Chapter 2

The day finally came when it was time for Blake to take ownership of the business, he was excited and I was feeling proud of him and excited for us. The store already had a business name but Blake decided he would change it to 'Wilson's family grocer' so that when we had children it could be passed down through the  generations.

The store came with three staff members but they were all uni students and all but one was reliable, Blake continued to work nights as a bouncer to make sure stable income was flowing to rebuild the business. We had both moved in to my apartment and everything seemed to be falling into place. 

A month went by and Blake started to struggle with staff, although my salary was almost a dream each month we decided leaving my job as much as I loved it really was a no-brainer. Blake needed me, the hours of the grocer were long, it was open sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. 

I resigned at my job and started working with Blake at the grocer and the one other staff member. Blake used to be in charge of the rostering, he would take morning shift, so he could go home and nap before working the night at the bar, Britney our staff member would take the midday four hour shift and I would take the afternoon till close shift, like Blake said why would I want to be at home without him while he was working at the bar and he was right. I did prefer to be at work as the same time as him, even if it was different times, locations and my shifts were longer.

Once I'd close the store of a night, I would walk up to the bar with the daily cash in my bag and meet Blake, he'd always tell me to wait outside the bar while he walked the waitstaff to their cars. I never questioned why until months later when I realised it wasn't safe for me to be waiting at the bar entrance with up to five thousand dollars cash a night when I asked Blake why was i left alone while he escorted the four waitstaff, Blake told me "their prettier than you, they are more likely to be victims". I didn't know how to respond, Blake stunned me with that comment. That was one of the first times he made me feel inferior. 

Within a year, the business started to struggle a little, then alot and Blake started to become stressed, money was tight for the business and he was increasing the prices to try and make ends meet, so the foot traffic of the business started slowing down as the customers realised it was cheaper to shop elsewhere. It seemed as though we took one step forward and two steps back, the fridges would break down and Blake would blame me when we lost the perishables inside them, he would say its because I didn't clean them enough. Blake would end up hiding from reps of food and service companies because he had overdue balances with them, again Blake would blame me, saying I spent too much money on things that weren't viable for the business. 

Blake's yelling started to scare me, I wasn't scared of him though because I knew that the man yelling at me wasn't my Blake, it was just the stress taking over, I knew If we just kept going and took time rebuild the business we would be able to save the business. 

One weekend, Browyn called and told Blake her and Grannie were coming to see the grocer and she wanted to see how successful her son was so she could go back to her friends tell them how her son a made a name for himself, Blake told her they could stay at our apartment, Bronwyn could have our room and Grannie could have the spare room and we could sleep on the lounge. Of course, Bronwyn agreed.

After that phone call Blake went into over drive and made me clean the apartment when I got home at one in the morning until it was 6:00A.M, he said he didn't want his mother to feel ashamed of how I kept the house like pigs had settled here. I was upset as I've always been house proud and didn't understand his demeanour. I cleaned how Blake requested, I reassured myself that Blake just wanted his mum to see the apartment perfect, after all it was our first apartment together. Five hours after starting the cleaning I asked Blake if I could go to bed as I was so tired, my feet were swollen and I had a headache but Bronwyn and Grannie arrived about an hour after I stopped cleaning so I had time get out of bed and be hospitable to his guests. 

That morning Blake had to go in to the morning shift but asked me to cover it so he could take his mum and grandmother around the town, he promised he would come in and cover the afternoon shift. The grocer was usually busy, i took this as it was a sign Blake would finally be able resign from the bouncer position at the bar and focus on the grocer, I was hopeful for us. 

That afternoon, Britney our staff member called Blake to tell him she wouldn't be able to work her shift, when Blake called me he practically begged me to cover Britney's shift but reassured me he would be in to do the afternoon close shift. It was a long day as I was already tired because of working last night and cleaning. But I just held on knowing Blake was coming into do the afternoon shift.

