Christmas from Hell (4)

I needed to get out of the place, as it was becoming oppressive. First, I removed the chain guard from the door, in case he decided to return while I was away, and attempt to stop me getting back in.

I went for a jog on the roof of my condo. I took with him his cellphone, my wallet, the ATM card, and my phone. I do not normally take so many things, but I was worried that if I left them in my room he could return and take them.

I doubt he would have done such things, but when emotions run high as they do after an argument, I do not leave anything to chance. When Maiyuu is angry his behaviour gets scary and unpredictable.

After I ran a few laps, I happened to see Maiyuu on one corner of the roof. I did not notice him at first, as he was obscured by the large water tanks which sit up there.

He had sat himself on one end of a low-rising wall which goes around the roof, to stop people falling off. Maiyuu was looking down 10 storeys to the ground below, contemplating whether to jump.

'Pathetic!' I said.

I gathered my belongings and ran off the roof as fast as I could. I do not want to be anywhere around when a Thai attempts to do himself injury, as the suspicion could fall on the foreigner.

I took a shower. When I emerged, he was back in the condo, sitting on his bed fiddling with a piece of electric chord. I can guess what he intended to do with that, but once again I did not wait around to find out.

'I am late for teaching,' I said, walking out without looking in his direction.

I tried to make it sound as natural as possible.

In my haste I mistakenly took with me Maiyuu's cellphone, rather than my own. In the taxi to Mum's shop, I opened the back of his phone and noticed he had removed his SIM card. That was a relief -someone who was really contemplating ending it all would hardly have taken his SIM card, as he would not need it any more.

Still, it was an anxious night. It was hard to focus on teaching when I thought my boyfriend could be doing himself harm at home. I could not call Maiyuu, as I could not use his cellphone, and I had left my own at home. What awful sight would I find when I returned home that night?

He was sleeping when I returned. I checked my cellphone and noticed he had sent me a text message, via someone else's phone, in which he apologised for his behaviour.

The next day, however, we argued again. I wanted to talk to him about what had set off our row. He claimed I was asking too many irritating questions.

'You were like this last year. We argued last Christmas, too,' he said.

now, see part 5