My heart seemed to stop.
I wanted to scream, but instinct warned me that confronting him while he held Clara could make everything worse. I quietly stepped backward, terrified that the floorboards might creak.
Inside my bedroom, I locked the door and reached for my telephone. My fingers trembled so badly that I could barely unlock the screen. I knew Clara needed immediate help.
I called emergency services and explained what I had witnessed. The dispatcher asked whether anyone was in immediate danger. I whispered that my son was assaulting his wife.
The dispatcher told me to remain somewhere safe while officers were sent to the house. I stayed on the telephone, listening to the water continue rushing through the wall.
Then everything became silent.
A few minutes later, footsteps moved along the hallway. Julian knocked gently on my door. “Mom? Are you awake?” His voice sounded affectionate, almost cheerful, and terribly familiar.
