Breaking the cycle

“Never again,” Alyssa repeated over and over as she threw clothes into a garbage bag. She could only use her left hand since her right arm was in a cast having been broken in three places when Luke threw her against the wall last night. After going to the bar for a few drinks with the boys on the way home from work. After screaming why wasn’t dinner on the table when he walked in the door. After throwing the plate at the wall when she served it to him from the oven where she had been keeping it warm for him. After he blamed her for the mess and kicked a piece of china at her and told her to clean it up, now. After she went to bathroom to stop the bleeding where the china had cut her cheek. Then, he grabbed her arm for not doing what he told her to do when he told her to do it and threw her against the hall wall telling her to get in the kitchen and clean up the fucking mess, bitch. Then, she cleaned the mess with her left hand, her right arm dangling by her side while he fell asleep in front of the television. Then, she took her purse and walked out the back door. Then, she got in the car and drove to the hospital.

“Hey, Alyssa,” said Nurse Reines at emergency admissions.

“I think my arm’s broken,” Alyssa said without tears.

“Again?” said Nurse Reines, her eyes wide with both anger and resignation.

“Never again,” Alyssa replied.