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Jane meant. She just hoped Tom would break as
many if not more of his bones as he did hers. But not even that
made her feel secure enough to leave her haven. She could feel her
nerves take control as a little voice in her head told her to lock
and fortify the door and not to be stupid enough to put a foot out
that door.
    Jane gave her a gentle
smile, reading the fear in Maria’s eyes. She didn’t want to force
her to go back to the prison she called home for years, but she
needed help in moving all their stuff out and Maria needed to take
charge of her life, moving out was just the beginning. “Maria,
we’ll be in and out in five minutes, I promise.”
    Maria nodded and pulled
her lips in a tight smile. She didn’t want to come across as a
coward, but that’s what she was, a complete yellow belly. She
fisted her hands at her sides and took a few deep breaths just to
rush some life into her frozen legs.
    “ Let’s go.” She
walked out and went to Jane’s car. She wanted to get as much of
their stuff as she possibly could before Ricky came back. She had
some money saved up, but it wouldn’t last them long. The first
thing she’d have to do when they got to their new home was get a
job. She laughed at herself quietly, she was already planning a
future when she wasn’t even sure if they would be able to leave
their home, let alone the town, alive.
    “ Wait, I’m
coming with you.” Edna appeared from the back of the
house.
    “ Mama whose
going to watch the kids if you come with us?” Maria asked feeling a
little impatient. Tom may have Ricky busy, but she was still
anxious. She wanted to get out of Jacksonville as soon as possible,
while she still could.
    “ They are
hiding at Grace’s. I thought it best just in case he came around
here.” She got into Jane’s station wagon. Maria felt a little
relieved that she had one less thing to worry about, but that
didn’t ease the anxiety she felt of going home and finding Ricky
waiting for her with a shot gun. She felt she should have kissed
Michael goodbye just in case they got home and did find Ricky
waiting at the door with a shot gun.
    Jane drove fast, she too
seemed anxious and it wasn’t helping Maria stay calm. After what
seemed like ages sitting in the car jittery and biting her nails
they got to the house. She waited for a few seconds for Ricky to
spring out and run for the car, but nothing happened. She jetted
out of the car anxious to get in and out as fast as she could. Jane
and Edna were running behind her. Maria headed for her room, Edna
went for hers and Jane ran to Michael’s packing only the
essentials.
    Maria ran to the kitchen
and took out the wade of money from under the sink. She might have
been a fool staying with Ricky for so long, but she wasn’t that
much of an idiot not to save for a rainy day, and the rainy day had
arrived. Edna came into the kitchen. She climbed the counter and
reached above the cupboards. She took out a heavy envelope and
jumped off the counter. She turned to Maria with a smile, “Get away
money. I’ve been waiting for this day for years.”
    Maria looked at her,
unable to return the smile. She felt so guilty for keeping her
mother and son in the same hell hole she was in, “I’m so sorry
mama.” She choked out, blinking back the tears.
    Edna put her hand on
Maria’s cheek, her eyes gentle and understanding, “Hush. You were
scared and what kind of mother would I be if I left you alone with
this monster?”
    “ What kind of
daughter and mother does that make me, having brought the monster
here in the first place?” Maria let her tears flow freely, but Edna
wiped them away.
    “ Maria, Edna we
need to get out of here!” Jane came yelling into the kitchen. That
only meant one thing, Ricky was back. Maria ran into the living
room and looked outside the window. Ricky was limping and all his
clothes were bloodied and he looked viciously angry too, with a gun
in his hand. Tom did a number on him and now he was