Lisa

The cold silence of this morning’s breakfast seemed more impossible painful than yesterday or the day before that. I stared into my plate measuring the tension in the atmosphere. Mom and Dad sat on opposite sides of the table instead of their usual seats next to each other. How was it possible that things kept getting worse day after agonizing day. The absolute quietness of the moment cut into me like a knife.
“Mom?” Alice said abruptly breaking the silence. I exhaled in relief. “Would it be okay if I spent the night at a friend’s house?” My stomach twisted into knots and I dropped my cup, spilling orange juice all over the table.
“Sorry,” I whispered weakly while my cheeks heated up. I heard Mom curse under her breath before she went into the kitchen and came back with a roll of paper towels.
“It’s okay sweetie,” she mumbled under her breath as she mopped up my spill.
“So can I go?” Alice asked again sounding annoyed. I glared at her in fury and she rolled her eyes at me.
“Sure,” Dad muttered while he stared at Mom. Mom stared daggers at him and my stomach rolled nauseously again.
“Alice I thought we were hanging out tonight,” I said desperately, trying to keep from hyperventilating in terror. “It’s Saturday. You said that we were going to the movies!”
“No, I didn’t!” she said staring at me angrily.
“Whose house are you going to?” I blurted out instantly as the panic in my chest boiled over.
“None of your business!” she shouted back at me, furious. My eyes started to fill with tears and I slammed my fists down onto the table as I burst into sobs. “She’s lying!” Alice shouted.
“That’s enough!” Dad shouted as he jumped to his feet and stormed out of the room. The room was silent once again.
“Lisa, go to your room,” Mom ordered in a tired voice. “Alice, we need to talk.”

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Alice

“I’m just going to Anne’s house to study for finals,” I muttered. I was staring down into my lap and trying to keep my hands from twisting nervously. “I didn’t promise her anything.”
“That’s not what I wanted to talk about,” she said sitting down beside me on the couch. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“So I can go to Anne’s house tonight?” I asked in a hard voice. I refused to look up and see the glassy look in her eyes, the look that I could hear in her voice. It was the same look she had been wearing for the last two months.
“No,” she sighed and I could hear the tears trembling in her voice. My heart thumped painfully and the room started to spin around me. The next three words that she spoke we’re words that no kid wants to hear. My breathing sped and I couldn’t speak. I stared at her uncomprehendingly. My mind refused to accept the idea.
“Divorced?” I whispered in a voice that sounded beyond broken. Her hand rubbed my shoulder comfortingly and I pulled away absent mindedly. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears while a small part of my attention acknowledged that she was speaking.
“It’s been coming for a while now Alice,” she said with faux tranquility.
“When do you plan on telling Lisa?” I asked. She didn’t respond. “Mom?”
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t bear it. Your father was too much of a coward to even tell you.”
“So what now? You don’t think she’ll find out eventually?” My voice was a choked up whisper as I struggled to breathe the air in the room. I looked up at her to see the tears spilling.
“She’s only nine years old Alice! I can’t bear it!” she said again burying her face into her hands.
My arm moved unconsciously to wrap around her shoulders. The movement was stiff and awkward with my embarrassment as I watched my mother falling to pieces against me.
“Alice? I need you….to tell your sister. Please! Don’t make me do it!”
My arm stiffened around her and dropped. “You want me to tell your daughter about your divorce?” I whispered my voice incredulous and inching towards anger.
“Alice please!” she pleaded.
“You want me to do your dirty work,” I said my voice a half laugh with disbelief. “Just like when you wanted me to go to her spelling bees when you were too busy. Like when you wanted me to go to her science fairs and award ceremonies! Like when you wanted me to tell her that you couldn’t afford to send her to math camp over the summer!” I was on my feet now with the tears spilling relentlessly down my cheeks. “Lisa is your daughter! Not mine!”
“She’s also your sister! Excuse me for thinking that you would be okay with being there for her when…!”
“When you’re too lazy to bother!” I shouted back angrily. I stormed angrily towards the door grabbing my jacket and purse. “Tell her yourself!” I shouted angrily through my tears. “If you want her to know what kind of a relationship you and dad have, you tell her. I’m sure she already saw it coming. Anybody with ears would.” My voice had slipped to barely above a whisper as I walked out of the house as a fast as my legs would carry without once looking back to see how my words had hurt her.

