**Franklin Howard**
"Babe," I said as I moved away from Michael to speak with my wife. "Where are you taking your box to again?"
Natalie looked hurt as it dawned on me that her face was red, as though someone had smacked her.
The day I hit her after Amelia arrived here at our home was a day I regretted the most in my life. I had grabbed Natalie and taken the tray of food from her hand.
"You cannot leave my house," I said, moving to stop her as she sniffled.
"Just stay away from me, Frank. We can discuss this later," she replied, raising her left hand to shield me away. But I couldn't just allow her to leave me.
We had already been discussing how to work on our marriage, and I felt helpless, begging my wife to stay.
I ignored her words and held her bag. "I will speak with my mother a
