have done wrong.
"What did I do? I was good to you, I never cheated on you so why? Give me one damn reason why this is here all of a sudden?"
"When you were overseas, I started to think about how you would come home. You jump at every sound or shadows. My friends have been telling me stories about that I should watch myself around you. My mom said you might try something to hurt me in my sleep and...its just for the best. I'll get some of my things tonight and Jenna and Mike will help me get the rest of my stuff tomorrow."
