In a daze, I missed a step while going downstairs and fainted from the fall. A kind neighbor took me to the hospital.
The doctor said I had been too stressed, hadn't eaten for days and my blood sugar was dangerously low. They advised me to stay in the hospital for two days for observation.
On the third day, I was discharged and went home. I saw two pairs of shoes at the door. One pair of men's leather shoes and one pair of women's high heels.
I recognized that pair of women's high heels, they were Sherry's. I had picked them out for her back then. I unlocked the door and the lights were on inside. There were sounds coming from the bathroom.
I followed the noise and the scene before me left me stunned. Colin was standing there, his back completely bare, while Sherry was scrubbing his back.
"Bend forward a bit." she said. Sherry's clothes were soaked in the front. She smiled softly, speaking to Colin in a gentle voice. "Your back is so broad ..."
Colin chuckled, deliberately flicking his head and splashing water onto Sherry. Sherry laughed playfully and gave him a light punch and the two of them started to play around.
In the ten years I had been married to Sherry, she had always been distant with me. She was never angry, but she didn't smile much either. Even with Tania, she was never this gentle.
Thinking of my daughter, Tania, my anger began to rise and my hand clenched into a fist by my side.
I took a step forward, passed Sherry and grabbed Colin's hair, landing a punch right in his face. They both screamed.
When Sherry turned and saw it was me, she went wild and rushed over to pull me away, hitting me in a frenzy while yelled at me, "Hector, let go! Are you done yet? Who told you to follow me here?"
I ignored her yelling. In my mind, I could only see the broken little body of Tania. Punch after punch, I vented all the grief and rage in my heart.
Sherry saw that I wasn't treating her words like the gospel this time and joined Colin in hitting me. She bit down hard on my hand and I could feel her teeth grinding against my bones. Blood gushed from my hand, but I didn't let go.
Colin howled in pain. "Sherry, help me!"
Sherry grabbed a decorative vase from the bathroom and smashed it hard against my head. The world spun and I finally collapsed to the ground.
She screamed, "Hector, that's enough! Stop acting like a mad dog biting everyone!"