Free Damsels in Distress by Nikita Lynnette Nichols

even a single Hershey’s Kiss. Celeste bowed her head and cried harder.

Chapter 5
    Sleeping with the Enemy
    Ginger arose at three o’clock a.m. on a Wednesday morning, choking and coughing uncontrollably. Ronald was asleep with his back to her. Ginger got out of bed and hurried into the kitchen for a glass of water. The lukewarm liquid was soothing to her throat. She set the glass in the sink and went back to bed. No sooner than her head made contact with the pillow Ginger started to cough again.
    Ronald sat up, exhaled loudly, and frowned at her. “Take that noise out of here.”
    While trying to suppress her coughs, Ginger got up and left her bedroom and went into the guest bedroom and lay across the queen-sized bed. Within twenty minutes her coughs subsided and she was able to drift off to sleep.
    At approximately 5:05 a.m., Ginger lazily turned from her side and lay on her back. She opened her eyes and was startled to see Ronald’s silhouette standing over her. Though it was still dark outside, the light shining from the hallway helped Ginger to see that he was completely naked. She anxiously sat up but Ronald’s fist came full force and sent her flying back onto the pillow. Ginger felt her chest cave in and she screamed out in pain.
    Ronald placed his palm over her mouth. “Shut up and be still,” he ordered.
    Tears welled up in Ginger’s eyes as she watched Ronald climb on top of her and spread her legs with his own. He removed his hand from her mouth and raised her gown to her waist. He was breathing heavy and Ginger’s nostrils inhaled stale alcohol mixed with morning breath. It was nauseating. The smell made her sick to her stomach.
    â€œRon, please don’t do this.”
    A slap across the left side of her face took Ginger’s breath away. Immediately, Ronald kissed where his opened palm made contact. “Did that hurt, baby? Huh? Did I hurt you?”
    Ginger closed her eyes and prayed that God would help her out of that situation. Ronald grabbed her chin and turned her face toward his own. Tears were streaming from Ginger’s eyes down to her ears.
    He licked her tears with his tongue. He ran it from the corner of her right eye to her ear. “Mmm, your tears taste good. You ought to cry more often.”
    At the smell of his breath Ginger’s stomach began to rumble. Telling Ronald that his breath was foul would only guarantee another blow to her face but Ginger had to do something to get his mouth away from her nose. “Ron, you’re heavy. Please get up.”
    â€œYou wanna know what I found in the kitchen sink when I got up this morning, Ginger?”
    Ginger knew she was in trouble. He was talking about the glass she drank water from two hours ago.
    â€œDo you remember what I said the last time I told you about leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight?”
    â€œRon, I was sick this morning. Didn’t you hear me coughing? I just had a glass of water.”
    â€œYou left a dirty glass in the sink overnight,” he reminded her.
    Ginger sobbed. “No, it was this morning.”
    He grabbed Ginger’s chin and turned her face toward the window. “Look outside. Is the sun up?”
    She moaned. “No.”
    â€œIs the sky light blue?”
    She squeezed her eyes shut. Lord, where are you? There was no way out of a butt whipping that was surely coming her way. Ronald kissed her lips softly and asked the last question again. “Is the sky light blue, Ginger?”
    She cried out again. “No.”
    â€œWell, if the sun is not up and if the sky is not light blue then it must be nighttime, right?”
    The stench coming from Ronald’s mouth caused Ginger’s dinner, from the night before, to move around in her stomach. Lord, please help me.
    Ronald kissed her lips softly again. “Answer me, baby. Is it nighttime or daytime?”
    â€œIt’s nighttime.”
    â€œSo, you left a dirty glass in