The Son

“I thought that guy was hurting you,” I said as Elizabeth backed away from me.  “Maybe I misunderstood what was happening.” 

“Leave me alone.  You may have just ruined everything,” she whispered.  She continued to back away until she almost tripped over the curb.  She then turned and started running down the sidewalk. 

“What…” I muttered.  I walked back to my car and headed the direction the young woman just ran.  I had been walking back to my car from the grocery store and had watched a large, bald man dragging her toward his car.  She had not been screaming, but was obviously not wanting to go with him.  All I did was stop and ask if everything was all right. 

I am by no means a big or strong woman so I was slightly surprised when the man immediately got into his car and left with no fight.  But it didn’t quite explain the woman’s behavior.  I wonder what I could have ruined other than maybe her getting kidnapped.  A few blocks later, I found her sitting on the curb, crying and alone. 

“Excuse me.  I’m sorry to bother you again.  Is everything all right?  Can I help you with anything?”  

She looked up at me with red rimmed eyes and sighed. 

“That was my husband,” she said quietly.  “I left him last week after the death of our son.”  I must have looked confused because she took a deep breath and continued.  “I think he killed him.”