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The Red Dress by Winona B. Cross Laura rubbed her swollen eyes then pushed down at her dark blonde hair in an effort to flatten it. Steve had forced her to sit still while he piled her hair on top of her head. Curls cascaded from her temples like snakes. The reflection in the mirror saddened her. Tears filled her green eyes once again. She sucked in a ragged breath as she noticed the red indentations caused by the tight handcuffs.
The ends of Laura’s mouth curled upward in a brief smile as she smoothed imaginary wrinkles from the elegant and expensive long-sleeved red crepe dress. Guilt erased the smile. Her mother had bought the dress with money she had been saving for Christmas. It had been a hopeful bribe to keep her away from Steve.
A key scratched in the lock. Laura watched the doorknob turn then sidestepped across the room. She sat, in submission, on the side of the bed. I can’t believe I’m doing this. God, how did I end up in this nightmare?
Steve swaggered into the room, “You look great. I have something for you.”
Laura watched Steve take a small jewelry box from his jacket. What now? Anxious, she smiled and spoke with contrived flirtatious curiosity as her mind screamed in frustration.
She opened the box. A three-stone diamond ring caught the light. Rainbows danced around the room. “It’s beautiful. It could belong to royalty. Where did you get the money for this ring?”
“Just a credit card I found.” Steve forced the ring onto Laura’s finger. “Just a reminder that you belong to me. Forget your family. They don’t care about you.”
She narrowed her eyes and straightened her shoulders, “You’re wrong, Steve.” Her voice rose, her words ran together. “My family cares. I don’t belong to you. You’ve kept me locked in this room for a month because you know it’s the only way I’ll stay. I’m marrying you because I’m afraid of what you might do to my family. You’ve lied since I first met you on campus a year ago. You...you and your manipulations and deceptions almost made me lose my family. It was you, not Dad, who sliced the tires on my car. Everything is so clear all of a sudden. You brainwashed me and made me quit school. I lost a full scholarship.” Laura’s voice cracked at the end of her tirade. She shook tears from her eyes with a violent shake of her head.
“You ungrateful piece of trash.”
Laura tensed, waiting for Steve’s barrage of demeaning words and the pain. His fist landed squarely in her right side. “I’m going to teach you to lie and manipulate. And, you will gladly do it or I’ll hurt your family.”
***
The drive to the Justice of the Peace was spent in silence. Memories of the past year flashed through her mind. The lie about her best friend. How could she have believed it? How could she have believed her mother would ever have called her a disgrace to the family? Before she met Steve she had been a typical college student, active in the arts community and on campus. She had a job. Her father had been the most important man in her life. Steve convinced Laura that her parents were too strict, control freaks and didn’t care about her. He introduced her to the false freedom of independence. A tear slipped down her cheek. She turned to glare at Steve with clarity and contempt.
“Why are you crying? It’s your wedding day,” Steve sneered.
“I always dreamed of getting married in the cathedral at sunset with the stained glass sparkling in the sanctuary. I wanted to wear a beautiful white dress and be surrounded by family,” Laura whispered.
Steve lifted the hem on Laura’s dress and rubbed her thigh. “I’m the one who taught you how to get what you want. Besides, red looks good on you. You don’t deserve to wear white. We don’t need anyone, especially your family and friends. You’ll see, Babe, I’ll hit it big at the casino. I’ll be a high roller. We’ll be rich,” Steve bragged.
***
“Here we are,” Steve leaned over and kissed Laura.
She pulled away, overcome by nausea.
Walking up the steps to the Justice’s office caused Laura’s side to ache. She absentmindedly rubbed her wrists. I have to do something. This couldn’t happen.
Standing beside Steve, Laura tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow and squeezed it. He relaxed.
The Justice entered the room along with two clerks. He looked around, “Good afternoon, my name is Matt Wilson. You kids want to get married? I see all of the paperwork is in order. Are you expecting family or friends? We can wait.”
Steve stepped forward. “It’s just us.” His words echoed harsh and loud. There was no love or concern in his cold response.
Mr. Wilson looked directly at Laura. His look was kind.
She dropped the rose she carried. “I need help,” she said clearly. Pushing up the sleeves of her dress she displayed the handcuff marks.
“Sorry. My bride is kidding. Aren’t you, dear?” Steve grabbed Laura’s hand, forcing her to his side.
“Miss Martin? Are you sure this is what you want?” Mr. Wilson looked from Laura to Steve and alerted the security guards with a wave.
“No, sir. I don’t want to get married. He keeps me locked in a room. I tried to break up with him. He hits me and has brainwashed me.” A year’s worth of tears exploded from Laura. She slumped against a banister. A clerk helped her up.
“She’s lying! I don’t know what she’s talking about.” Steve grabbed Laura.
The guards dragged Steve out of the room. His curses and threats echoed down the hallway.
Laura collapsed into a wooden chair. She pulled the pins from her hair and let it fall loose.
“Ma’am?” Laura looked up to see a uniformed police officer standing beside her. He handed her a box of tissues.
“Yes?” Laura pulled a tissue from the box and began to twist it.
“I’m Officer Hebert. Would you like to press charges against Mr. Lake?”
Looking into the officer’s eyes Laura straightened her shoulders, held her head high and announced, “Yes. Yes, I do want to press charges. And, I want a restraining order for my family in case he gets out. He has threatened to kill them and me. Do you have a phone I could use?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s on the clerk’s desk.” Officer Hebert pointed to an alcove.
Taking a deep breath Laura dialed the number. She had been forbidden to contact her parents. On the rare occasion she was able to talk to them it had been through deceit. “Hello. Mama? I didn’t marry Steve. I have my new dress on. Can I come home?”
Feeling relaxed and safe, Laura smiled at the clerk. She took off the ring and stuffed it into her purse. This would buy plenty of Christmas presents. THE END Winona Cross © 2006 |
Winona B. Cross is
relatively new to writing. She has had a flash article published in GRIT
Magazine and three nostalgic articles published in the local newspaper. As a
student at Long Ridge Writers Group, Winona earned an honorable mention in the
Spring Anthology for a flash fiction story titled "In the Beginning." Winona