For the Dream of 5 Years: Chapter Thirty-Two: The Jeep

"Good morning, Sunshine. Here, I made black tea and yams for breakfast," said Dan, entering the brightly lit room, hands full with the breakfast and a newspaper. "Oh, my God, what time is it? Why didn't you wake me up? I need to be home to sort some things out before the day ends," she said, jumping off the bed. "We are taking breakfast before we start the day, curvy girl. Then we are taking a shower and decide what we want to do with the rest of the day," said Dan, holding her hand tighter than he had held her before. Michelle was taken aback by this. Dan's eyes were sterner, something that made her dread his look. "Let go of my hand, you psycho! Do you think this is a joke? I need to be home!" She yelled. "Michelle, curvy girl, I don't know how much you want me to keep up with your bullshit. Have I not taken enough? Have I not become what you wanted in a man? Does Dave have this kind of a house or the kind of money I have? Does he make love to you the way I do? With all the youth and strength? Could he wait for you for five years as I did? Michelle, I have not betrayed you. I gave up on potential relationships because I wanted to wait for you. You told me to be at least twenty-five and make something out of my life..." he said, shoving Michelle back on the bed and holding her down. "Wait, wait, help me understand. You gave up on potential relationships because you waited for me to become what? Your wife? I told you I could share a kiss and maybe have a little fling with you. Not become your wife, Dan. Are you crazy?" She demanded, still overpowered by Dan's strong hands on her. "You joke a lot, you woman. Who told you I wanted to have a fling? I have worked my ass off to get you what Dave could not get you, Michelle. You don't know what I have in store for us. The kind of money I have, the insane investments I have made at this young age. Do you think I can give that to another woman? You must be out of your mind to think you are returning to that good-for-nothing man," he said, tying Michelle with bedsheets on the bed, hands and legs apart. "You can scream all you want, my Love, because nobody can hear you. I will be back, curvy girl," he said, storming out of the room. "Dan, what are you doing? Everyone knows I am here. They will be looking for me in a short while," she screamed. "Are you threatening me? You have watched way too many movies, and now you think this is the U.S., where someone will look for you after someone report you missing. You will stay in that state until I return in the evening. You have to learn to play nice, Michelle. I am not Dave," he said, storming back into the room, looking strange and agitated. "Dan, please, what do you want me to do? Don't treat me like a captive. I haven't done anything wrong to you," she pleaded. "Think about how you will play 'wife.' That is all I want to see and hear from you. I will be back," he said, kissing her forehead and leaving the room. When Dan was gone, Michelle tried to free herself. At around noon, she managed to let herself loose. She quickly ran to the door, but it was locked. She looked out of the window, but all she could see was the vast forest surrounding the house. Her Jeep was missing. She remembered that she hadn't seen any car in the compound. "How does Dan commute to work if he doesn't own a car?" She wondered. She searched for her phone, but it seemed like Dan had taken it. She was frustrated and scared. She wondered what had become of Dan. After heating and taking the breakfast Dan had left on the bedside table, she took a shower and patiently waited for Dan's return. She almost jumped off the bed when she heard a car pull behind the house. She ran to the window to look. It was not the Jeep; it was a Range Rover. "Where is my car?" She asked, and immediately Dan came into the room. "Oh, I can see you set yourself free. I'm sorry curvy girl, but I had to restrain you because you were becoming wild. I don't want to fight with you, darling. I want us to be happy together," he said, putting some things in the cabinets. "Where the hell is my car Dan?" She yelled, moving towards him so angrily. "Curvy girl, don't make me do things I don't want to do to you because you are losing your mind. Things like taking you to the basement. Don't you ever hit me, steal from me, or do things I haven't approved! You just don't know who I am. You don't want to see the other side of me. You are the only person I have been vulnerable to; let it remain like that, like love," he said, stopping her so forcefully that she almost fell. "About your car, you don't own a Jeep any longer. You own a Range Rover. I can't let you have another man's things in my house. The Range is still registered under my name, but I will transfer it as soon as you can leave this house," he said, walking her back to the bed. "What did you do to my car? She asked, so politely, not to stir him any further. "I wanted to burn it down, but I didn't. I dismantled it in the garage and put the parts for sale. Don't worry; you will get all the proceeds from that sale," he said, cupping her face with his hands. Michelle could not believe it; she sat in the bed and cupped her head with her hands, stunned. "I need to rest," she said, desperate to get rid of his sight. "I need to rest too," he said, getting on the bed and lying beside her. He cuddled her from behind, gently kissing her neck. Michelle wanted to die from all the disgust she felt from his touches and kisses. She looked at the knife and fork, still on the bedside table, that she had used to eat her yams. She was tempted to pick them and stub Dan to death. She was not a murderer, and even if she did, how could she leave the house? She didn't know where Dan kept his keys and the lock remote. She had never gone to any other room in the house. She just lay there and listened to Dan's irritating breathing.