Best Kind of Pain Ch. 05-06

Chapter 5

Vivian had been on a call with one of her clients when she felt the vibration from her phone, signaling that a text had been received. She was almost done with the call and chose to ignore it, until it vibrated a few more times. She politely ended the call and glanced at the message. It was from Elly, the last message saying “Please”. She swiftly ended her phone call and read through all of the messages, her hands shaking in anger as she absorbed the information.

In a matter of minutes, Vivian was in a Town Car, the driver heading towards the address Elly had texted her. Morning traffic was now shifting to the heavier midday congestion, making her tap her fingernails impatiently as they trudged through each light. She had replied to Elly that she was on her way, but they couldn’t get there fast enough.

They finally pulled up to the block where a small deli was wedged inconspicuously between two large buildings. Her phone announced they had arrived as she looked out at the dreary looking deli. Vivian told the driver to circle the block until she came out and he nodded stoically. She quickly hopped out and into the drizzly rain, dashing inside the deli. There was a small seating area in front of the deli counter and Vivian saw Elly seated in the far corner, huddled up against the window with her crinkled leather jacket still on. As soon as the door swung closed, Elly had looked up anxiously, not sure who would be coming in to greet her. Vivian smiled at Elly and sat down across from her.

“I’m sorry I could not get here sooner,” Vivian said quietly, looking closely at Elly’s face. She was hanging her head down slightly, her blond hair covering part of her face. Vivian reached out to brush aside the flaxen strands of Elly’s hair, already bracing for what she would find. The left side of her face was swollen, a large bruise surrounding her left eye and a small cut crossing her cheekbone. It was recent enough that the bruise had not changed to a deep blue green yet, and the blood had only just clotted.

Vivian held back a gasp and felt the rage in her build. A rage that had been fueled by all the faces of women she’d seen bruised and battered. Women in her family, in her village, and even in the privileged social circles to which she now belonged. Women who were abused by their husbands, fathers, boyfriends, and even sons.

“Are you ok?” Vivian asked her.

Elly nodded. “This was the worst of it.”

She could see Vivian’s anger bubbling up, and strangely Elly smiled.

“You should see what he looks like. I cracked my screen in the process, but hey,” she explained, holding up her phone to reveal its shattered glass screen.

“We can fix it,” Vivian offered.

Elly shrugged, setting the busted phone on the table.

“I told him finally. I waited till he’d come home from work, had a beer, had some time to get stupid for the night,” she said, staring down at table. “First I told him I wanted a divorce. He wasn’t shocked, but he pretended to be. He asked if there was anything he could do, making the cursory attempt. I said no, there wasn’t.”

Vivian placed her hand up on the table, and had been about to reach out to Elly’s hand that was fumbling with her phone, but Elly tucked her hand back under the table.

“Then he seemed to get curious. For once,” Elly scoffed. “Maybe he didn’t like how quickly I answered. Anytime someone would ask me what I wanted to drink- like at a restaurant, or over at his mom’s house- Tony would answer for me. If I tried to think about, for any more than 2 seconds, he’d just blurt out his choice. I wasn’t allowed to think about it. And for once, I’d made my mind up, without his fucking help.”

Just then the waitress walked by, dumping a quick refill of coffee into Elly’s mug before whirling off again.

“So he asked if there was another guy. I said no, there wasn’t, but-” she paused, a wry smile on her face, “I said there was someone else.”

Elly pushed her hair back, chuckling at the memory. “And that’s when he got angry. Called me all the names, practically spat on me.”

Vivian reached out again for her. “Oh Elly-“

“You know, I’d forgotten alot of those slurs, like all I could think of was dyke, but he got creative,” she chuckled again, “but I let him get it all out, his big ego blustering for the tiny thing in his pants. I thought he was done when he took the swing at me. But I swung back. I hope I broke his fucking nose.”

She was staring out the window, her blue eyes glistening, the tears welling up.

“It’s probably going to cost me more to fix my phone than it will to divorce his stupid ass,” she mused, trying to chuckle over her sniffling.

Vivian let her try to collect herself, silently staring down at her lap.

“Where is he now?”

“He left for work, but sometimes he’ll come home early. I honestly wonder how he stays employed.”

Vivian looked at her phone, “It is almost 2 o’clock. Would he come home this early?”

Elly thought beylikdüzü escort for a moment, “No. Usually it’s closer to 4 or 3:30 at the very earliest.”

