Chapter 5: Metamorphosis

Nick was furious as I told him over the phone about my recent job application going to London. He can never accept the fact that he lost me over his affair from Cathy. I, on the other hand, is firm with my decision. I will leave my daughter with my parents and worked away from her to achieve the life I always wanted for my family and for my daughter.

'My precious daughter, I never knew you would give me so much strength to fight this battle, be able to endure all the pain, the hardship that I have been through the past years with my husband, your father and the struggles that I have to face for this new journey away from you', my thoughts while cuddling my sleeping daughter. She sleeps peacefully, like an angel. So tranquil the day it is. It feels like the winter wind could not penetrate the warmth I feel with my daughter.

"Are you sure this is what you wanted?" my mom asked me from the behind. "I have to do it mom, so i could provide Althea a better life. And I can help you and dad with everything in the house. I know I disappointed you a lot of times already. But I will make sure that I will succeed this time", I promised my mom. We hugged each other. I have never been hugged for so long before. I feel like I am completely safe in my mom's arms. I hugged her even tighter. 

I was so ready to start a new life. I am excited to see how it will turn out. The next morning, I woke up with the commotion from the outside of our house. 

"I will never let Jessica go without my permission!, if she will go, I will take my daughter with me back!" angrily Nick talked to my father. He looked wasted. Ana was there with him and to my surprise, and so with Cathy. 

I sigh as I see how this day would end. How pathetic to see my husband whom I considered an estranged now is making a scene early this morning outside our house. When I saw Cathy inside the car, I felt pain and betrayed by my husband. It is now clear to me that my decision would be the best for me to move on and to start over. As I wander in my mind, the people outside where shouting. Ana, my mother in law kept on nagging Nick to blurt some words to make us do what they want. It was so devastating to see that he's here, instead of begging and asking for forgiveness, chose to be with his hoe acting as if he was the victim.

When they were about to enter the doorstep, my father moved to meet them and blocking their way. He released a raging anger "I am the alpha of this family!  Yes, I may be a poor man from this poor countryside, but I won't let you easily trample the family that I built with my sweat and blood!". He moved one more step and to my surprised, he slowly load each one bullet to his old gun that hasn't been used for so long. Nick and Ana was shocked to what they saw at the moment that they could not think straight. They were so nervous that you could see in their eyes, they could hardly breathe. "One more step and I will be sure to make this bullet engrave in each of your temple!!!", my father angrily shouted.

They step back and hurriedly moved towards the car where Cathy has been waiting. Nick pull the car to start and hit the road without hesitation. It is like watching a drama show where the villain is slowly loosing his confidence to take over the poor ones. My father went back inside the house after making sure that they are no longer in our premises. 

"Dad, I'm so sorry for this trouble I have brought into this family", I apologized as tears run down in my face. I lowered my face that I cannot meet the gaze that my father gave me. He slowly lift my head and said with so much confidence, "don't be sorry Jess, this is one of the things that you have to endure to gain what you always wanted in life. If the relationship that you build isn't for you, you don't have to lower yourelf; instead, rise among the thorns".

He was my hero, the light that never fades. He saved me from the verge of failure. He always believed in me. When I think that he would never accepts me after making this mistake, here is my father pondering words of wisdom to encourage me to build myself again. 

I hugged him and is thankful to God for giving me such a father.

Later that day, we went to the police station to file a formal complaint on what had happened in the morning. The police officer is keen with his job with asking the details word per word, event per event as to who were involved and etc. I then formally told them the story, the journey of me being a battered wife and being betrayed by his husband. We plead for a restraining order. 

I know that Nick, being from a powerful family, will easily get away from this and will do anyting to get what he wanted. Besides having family lawyer, they owned several businesses in part of Sudbury. Thus making their family even more capable of getting away. Nevertheless, we still hope that this will not be taken for granted by our firm law makers.