Soon it was 2:00pm and the afternoon shift started at 3:00pm. I couldn't wait to go home and relax. At 3:30pm I hadn't seen or heard from Blake, in between customers I tried calling him, I sent him text messages asking what time he would be in. Another hour passed and I hadn't heard from Blake so I tried calling him again, this time he answered, "WHAT?! I am spending time with my mum, I am her son!" I stumbled over my words and quietly asked Blake "what time are you coming in to the grocer?" He didn't answer my question he just hung up the phone. I was gobsmacked, I didn't recognise that tone in his voice and I never said anything about him spending time with his mum, I had been at work for over ten hours so far on no sleep and wanted him to come in and finish the shift. Around 6:00pm it dawned on me that Blake wasn't coming in to do his share of the shift, the grocer was still busy and had been all day. I was glad we were making money today but at the same time I was exhausted. 

At 10pm I decided to close the grocer early, after all it was only one hour earlier than our usual trade time and I was sure Blake wouldn't mind as I had been at work for fifteen hours straight. I locked up the shop and went back to the apartment, when I got home Bronwyn and Grannie were asleep. Blake told me they went to bed at 8:00pm, I asked Blake "why didn't you come to the grocer and take over the shift?" Blake snapped back "the grocer is my business and If you Ana, want money to survive you needed to pull your weight and get a real job, my mum was right about you!". I had no idea where that came from or what Blake and his mother discussed but I didnt want to make Blake angry at me so, I went and had a shower in the ensuite and went to bed.

The next morning I woke to find that Blake had went in to the grocer, relieved I started to plan my day. I had a long over due hair appointment, I wanted to feel fresh and look good for Blake, he didn't like when I looked bad. I checked my phone to confirm my appointment time, when I saw the text from Blake, 'I've taken the visa card and banked the cash, we can't be wasting money on your hair. I text your hairdresser to cancel the appointment. You need to come in to work today, Britney called in sick again and I am taking mum and Grannie to my sisters Angela's for lunch. Don't be late or let me down babe' 

When I saw the message I was disappointed not at Blake but at myself, he was right! Why would I spend money on my hair when the business was struggling so long.

At noon I headed into the grocer, I didn't want to disappoint Blake, when I got there Blake was in the back office and he was angry, more angry than I have ever seen him before.

I put my back to him to lock bag away when I felt a sharp pull back on my hair, it was Blake he pulled me by the hair and in a low calm tone said "never disrespect me again by closing this grocer early, how dare you make it look like I am not in control of you or my business". I ran out the front of the store looking for someone to help but it was quiet and no one was around, I went back inside the grocer, I went to check the office to see if Blake was still there, I wasn't able to completely process what had just happened, as I turned around the corner, Blake grabbed me by the throat and pinned my arms behind my back against the wall so I couldn't break free, he spat in my face and he pushed me to the ground as I was getting up I heard the back exit slam shut. Blake had left with out saying a word. 

The shift at the grocer seemed to drag on but I wasn't in a rush to get home either I held on to the fact that Bronwyn and Grannie are going home tomorrow and Blake would return to his normal self. At least I hoped he would. 

I made my way home from the grocer back to the apartment I was praying everyone would be asleep but as I opened the door Blake was standing there, I wasn't sure what I expected but he hugged me, he hugged me the tightest I had ever felt him hug me and he said "I don't know why your attitude makes me react the way I do, but you need to work on not making me so angry. I get on edge when my mum is around, you know this". I didn't have a response I just went and ran a bath, I needed a bath as my body was aching, I could smell Blake's spit on my face and in my hair. 

