Lillian Duncan - Until Death Do Us Part by Lillian Duncan

Sarcasm dripped from t he manager’s mouth.
    The door slammed and she assumed the group had left. She walked back to the window and saw the policeman heading to their cruiser. Frank walked over to the VW and locked the car with his own keys. Moments later he drove away.              
    Reggie let out a sigh of relief and dropped the curtain back in place. Then walked over to the bathroom and tapped on the door. “It’s okay. He’s gone.”
    Misty stood up. Suzie continued to cling to her mommy but Noah walked out of the room, seemingly unaffected by all that had transpired. “Can I go outside for awhile?”
    Misty locked eyes with Reggie for a moment then looked at her son. “Let’s wait a few minutes before we do that.”
    “Aw, come on, Mom. You said I could go swimming.”
    “That was before your dad found us.”
    “That’s not my fault.”
    Misty bit her lip and tears welled up in her eyes. “I know that, honey. None of this is your fault.”
    Noah glared at his mother for a moment before grabbing the remote. He threw himself on the bed and within seconds was engrossed in the TV show. Misty put Suzie on the bed. She crawled up beside her big brother and started giggling at the onscreen antics.
    Reggie walked away from the kids and motioned Misty to follow. “Frank said he was going to go pick up his brother and then come back for the car. Where do you guys live?”
    “ Bowling Green. He teaches at the university there. But his brother lives in Norwalk. About an hour from here.”
    “He’s a college professor?” Boy, had she pegged him wrong. She was still working on not stereotyping people.
    Misty nodded.
    “That means an hour there and an hour back.” Reggie moved to the small table in the room and sat in one of the chairs. Misty did the same. “What’s your plan?”
    “I don’t have one, not really.” Misty rubbed her hand against her forehead. “After he hit Noah, I waited until he left for work and we left. I didn’t really have a plan, just figured I’d drive to my parents.”
    “But that’s probably the first place he’ll look for you. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to give up easy.” Reggie didn’t add that the most dangerous time for an abused woman was after she left her abuser.
    Misty blinked back tears. “I don’t want to put them in danger. I don’t have much money, just a couple of hundred dollars I managed to save. He won’t let me have the checkbook or ATM card. I guess I’ll just drive south and when I run out of gas, that’s where we’ll stay. Hopefully, I can get a job waitressing somewhere to pay for food and a place to stay.”
    Reggie felt that tug on her heart again.
    God was telling her something.
    She’d come to the motel to figure out what God wanted her to do. She hadn’t expected him to be quite so clear. Dylan and his family had taught her a lot in the past year and a half, but the biggest thing she’d learned is it always pleases God when you helped others in need.
    And Misty certainly qualified in that respect.
    It was time for her to step up. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. First of all, I think you should leave the car here.”
    “I have to have my car. I can’t just leave it.”
    “He can report it stolen since it’s registered in his name, and then it will only be a matter of time before he finds you.”
    Misty’s blue eyes filled with tears. “I know , but I can’t go back there. It was bad enough when he hit me, but I won’t let him hit my children.”
    She reached out and touched Misty’s arm. “I agree , but I have an idea. Why don’t you leave the car here and you can stay with me for awhile?”
    Misty’s mouth fell open. “Why would you want to do that? You don’t know me.”
    A thousand different reasons came to mind. If Dylan hadn’t been willing to help her she’d probably be dead, but for sure she’d still be lost and struggling to find a little happiness.
    God had put her in this motel