After a fitful few
hours sleep I had to get up and collect my two children from my parents, but
how could I turn up looking like this. By half past eight the following morning
my face has coloured up rather spectacularly. I had two hugely swollen eyes,
one of which I could barely open, I had a lump on my forehead and another at
the back of my head. The left hand side of my face had swollen to at least
three times its normal size. My arms and legs were black and blue and my right
knee was swollen and really painful and I had difficulty walking.
I managed to get
myself together enough to dress etc. When I got down the stairs I found Tony
sat on the couch with his head in hands. I do genuinely think that once
confronted with his handy work he felt remorse. Not however remorse for me but
for himself, for what was still to come. He knew that there was no cover story
in the world to hide his actions this time.
He apologised told
me that he wished he was dead, he wanted to kill himself. I calmly said "don’t
let me stop you". I had my chance now, I had things I wanted to stay and I
knew that while he was in this state I could say it ALL without repercussions.
My little speech went something like this...
"Look at me
look at my face remembered every detail of it. Everything that has ever gone
wrong in your life is here in technicolour for the world to see. You’ve taken
it all out on me. Remember my face because you wont ever see it again. Oh well
actually you will, in court. Now get your stuff and get out of my house"
I then left to
collect my children. I realised though that there was no way I could go to my
parents I couldn’t risk the children seeing the state of me. I'd go to my
brothers. He was in bed. He woke to me stooped over him swollen and so badly
bruised it’s a wondered he recognised me. All he could say was "SHIT".
As only a brother can he took me downstairs put the kettle on and said
"come on you need a fag" Only because of the swelling I couldn’t. My
top lip was so severely swollen it touched the end of my nose.
My brother then
started to deal with the practicalities. He phoned the parents and explained to
my dad that there had been incident, and to come round.
I have only ever
seen my dad cry once, at my grandfathers funeral and it’s not something that I
dealt with well. He arrived at my brother’s house took one look at me and burst
into hysterical sobs and took himself into another room. Once composed he
simply said "enoughs enough we're going to the police this time, get your
coat".
The police took a brief
overview and insisted I attend hospital, they would send an officer to me there
to take further details. The hospital staff were amazing. They gave me the once
over and the took me to a side ward. At this point my dad and brother were
asked to leave. I put on a spinal board in a neck brace. They were seriously
concerned about my neck in particular because of the force of the blows to my
head.
Up until this point
my brother had taken great pleasure in taking the mickey out of my new
appearance, referring to me as John Merrick (Elephant Man), yes the swelling
and lumps and bumps were that bad. When he was allowed to re-enter the room I
could hear the nurse explaining that it wasn’t as bad as it looked but they had
to be careful, again my brother saw his opportunity for mirth. He however didn’t
think it was funny this time. He collapsed all 6'3" of him in a shaking
sobbing wreck at the side of me.
I ended up having x-rays,
tetanus and hepatitis vaccines, a neck brace and head injury care instructions.
I spent the following 5 hours in the police station waiting and giving my
statement. My brother stayed the whole time even when he wasn’t allowed in the
same room.
The true realisation
that it was not just me that was affected suddenly hit home. My dad and brother
were broken men, granted only momentarily, but they were. I had yet to see my
mum and children.
While I was sat
giving my statement my brother had been sat at points in the main reception of
the station. While sat chatting but generally minding his own business, he
heard a voice that triggered recognition. It was Tony. Tony was turning himself
in. I was made aware of this because the officer I was with was notified of
Tony’s attendance. Oh My God, my brother. My brother will kill him. Upon seeing
my response, my officer radio for support. By this time my brother had coaxed
Tony outside and was just working out how to deal with him when 6 officers came
racing around the corner grabbed Tony, cuffed him and marched him away.
I would kill for my
brother and clearly this is reciprocated, but you know what, Tony isn’t worth
it. No-one that can do this is worth a decent loving human being lowering
themselves.
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