“We must leave now then. I have a car waiting outside, we must hurry.” Vivian started gathering up her purse and readied to leave but Elly sat there, not moving. “Are you ready to do this now?”

Elly said nothing. This was the moment of truth and she knew it.

“You do not deserve this. No matter what has been done, or what he has said, nothing can justify this.”

“I know,” she nodded glumly, “It’s just…I don’t want to drag you into this.”

“You have done no such thing,” she countered with a shake of her dark brown hair. “I want to help.”

“You sure you want to help this train wreck?” Elly joked unconvincingly, her voice catching.

“Yes,” Vivian answered, locking eyes with Elly, lowering her voice when she added, “I am not afraid of a little man who does not know how to treat the prize of a woman who married him.”

She waited for Elly to smile slightly at her compliment, tears finally rolling down her swollen cheek.

“Please Elly…let me help you,” she pleaded, extending her hand.

Elly slowly put her hand up on the table, curling her thin fingers under Vivian’s hand. “Ok”.

Vivian squeezed her hand and stood up, ushering Elly out of the deli, and into the waiting Town Car. Patiently they wove through the stagnant traffic, not helped by the rain. Once they arrived at Elly’s apartment building, Vivian laid out her plan. They would go in, grab only her most essential possessions, and then take the service elevator to the lower level where the car would be waiting for them. If Tony showed up and tried anything she would immediately call the police.

“He will try to frighten you, but we will call his bluff. Be loud and be seen. The more noise we make the more witnesses to his brutality,” Vivian advised. She also had the added confidence of a powerful Taser she kept in her purse for just such an occasion, but she didn’t share that fact.

They stood together impatiently waiting for the elevator to open, keeping their eyes on the double doors. When the elevator opened, Vivian pushed her way inside irritating an old woman holding the leash of a small dog who was slow to exit. Elly giggled after the doors closed and they were alone.

“The dog was slower than the old woman,” she snickered as she pushed the button for her floor.

The elevator slowly came to a halt when it reached their requested floor, the doors splitting apart to reveal an empty hallway and they quickly made their way down to Elly’s apartment. Vivian paused in front of it, putting her ear against the door listening. Elly waited to put her key into the lock until Vivian nodded at her that it was safe to proceed. With baited breath she turned her key and ever so slowly pushed the door open. As Elly was about to walk in, Vivian held her back putting her finger up in caution. Vivian walked in first, quickly scanning the living room before she gestured for Elly to enter.

“Bedroom?” Vivian asked quietly as she pointed to a doorway off to her left.

Elly nodded, and followed behind Vivian as she walked into the bedroom, her heels clicking loudly on the warped wooden floor. Vivian could feel her freezing up and turned to her.

“Your suitcases, get them. I will pack your clothes and shoes. Collect only the things you cannot live without. Use a shopping bag or garbage bag if you must. Ok?” Vivian rattled off, locking eyes with Elly.

“Ok,” Elly replied despondently.

“Quickly my dear,” she whispered with an encouraging smile.

Elly nodded and went to work grabbing a suitcase from the closet along with a large duffel bag. In one broad sweep, Vivian grabbed all of the clothes hanging in a row in the narrow closet and folded them in half before she dumped them into the open suitcase.

Elly chuckled at her efficient technique. “Not your first move-out.”

Vivian smirked as she did a sweep of the dresser drawers that held more of Elly’s clothes, repeating her fold and stuff technique until the suitcase was overflowing. She squeezed the lid down and zipped the suitcase shut with force. Elly had found a large plastic shopping bag and left it out for Vivian to use, while she went into the bathroom to gather up her toiletries. Just as Elly had finished up, Vivian came out into the living room.

“I grabbed your jewelry box,” she said, setting down the loaded suitcase and shopping bag.

“What about my shoes?”

“Done. What else may I get?”

“Um, probably just my coats. They’re in that little closet by the front door.”

Vivian went and removed the jackets that clearly belonged to a woman, snagging them off their hangers and stuffing them into the shopping bag. Elly circled around the living room, grabbing some framed photos, when she came to a bookshelf with her duffel bag and quickly shoved an entire shelf of books into it.

“Trying your technique,” she avcılar escort said to Vivian’s amusement.

Together they picked out a few more items, Elly shoving a small collection of DVD’s and CD’s into a garbage sack before they collected all their bags and readied to head out.

