She  opened her eyes to the sun streaming in the window.
It was quiet. Not a sound.
He was not beside her , she breathed a sigh of relief.
She silently prayed that the day would remain just like this, but deep down in her heart, she knew it was unlikely.

How she came to be in this situation saddened her.
She had gone into the marriage full of hope and happiness.
Where did it all go wrong?

She remembered the first time he let fly at her.
There was no apparent reason.
He yelled, stomped on her feet and slapped her across the face.
She was in shock.
Whatever happened to the mild mannered man she had married.

As quickly as it started, it stopped.
He was full of remorse.
He would never do it again, he said.
He did not know what had come over him.

She trusted him. She believed in his words.
Until the next time.
Oh yes, there was a next time. In fact, many next times.

After each time he was sorry.
Soon she started walking on eggshells.
Afraid to even look his way, just in case it set him off again.

She could not leave. She was in a far away country, no family or friends there.
She was lost and forlorn.
He did not give her money, nor let her out of his sight.

She was trapped.
She spent her hours trying to work out a way to leave.
Would anyone help her?
Would anyone believe her?

Back in those days it was  unheard of to leave a husband.
It mattered not that he was abusive behind closed doors.
It mattered that he was seen in public as a great bloke , one who worked hard to support his  very quiet and private wife.

If only someone knew the real story.
If only someone could see behind those walls.
If only someone could see the eggshells she had to walk upon to keep the peace.

Those eggshells became deeper and deeper.
She had to tread more lighly than a snowflake landing on the snow.

She withdrew into herself. A broken woman.
She became ill from worry and the beatings.
This did not please him.
He became more and more violent.

He asked her about her home country.
She glimpsed a ray of hope.
If only I could get back there, she thought.

She had a plan.
Please don’t make me go back she begged of him.
She knew he would do the opposite to what he wanted.
She begged and begged not to go back.

It worked.
He sneered at her and announced they would be leaving his country and moving to hers
so she better get used to it.

In her heart she felt a wonderful happiness
She knew then, that this horrible life would soon  end.
She would be able to be free from this monster.
She may not have anything but the clothes on her back,
but she would be free.

The eggshells would be left behind.