Three nights later, I heard the shower again. The digital clock beside my bed read 3:00 a.m. Something about the timing suddenly bothered me more than it ever had before.
I put on my slippers, took my walking cane, and stepped into the dark hallway. Water hammered against the bathroom tiles. The door stood open just enough for me to see inside.
What I witnessed destroyed every comforting lie I had told myself.
Julian stood beneath the running shower wearing soaked pajama pants. His fist was tangled in Clara’s hair, holding her beneath the freezing water while she struggled to remain standing.
Clara was fully dressed. Her nightgown clung to her trembling body, and her lips quivered uncontrollably. Julian leaned toward her ear with an expression I had never seen before.
“Do you dare talk back to me again?” he demanded. Clara shook her head desperately. “No, Julian. Please. I won’t say anything. Please let me get warm.”