“Leave your key on the table,” Vivian instructed, “That way he will know you are not coming back.”

“What if I forget something?” Elly asked with panic.

Vivian grimaced, “Take a last look for it now.”

Elly darted back into the bathroom and then the bedroom, coming back out with a patchwork quilt wadded up in her arms.

“My grandma made this, and he sure as hell isn’t going to sleep with it,” she hissed.

“Good,” Vivian smiled, watching as Elly stuffed the blanket into the overflowing duffel bag. “There is nothing else you need from here?”

Elly was struggling to take the large key to the ancient deadbolt off her keychain, trying not to pinch her fingers as she slid it off. There were more things she’d left behind that she could have taken, household appliances Tony never used like the little bullet blender, but Elly didn’t want him to have a reason to contact her. She didn’t want to hear him make some pathetic argument for an item he’d rarely used, didn’t even know how to operate, and really wouldn’t miss unless he’d thought she’d taken it from him. Tony didn’t really care about those possessions, he just wanted to know they belonged to him.

Finally she tugged the key free and set it down on the tacky leather-topped coffee table that she’d never liked.

“Nope” Elly replied, answering her own doubts.

*******

Vivian waited on the velvet settee, sipping a cup of tea and trying to forget the infuriating circumstances of Elly’s arrival back into her apartment. She listened to the quiet drone of the shower, wondering if Elly should have gone to the police to press charges. Closing her eyes, Vivian took a deep breath and pushed the anger back out. Elly didn’t need her anger, she needed her help. She needed guidance, she needed support, and most of all she needed someone to show they cared.

As much as Vivian wanted to, and was certainly capable of, financially supporting Elly, she knew that just swooping in to manage her life would not be helpful. Elly had been wrangled by everyone who claimed they loved her, demanding this or that with manipulation of her loyalty. What she needed now was for someone to show her that she was strong enough to resist their claims of protection in lieu of her independence. Even if Vivian could see how eagerly Elly would adapt herself to Vivian’s desires, how much she wanted to please her. But that wasn’t fair to someone who hardly knew what she wanted in the first place.

The shuffling sound of footsteps finally broke through Vivian’s internal argument, and she looked up to see Elly walking into the bedroom. She was wrapped up in the fluffy white cotton bathrobe, her damp hair hanging down in blonde strands. Vivian quickly stood up as Elly shuffled over to the spacious bed and sat down on top of the silky white duvet cover.

“Would you like some more ice for your face?” she asked, coming over to inspect Elly’s wound.

“No it’s ok,” Elly answered with a shake of her head. “Just cleaning it off stung like a mofo. I don’t want to touch it for a while.”

“The ice would help with that,” Vivian suggested.

“Then get the ice,” Elly sighed, too tired to argue.

Vivian tried to smile at her and dashed off to the kitchen to grab the ice pack. When she returned, Elly was now lying down, curled up on her side so that the large bruise was facing up. Vivian came over and sat down on the bed so that she was facing Elly, then gently placed the ice pack that she’d wrapped up in a small towel onto her cheek. She kept hold of the solid ice pack, being sure to keep the weight off the tender patch of skin.

Elly’s eyes had snapped closed in pain, then slowly she took a deep breath in and out, and finally opened her eyes back up to Vivian.

“I can hold it,” she stated, putting her hand up on the ice pack.

“Are you sure?” Vivian replied, shifting her hand so that Elly could feel the weight of the sturdy ice pack.

“Yeah,” she nodded, then flinched when the pack slipped in her fingers and hit her cheek with a thud. “Or not,” she chuckled weakly.

Vivian took hold of the pack again and tipped her head to match her eye line with Elly’s. Gazing into her exhausted blue eyes filled with pain, broke her heart in a way that made Vivian want to wrap Elly up into her arms and never let go. To keep her away from the world that would only hurt her, to protect her in the simplest way she could.

Elly could see the angst in Vivian’s face. “I’m sorry you had to get sucked into all this today.”

Vivian shook her head emphatically. “There is nothing to apologize for.”

“I interrupted your work day, made you reschedule your shoot, just to come rescue me,” she countered guiltily.

“Elly,” esenyurt escort she started, pausing to center herself before trying to prove her point. “I did not come to rescue you. When you decided to leave Tony, I said that you would not do this on your own. I came to fulfill my promise, to be there for the woman I care about. To be with the woman I care about. If it had been the reverse, you would have certainly done the same for me.”

