Free Pretty When She Cries by Sarah Kate

She didn’t want it to become stuffed up. She wouldn’t be able to breathe. She put her head down finally resigned to her position.
    She became so still she went into a kind of sleep, which she didn’t break out of until she heard the front door close. He had only been gone half the day. She was torn between being grateful he was back, and hating that she had to look at him again. He went into the kitchen with a couple of grocery bags before he cut the tape off her with a pair of scissors. She sat up stiffly. Her skin was sore and itchy where the duct tape had been.
    “Hey, I got us some nice dinner,” he said, kissing her cheek, and searching her face with a steady gaze. “And I got this just in case,” he said showing her a pregnancy test box. “I’ve got to go lie down for a while, but we’ll talk some more later. Okay?” He kissed her again. “I’ll leave this with you.”
    He tossed the pregnancy test box onto the floor next to her. Staring at it, she could feel a dangerous prickle in her throat at the thought. She didn’t want to look at it.
    For dinner they had homemade fish and chips, with some kind of pre-prepared salad on the side.
    “I’m going to get you some ice cream,” he said, unusually cheerful. “You’ve been so good.”
    He retrieved a tub of ice cream, then sat down with her on the mattress. He watched as she dipped the metal spoon into the tub. Her face was still streaked with tears, and her hand was trembling slightly. Ice cream was the last thing she wanted, but she knew how it would be if she turned it down. She took a bite, and slowly swirled the melting morsel around her mouth. It was cookies and cream.
    “Is that good?” he asked.
    “It’s good.”
    “Give me some.”
    She held out the tub but he didn’t take it, just opened his mouth. She got a bit on the spoon for him. “More than that,” he said. She dug out even more then put it in his mouth. “Mmm. That is good. I’m going to get fucking brain freeze.” She forced a smile, with a laugh something like a cry. “Give me another bite. Do you have cookies and cream in Australia? Have some more.”
    She obediently took another mouthful, and nodded.
    “Is it your favorite?” he asked.
    “No.”
    “What’s your favorite?”
    “Strawberry.”
    “Strawberry? Does your boyfriend know that’s your favorite?”
    “Yes.”
    “I bet he knows everything about you—everything a boyfriend should know about his girl. Do you get to talk to him all the time on the phone?”
    “Yes.” She tasted some more ice cream, not looking at him.
    “What do you talk about—are you all flirty and sweet with him? You missing him a little right now? He can’t be too far from around here, maybe a couple of hours. What’s his name?”
    Her blood went cold for a second. She didn’t like that he was showing so much interest in Cameron so she lied. “Gary,” she said.
    “And I suppose you two have the perfect little relationship, can’t wait to get married, have some babies, build a life together. Is he a good guy, makes you feel wanted, screws you nice and tenderly? But he never makes you come properly, does he? What are some things that you have been fantasizing that he would do to you? Hmm? You can tell me—tell me what you what him to do to you—what you miss about his dick.”
    “Stop talking about him!” she said.
    He took the ice cream off her, and started eating. He was looking into her eyes. “You can’t get to have sex with him very often when he’s over here and you’re back home. Aren’t you worried some other woman’s got her legs wrapped around him? Do you think he knows where you are right now? You think he knows you’re getting fucked by another man?”
    She clutched her hair in both her hands as if she would tear it out, and started crying quietly.
    “I could let you call him,” he said, “but what are you going to say to him? Hey?” He touched her hair. “What are you going to tell him about me? You