Chapter 1
- "Luce!" Mom screams at me. Probably wants me to go buy her some more beer. "What is it now?!" I shout, knowing it will probably get me a beating or two. "You ungrateful child!" She screams from the stairs. I hear her wobbling up the steps, drunk and tired, I quickly close the door and lock it. "Stay away from me!" I shout through the door. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she says. "I don't believe you," I say, looking down at the bruises on my arms that I'd earned falling for her fake apologies. "Open the damned door!" She is screaming again. "Gretta! Leave that child alone!" Dad! My father is here to save me! I almost open the door and run to him, then remembering the beast outside I don't dare. "Luce, you can come out now," Dad told me. As I slowly opened the door I saw Dad holding Mom's hands behind her back. He let her go and escorted me towards his car. Oh yeah, they're divorced, no surprise there. Just when I thought we were home free, Mom came up and scratched me across the face. I raise my hand to the wound and feel the undeniable substance of blood. "Gretta!" Dad shouts, with hesitation he swings his hand across her face. Stunned but angry as ever, she falls back. Dad and I both know he'll regret this in court one day. He looks down at her, lipstick smeared across her face, her blond matted hair strewn in every direction, and he does the most remarkable thing. He spits, right in her face. Without a word he shuts the door. "That's enough," he says once we got to the car and drive away. "Of what?" I asked, truly confused. "Of her," he replied, anger in his tone. I looked at my arms and quickly pulled my jacket sleeves over them before Dad could see the bruises. We rode the rest of the way home in silence. It's been a while since I'd least visited Dad's house, like three months. But I still knew ask of the bells and whistles, nooks and crannies. It was a three bedroom house, three bathrooms,a large living room, and a great kitchen. Furniture had been moved and updated, but it didn't throw me off.
