Tuesday Writings~ Smile
Prompts this week: Impartiality,
Enlightened, Educated.
Smile
“Come on smile.”
Those words echoed over and over in my mind. I wish
I’d walked away, never responded to the ad for a model. I thought I was suave,
sophisticated , enlightened, educated and I could handle anything, I was wrong. I was a much a fool for
flattery as anyone. He was a photographer. He told me I was beautiful and hired
me as the model for his ad. At first he just continued to flattery me giving me
compliments that wore me down. He said he had impartiality to most subjects but that I was his favourite subject. The camera loved me. Foolishly, I started dating him. He seemed
charming debonair and exactly what I wanted in man that is until I said I do. Then he insisted that I was flirting with
other men if any man looked at me. He struck me for the first time and I
forgave him. He insisted it wasn’t my fault, that I was beautiful, I was never
to model again stay home and wait on him hand and foot. Like some simpering
fool I obeyed him. The rosy glow of love had surrounded me with some kind of
fog that made me think it was entirely my fault. That is until today. Today he
blackened my eyes, after the convenience clerk smiled at me. When I protested
he continued the beating breaking my ribs and my left arm. I thought I was
going to die.
There’s banging on the apartment door; the police
want to come in. The neighbour’s must have heard the gunshot. I step over
David's body, let them in and hide a smile Time to fake some tears, tomorrow I can smile.
©Sheilagh Lee January 16, 2018
