Adventure of Life (Extended Version of Enduring Journey): Extended Version of Enduring Journey

By Monique Mealue

This story is about a 24-year old woman who is going to have a baby and is living with her brother and husband in Nevada. One day, she learned that she is being abused and did something about it. So she moves to Oregon to try to find herself by going to college, joining the Army and find work until she finds love

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 27, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465326461

Monique Mealue

Monique Mealue is from California but living in Oregon now for thirteen years and now is living in McMinnville, Oregon with her husband and two kids name Jake and Ray.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

My name is Monique, I am twenty-four years old. I’m a young-average woman that is going to have a baby. My brother Chris, who is younger than me resides with us. We live in a three beds, two bath, and New England style home. I have all the things I want, but why am I not happy.

My husband is a chef, that makes good money, so why is he mean to me. We did fun things together, now we don’t do anything at all. He is coming home late or not at all. He is either drunk or has been drinking.

I don’t mind if he’s sober, but when he starts drinking he call me names or hits me. At first, it was a punch on the arm, but got worse. He would be sorry or make excuses, afterward wouldn’t say anything.

One day I was watching TV and learned why he hurts me, so I decided to do something about it. This is my story the, Enduring Journey.

CHAPTER 1

Fallon-Nevada

I’m sitting on the couch, sipping hot apple cider and watching the, Early Show, but not paying attention. Just thinking about what I’m going to do first, when I heard, Abuse. I called Chris from his room and said, You have to see this. He sat on the other side of me. A woman is talking about two kinds of abuse, Physical and Mental. Physical abuse is when someone hits you. Mental abuse is when someone puts you down. When the segment is over I said, He does that to me!

Why don’t you leave him?

What do you mean?

Get your things and go.

I never thought about leaving him. I was thinking about what Chris said and had a flashback: I’m in the kitchen cooking dinner, when my husband came in. He went to one of the pots in front of it and tasted it. You call this cooking. It tastes like . . .

Then don’t eat it. I said without thinking.

I don’t think he liked what I said and grabbed the pot and threw it. I grabbed a cloth, cleaning the mess on the floor, when he kicked me in my stomach. Don’t you ever talk to me again, and left. I was crying with no sound. I went back to the present, jumped up from the couch and screamed, I will do it. I ran to my room, but not literally.

In my room, I changed from the pink robe I was wearing to a pink blouse and brown shorts, got the suitcase that I won from the closet and put it on the bed. I retrieved my things and placed it neatly in it. I saw Chris from the doorway looking at me funny and said, What are you doing?

What does it look like I’m doing. I said to myself and said, I’m taking your advice and leaving him. You know how he treats me. I can’t live like this anymore. Do you want to come with me?

Hesitate a little, then said, Yes I do. When do you want to go?

Right now!

We placed the suitcase by the front door. I have the most and that is four big red bags and three carrying cases. Chris has only three big blue luggages. I went to the safe, got some money, and called a cab.

The cab came at ten-thirty. We placed the suitcase outside for the taxi. I didn’t pay attention to what the driver looked like. He is putting our bags in the trunk, then stopped and said, I will need a bigger vehicle, took the luggage out and left.

Chris and I went inside and I was going back and forth worried that my husband is going to come home early and see this sometimes he does that. After thinking this, the phone rang, I went to answer it and said, Hello!

Hi, this is your husband. I will be home late, so don’t make anything for me. I don’t know when I will be done. I didn’t tell him anything, since he didn’t ask.

Thirty minutes later, the cab came back with a white mini-van. The driver put the last seat down, so all the suitcase will fit. Chris opened the door and I smelled a foul stench.

When I sat down, I knew where it was coming from, so I opened the window next to me to get rid of the stench, but it didn’t work. The driver said, Where do I take you? I told him where to take us.

On the way to the hotel, I was trying to not to think of the smell, so I was occupying my mind and didn’t hear the van stop. Chris tapped me on the shoulder and said, Were here.

I was so happy to get out and breathe again. I looked at the driver. He reminds me of an actor with shoulder length hair, blue eyes, but his hair looks as if it hasn’t been washed for days. It’s all greasy. I didn’t want to be mean but had to say something, so I told him, You need to get the van cleaned. He didn’t tell me his name. Probably to shock to speak. I paid him; he took the suitcase out and left.

