She looked at him. She couldn’t believe what her ears were transmitting to her brain. She could not believe, not the words, but the tone of his voice. There was a slight hint, a faint touch of blackmail. She often told people that they thought she was stupid; it was a joke, more or less. But she wasn’t. She could listen very well, and figure out what the drill is. This time it was a threatening. He didn’t use any expressions like: ‘do this’, ‘don’t do that’, ‘or else’… No, he was much more diplomatic and cunning than that. The honest truth was that, deep within her bowels, she felt somewhat guilty. Yet… his voice hit her like an icy thunder. Yet… he managed to bring her to this state, where from there was no easy way out. So far, she thought he was a trustworthy person, a person she could leave her ’secret’ with. Actually there was no secret whatsoever. It was just her, the way she was. No extraordinary disclosures to be done, no lives ruined after people would learn about what she did (or rather how she lived, or what she lived with). No, people would stop, maybe for a sec, then carry on with their own lives. Nobody would bother anyway. Still, she was kind of dumbstruck. ‘You know, one would expect some sort of an intimacy from somebody that pretends to be the protector of a woman.’ - these were her thoughts cast into spoken words. The menacing grin on his face explained her clearly that there was no place, nor time for any negotiation.
She slowly stood up. The old chair made a crackling noise while she pushed it under the heavy table. She stepped to the half opened door that led to the garden. The sight was more than pleasing. The children were playing under the old walnut tree. Their faces were lit by joy, there was no sign of pain, sorrow, fear. The dog they were fiercely bullying seemed to be laughing along with them. They’ve noticed her standing in the door and started to wave madly at her, to come an play with them, but not letting the dog rest for a second. She waved back. Instead of going out, she turned around to him. Her expression was so different now. During those few seconds she was gazing throughout the door, she got something from the kids, something that he has long forgotten, since he considered himself, and behaved like the most mature person in the neighbourhood.
Whatever got into her, it made her step in front of him, slap him in the face so hard that he fell off the chair, and said: ‘Listen well, you bastard! Get your bloody act together, or else…!!!!!’
He never ever in his life used that certain tone of voice again.
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