When I woke the next morning, the apartment was empty. Blake had taken his mum and Grannie to breakfast before they headed home. I was relieved. Then it hit me, no one was at shop! I quickly got dressed and ran to the grocer, when I got there Blake was already there, he smiled at me and said "I was letting you sleep in babe, you deserve it" I was confused and asked him "where is your mum and Grannie?" Blake told me they had already went home but before they left his mum told him how she was so proud of how hard he works to provide for me and that I wouldn't have the apartment and my nice lifestyle if it wasn't for him, Blake then looked blankly at me asked "Well, don't you agree Ana?" I agreed with Blake, I wanted to go home not have another argument, I did whatever I could so I  wouldn't cause a negative reaction from Blake, I figured if I agree I could go home and rest before my shift started. "See you at 3:00pm, when I come in for my shift" I said to Blake. He didn't answer me so I left and headed back to the apartment. 

3:00pm came around so fast, when I got to the Grocer my Dad Gary was there, I was so happy to see my dad, I hadn't seen him in what felt like forever. I had a small feeling of safe again. "Dad! What are you doing here?!" Dad said he knew we were both working so hard, if we show him how to use the till and how to lock up the store, he would work the afternoon shift for us so we could have a night in or out, whatever we chose. I told Dad he didn't have to do that, after all my dad was nearing sixty years old and had his own fulltime job but he insisted. 

Blake and I left the grocer in my dads care and we headed back to our apartment, I wondered if Blake remembered it was our one year anniversary.

Once we got home, Blake told me to go put on the red dress that I wore on our first date, I was so glad Sally from my old job let me keep it. It had been so long since I got dressed up, put on a full face of make up and did my hair. I was nervous about how I looked, I sure as hell didn't feel as confident as I did on our first date but I felt more like myself than I had in a long time. 

Blake and I returned to the restaurant we had our first date on, again he was treated like he was some sort of God and I was back to feeling totally in awe of this man that I could call mine, I needed to remind myself I have always wanted someone to love and someone to love me back, to be devoted to and someone to want the same future together. Blake recreated our first date, we had the same three course meal we had on our first date. Blake had a black rose for me, just like he did on our first date. Blake told me he was resiging from the Job at the bar to focus on the store, he said the business was running better than he thought, I was so happy for him, I thought this meant we would be able to spend more time together! 

At the end of the date as I went to stand up Blake got down on one knee, with a tear in his eye Blake asked "Ana, you've been by my side with me and had faith in everything I do, I couldn't imagine life with out you, will you marry me?" I cried "YES! YES! of course I will", Blake placed a beautiful gold diamond ring on my finger as the restaurant applauded I felt a joy and hope that this was going to be my happy ever after I spent years dreaming of. 

Once we arrived back our apartment Blake told me not to get undressed yet, he needed to send photos to his mother and put them of F******k, I thought how lucky I was that this man wanted to announce to his five thousand friends on F******k that he chose ME to spend the rest of his life with!

The next morning was bliss, Blake went into the grocer, he text me to tell me how amazing the shop looked. Gary had done some rearranging and cleaning. He told me that all the customers were congratulating him on our engagement. Blake suggested he would work the full shift at the grocer that day so I could  start planning our engagement party! He wanted one asap and I couldn't wait, little did Blake know I already had it half planned in my head, after all I've dreaming of my wedding for a long time!, there would be a gold and aqua theme for the engagement party that would follow through to the wedding theme, I always imagined having an engagement party at somewhere classy, a sole venue so drunk shenanigans didn't ruin the surroundings. I thought I wanted red roses but black roses are mine and Blake's thing, so black roses it is!

I wondered how many groomsmen Blake would have, how many bridesmaids would I have? All of a sudden my heart sank, I haven't spoken to any of my friends in almost a year, if not longer. I've been so devoted to Blake and his dreams, giving him all my time that I've neglected the life I had before Blake. 

I sent out a text to those of my friends; 'Hi Guys, sorry I've been so quiet for so long, I've missed you all! But I have some exciting news! I'M ENGAGED!!' 

Im sure once they've read the text, they'll understand why I've been so busy! I mean this was the start of the happy ever after I have always imagined, my best friends would understand. I hoped, thought of losing all my friends petrified me. 

I reassured myself that THIS was the start of my happy ever after and nothing was going to stop it, Blake loved me and I loved him, so I thought.