Emma's Story ~ Day 3

Finally the two weeks were over. We packed up our bags and loaded up the car to head back to Madera. I guess you could say I was still in shock from what had occurred in the past two weeks. The burn on my leg was now healing and my bruised face and black eyes were gone.

My body still hurt physically and of course my heart was shattered into a million pieces.

I was still trying to wrap my head around who this man was that I was sitting next to in the car. On the ride home, we did not speak to each other, instead he played Spanish Christian music on the radio. I remember thinking to myself that maybe I had imagined everything that had happened or maybe it was all just a bad dream. The man sitting next to me was singing out loud to God and acting as if nothing had happened. The pain I felt every time I shifted my body reminded me though that it was not a bad dream and neither did I imagine it. I really was physically, emotionally and sexually abused by my newlywed husband!

We were about an hour out from Madera when our church Pastor called him on the phone. I recall him laughing with the Pastor and talking about going to visit an elderly sister who was ill upon our return back to Madera. After he finished the call, he turned to me and said in a very threatening voice, “If you tell anyone what happened (he pauses) I swear on my mother’s grave I will kill you, bury your body and leave for Oaxaca where they will never find me! Understand!?" I just sat there staring and nodded my head. The look in his eyes scared me and I knew he was telling the truth. I was scared and nervous about returning to Madera and living with this man.

When we arrived in Madera we headed straight to my mom’s house because I still had to collect my things to move in with him. Before we both got off the car he told me, “Remember what I said, so be careful what you say and do.” He knocked on the door and my sister Tina opened the door. All my siblings and my mom ran to hug me and kiss me. They were happy to see us and wanted to know all about the honeymoon. I sat on the sofa next to this monster who sat there sharing with them about Disneyland and the restaurants we ate at.

Finally, I excused myself to get my belongings from my room and started loading them into the car. My sisters followed me and were asking me questions about our trip in private. I, of course, repeated what he said and laughed with them as I finished up packing.

It was that day that I learned to wear a fake happy mask while inside I was crying out for help and yet no one could hear me.