Sweet Wine

“Why’d you do it?”

“Because I felt like it.”

I felt like it. Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting.

Agatha had sat awake all night on her lonely bed trying to come up with every answer for every excuse there was. The problem was he didn’t give an excuse. He just felt like it.

“And did it occur to you how I would feel about it?”

“Believe me honey, you were the last thing on my mind.” He began to unbutton his alcohol-stained shirt while he sat on her bed, “besides, why do you care? You never cared before.”

Stupid jerk. Of course, I cared. Agatha wasn’t surprised that he thought she didn’t care. She had turned a blind eye every time he had come home drenched in cheap perfume and no cash in his wallet. She would just wash away the lip stick stains over and over again without ever saying anything to him. Each time she hoped that she wouldn’t have to do it again, but she always did. That’s how it has always been with them. She let him do whatever he wanted, and she gave him whatever he wanted. She gave him all her time, money, and love. Not anymore.

“Get out.”

“What?”

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” Her body shook violently, and her throat tightened in agony as it tried to produce sounds she had never made before. He just scoffed and continued to change out of his filthy shirt. He didn’t believe her, and his disbelief made her doubt herself if only for a moment before she regained her rage.

“I’ve taken your crap for long enough. I’m not going to let you use my money for you to get your kicks anymore!”

“If you get rid of me, then there won’t be any money now will there?” His cold words were much quieter than hers, but they still overpowered her. She fell silent as his intense hazel eyes studied her closely; watching her every movement.

“You didn’t think I knew about that did you? Well, I do. Old pops says that if you divorce me, then he’ll cut you off. Isn’t that right?”

Stupid jerk. Who has he been talking to? Bethany! I bet it was Bethany. They always talked behind my back.

“Here I thought he hated my broke butt. Turns out he really does care,” He said through his laughter, “or he is just really petty. Either way, thanks to him I’ll be sticking around here for a very long time. Isn’t that right, little princess?”

I don’t care. I couldn’t stay with this worthless parasite any longer for all of father’s money. Not for all the money in the world.

“I said get out!”

Agatha’s shrieks went silent as quickly as they began. She sat there frozen. Her mind completely empty. Her heart pounding in her ears. Slowly she lifted her hand towards her face. She flinched as her hand made contact with her cheek throbbing in pain.

“Shut up. I’m not going anywhere. You and I are going to stay together until the end of time. Now darling, don’t say stupid stuff like that ever again you hear me?”

Agatha remained as still as stone.

“You hear me?!” His threatening tone made her body tighten quickly. Without looking up at him she nodded profusely hoping that it would prevent him from using that tone again.

“Good.” He sat down next to her and just watched her shaking, “Great, now I need a drink.”

“I’ll get it.” She muttered quickly as she spring to her feet and attempted to escape the room, but his sweaty big hands holding her frail arms prevented her from moving.

“I’ll be waiting for you right here.”

 Her shaking didn’t stop even after he let her go. Agatha anchored herself on the feeling of the cool wood underneath her feet, and the chill of the granite counter tops underneath her hands. Her chest tightened and loosened quickly, but she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Her eyes fell on the distinct line where the two pieces of her counter connected. So freaken ugly. She had told those stupid contractors to make sure to line it up correctly, but they had failed miserably. She had wanted them to do it again, but the man in her room had insisted that it was a waste of time and money. Now she had to stare at her ugly counters. I am going to get that fixed one day.

Agatha sat up and reached for a glass. After placing it on the counter she turned to get the wine. Before she reached her destination, she was distracted by one of the cabinets. It was left half open. She hated jobs halfway done. She temporary strayed from her destination and reached her hand around the icy handle to the cabinet. Instead of closing it, however, she opened it more. It was her medicine cabinet. All of her over-the-counter and prescription medications looked neatly back at her, but one of them seemed to stare harder than the rest. Elduar.

The doctor who had prescribed it to her said it was only supposed to be temporary, but here it was four years later, and she still couldn’t sleep without out it. I knew she was stupid. She swore up and down that I just missed my period, but I was pregnant. I never did tell him about that. The pregnancy or the miscarriage. Not like he would care anyways. Agatha grabbed the almost empty bottle and turned it to read the label. This new formula easily dissolves in water to help get a longer deeper sleep. Take 1 tablet right before bedtimes. Warning: do not take more than directed. She placed the bottle on the counter and continued to her original destination.
Why do we have so much wine? Is it really necessary to have this many bottles on hand all the time? She grabbed the long cool neck of the bottle and poured the dark liquid into the glass while she stared at the box at the counter across from her.

“What’s taking so dang long in there?!” He shouted at her like he always did. She placed the wine bottle down and reached for the Elduar.

“I’ll be right in. I’m just trying to decide if I want some too.”

She opened the bottle.

“You? But you hate wine.”

She reached in and pulled out a little, white, oblong pill.

“Well, it just looks good right now.”

She dropped a tablet into the fragrant drink.

“I think you should have some.”

Then another.

“Really?”

Then another.

“Yeah, maybe it will knock the stupid out of you.”

Then another.

“Maybe you’re right.”

She placed the now empty bottle on the counter and reached for a second glass. She poured just a little wine it the cup then walked into the bedroom.

“Try it.” He instructed as he reached for the full glass. She placed the glass to her lips and felt the cool drink cover her tongue and slide smoothly down her throat.

“Well?”

“It’s sweet.”

He laughed and drank his own.

“Ugh, this year isn’t very good.” But wine was wine to him, so he drank the remaining of it like water. Agatha was much slower with her drink, however. She peered over her glass at him as he laid down. She took another slow slip almost as slow as his breathing, and when she was finished so was he.

Agatha picked up his glass and went back into the kitchen. She washed the two glasses, put away the wine bottle, and threw away the empty medicine bottle. Why is it always so cold in this house? She turned on the heater as she grabbed the phone. She dialed the number as she sat comfortably on the couch.

“911, what’s your emergency.”

“Oh, it’s not really an emergency per say, but I thought I should just let you folks know that my husband is dead.”

“Sorry?”

“Yes, he died just now.”

“…mam, did you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“…Why’d you do it?”

Because he was a stupid jerk and he deserved it. Because I was tired of waiting for him alone. Because he hit me and would keep on hitting me. Because…
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“Because I felt like it.”