My lip had split against my teeth.
Everything went silent.
Even Linda looked surprised.
I stared at Evan.
Three days.
We had been married three days.
I slowly touched my lip.
Looked at the blood on my fingers.
And something inside me became completely clear.
There would be no counseling.
No “rough patch.”
No second chance.
My marriage had just ended in my kitchen.
Evan raised his hand again.
I grabbed my phone from the counter.
Dialed 911.
He froze.
The dispatcher answered.
“911. What is your emergency?”
I looked straight at my husband.
“There are two people inside my home who assaulted me.”
Linda exploded.
“Two people?”
I continued.
“My mother-in-law deliberately burned me with hot coffee, and my husband hit me in the face.”
Evan’s color disappeared.
“Rachel, hang up.”
I ignored him.
“I need officers here.”