Elly locked eyes with her, a glistening sheen covering the blue. “If I could make it uptown that quickly, sure, but it’s tough on the subway,” she joked softly.

Vivian smiled at her, gladdened by her humor. She shifted down onto an elbow so she could be closer to Elly, still keeping the ice pack balanced in her fingers over her bruised skin.

“I wanted to see you regardless,” she stated to Elly, gazing into her eyes. There was the inexplicable attraction that always kept her gaze, but then the deeper feeling emerged that beyond that lust, was another want that could not be so easily filled. And Vivian kept gazing at Elly, wondering if she felt such wanting, if she knew herself well enough to know what that hunger felt like.

“Thank you for coming,” Elly whispered with a tremulous voice.

Vivian carefully pulled away the ice pack and set it down on the bed, then returned to Elly with the same hand gently pushing aside a few strands of her hair. She caressed her cheek with delicate strokes, and kept gazing at her until Elly tipped her head up to reach Vivian and kiss her. Steadying her, Vivian curled her hand behind Elly, gently cradling her head into their kiss. She could feel Elly take a deep breath in, then bringing her hand up to clutch Vivian’s shoulder, her lips parting as the kisses became quiet gasps for air.

Trying not to succumb to selfish desires, Vivian kept her lips closed, until Elly separated just enough to look into her eyes, the hunger emerging. Plaintive and unabashed, Elly came back in with a scorching kiss, rolling her body forward to be closer to Vivian. She slid her hand down Vivian’s shoulder to the bend of her elbow, going across the crisp fabric over her breast, glancing her nipple with her fingers. Vivian sighed when Elly repeated the teasing brush over her now taut nipple, then hooked her finger into the button placket.

She pulled away to give Vivian a simmering look as she undid a button, coyly biting her lip. Vivian gave her an encouraging smile as Elly slowly undid another button, managing to do it one-handed. When her fingers came to the last button, Elly kept her finger on it while leaning up for another kiss, sliding her tongue over Vivian’s lip. She tugged apart the last button, eagerly pushing the shirt open to get a hand on Vivian’s lace covered breast.

“Do you ever not wear lingerie?” Elly asked through a wet kiss.

“Only when I am unclothed,” she teased back, riffling her fingers through Elly’s damp hair as her head ducked down to land on her breast.

Vivian rolled onto her back, taking Elly with her so that she was on top, leaning over Vivian. Elly tugged down the lacy cup of her bra, tickling her nipple with the delicate edges of the fabric, devouring each breast in turn with hungry licks. Vivian kept caressing her head, wanting to reciprocate, but trying to be patient for once and let someone else take the lead. And as if she sensed it, Elly sat up on her knees and gathered up the cotton material that swaddled her, getting it out of her way so that she could straddle Vivian.

Staying still for just a beat, Elly undid the fabric belt, slowly parting the robe, revealing herself completely naked to Vivian before letting the robe fall off her shoulders. Vivian couldn’t help but grin at Elly’s demure little smirk, running her hands up the smooth skin of her belly, over the curves of her naked breasts, up her neck and pulling her down so that she could kiss her.

Elly chuckled softly into her lips, pressing her breasts into Vivian’s, letting their pert nipples rub. Vivian placed a hand on Elly’s rigid little nipple, pinching it between her thumb and index finger with a gentle squeeze, swirling her thumb upwards until Elly let out a mewing moan. She ground herself into Vivian’s skirt covered pelvis, most likely covering it with her fragrant wetness.

Vivian rolled and shifted so she could tug her skirt up and over her hips, Elly quickly settling back down over her mound, ignoring the silky barrier of fabric between them. She rubbed herself back and forth over Vivian’s clit, nudging her into tremors of pleasure. After a span to enjoy the look on Vivian’s face, Elly leaned back down to kiss her, tangling their tongues with playful flicks, a signal that she was ready if Vivian wanted it.

“Darling…” she hushed, trying to pull back and focus her eyes on Elly.

“Yes mommy?” she answered obediently, a hopeful look of anticipation as to how she could please. Just hearing her sweet voice utter those words made Vivian’s walls spasm with excitement, her mind quickly racing through the orders she wanted Elly to obey, knowing just how she’d restrain her and leash her to an exquisite orgasm. But instead, Vivian restrained herself, and tried to not dominate.