Free I Will Always Love You by Annette Evans

family, and her life. Yet she still thought of Stefan every day. Every so often, she would take out his letters and picture and have a good cry. But she was now resigned to the fact that she would have no one to share her life with.
    A year after she began working full time at the shelter, Melissa showed up for work on a hot July day. She walked into the shelter and went to her office as usual when she heard raised voices from the other end of the building.
    Melissa quickly walked over there to see what was going on. She saw Sherill backed up against a wall and a big black man looming over her.
    “Is there a problem here?” Melissa asked.
    The man swung around to glare at Melissa. “No, ain’t no problem here. I just come to take my bitch back home.”
    “We do not use that kind of language here. And this is where Sherill is living.”
    “Not no more,” he said.
    “I do believe that should be up to Sherill ,” Melissa said as she turned her attention to Sherill .
    “Melissa, I don’t think you should get mixed up with Tyrone,” Sherill whispered.
    “Yeah, Melissa, just go on and mind your own business,” Tyrone stated.
    “ Sherill is my business. Now you have two minutes to leave the premises, Tyrone. Or I’ll call the police.”
    Tyrone looked from Melissa to Sherill and back to Melissa. “Okay, baby,” he said as he held up his hands. “No need to get testy ‘bout it. I just wanted to say hi to my girl, that’s all.” He turned to Sherill and said, “I’ll see you later, baby.” He bent down and kissed Sherill on the c heek then walked out of the building.
    “Are you okay?” Melissa asked Sherill .
    “I’m fine,” Sherill snapped as she headed toward the kitchen. “Tyrone just wanted to talk to me and see the kids. He just got a little upset cause the kids are in summer school right now.”
    Melissa followed Sherill into the kitchen. “I thought Tyrone was in jail on drug charges?” “He was, but he got out.”
    “Are you going to let him see the kids?”
    “He’s their daddy. I can’t keep him away from them,” Sherill said.
    “No, I suppose you can’t.” She looked intently at Sherill and couldn’t believe the look in the other woman’s eye. “Are you actually thinking about going back to him?”
    “Tyrone said he wants us back. He wants us to be a real family. He said he’s changed and that he’s gonna get a real job and take care of us.”
    “And you believe him.”
    “I know Tyrone. You don’t,” Sherill snapped. “I don’t come from no high rise apartment building and I ain’t got no fancy education.”
    “But that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for Tyrone. There are many opportunities and options for you, Sherill .” Melissa put her hand on Sherill’s arm.
    Sherill pulled her arm away from Melissa and took two steps back. “Yeah, like what? I’m a black woman with three kids, no education, and nowhere else to go.”
    “You can stay here,” Melissa simply said.
    “I already been here for over a year. Look, Melissa, you been real nice and all, but my kids need a real home. And Tyrone said he would give us that.”
    Melissa couldn’t believe her own ears. “And you believed him?”
    “Yeah, I believe him. Tyrone loves me and the kids. We’re gonna make it work this time.” Sherill said as she walked out of the kitchen and toward her bedroom to pack.
     
    * * *
     
    Later that day, Melissa was in her office talking to Irene. “I just can’t believe that she went back to him. Especially after all of the things she told us in group,” Melissa stated. She sat behind her desk with a dejected look on her face.
    “I know, I know. But you can’t save everyone, Melissa.” Seeing the look Melissa gave her, Irene put up a hand and continued. “I know that sounds harsh, but its reality. Many women go back repeatedly to the men who abuse them.”
    Melissa sighed and rubbed the back of her neck with her hands. “I know you’re right, but I still