Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

Getting out of bed was becoming more and more difficult by the day. Dealing with Sam also became more and more difficult by the day. That night he had gone out and gotten shit faced I’d also received multiple phone calls from Matt and messages, which resulted in me playing keep away with my phone from Sam for the remainder of the week.

That was until Monday night when I had left my phone, idiotically, out on my bed while I took a shower. Not thinking anything of it since I wasn’t expecting company.

I had just finished washing up and wrapped my bumped out stomach in a towel, stepping out of the shower carefully as I reached for another towel to dry my hair. My fingertips reached the fabric just as something brushed my wrist. I pulled back but not in time, Sam clasped his hand over my arm.

“What the fuck? What are you doing here?” I asked and yanked my arm away but he held tight, “Sam, are you deaf? What are you-“

My words held on to my throat as his hand collided with my face, “You fucking bitch explain this.” He jolted my arm and held my phone in front of my face, displaying all of Matt’s calls from last week and the voicemails.

“I didn’t answer, Sam, relax. Put my phone down you psycho and get out of my house!” I slapped the device from his hand but that just angered him more and he ranked me out of the bathroom.

My free hand clutched the towel around my body as fear courses through my veins. My wet hair fell in my face as he tossed me towards the bed, “Explain why he fucking called!” Sam shouted and shoved me backwards, slapping my face.

“I have no idea! It was like two in the morning and I didn’t even notice until the next day!” I tried sitting back up but this time a closed fist impacted my cheek. Tears sprung to my eyes, “Sam please!”

“No, you’ve been nothing but a sneaky cunt to me and I’m tired of it!”

“Are you drunk? Sam are you drunk right now? This is absurd-“

Another fist impacted the side of my face and that’s when I tried to fight back but he climbed on top of the bed and I was useless. Tears streamed down my face as the rage filled his eyes, the scent of beer now wafting off his breath in to my face.

.:.:.:.:.:.

Beeping. All I could hear was beeping and my arm felt itchy. I tried moving but all I felt was pain. I opened my eyes and shut then immediately again, it was bright and it hurt. Everything was bright. I managed to move my arm to shield my eyes enough to open them. I was partially sitting up in what looked like a hospital bed.

“Oh, god, Lizzy..”

I turned to the left and noticed a very wrecked looking Zack about to jump from his chair, “Zack… Zack what happened? How’d I get… here?”

“You called me, Liz.” He clasped his hand around mine, “Sam…”

I looked down at my hands and saw the bruises up my arms, instantly the memory came front and center, I felt tears fall down my cheeks, “Oh fuck, oh fuck… how… the baby?”

“The baby’s fine.” Zack nodded and looked up as a doctor walked in, “We were just waiting for you to wake up.”

“What… how long was I out? Oh god what do I look like?” I brought my finger tips to my face and cringed at the scratching feeling of dried blood.

“Well you’ve had intermittent nose bleeds but the bruising is pretty minimal for now. You’ve only been here a few hours Miss Baker.” The doctor looked me over, “Your significant other has been placed in jail until you decide what you’d like to do, and seeing as the holiday is tomorrow there won’t be any judges to see him. So it looks like he’s going to have a pretty boring weekend.”

“Oh ok.” I nodded and looked around again as Zack stared at me probably a little bit more pitifully than he planned, “When can I go? I Uhm… I have things to do.”

“Well first things first you won’t be allowed to drive for a few days with the head trauma you suffered. You received a minor concussion and with the pregnancy factor we don’t want to take any chances with your precious cargo. So you’ll be pretty dependent on your brother here for a while.”

“But what about work? I have grocery shopping to do-“

“I’ll take you. Liz stop worrying it’ll be fine.” Zack took my hand and I felt my heart instantly shatter, he shouldn’t have to be here dealing with my bullshit he should be home with his own pregnant wife and child.

“I have to go get stuff for the Christmas party still.” I groaned, “This is not the week-“

“To get domestically assaulted? Yeah it’s a rough week for that, next week would have been more convenient.” Zack rolled his eyes, “So can we discharge her so I can get her home and in to something more comfortable?”

“Of course I’ll go grab the paperwork.” The doctor gave me a scrutinizing look before leaving the room.

“Liz how long-“

“Who knows?” I looked him dead in the eyes as he took a breath in, “Zack be honest with me, who knows?”

“Well, all I told Jacky was that I needed to get to you. I haven’t called her back yet but she was the only one around when you called me.” He sighed, “I wanted to call Matt so badly but I knew he’d have killed Sam.”

“What did you do to Sam?” I asked as his eyes narrowed deep in to his lids.

“Not enough before the cops showed up. He has a broken nose and possibly some broken ribs.” His knuckles cracked, “Liz how long has this been going on?”

“We’ve only been together a few months Zack..”

“So the whole time?” His face looked sick, “Lizzy..”

“No. No, not the whole time. A few weeks? Not this badly, obviously. But he’s only really ever pushed me or grabbed my arms… This was… this was a shock. I don’t remember calling you.” I watched the doctor come back in the room as I quieted my voice down.

“Alright Baker clan. It’s pregnancy safe pain management time.” The doctor handed me a sheet of paper as he began talking.