Taken While Mistaken..

Their family living room was tattered and destroyed. The couch was flipped exposing its ugly underbelly and the beautiful family portraits which 20 minutes ago adorned the cream painted walls were now bunched in a corner as if they were yesterdays trash. The Comcast remotes were thrown against the wall and would never work again, while the house phone lay on the street corner after being thrown from a window. Doors were slammed and screaming commenced.

Arguing back and forth was futile Dwayne decided and kept quite as he began to reconfigure his dismantled living area.

Her voice could still be heard from the bedroom as she packed her bags.

“And I’ll tell you another thing, asshole. I’m not coming back this time. Don’t call me. Lose my number.”  Candace yelled out making sure the neighbors in their condo took notice.

Dwayne nodded his head and hoped she was telling the truth. He was tired of arguing. Them being separated was for the best. When it got to the point where you are fighting in this manner, and you don’t know what you did wrong, there was no way to go but down.

He ignored her voice which infuriated her even more.

She stormed out of the room dragging a Louie Vutton suitcase behind her.

“Why Dwayne?! Why?! You got me looking like a damn fool with these chicks!” she barked as she stood 3 feet away from him.”

“Yo, I don’t even know what you’re talkin about Candace. That’s real talk. But I ain't gonna sit here and argue with you. The neighbors will think we’re crazy.” He said in a calm voice which only added lighter fluid to her flame.

“You’re stupid and you think I'm stupid too. You know you had some bitch call you late last night! You was sleep and I just happened to hear your phone ringing in your jacket. I answer and the bitch was like “ Can I speak to Dwayne?! Speak to Dwayne for WHAT?! At 3:00a!??” her words were news to him.

He honestly didn’t hear the phone ring and certainly wasn’t messing around with anyone.

“Why are you going through my phone? Where is my phone?” She pulled it from her purse and threw it at him. His catch was miraculous and he quickly opened it to see a name that he recently added.

He looked back at Candace and back at his phone.

“Yo, you’re crazy. Regina?? This is my cousin! We just reconnected on Facebook. She lives in California which is why she called at that hour. There’s a time difference!” he responded honestly.

“Enough!” the tears of anger poured down her face as she stormed up against him inches from his face.

Everything happened so quickly.

The palm of her hand connected squarely against his jaw and rocked him back at least two feet.

The slaps continued and quickly transformed to punches.

He felt himself snap as he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against the wall. The colors changed in her face as the sirens pulled up, thanks to a neighbors call.

He released her and watched as she ran for the man dressed in a blue uniform. The man quickly reached for his handcuffs and headed for Dwayne.

The tears were enough but the pointing did more to convince the officers that she was a victim.

She smiled as he was pushed past her towards the squad car.

Who is the victim here? Was Dwayne wrong? What’s the public perception of a situation like this and is it the right one?