"I am, after all, fighting to save my marriage."
Gram's eyes widen a bit in surprise at his words. Steeling her emotions, she narrowed her gaze and swept her legs to take him down. She sprung back to her feet as he rolled to his knees. Before he could he raise himself to his feet, she landed her foot to his chest sending him back to the mat with a thud. She lunged for his throat, but he sent her flying with both feet to her torso. "Do you regret it?" He panted as he stood. "Marrying me? The kids?"
She heaved trying to regain the air he had just knocked out of her lungs. His question stung her heart more than the hit she just took. Did she regret it? No. He was a good man. The right man. And the kids were the best she could have asked for. No words could be formed as if her mouth had refused to function. She shook her head as she painstakingly pulled herself up from the mat.
"Do you hate me, then?" Again, she shook her head. "You know I love you, don't you? More than my next breath." She nodded still refusing to make eye contact. "Help me, Grammie. Please." He begged. He approached her slowly, carefully laying his hand upon her shoulder. "I want to be with you..."
"For today only." She finished for him in a whisper. He had always used this term to express his love for her. He explained that no matter what the date was, no matter the year, it was always 'today.' Whether is was Thursday or Monday; Christmas or Easter, we lived in today only, so as long as it was 'today', he would love her.
In the next second she had taken his hand from her and threw him over her shoulder back to the ground. "Why were you late?!" she screamed. She glared at him, infuriated by the question in his eyes. "You were late that night! I was waiting for you when he grabbed me and..." she sobbed. She kicked him in his ribs and rolled away from her in a groan, quickly jumping to his feet.
"I told you I would be when I dropped you off. Why didn't wait inside?" His comment won him a punch to the nose. His eyes stung in pain, but he managed to sweep her legs to put her back on the mat before she could land another blow. Backing away from her strike zone he let out a sigh of defeat. "I'm sorry. I had no idea you wouldn't safe. I didn't know he would do something so..."
"Evil?" She quipped. She flipped herself back into a standing position and landed another foot to his chest knocking him off balance. "I told you I was afraid of him. That he'd been harassing me at work."
"I told you to quit!" He yelled as he blocked her next three attacks effortlessly.
"I did quit!" She screamed. She attempted a fourth attack to his face, but he grabbed her and threw her down, landing on top of her. "You should've been there!"
"I was there. I was." She looked at him in disbelief. He held her pinned to the floor, holding her wrists in his hands. "I was there. I beat him off of you. You were already unconscious and bleeding. Seeing you..." He let her wrists go and ran his hands through his hair as his tears continued to fall. "Seeing what he did to you... I damn near killed him. If wasn't for the cops showing up when they did, that son of a bitch would be dead. As it is, the jerk is still breathing and no matter how much jail time he's given, it won't be enough." Tears streamed down his cheeks at his confession. "I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner. I am so sorry I couldn't protect you. I don't blame you for leaving me, I really don't. I failed you in the most atrocious way, but I pray to God every day you will someday forgive me. That you'll come back to me even though I don't deserve it."
It was the one part of the story she hadn't known. She knew that her manger had called police and that a couple of co-workers had come to help along with some shoppers that happened upon the incident, but she never knew Tristan had been there. He never mentioned it when he came to the hospital. Or anytime after. So why now? "Why didn't you tell me this before?" She lifted her pelvis throwing forward and grabbed his arm twisting it in a way that allowed her to toss him to the side. She rolled away from him and leapt to her feet. "You should have told me."
"I tried! But you shut me out. You refused to talk to me at all. Always turned your back to me."
"Because, when I look at you..."
"You see him! I know. I know. I can't change that, Gram!" His eyes burned with frustration. He dropped his shoulders in defeat. "You know what? You win. I can't fight your demons for you. I can't fix this for you." He growled waving his hand over his face.
"Grow a beard." Gram said suddenly.
He looked up like he hadn't heard what she had said. "What?"
"You heard me. Grow a beard. "Maybe then I could look at you and not see him."
"You've lost your mind."
"Among other things." She agreed.
"I have a job that doesn't allow facial hair."
"Your choice." She shrugged. "You said I win. That's what I want; for you to go all Grizzly Adams on me." She left him on the mat, heading to the locker rooms. She turned her head over her shoulder one last time to say, "For what it's worth, Tristan, I do love you."
"Only for today?"
"Only for today." She agreed.