Because I said so.

“Because I said so!”

Sue nearly harrumphed out loud. She is sitting on her favourite bench in the park, reading a magazine. Somewhere behind her, a mother has just told her young daughter off after seemingly endless minutes of whining about wanting an ice cream.

The words transported Sue instantly to her own childhood – it was one of her mom's favourite things to say, with an emphasis on the 'I'. It drove her crazy as a child. To her that ended any opportunity she might have had of talking her way into or out of something she wanted – her mom was after all the ultimate power.

Nowadays children seemed to rule, and whatever they wanted, they got, so it was strange and funny to her when she heard those well-known words again.

As a child Sue vowed to never use those words when she had children one day. She still feels strongly about that, but since she doesn't have kids yet, she does not yet understand the frustrations of having to argue with a mini-human. She might just cave if it comes to it...

It is a gorgeous Saturday morning, and instead of doing her weekly washing or running errands, Sue has given herself time off to relax and do whatever she feels like doing for the rest of the day. Or at least until she has to start getting ready for her date tonight. She'll worry about chores tomorrow.

She half turns on the bench to have a quick look at the mom and toddler behind her, but they have started walking off along the path towards the exit of the park, and she catches only a glimpse of their backs. Sue settles back again and carries on reading the article she was busy with, but memories of her childhood and her mom keep intruding.

Her mom might have been strict, but she was loving and fair, and she misses seeing her on a regular basis. There is half a country between them now, since Sue started working at an advertising agency after finishing college five years ago.

Fortunately they talk often, but it is just not the same as having coffee or dinner with her and her dad. She must make some time to go and visit them, it has been too long.

After sitting in the winter sun for an hour reading, Sue feels sleepy, and decides that she's going to go home and have a nap. She strolls home and tucks herself in on the couch under a blanket, and within minutes she is asleep.

She wakes up slowly. It takes a minute or two to realize that she had actually taken a nap during the day! It is something she never does, but she obviously needed one as it seems to be getting dark outside. Sue jumps up and runs into the kitchen to have a look at the clock, and sighs with relief. She still has enough time to get ready for her date.

An hour later, she is on her way to the restaurant where she is meeting Nick. They met through her work, and it is their second date tonight. The previous time they met for drinks at a pub around the corner from her work and they spent a pleasant time chatting and getting to know each other. She is not sure whether they have the potential to become a couple in future, but she likes him enough to give it a chance.

He is already waiting for her when she arrives, and stands up to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. She notices the very thorough once over he gives her after she has taken off her coat, and she feels a slight frisson of uneasiness.

Throughout dinner he is a charming companion and she relaxes again. They talk about work and colleagues, and inevitably, the weather. They touch on previous relationships but decide to not go too far down that path tonight. They seem to share a similar sense of humour which is another box ticked.

They share a luscious desert, and when the bill comes, he insists on paying even when she tries to pay her share. When they exit the restaurant, he asks her where her car is parked, and when she says that she walked as she lives close by, he decides to walk her home. She argues briefly, but gives in and they start strolling in the direction of her apartment.

They keep chatting as they walk, but all the while, at the back of her mind, she is debating whether she should ask him in for coffee or not. The fact that she even wonders about it, makes her think that maybe she won't do it this time. Maybe she needs to get to know him a bit better to feel more comfortable with him.

When they get to her door, she puts the key in the door and turns to say goodnight. He is right there behind her, and before she can say a word, he says: “You are going to invite me in for coffee, aren't you?”

“I actually wasn't going to. I have to work in the morning and it is getting late.”

“Come on, a cup of coffee won't take that long? And it will round the evening off nicely.”

Sue feels slightly pushed into a corner. She did enjoy the evening, and maybe a quick cup of coffee won't hurt?

She relents, and lets him in. She walks straight to the kitchen and puts the kettle on.

“It will have to be instant,” she says, and takes mugs out of the overhead cupboard. She measures the coffee into the mugs and gets the milk out of the fridge.

“Why don't you take a seat, I'll be right there.”

As he turns to go and sit down, she quickly grabs her cell phone and turns away to type a message to Sam, one of her best friends who lives a couple of blocks away - “Nick is here for coffee. Feel uncomfortable. Please phone in 5 min.”

She finishes the coffee, and carries the mugs to the lounge area. Nick had taken off his jacket, and is paging through a magazine. She puts his coffee down next to him, and takes a seat in a chair.

