Beyond Closed Doors by Sue DeCrescenzo

Beyond Closed Doors

by Sue DeCrescenzo

Part I - Before

What do you mean, you’ve had enough, Jill’s father, Frank, screamed? Her Mother, Mary Beth, cringed as he walked into the kitchen. Frank shouted, I work ten hours a day, expect dinner on the table and a clean house. Why can’t you do that? Mary Beth hadn’t been feeling good. The cancer was getting worse. Jill and her brother, Jimmie, tried to help, but Mary Beth refused. She let them play; then fed them dinner. Tonight, Frank sounded meaner and drunker. Mary Beth heard from one of the neighbors there maybe layoffs. She signaled Jill to take her brother upstairs and hide in the closet. For Jill, this scene played out every Friday night for most of her life–13 long years. At first her parents seemed happy. Frank lost his job; found another, but the pay and the work never satisfied him. Frank stopped at the local bar on Fridays. He drank to feel better. When he got home, he beat Mary Beth to make himself feel in control. Today Frank was worse than usual.

Jill tried to make a game out of hiding in the closet. Jimmie, six years younger, didn’t know any different. They had a flashlight, books to read, snacks and a blanket. In between the shouting and the crying coming from downstairs, they finished their homework. Afterwards, Jill would hold Jimmie until he fell asleep. Mary Beth could fight Frank off until she got him to eat or he passed out or both. The next day, Mary Beth would tell the neighbors that she fell; her way of explaining the bruises. Tonight, Frank was unrelenting. Mary Beth begged him to stop. She couldn’t muffle her screams.

And Jill couldn’t stand to listen to her Mother plead for her life. Jill told her brother, stay in the closet, hide under the blanket and don’t let anyone in until I come back. Jill hugged Jimmie; then she slipped onto the top of the stairs.

Frank, said to Mary Beth, “Oh, you’re useless. I think, I’m going to have me some fun tonight. I’ve seen the way our daughter is growing up.” Jill heard their Mother shout, if you touch Jill, I’ll kill you. Mary Beth pulled a pistol from her apron pocket. She vowed enough was enough. Frank said, Christ, where did you get that gun? Jill crawled downstairs and into the kitchen. Her mother cowered in the corner, bruised and bleeding, but in her hand, she held a gun. Frank laughed; then slapped the pistol out of Mary Beth’s hand. Jill knew that if she didn’t get the gun, her Mother would be next. Her Dad blocked the gun laying on the floor. Jill shouted, Dad, leave her alone! Frank looked up and laughed. Well look who it is, Daddy’s little girl. Frank did a suggestive “dance”. Jill could see the new fear in her Mother’s eyes. Mary Beth lunged for the stove and with all the strength she had left, she tossed a hot pot of soup at Frank. The hot liquid splashed on Frank, and fueled a new rage. Frank punched Mary Beth again.

Mary Beth had given her the perfect opportunity to snatch the gun. In between Frank’s blows, her Mother said, Now! Jill grabbed the gun and pointed it at her father. Frank lunged at Jill. There was a brief struggle. The gun fired. Jill was close enough that it hit her father in his chest. He was dead before he hit the floor. The smell of sweat, stale beer and death was strong, but for the first time all night, it was quiet.

Jill ran to her Mom. Her Mother said give me the gun; then go upstairs, take your bloody clothes off, wrap them up in tight ball and hide them under your bed. Take a shower and make sure you clean up the tub too. When you’re done, get into your pajamas and stay with Jimmie in the closet until the police come. Do you understand? Jill nodded. Her Mother said, remember I love you both. Bruises you can hide but stop before the bones break. Now, pull the phone over here, go upstairs and do not come down, until the police arrive! Jill ran upstairs, showered, changed, hid her bloody clothes and waited. She heard her Mom call 911; then she heard the gun go off again. Silence. Next, Jill heard the police enter the house. The police discovered the bodies in the kitchen and one officer said, the woman on the 911 call told us, look for the kids upstairs. The police finished their investigation and the courts determined it was a murder-suicide. Case closed. For years afterwards, everyone said, that SOB had it coming. Sad the kids lost their Mother too, but the cancer would have killed her anyway. Jimmie and Jill moved out of state and in with their maternal grandparents. Jill graduated from high school and left for college. She graduated with honors in both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She never came back for her grandparents’ funerals or her brother’s wedding. Jill instructed the designer I want nothing but the best. And Jill could afford it. She had the clothes, the cars, and the trips to exotic lands. Everything she touched turned to “gold”. That’s what they called her, The Golden Girl. She was blonde, blued eyed and rich. No one said she didn’t work hard to get where she was. In fact, that’s the excuse she gave, too busy to find love. One day, at work, the CEO called an emergency executive staff meeting. The CEO informed Jill and her executive team the Finance Manager resigned, and a new Finance Manager starts in a month.

Evan, was spectacular in every way, looks, brains and he got what wanted. He wanted Jill. At first, she avoided him. He tried expensive gifts, flowers, jewelry, but won her over with two tickets to her favorite hockey teams championship game. They dined on vendor hot dogs, washed down with stadium beer and Jill fell in love. The engagement was short. The wedding a formal affair with three hundred guests. Jill and Evan, the perfect couple, envied by all. No one guessed that behind closed doors, Jill’s past was coming back to haunt her. There were signs, but she ignored them. After a few months of marital bless; Evan’s occasional night cap, turned into a nightly affair. They were both busy with a merger and she traveled often. When she returned, Evan acted happy to see her. After a day or so, he grew silent and drank. When he drank too much, he would hit her, but he was always careful to hide the bruises. In the morning, he apologized and promised I won’t do it again. She denied anything was wrong.

After Evan drank, he would stumble back to bed and pass out. Tonight, he didn’t. Jill woke around 2 am. He wasn’t in bed, so she went to find him. As she came around the corner, something hard hit her from behind. When she came too, she could feel blood on the back of her neck. Evan was standing over her, holding a gun! He started ranting, why are you having an affair? Jill thought, what affair, but she knew better than to argue with a drunk. And where did he get the gun? As if he could read her thoughts, he said, Like my new toy? While you’ve been having fun with your boyfriend, I’ve been going to the shooting range. I’m a good shot, you know. Jill, thought to herself, this can’t be happening. Evan pulled her up and started to beat her. She almost passed out, but her Mother’s words came back to her, stop him before he breaks any bones. She grabbed his fist. Evan was surprised she fought back, but he was too drunk. The distraction was enough. She seized the gun, they struggled, and it fired. The smell of sweat, stale beer and death was strong, but for the first time all night, it was quiet. A neighbor heard the shot and called 911. The coroner carried the body to the morgue. The detectives’ investigation and the courts determined it was self-defense. The grand opening was spectacular. The press was there. Evan Jill’s brother, Jimmie came with his family. Everyone stood and applauded as the banner dropped revealing the new sign, Mary Beth Women’s Shelter. Jill appeared at the podium. Jill stated, all the money my husband, my abuser, left me allowed us to build this shelter. My hope for all of us, we work together to stop the cycle of abuse.

NOTE: This story came to me after I read a newspaper article on the cycle of abuse. I am very fortunate I am not a victim of abuse. However, I pray for the victims and for their strength to break the cycle.

Susan has a varied background in customer service, account management, technical writing, course development, and training. Her specialties are

Team leadership, training, technical writing, and public relations. Connect with Susan via LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-j-decrescenzo-527148/