From Ashes to Us

CHAPTER 8

NIA’S POV

Caleb said moving was for the best. Closer to his dad’s company, easier for work, a fresh start.

But the fresh start didn’t feel fresh.

He packed our things while I lay on the couch, still weak from the hospital and the loss.

Once we got to the new place, everything shifted.

Suddenly, I wasn’t allowed to see Keisha anymore, he even took my phone.

“No one but me, Nia,” Caleb said one night, voice low but firm. “Your mama’s out of the picture, and you don’t need her drama now.”

I was alone.

No job, either.

“I don’t want you working,” Caleb said one afternoon, watching me fold laundry. “You need to focus on this, on us.”

I tried to argue once, saying I could help with bills.

He laughed. “You’re not going anywhere. Except the grocery store.”

So that’s what I did.

Cooked meals I never wanted to make.

Cleaned floors I wanted to crawl under.

Washed clothes that weren’t mine.

And gave him what he wanted….sex whenever he wanted it, no questions asked.

Some nights, I barely felt human.

Just a ghost trapped in a golden cage.

I lay in bed, my mind spinning with a mix of thoughts and worries. The muffled sound of water running in the bathroom was a constant reminder of Caleb's presence. I stared at the ceiling, trying to push away the growing sense of unease that enveloped me like a fog.

When the bathroom door creaked open, I turned. Caleb stepped into the room, the water still glistening on his skin in the dim light

As he climbed onto the bed, the sheets cool against my skin, I swallowed hard. “Hey… I’m not feeling so good,” I managed to say, hoping to convey the weight I felt inside.

But instead of understanding, the look in Caleb’s eyes shifted. There was a tension in the air, an uninvited energy that made my heart race for all the wrong reasons. I felt his hand strike my cheek, a shock that reverberated through my body, leaving me breathless.

“Why don’t you just relax?” he said, but the words felt hollow.

Panic surged through me as he spread my legs. The discomfort was overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. Every instinct in me screamed to resist, yet I found myself frozen, caught in a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts.

In this moment, my mind raced back to better days, memories of laughter and shared secrets. But those moments felt distant now, like echoes of a past that had slipped away. I felt raw, exposed, and infinitely small as I lay there, fighting against the numbness that threatened to envelop me.

With each thrust, I tried to disconnect, to find a place in my mind where I could hide from the pain, but it was impossible. When he finally rolled over, falling into an oblivion of sleep, I was left alone, staring at the wall as the darkness crept in.

Numbness swallowed me whole, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell if I was awake or dreaming.

I lay in my bed, cocooned within the blankets, the muffled sounds of the world outside fading away. The gentle hum of silence was suddenly interrupted by an unusual noise. At first, I brushed it off as the neighbors or maybe the creaking of the house settling. But then, it came again, a sound too intimate, too explicit to ignore.

Curiosity and dread propelled me to rise from my warm nest. With shaky breaths, I padded silently toward the living room, my heart racing in a way I had never experienced before. As I approached the door, I noticed that the sounds were more distinct now; soft moans mixed with breathless whispers. Each step felt heavier than the last.

Finally, I reached the threshold and peered in. What I saw gripped me, freezing me in place. Caleb, sat on the edge of the couch, his broad shoulders slumped with a mix of passion and surrender. Straddling him was a woman I did not recognize, her hair cascading down her back like a dark waterfall, their bodies entwined in a primal dance.

Time stood still. My breath caught in my throat, turning into a bizarre amalgamation of shock and confusion. I felt as if the world had tilted sideways, throwing me into a chasm of disbelief. It couldn’t be happening; it shouldn’t be happening.

Waves of panic surged in me as I noticed the absence of a condom.

I didn’t scream. Didn’t even blink.

I just stood there, staring.

Not because I loved him.

Not because I felt betrayed.

But because all I could think was: What if he gave me an STD? What if he brought something home to me? The thought was suffocating.

He didn't notice me.

Or maybe he just didn’t care.

I turned and walked away, back to our room.

I sat on the bed in silence, feeling sick to my stomach, like the last sliver of myself had finally been scraped away.

The following afternoon the cash hit my lap before I even looked up.

“Go buy something decent,” Caleb said, standing over me with his usual scowl. “We’ve got a work party tomorrow night. Don’t embarrass me.”

I stared at the wrinkled bills like they were poisoned.

“I don’t want to go,” I muttered, not meeting his eyes.

He crouched down in front of me so quick I flinched.

“All the workers are bringing their partners,” he hissed. “So you’re going. Fix yourself up, smile, and play nice. If you mess this up for me, Nia…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.

I nodded slowly, eyes on the floor. “Okay.”

Once he was gone, I sat there for a long time, staring at the money in my hands.

Not once did I think about what I’d wear.

I was thinking about the bus routes.

Where I could stash a bag.

Who might still help me, even after all this time.

I was thinking maybe…just maybe, this party might be my way out.