He looks up with a smile on his face, and says: “Why are you sitting way over there? There is space right here next to me.”

Sue smiles back. “This is supposed to be a quick cup of coffee, so it doesn't really matter where I sit, does it?”

“Maybe it matters to me. Maybe I had a bit more than just coffee in mind.” His eyes have narrowed slightly.

“Nick, please don't complicate things. It was a lovely evening, don't spoil it now.” She is starting to feel scared, but tries to remain calm.

“I'm not the one spoiling things.”

As he gets up, Sue's phone starts to ring. She gets up to fetch it from the kitchen area, but Nick blocks her way.

“Don't answer that, it will spoil the mood,” he says.

“There is no 'mood' Nick. And it might be important – my mom has not been well lately.”

“I'm sure it'll keep for a few hours, “ he says as he takes her by her wrists, and tries to pull her closer. Somewhere in the background her phone is still ringing.

Really panicky by now, Sue tries gain: “Nick, can I take a rain check? I had a busy day and I'm tired.”

“Oh come on Sue, don't be a bore.” He pulls her against his body with some force. At the same time, Sue brings her arms up between them and tries to push him away. Suddenly his whole mood changes. He looks like a complete stranger. His eyes have gone cold and hard and his lips are pursed.

“Goddammit”, he says loudly while forcing her head closer to his.

“Nick, no!” is all she can manage before he clamps his mouth over hers.

She somehow manages to turn her head and tries to shout, but her voice cracks and she only gets out a hoarse “No, Nick!”

“You can fight all you want, we are going to have a good time tonight.”

“How 'good' can it be if it is against my will?”

“Oh, it will be good. In the end you will be begging me for it.”

He throws her onto the couch and before she can react he lands on top of her. She tries her best to fight him off, but he is too strong.

“You want this. Why else did you put that tight little number on? Why else did you invite me in?”

“I thought you were a decent guy. I thought we were getting to know each other. And you sort of invited yourself in.”

“I paid for dinner. Why should I not get what I want?” He lunges again.

“BECAUSE I SAID SO, DAMMIT!”

This time her voice co-operates and she screams the words out. It stuns both of them for a moment, and in the silence Sue becomes aware of hammering against her door.

She shoves Nick and because it is unexpected, she manages to dislodge him and he falls onto the carpet. She jumps up and runs for the door. He grabs her hair from behind just as she reaches the door and yanks. Sue screams again.

“Sue, what the hell is going on in there?” Sam is here! Oh, thank goodness...

Sue hits back blindly with all her might and her elbow connects with some part of Nicks face. He lets go with a grunt and she grabs the lock on her door and opens it. She half falls into Sam's arms. Sam just manages to keep her balance, and looks over Sue's head to Nick.

“What are you doing? What is going on here?” she asks him.

Nonchalantly he gives a shrug and says, “Nothing, we were just having some fun.”

“It definitely did not sound like fun to me. Sue?”

Sue gathers herself and steps away from Sam. She turns around and looks Nick squarely in the eyes.

“We were not having fun. This monster was trying to force himself on me. If you didn't arrive when you did...”

“You can't make accusations like that, you know. You'll have to prove it.”

“I think this is a police matter, I'm going to call them,” says Sam.

“You're wasting your time. I'm not waiting around, I'm leaving, “ and with that he picks up his jacket and strolls past the two women and down the stairs.

Sam follows Sue inside and waits for her to finish locking the door before she speaks.

“Do you want to talk about it, or must I call the police first.”

“No, just give me some time to calm down first. I will call my father in a while and figure out what to do. Sam, thank you so very much for coming when you did. Why did you, though? I only asked you to call.”

“I know, but when you didn't answer, I had a bad feeling. So I came over as soon as I could.”

“I can never thank you enough.”

They hug each other tightly for a while.

“Can you stay over? I don't think I'll feel safe on my own.”

“Of course. Sue...you know you can't let this go. This is serious stuff.”

“Oh believe me, I won't. I'm not sure what I'll be able to do legally, but I won't leave it there, that's for sure.”

It was only later when she was lying in her bed, that Sue realized the irony of the words she used against Nick tonight. It even made her smile a tiny bit. Maybe she'll even tell her mom sometime, that the hated words of her childhood had an enormous amount of merit, after all!