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Lisa

My entire body turned to ice as I listened to Alice screaming at Mom from where I was eavesdropping on the stairs. I covered my face with my hands so that they would not hear me sobbing softly. Though I was sure that the sound of my sister shouting would drown out everything else.
“Lisa is your daughter! Not mine!” she yelled furiously. I had to work even harder to hold the tears inside me. Maybe…it was my fault. Maybe they were divorcing because of me. Because I caused them so much stress.
“She’s also your sister! Excuse me for thinking that you would be okay with being there for her…!”
“When you’re too lazy to bother! Tell her yourself! If you want her to know what kind of a relationship you and dad have, you tell her. I’m sure she already saw it coming. Anybody with ears would.” Alice’s voice seethed with rage by the time she was finished. I flinched when I heard the door slam shut behind her.
I crept back up the stairs quietly but quickly, closed my bedroom door softly behind me, flung myself onto the bed and began to sob hysterically into my pillow. I cried for my parents’ broken relationship, for my abused sister’s shattered sense of self-worth, for the shattered remains of my life, and finally for the new knowledge that I now had. The new knowledge that said that I was a pest. That I ruined my sister‘s my mom’s and my dad’s lives. Not to mention my own.

Alice

I pulled slowly into the driveway of Aaron’s house and parked my car. I saw him leaning against his front door casually, smiling at me. I sucked in a deep breath of air and slowly let it out. I forced myself to smile back at him as I got out of the car and walked towards him.
“Hey,” I said smiling at him brightly.
His arms wrapped tightly around my waist and pulled me up against his muscular chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he kisses me eagerly and ravenously, pulling me tighter and tighter up against his body.
“Let’s go inside,” he purrs against my lips. My heart begins to move in triple time.
“I thought we were going to a party,” I whisper weakly, trying to keep my voice from quaking in fear. He chuckles softly as he releases my body, takes my wrist carefully, and pulls me into his house.
“I thought it would be more romantic with just the two of us,” he murmurs as he guides me to the couch. “A more private party.”
I stare at him carefully, holding the smile in place on my face.
“Wait right here,” he says kissing me softly on my neck before sitting me down on the couch and heading into the kitchen.
“Okay,” I say softly with my heart beating me up from the inside of my chest. I stare after him as he leaves the room trying to control the anxiety attack I feel coming. I quickly pull my cell phone out of my purse and send a text message to Anne.
Hey Anne. I am at Aaron’s house ALONE! Help me! Call me in five minutes with an “emergency.” Get me out of here!!!!!
“Hey baby,” Aaron said walking back into the room with two drinks in his hands. I jumped slightly when I heard his voice and quickly placed my phone back into my purse and tossed it aside.
“Hey babe,” I said in a shaky voice. He sits the drinks down and sits down beside me on the couch, immediately placing his arm over my rigid shoulders.
“How about a movie?” My voice is weak and desperate. It amuses him and he laughs gently.
“Relax sweetheart,” he says kissing my shoulder. I shiver slightly but he does not notice. His strong arms wrap tightly around me and his lips move to mine.
“Aaron I’m not comfortable with this,” I whisper softly. The tears begin to spill down my cheeks without my permission. He freezes and pulls away to look at me.
“What’s wrong!” he asks in a shocked voice, almost angry. My phone rings in my purse and I jump up from my seat on the couch. “Wait a minute!” he says grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from my purse and ringing phone back onto the couch with him. “What’s up?” he demands angrily.
My throat dries up and my body begins to shake. “Aaron I’m so sorry. I can’t do this.” I stand up again and move quickly for the door. Seconds away from the door and inches away from my escape, I feel his hand land hard on my shoulder as he spins me around to face him.
“What the hell are you talking about!” he shouts angrily into my face. I flinch away from his angry voice. My phone has stopped ringing.
“Aaron please don’t hurt me,” I beg frantically staring up into his face. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t do this. I’m not ready! His hands tighten on my shoulders and he pushes me up against the door.
“Shut up,” he growls in my face glaring ferociously. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and whimper weakly.
“Aaron please,” I beg him. “Don’t hurt me again! Please no! I can’t take it” His hand is suddenly wrapped tight around my throat cutting off my air.
“Shut up!” he shouts at me again, his fowl breath blowing into my face. I gasp in desperate horror. He suddenly throws me down onto the ground and I cry out in pain. I stare up at him in terror as he begins to lie down on top of me.
“Please no!” I plead with him again before his lips silence mine. I lay there underneath him crying while his hands begin to slide up under my shirt and my phone rings across the room in my purse. “No,” I whisper still pleading with him. “Please don’t hurt me.” He doesn’t listen to me. He hurts me anyway while I lie there crying and begging.




