He's drunk again, it's time to fight
"Shane, baby, c'mon. We have to put your toys away before David gets home." Rhiannon warned her four-year-old son. "You know he doesn't like messes."
She must have done something wrong tonight
The living room becomes a boxing ring
It's time to run when you see him clenching his hands
She's just a woman... never again
"Mommy, why does Dav'd get so mad?"
"I don't know, baby." Rhiannon brushed her waistlength red hair out of her eyes and sighed, wondering the same thing. Over the years she'd lost count of the number of times her husband had come home drunk and ready for a fight. She'd wished countless times for the courage to take Shane and run, but it never came. She was just plain scared; scared of what he might do to Shane if they tried to get away from him.
Thank goodness for Howie. Her best friend since elementary school was all she had left besides Shane. Her father had never been part of her life and her mother had passed away two years before after years of battling leukemia.
Rhiannon sighed as she picked up the last toy that had been scattered around the living room. Her head snapped up at the sound of a vehicle in the driveway. 'Oh god.' She thought, closing her eyes and wishing for someone to give her strength.
"Shane, go play in your room now. And be really quiet, baby, please."
Nodding wordlessly, the little boy scurried down the hall to his room and closed the door behind him.
Rhiannon winced as she heard David fling the front door open. She knew instinctively that tonight would be bad.
David stomped up the stairs and came into the room, his face stony, his fists clenched. Rhiannon took a deep breath, hoping for some way to avoid the fight she knew was coming.
I hear her scream from down the hall
Amazing she can even talk at all
She cries to me... "go back to bed"
I'm terrified that she'll wind up dead in his hands
She's just a woman... never again
Down the hall Shane jerked up when he heard his mom's cry of pain followed by a dull thud and David cursing at the top of his voice. Shane shuddered, then resolutely got to his feet. He had to know if mommy was okay. He opened the door and silently crept down the hall. As he reached the entrance to the living room he ducked behind a chair. Peeking into the room he saw his mother huddled on the floor. She caught sight of him and mouthed "go back to bed", a desperate look in her eyes.
Shane bit his lip, but did as he was told. Just as he reached his room he heard a lamp shatter as it hit the wall, before David thumped down the stairs and left the house, slamming the door behind him.
"Shane." He heard his mom's voice softly calling him from the living room. He turned and ran back to the living room, dropping to his knees next to him mother.
"Mommy?" He said anxiously.
"I'm okay, baby." Rhiannon closed her eyes and concentrated on not passing out from the pain. "Go in the kitchen and call Howie, okay, baby?"
"Okay, Mommy." Shane got up from the floor and ran into the kitchen. He dragged a chair over to the wall so he could reach the phone, climbed up and grabbed the receiver. Quickly he pushed the button he knew would phone Howie. Holding the phone to his ear he heard it ringing and glanced anxiously back at the living room where his mother was.
Across town Howie and the rest of the Backstreet Boys were on a break from rehearsal. All five scrambled for their cell phones when one rang.
"It's me." Howie said, pulling his phone from his backpack. "Shit!" He swore when he looked at the display and saw Rhiannon's name. Hastily he answered the phone, knowing it was important. "Hello?"
"Howie?" A small voice answered him.
"Shane? What's the matter buddy? Is your mom okay?" He asked worriedly. The others exchanged looks; they all knew about the situation Rhiannon was in.
"Dav'd was mad." Shane managed to tell Howie before succumbing to tears.
"Shane, it's gonna be okay, buddy. I'll be there really soon, okay? You go sit with your mom and make sure she's okay."
"Okay." Shane said tearfully before hanging up the phone.
"Damnit!" Howie swore again as he closed his cell and stuffed it back into his backpack. "I have to go. David was at it again." He told the other Boys, his voice filled with unconcealed hate.
"I'll go with you, D." Nick said, grabbing his own bag. "Someone has to watch Shane."
"Thanks, Nicky." Howie said gratefully. "Let's go."
Fifteen minutes later, Howie and Nick pulled up in front of Rhiannon's house. They both ran up the walk, wrenched the door open and ran up the stairs.
"Rhiannon!" Howie called as he reached the top of the stairs.
"Howie." A soft voice called his name from the living room.
Howie darted into the room, barely able to conceal his shock at her appearance. Her forehead was bleeding from where it caught the corner of the bookcase, her right eye was beginning to bruise and she was cradling her left wrist.
"Oh Rhi." Howie whispered in disbelief.
Been there before but not like this
Seen it before but not like this
Never before have I ever seen it this bad
She's just a woman... never again.
Song Credit: Never Again by Nickelback
Lyrics by Chad Kroeger; Music by Nickelback
