The bed was cold. I grunted as I turned over to see the bed was empty except for me. I looked over at the clock. It was just after seven. Enola should be coming back soon. I wanted her to be there right then. She promised that she'd be here when I woke up. I grabbed my phone from the night stand and checked to see if she called or texted me. Nothing. I threw my phone down and rolled over to where she had been laying. I inhaled deeply, smelling her coconut shampoo and vanilla body wash. I loved the way she smelled. Even when she switched products, she always had a sweet, earthy smell. I knew it was best to try to go back to sleep. Enola always got mad when I didn't get enough rest. She hated seeing me with dark circles under my eyes and exhaustion written in every step I took. I cuddled into the pillows she'd laid on more and willed myself back to sleep.
I stood in the shower letting the hot water soothe me. I'd gone back to sleep for another hour and a half and couldn't sleep anymore. Enola still hadn't shown up yet. I was hoping that traffic had gotten her or that she got caught up in something for herself. I didn't want to think of what could be happening with Charles. I felt a fire start within me at the thought of him. I hated that man.
As I was consumed by my thoughts of Enola's husband, I felt arms wrap around my waist and a naked chest on my back. Then lips were pressed to my shoulder. I'd know those lips if I were dead. I turned my head to see Enola resting her mouth against my skin with sad eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner. I tried." She spoke quietly. I quickly spun to face her. Something wasn't right. Her voice was all wrong and her eyes were too sad.
"Baby, you've been crying. What's wrong?" I asked with concern. She shook her head quickly. "Noli, tell me. How am I supposed to make it better if you don't tell me?" She rested her forehead on my chest and began to cry all over again. "Noli, you're scaring me." I whispered.
"Charles and I got into a fight. That's all." She replied softly, wiping her face.
"That's all?" I didn't like the sound of that. "About what? Tell me what happened." I urged her. I wanted to make her feel better, undo whatever he had said.
"He was yelling about how I can't do anything right. The towels weren't put away the way he likes or something. I don't know. He came downstairs in a bad mood. He's been in a bad mood for over a week. But because he's in a bad mood, I'm dumb and basically useless except for when he's horny. I can't take much more of this." Enola sobbed.
"Don't worry, baby. You're going to be with me all day, every day for a week. And maybe by the end of the week, you'll just be able to come with me? Leave LA for good?" I suggested with a hopeful voice.
Enola beamed up at me, "I really want this week to work out that way. But we have to see how it goes."
"I will drop whatever I am doing to come get you if you can't leave with me. I swear. Whenever you call." I assured her. "And now that we're in the same city, if he does something to you and you want to get out, call me. No matter what I am doing, I will come get you." Enola nodded. "Now kiss me. I missed you too much to not have a million kisses right now." I smiled at her. Enola quickly meshed her mouth to mine. Her body molded to mine almost instantly. I sighed at the feeling of her firm, plump breasts on my chest. I loved the way she let my knee slip between her thighs to let me hold her closer. She twined her fingers in my hair, keeping my lips locked with hers. I slid my hands over every millimeter of her skin that I could. She winced when I gripped her arm gently. "What? Did I do something wrong?" I asked quickly. Enola shook her head and tried to kiss me again. "Noli." I grunted and held her back. I looked at both of her arms. I frowned when I saw the marks on her. "What is this?" I felt fury take over me as I gazed at the large finger marks on her arm.
"It's nothing don't worry about it." She said, trying to steal kisses.
"Enola, her left a bruise. You're bruised." I replied stroking her tender flesh as gently as I could. "How did he do this?" I inquired. Enola didn't speak. "How, Enola?" I repeated myself.
"He tried to keep me from walking away from him by grabbing my arm. He didn't mean to." Enola defended Charles.
"Why do you do that?" I let the words fall from my mouth without a second thought. Enola lifted her eyebrow at me. "You defend Charles a lot. Today you say that he didn't mean to. Before its that he never hits you outside of the bedroom. Before that it was that he never hits you at all. You cover for him all of the time. Why do you do that? You don't love him. You don't want to be with him. Why lie about the times that he hurts you?" I asked, genuine curiosity taking hold.
"For your sake, if I would've told you right from the start that Charles has to be physically harmful to get off, what would you've done?" She replied. I thought about it for a minute. I would've gone after him in any way that I could've. "And this is truly the first time he's ever left a bruise like that or in that way. It is just the bedroom that he gets violent." Enola spoke with a reassuring voice. I stared into her eyes for a long moment then nodded. She was telling the truth.
I then spoke with authority, "If he does this again, while I am here, you're leaving with me. You get no say in the matter. You will be getting on the plane back to Europe with me." Enola nodded quickly, like she didn't want to make me even more upset. We stood quietly just holding each other for a moment.
"Bear?" Enola whispered. Her head still resting on my chest. I hummed to reply. "Will you tell me about your day yesterday? You didn't tell me anything last night." I smiled and agreed.


