Stories
For the chop!
I wanted somthing cut out my life - but Justin beat me to it...
My son Dylan, seven, was tucked up in bed, and my boyfriend Justin, 37, had agreed to be my babysitter for the night. Now all I needed was a slick of lipgloss, and I’d be ready to meet my mates at the pub.
‘How do I look?’ I asked Justin.
‘Skirt’s a bit short, isn’t it?’ he snarled, glaring at the TV.
‘Oh…’ I frowned.
‘It’s a bit tarty, that’s all,’ he shrugged, opening a can of beer. ‘Have a great time, though…’
I bet you’re wondering what I saw in this bloke. Well, when we’d first met through friends two years ago, things had been very different.
I’d been bowled over by how attentive Justin was. He was great with Dylan, too. ‘I’ll take him to the park for a kick-about,’ he’d said one day, while running me a bath.
But, four months later, things had changed. Suddenly, I’d felt like I was dating Jekyll and Hyde.
One minute we’d be having a laugh down the pub, the next Justin would be screaming at me, accusing me of looking at other blokes.
As if! Tall with twinkling blue eyes, and a cheeky smile, Justin was gorgeous. Why would I need to look at anyone else?
Didn’t matter how many times I told him I only had eyes for him, though, he never believed me. I’d hoped his jealousy was just a phase, but now, as I headed out tugging at my skirt, it seemed unlikely.
‘I’m thinking of breaking up with Justin,’ I sighed to my mate Steve, an hour after arriving at the pub. ‘He’s…’
‘Outside!’ Steve cut in, pointing to the window. Oh God… Justin was there, glaring at me.
‘Has something happened to Dylan?’ I cried, as he burst through the door.
‘You. Out now!’ he spat, grabbing my wrist. He was dragging me behind him as we marched down the road towards my house.
‘You slag,’ he yelled. ‘I’ve been watching you flirting with other blokes.’
‘I’ve been talking to my friend,’ I spluttered. But he wasn’t listening.
‘Where’s Dylan?’ I asked, as we reached my front door.
‘Upstairs,’ he barked, shoving me inside. Hang on, my little boy had been at home alone?!
‘Justin…’ I started.
‘Shut up!’ he spat. We grappled with each other through the kitchen, into the living room… ‘I’m going to teach you a lesson,’ he roared, throwing me to the ground. Eyes glaring menacingly, he started kicking me.
Pain tore through me as I writhed around, unable to get away. ‘Justin, stop!’ I begged.
And for a moment, he did. Then, as he loomed over me, I noticed he was holding something in his right hand. A knife…
He must’ve grabbed it when we’d crashed through the kitchen…! ‘No!’ I cried, as he lunged towards me.
Time seemed to stand still. Was the man I loved really about to plunge a knife into my chest? I lifted my legs to protect myself, kicking out at him. And then…
Swish. The knife cut through the air, connected with my left foot. Pain shot through me, and Justin jumped back like he’d been burned.
‘Oh my God!’ I screamed, reaching for my foot. My sock had been cut open, blood was soaking through the material. What the…?!
Slipping off my sock, my stomach lurched. My little toe was hanging off! A piece of skin the thickness of dental floss was the only thing keeping it attached. ‘Look what you’ve done!’ I cried.
As I leaped back in horror, my toe lolled dangerously, like it might fall off at any moment. The colour drained from Justin’s face, and he dropped the knife on the carpet.
‘I-I…’ he stammered, stepping backwards. ‘I’ll call an ambulance.’
While he ran for the phone, blood sprayed from the wound, like water from a rotating sprinkler. It was agony. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I’d seen Justin’s jealous rages before, but nothing like this.
What had he been thinking? And what would’ve happened if I hadn’t stuck my leg out to protect myself? What part of my body might that knife have sunk into – my heart?
‘Go home,’ I croaked to Justin, as the ambulance pulled up. ‘I don’t want you anywhere near me.’
My neighbour Allie raced round to watch Dylan, and called my mum Lin, 50, while I was rushed to Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol.
Surgeons operated to try to reattach the nerves and tendons but, when I woke up, the surgeon was at my bedside shaking his head grimly.
‘The operation hasn’t worked. Your toe is dead,’ he said.
I grimaced as he peeled back the bandages… it looked it, too! Black, lifeless. ‘We’ll have to amputate,’ the doctor sighed. ‘I’m sorry.’
Before the operation, Mum came in to see me. ‘I’m here, love,’ she said. ‘The paramedics called the police, Justin’s been arrested.’
I’d been in such shock and pain, it hadn’t even occurred to me to report him. ‘Good,’ I said.
Later that day, surgeons removed my little toe. Waking up afterwards, the pain was like nothing I’d ever felt. But coping with that was easier than seeing my four-toed foot for the first time. ‘It’s hideous,’ I sobbed.
Five days later, I was discharged from hospital. I went to stay with my dad Paul, 53, for a couple of days. Mum brought Dylan to see me. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, hugging me.
‘I heard Justin shouting.’
My heart sank. I’d hoped he’d slept through it. ‘Justin is a bad man, and the police took him away,’ I said.
I couldn’t believe losing my little toe could have such an impact on my life. I had to have physio to learn to walk properly, and counselling to come to terms with what had happened.
At Bristol Crown Court, Justin Fracasso was found guilty of unlawful wounding, and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Now I’ve got a new partner Darryl. Over time, I’ve developed a sense of humour about what happened to me. One day, I was at my computer trying to come up with a username. ‘What about Ria Nine Toes?’ I chuckled to Darryl.
To think I’d wanted to give Justin the chop – I can’t believe he got in there first.
Ria Nottingham, 27, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Story search...
Story archive
Just added...
From chunky to hunky
Cuddly Colin was too roly-poly to...
read more...
The boy of steel
With his baby sister Holly to love,...
read more...
The great Moggy mystery
Just what was making all of our cats...
read more...
Most popular...
Quick reads...
No choccie, but life's so sweet!
I'm a reformed chocoholic...
read more...
Baa-ck from the dead!
My heart bleated for these poor sheep...
read more...
Brave undertaking
I've swapped cars for coffins...
read more...