She knelt beside the shattered pot, barely noticing the blood trickling down her neck. It was broken—all of it—lying on the scuffed linoleum, right there with her resolve. He’d done it. He’d gone and broken his word. Now there was nothing left to stop her from killing him.
——
Patience thought of her mother. Beautiful. Only word to describe her. Perfect to anyone but her own child. Slap here. Curse there. Anger everywhere. But what a show she put on for the neighbors. Nobody could compete with Mama for acting abilities.Star performer she’d been all her life, even to the man she’d married and later murdered. Oh, she didn’t hold the gun to his head, but she was certainly present in his thoughts as he pulled the trigger. Like mother like daughter.
——
They’d named her Patience because it was the virtue neither possessed but both wanted for the other. So why not burden a child with unrealistic expectations before she even took a breath? They were like that, Mama and Papa. Wanting what they’d never have, what they were never willing to give.
Patience learned early the importance of plotting. A good ploy was never to be outdone. Take time to get it right because there were no second chances with vengeance and punishment. The scar shaped like the old iron on Patience’s thigh was testament enough to that.
So Patience would wait and plan.
——
All was clean when he returned next morning. Who knew what hovel he’d slept in and whom with. Didn’t matter.
Skin was puffy around the X he’d carved in Patience’s left temple. Clay shards didn’t cut neat, neither. Not deep enough to kill, certainly, but enough to brand her for life. His. His mark. Like them old cowboys used to sign, he’d said. X for a name. X for land. X for property. Patience was property, and she wasn’t to forget it.
Breakfast was cold by the time he’d washed up. It was summarily thrown to the dog and another demanded. Of course Patience complied, because she was the epitome of her name. That’s why wanted her, after all. Patient, submissive. Perfect woman.
He never would realize how perfect she was for him.
To be continued . . .
The Grey Havens 