Maria watched him start to turn red. She recognized the sign of anger almost immediately. Pulling her baby to her chest protectively. Biting her lower lip. What was going on? He had been quite pleasant enjoying the meal yet now all of a sudden he was turning redder than a lobster. She watched and her eyes changed from relaxed and at ease to worried and tense. She shrank down as he stood and stared down at her. His tone..so like what she was used to. It told her she wasnâ€™t good enough. It told her she did something wrong. She was always doing something wrong to her ex-fiance. She was never good enough. She always screwed up even when she did something right. Her breath caught in her throat and just kind of stayed there. Watching him as she turned Niya to face her. Not wanting her to see such anger. She felt like she had done something wrong and she didnâ€™t even know what it is. His first statement sounded irritated. All she had done was ask him in an attempt at conversation.<br/><br/>Now she was shifting nervously. What was he going to do to her. He suddenly snapped at her causing her eyes to go wide in terror. Her expression one of someone who just got back handed slapped across the face. Something that had been done to her before. Usually sent her flying into the ground. Her whole body flinched and she took on the position of someone waiting to get hit. A whimper of fear audibly escaping her lips. She just watched the man as his frown turned into a look of resentment. That made the tears that had started rimming her eyes fall slowly. What had she done to make him so mad at her? She whimpered again and looked down. Just listening as he spoke. Falling quiet as she had always done when her ex-fiance talked to her like that. It had become a habit in an attempt to avoid as much beating as she could. She bit her lower lip harder. â€œOkay...â€ she squeaked out in a fearful voice. â€œIâ€™m sorry...â€ She whimpered out. Once again scared of the man who had just left the kitchen. Shaking hard in fear after he left. Looking at the table in a zoned out way. Was he going to hit her too? Her ex had said words similar to that. That he was damn sure not going to help her doing a womanâ€™s work around the house. That he damn sure wasnâ€™t going to help clean. That it was her job as a woman to stay home and be a good little house woman. She didnâ€™t and that was part of why he hurt her...because she went to work as an actress.<br/><br/>She heard him tell Coal to go lay down. Trembling as she watching him warily leave the house. Her fear towards him returning ten fold. She had just started to relax a bit around him. Once he was gone she carried her daughter over to the arm chair and placed her there. Jumping at the slightest sound. She took the plates to the sink and began washing them by hand. Once they were all nice and clean she began drying them. Putting them away and took the rag to the table. Washing it down and drying it with a kitchen hand towel. It shined with how spotless it was. She went to the frying pan and washed it again. Dropping it in the sink several times. Listening for sounds of her baby. She soon had the kitchen sparkling. Having cleaned it more than required. Picking up her baby and got the formula. Taking it and a bottle to the kitchen. She made the bottle and heated it up. Sitting by the fire so her baby was warm and began feeding her. Looking at Coal with adoring eyes. Yet was uncertain of anything now. She held her baby in her lap at an angle. The other hand shakingly reached out and scratched Coal behind the ears. â€œHey there...â€ She said. Then held her baby in the crook of her arm.<br/><br/>Her gaze just staring off at the fire. Poking it with the poker to keep the fire going. Too afraid to disobey. If she disobeyed he would hurt her...right? He already snapped at her so that meant it was possible he would hurt her. She had just started trusting him more. Now it was back to a wary trust that she had to give because she was stuck in his house. She looked at the fire as she resumed feeding her baby. She had thought they might be able to be friends. Now she was absolutely certain he just wanted her gone as soon as possible. She wouldnâ€™t make it to the road or anywhere else with how heavy the snow was falling. She bit her lower lip as it trembled. She didnâ€™t belong here either. He didnâ€™t want her here. So...she would give him what he wanted. As soon as she was able to do so she would leave him. She had been growing to like the guy until he revealed he was just too unpredictable. The only thing she was certain of it he really resented her being here. That he wanted her gone as soon as possible. It stung. She didnâ€™t know why it just did.<br/><br/>Her baby stopped drinking and she wiped her mouth. Setting the bottle aside standing up. She moved her baby to burp her. Smiling as her baby got the air bubbles out of her stomach. She then rocked her to sleep. Putting her pacifier in her mouth. Since he wanted her gone so badly...soon as it was lightened up enough to walk without freezing too much sheâ€™d be gone. She sniffled a bit as a tear trailed down her cheek. Why did it seem like men just hated her? She had been nothing but loyal to her ex-fiance. He was just an abusive man. She never did anything wrong. She was a sweet, compassionate, and caring woman. She was certain that this man thought she did something to deserve being beaten. To deserve almost being killed. To deserve almost having a miscarriage. She looked down. He thought it was her fault she was abused. That was what her ex-fiance told her...that it was her fault she got hurt. Despite him causing her to end up in ICU that one time. She sighed and didnâ€™t say anything.<br/><br/>She just sat there and poked the fire to keep it going. If she let it go out heâ€™d be evil to her so she couldnâ€™t. Even though she knew nothing about keeping a fire going. She whimpered again. Why did males think so little of her? All she wanted was to be cared about and accepted. To be seen in good ways not bad. She stayed sitting there in the silence. Occasionally petting Coal but mostly just sitting there without moving.