Anyone who has grown up in a home filled with volatility and sinister secrets or who has seen it will agree that child abuse is wrong and repulsive. In this story, a preteen undergoes the struggle of wanting to come clean about her abusive parents b...
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Overnight, I ate some fried fish and coleslaw while Jacob read from the scriptures at the front podium. He told me to be careful and not try to get crumbs on the seats. In the morning, he had guests arriving at the church. He would really like to invite me, but I'll get caught. It makes sense that he would instruct me rather than let me sit next to nice people. I ate everything on my plate and set it down next to me. Jacob was adjusting his reading glasses on a few pages when I stood up to join him in front of the podium.
"Where should I hide in the morning, then?"
"There's a classroom that no one uses anymore since I rebuilt it and added additional space to it." Jacob turned the page and turned to face me. "You can read some books up there and listen to some music while you're up there."
"I can listen to my Walkman, so that'll be cool."
"I won't mind it as long as there aren't any loud noises up there." He then closes the book.
"Does Camper go to church?"
"It sometimes depends on how busy he is."
He can be really busy, so I'm hoping it won't be too hectic for me to come and visit him.
I scratched my chin and thought about it. "If he does, I'll see if I can visit him afterward."
It's too risky for you to take the chance of being outside, as much as I think it's bearable for you to be a kid. Jacob simmered down.
It won't be so bad to see his son. " Please."
Jacob rubs his eyes and removes his eyeglasses while he considers and makes a decision about what to do next. "Okay, but he must be upstairs, so nobody sees you downstairs,"
"Thank you, Jacob." I embraced Jacob.
He accepts my hug. "I'm happy to help."
I noticed the photograph of Camper and a blonde woman holding a baby at the hospital.
"Who's that? I asked as I withdrew from the hug.
Jacob was now focusing on the picture. He pulls it up so I can inspect it more closely. "This is Camper's wife and his little girl."
