Its 1953... n.h.

Chapter 8

Niall drops me off at home, I skip up the walkway, absolutely giddy about what had happened about an hour ago. I push open the front door and my heart nearly stops.

My father is sitting in his easy chair, my brother in a chair beside him, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Daddy, I..."

"I have heard quite enough from you tonight, Elizabeth."

"But..."

"I have had just about enough of you," my father stands and points a meaty finger at me. "Now you get in this house and explain yourself."

I step in and close the door behind me, backing up to the door in expectancy of whatever may be up his sleeve.

"Explain yourself, Elizabeth."

"I got lost on the way back," I say with a soft voice.

"What has gotten into you anyway, you have always wanted to go to college and now, all of a sudden you're pulling yourself out? And what is this talk about beauty school anyway, you've never liked doing your hair!"

"I have never wanted to go to college," I answer with a stronger voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You never asked if I wanted to go, you always assumed I did and I don't. I want to go to beauty school."

"My God, Elizabeth, what has gotten into you? Is it that boy? That blonde boy who ruined our dinner?"

"Niall is not the reason I don't want to go to.."

"I should have known as much, you're running around with some boy chasing up your dress. He's telling you things isn't he? He's telling you not to go to school isn't he?"

"Daddy it's not like that!"

"You have back sasses me for the last time, Elizabeth."

"Dad!" my brother stands from his chair, 20 and he nearly towers over both my father and I. "You've had enough of her and I've had enough of you. I've been the one telling her to go to beauty school!"

My father whirls around to face Tom, "you?"

"Yeah, me, and mom would have loved to support her way through beauty school."

"You're defending her? She wasted me almost 100 bucks, Tom."

"She got your money back and I can get you another hundred. We both know how you get your money anyway, you could win that hundred back in no time flat."

My dad stutters and I look between he and my brother. Never before was I so proud of Tom, but at the moment I was horrified of the both of them.

"I want you," he pauses and points to the door, "out of my house."

"You kick me out and you have to kick Beth out too because I am not leaving her here with you."

"Thomas," he warns, his hands balling into fists.

"Beth, go pack your things."

"But, Tom, I..."

"Now, Beth!" my brother yells. I back up and bump into the door, I feel my way down the hallway, not taking my eyes off the two men in the living room. When I get to my room I grab the suitcase under my bed, one I have never used in my life but always kept just in case.

I throw in what clothes I have in the dresser, some makeup that I can grab in one handfuls and a pillow and blanket. I zip the suitcase and come into the hallway, nearly dragging the case behind me. I hear my brother talking and my father yelling down at the end of the hall, slowly I approach them.