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SURPRISINGLY, AMANDA HAD BEEN UNSCATHED WHEN SHE GOT HOME.
Andrea Uris personified her kindness in both driving Amanda back home and protesting against her own fear in the way of walking Amanda to her front door. In a way, as well as giving her clothes and opening up her home to Amanda, Andrea had probably also saved her life.
For when the two women stepped on the porch before the rickety door and Amanda was thanking Andrea for her kindness, the door was ripped open by her father who looked steaming out of the ears with anger, but once he saw Andrea with the young girl, he attempted to be calm.
Still grunting and still shaking with anger, Butch Bowers had thanked Andrea for driving Amanda home and then had told Amanda to get in the house instead of manhandling her. Whilst he stayed on the porch and spoke to Andrea about the woman's hospitality, Amanda passed a bruised Henry in the kitchen: he had a black eye, not from her, but still managed to glare as he ran his sore fingers under the cold water - that injury had been from her.
Like all prey trying to survive a predator, Amanda kept quiet and skulked to her bedroom which no longer had a door. Although it had been moved from lying across her bed. But now there was nothing to block her from the dread that lay for her outside of her bedroom.
Moments later, Amanda watched from her bedroom window as Andrea drove back down the road and once again, the young girl was left solitary. Now she had her jacket back, which was good at least, it had been lying on her bed from where she had ripped it off her curtain pole and in a strange way it was oddly comforting.
Slowly, she lay down upon her mattress and breathed softly and slowly, not closing her eyes but just listening. Waiting. The door shut with a soft slam and the footsteps of her father came closer, making Amanda squeeze her eyes shut in fear as she once again waited. The presence of her father could be felt in her doorway, the smell of the smoke wafting from his cigarette...but he just watched.
Then he walked away and Amanda, pretending she was asleep, opened her eyes again just to face the wall as she listened carefully to his footsteps going back down the hallway. After that, he spoke gruffly to who Amanda assumed was Henry.
"I know you like to act all tough." Amanda's father growled, rough and gravelled and there were sharp breaths underneath it from Henry. Scared in front of their father. "But she's your fucking sister."
"Dad-"
"DON'T TALK BACK TO ME, BOY." He screamed and Amanda flinched from her bed, listening closely. It was only a scream and nothing came with it but that didn't mean nothing could. "YOU LOOK AT HER AND WHAT DO YOU SEE?"
Silence.
"Your mother." Butch spat and his footsteps thudded again, crawling somewhere else in the house. "So if you're gonna be tough, at least know the reason for it and do it properly. If she goes running off to other families, that puts my reputation in danger."
