That question had been asked over and over again for about a week and a half now. The whole family had noticed the difference as it was obvious. You no longer sat next to each other in meetings, barely spoke unless it was needed for business, and didn't really glance at one another. It was uncomfortable for the rest of the family to see everything go downhill. The last straw was when Lizzie came over and saw that you and Polly didn't interact or go into the same bedroom, eat together, talk. It was confusing.
Now, you and Lizzie walked the halls of her home, the question ringing in your ears again. You were ready to deny that anything was going on and you two were fine, however, you couldn't handle it anymore.
"We had an argument last week. First major one we've had in awhile." You abruptly answered, whispering the sentence. "Thomas hit me a few times and I went home to clean myself up and just sleep it off. Polly got home and I explained everything to her and she called me a child and started lecturing me on how I should've gone back to work nonetheless and helped out..she went on and on. I wasn't going to shout or argue until she pressed a button in me that made me blow up instantly. We haven't even spoken since then." You summarised the event, scratching at your hands as you did.
"Shit.." Lizzie breathed, glancing over at you as she sat you down on a loveseat in the den, pouring you a glass of whiskey. "I get that Pol has grown up in a gang and is all..Shelby, I do. What I don't is her calling you a child for going the fuck home when her nephew beat you to bloody shit. We had thought those bruises were from Pol from you two fucking." She handed you the whiskey and took a drag of her cigarette after saying the sentence ever so casually, sitting across from you. "I'm sorry."
You took a sip of the drink, swirling it around in the crystal glass. "I wish she'd understand my point of view more. I didn't grow up like her, like you stated," You gave Lizzie a nod. "I'm not used to being in this kind of life like she is. Sure, I've been abused. That doesn't mean I'll shrug it off. She calls me a child because I have a different reaction towards it. I shut down, I know this. I cry and I shut down and I know that's childlike, which, I don't think it's bad." You took another sip of the liquid, gazing at your lap. "On the other hand, Polly gets up afterwards and deals with it. She fights back. She doesn't take anyones fucking shit and whilst I admire that and yearn to be that, I am not like her and probably never will be. I can do it to random men, but I cannot with people who I call family. I just can't. And she thinks that is weak, Lizzie. I didn't think she would think I was a disappointment for this, I completely feel like one though with this aftermath. I mean, fuck, I haven't shouted like that at her ever."