Chris went inside, got a cart, so we don’t have to carry our bags in. I see a red carpet and in an awning going to the front door.

A few minutes later, Chris came out with the cart. It is a black one. We placed our bags on it and my brother pushed it inside.

Inside, there is a two-story level hallway with boast massive brick cast stones column. The dining room has four red chairs to a table with white tablecloths on each plate. There is a silver chandelier on the ceiling. I went to the front desk while Chris watched the bags for us. A woman with black pants, white shirt, and a tie then said, May I help you?

I want to rent a room please!

How many nights are you going to stay?

Just for one night.

Cash or credit card?

Cash! I handed her the money and was given a registration card. I filled it out and hand it back and was handed a card key. She told me where my room is by saying, It is on the second floor next to the swimming pool and vending machine. Chris pushed the cart to the elevator, while I used the stairs. I don’t like them. It gets me dizzy.

In the guestroom are neutral tone and it offers a two double size bed, vintage photograph adorned on the wall. It’s not big, but makes excellent use of space with furnishing built-in. it comes with a microwave, VCR, TV, and a refrigerator.

After unpacking our things, we decided to go for a swim. The weather is nice outside with no clouds in the sky and the wind is calm. We put our bathing suits on, grabbed three big towels and walked to the pool.

At the swimming pool, I noticed four green round tables with umbrellas and three lounging chairs. We are the only two people there.

I placed the key under the towel. I walked in the pool, while Chris jumped in it. The water is just right for me. Not too hot or cold.

While we were swimming, a male employee with a tray in his arms walked to us and said, How is everything. Is there anything you want to eat or drink? We both ordered non-alcoholic drinks and appetizers. We talked for a little bit, then left us alone. I found out this hotel was built a year ago. This is a nice place. I told Chris.

Yes, it is.

A few minutes later, the same guy came with our food and places it on the table and said, If there anything you need or want don’t hesitate to call, and pointed to where the phone is.

We have been swimming for an hour and I was getting hungry, so I told Chris and said, Are you getting hungry? I want to go back to the room.

Yes, I am.

Back at the room, I took a shower while Chris ordered pizza and that was half Hawaiian and half Pepperoni. I was singing to myself saying, I’m free, I’m free. People might think I’m crazy.

When I got out, I told Chris, Let’s call mom and see if she will come and pick us up at the hotel. I went to the phone, dialed her number and said, Hi, mom. How are you?

I am fine. How are you today.

Chris and I are fine. That’s why I’m calling you today. I explained the situation and said, Can you come and pick us up here?

Yes, I can. Just give me the address and direction of the place. I gave her the information and kept talking to her until someone knocked on the door. Chris answered it and said, The pizza is here.

I have to go now, but I will see you tomorrow mom, and hung up the phone.

Later that night, I went to the vending machine and got a couple of sodas and on the way up, I saw a figure and said, I thought I saw my husband, and ran to my room.

In the room, I called the front desk and said, Do you give out personal information to people who ask they are relative.

No, we don’t! I was giving out examples and they kept saying, No!

I was looking out of the window to see if my husband is going to find although they assured me they don’t do that. He didn’t find me and went to bed at four in the morning.

The next morning at eight, I was half-asleep when someone knocked on the door. I got up, put my robe on and went to the door. I opened it and the sun was shining in my face, so I had to squint my eyes, then got used to the light and saw my mom Gloria, who is forty seven years old, dressed in shorts and a shirt and Angie, who is twenty-seven years old, dressed in blue shorts and red shirt.

We are hugging, laughing and crying at the same time. Gloria went on the bed to take a nap, while Chris and I finished packing and took them to the truck that is at the back of the building.

Chris and I are taking the bags to the truck and saw Angie just standing there, so I stopped in front of her and said, Are you going to help?

It’s your things not mine.

If she knew I was pregnant, maybe she would’ve help I said to myself. Angie just stayed where she was doing, while Chris and I finished taking the bags to the truck.

When we were done, Gloria woke up and we had time for breakfast. I made sure I didn’t forget anything before leaving the room and went to the lobby.

I turned the key in and we went to the dining room. At the far corner of the room is a long table with a tablecloth covering it with bagel with cream cheese, muffins, and doughnuts, different kinds of fruit, cereal, milk, juices coffee and tea. We had everything except the tea. It wasn’t very good.

While we are