To the average onlooker, Kelton and Lela had the picture-perfect relationship. He was a banker and she had a cozy job working from home. He had a daughter and she had a son. All of her family and friends lived their lives vicariously through Lela and Kelton. She drove the most expensive cars, dined at the most exquisite restaurants, and was showered with lavish gifts. All together, they were one big, happy, picture-perfect family.
That is, until their bedroom doors closed at night and Kelton unleashed the beast, using his fists to take out any frustrations he had on Lela. After beating her to a pulp, he would force her to satisfy him sexually, in anyway he wanted it. He was crazy like that. No one would have guessed "Angel-face Kelton" was so vicious, but Lela knew better.
One Saturday night, Lela's cousin, Trey, popped over to visit and see if Lela and Kelton wanted to hang out.
Not wanting Trey to see her bruised and swollen face, Lela hesitated with opening the door. But when Trey peeked through the blinds and playfully said, "I know you are in there, so open up," she reluctantly let him in.
She knew from the horrid look on his face that there was going to be trouble. "Trey, I'm fine. I fell and hit my face on the coffee table," she rushed to say. Lela laughed her injuries off as if they were miniscule.
When she saw that Trey wasn't falling for her façade, she said, "Just leave and come back later Trey. Just go, please!"
Ignoring her pleas, Trey barged through their house looking for Kelton. When he flew open the bedroom door, he found Kelton sitting on the bed with a crazed look on his face and an erection in his hand, ready for his post-beatdown sex.
"What the fuck-" is all Trey managed to say before he started wailing on Kelton's naked body. Trey struck Kelton with left hooks, right hooks, and jabs at what seemed to be lightening speed. Kelton didn't know what hit him. Hearing the commotion in the house, Trey's friend, Neil, who had been waiting outside in the car, came running inside and pulled Trey off of Kelton, who was now beaten to a pulp.
With Kelton slumped on the floor beside the bed, Trey told Lela to pack her things, and then took her and Antwan, who had been sleeping quietly in his bedroom on the other end of the house, to her mother's house. On the way to Miss Rachel's house, Neil consoled Lela, handing her tissue after tissue and telling her everything would be all right. Though it was the first time they met, Lela could appreciate genuine concern from him.