"Lester…" she said softly as she was clearing the dishes from the table. "The… ah… doctor thinks we should have separate bedrooms for a while… just a little while till he finds out exactly what's causing my headaches and the fatigue… and feeling so done in all the time… I thought you could take Donnie's old room… it's close to the bathroom and it'll only be till I'm feeling well again…" her voice rose to a shriek as she felt herself lifted off the kitchen floor into Lester's big arms.

"Don't give me that shit, baby… not tonight! Running around to those God damned doctors making like you're sick all the time… I'm tired of paying the damned doctor bills… I'm tired of being used… I'm tired of never getting to fuck my own wife… and I'm tired of having no rights in this fucking house at all!"

Bette Jean felt every roaring word through her body as Lester carried her unceremoniously into their bedroom and dumped her in a heap on the bed. The tears rose to her eyes. He didn't care. He didn't care one bit about her feelings… he didn't care if he hurt her or made her sick. He was a monster!

"All right, Lester… you win… you always do eventually…"

"Like hell I do!!"

"Just let me bathe quickly. I'm still all sticky with salve from the visit to the doctor today… I won't be a moment."

Her mouth trembled, the big blue eyes were wet with unshed tears yet she spoke softly with stiff dignity as Lester looked down at her smallness.

"All right… but be quick about it, woman!"

Lester stalked back to the kitchen when be heard the shower start, heedless that his towel had long ago fallen off. He'd have one more belt while she showered and then by God there was going to be one hell of a fucking in that bed.