Enola and I were laying bed, just cuddling. I could tell that there was more to her fight with Charles than she had admitted but I really didn't want to push the matter. I didn't want to start an argument of our own. I gripped her a little tighter when she snuggled closer to me. Enola looked up at me with a smile before kissing me softly.
"I missed you." She whispered. I smiled and rested my lips on her forehead. "Don't you have somewhere to be today? Don't you have a television show or something?" She inquired of me.
I shook my head, "No. Not today. I have an interview tonight on a radio show that's all. But that's really late. So, I can stay with you for as long as I want today."
"I have to be home by at least five. Charles gets home at six-ish." Enola informed me with a sad voice.
"Maybe you should call and see when he will be home exactly. You said that he's been working a bit late." I responded selfishly. I just wanted to spend more time with her. I wanted her to come back to London with me after we were done in LA. I wanted her to want to get out of the city as fast as she could. Enola smirked a bit and leaned over me. She grabbed her phone off the night stand. She laid down beside me so I could see her phone. Enola was texting Charles. She asked him when he thought he'd be home. It only took him a moment to reply. His text read : I'll be home around nine. Don't worry about dinner. Scott and I are ordering in while we work.
Enola beamed up at me, "I have the rest of the day to be with you."
I sighed, "Well, I don't want you to leave." Enola threw her phone onto the table again and gazed into my eyes.
"I know you don't, Bear. But this is almost over and you know that I love you more than anything." She murmured. She kissed my forehead lightly as she twined her fingers in my hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her as close as I could. "Come on. Let's not worry about it right now. Let's just focus on us in this moment. I'm going to be right here next to you for the next seven hours."
"Yeah?" I replied. "And then what are you going to do when you go home to him? Are you going to let him hit you more?" I asked with attitude. Enola was shocked by my question. I was as well. I hadn't intended for it to come out of my mouth. My anger had gotten the better of me once again.
Enola shook her head, "No. I intend on being asleep by the time he walks in the door. Or at least close to it. I don't even plan on speaking to him if I don't have to." I just grunted. I hated being such a hot head but I knew that I had to speak up. The things that Charles was escalating to made me uneasy. "Bear, everything will be alright. I know that you're worried but he really didn't mean to. I know he didn't. When I said "Ouch", he let go." Things could get much worse. Today, he only grabbed her arm too tight. Tomorrow, who know what he would do if she didn't follow his every command. But I nodded anyway, I didn't want to have a full blown fight. She'd had enough of being shouted at for the day. Enola smiled shyly and meshed her lips to mine lovingly. "What should we do today?" Enola asked as she backed out of the kiss. She moved as though she was about to crawl out of bed.
"Let's just stay in bed for a little longer." I stated pulling her back into my arms. She laughed quietly and agreed. Enola cuddled closer to me with a sigh. She held me as tight as she was earlier. I kissed her hair once again. "I love you. Don't ever think that I wouldn't do anything to protect you." I whispered. Enola whimpered softly and buried her face into my chest.

Notes

I'm sorry for the delay in everything. I know you guys were probably hoping for more but this is really all that I could do right now.
Thank you all for being so understanding. I love all of you immensely.

Peace&Love