Lisa

She won’t let me help her! I sink down onto the floor in the corner of Alice’s room. My arms wrap tightly around my knees as I rock back and forth terrified. Every time I close my eyes, I see the two of them together. I see that animal on top of my sister, hitting her repeatedly. I hear her crying and begging him to stop hurting her but he never does. I tried to help her but she will not let me! I sit there on the floor rocking and crying for my older sister. No matter how much of a pest she thinks I am and no matter how much she may hate me, she does not deserve to be hit like that. Suddenly I hear my mom and dad shouting again.
“Jerry get the hell away from me!” I heard my mom shout from their bedroom.
“Shut up b****,” I heard my dad scream at her. I cringed slightly when I heard my dad’s powerful, booming voice calling my mom terrible things. Suddenly I heard a shriek of pain and my head snapped up shocked.
“Jerry stop!” my mom yelled. This time however, her voice was not angry. She sounded scared. I jumped to my feet quickly and heard a crash followed by the sound of my mom screaming loudly. My heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second before I bolted out of my sister’s room and into my parents’ room, just in time to see my dad kicking my mom in her stomach while she laid there on the floor trying to crawl away. We both screamed at the same time. My dad spun around to see me watching him beat my mom.
“Daddy,” I whispered in a tear-filled voice. “How could you?” He glared at me angrily for a long moment before he walked quickly past me out of the room. My mom rolled over to stare at me with tears in her eyes too and a cut across her cheek. “Mommy?” I said crying.




Alice

I woke up to find myself on the ground with Aaron on top of me kissing my bare chest. My eyes were puffy from all the crying I did and my body was throbbing painfully. I did not dare to speak or to move.
“I’m so sorry Alice,” he murmured against my skin. I shuddered from the sound of his voice. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.” He lifted his face from my chest and stared into my eyes.
“It’s okay,” I croaked and my voice trembled. He leaned down and kissed my lips softly. I kissed him back cautiously, trying not to anger him so he would not hurt me again. I was still so sore from what he had just done to me. He pulled away and stared into my face with sorrow and regret.
“I shouldn’t have done this to you baby,” he said pressing his face against my chest again. “Please forgive me!”
“Of course I forgive you,” I whispered stroking his head tenderly.
“Thank you,” he said softly. He kissed me once more before he finally got up off me. It took me a minute of struggle before I could move and sit up. I reached out and grabbed my bra and my shirt from where he tossed them. “I love you Alice,” he said as he watched me putting my clothes back on.
I looked up at him slowly and forced a smile onto my face. “I love you too Aaron,” I said standing up and grabbing my pants off the floor.
“Your arm is bleeding,” he said in a worried tone as I pulled my pants up. He moved for the bathroom and came back with a wet towel and a bandage. I stared at him frightened as he moved toward me. He saw the fear in my expression and he smiled remorsefully. “I won’t hurt you again Alice. I promise.” I watched him carefully as he wiped away the blood from my arm and placed the Band-Aid on before kissing it.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I should probably get home. I promised my mom I wouldn’t be out long.”
“Of course,” he said grabbing my purse and my jacket up off the floor and handing them to me. I take my things from him without meeting his eyes. His arms wrap tightly around me and he kisses me goodbye. “You’re so sexy,” he whispers as he kisses my lips, my cheek, and my throat. His fingers unfasten the top two buttons on my shirt so that he can kiss my chest. I stand there in his arms, letting him touch me however he wants. Finally, he lets me go and walks me out the door to my car. He watches me drive away with a big grin on his face. I drive all the way home without stopping. After pulling into my driveway, I pull out my phone and check the missed calls.

4 missed calls: Lisa

My eyes sting with tears and I bury my face into my hands and weep.




Lisa

I awoke to the sound of the front door opening. “Mommy?” I mumbled rolling over to see her lying beside me on her bed fast asleep. “Mommy wake up,” I whispered anxiously as I heard the footsteps entering the house. Daddy or Alice?
“Sweetheart?” she said groggily waking up.
“Mommy someone’s home,” I said clinging to her. “What if it’s Daddy?”
Her eyes snapped open and she pulled me into her arms lifting us both up into a sitting position.
“Mommy,” I said my voice panicky.
“Shhh,” she shushed me stroking my hair. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Lisa? Mom? Dad?” Alice called out in a feeble voice. I jumped from the bed quickly and ran out of the room, down the stairs, into my sister’s arms.
“Alice,” my voice was weak with relief as tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Alice,” my mom’s voice came from the stairs. I turned to see her coming towards us looking horrified. “Alice, what happened to you?”
Confused by her reaction, I really looked at my sister this time, and gasped in shock. Her hair was a mess, her arms were bruised and for the first time, they were not concealed with her jacket. There was a bandage on her right arm near her shoulder, and her face was wet with her tears. I stared up at her face in agony, pleading with my eyes. She pulled me up against her and hugged me again.
“Aaron,” she whispered over my head looking at our mom.

Lisa

As it turns out, our dad had been abusing our mom for years. She finally managed to break away from him. Our parents got divorced and our dad went to jail. Alice finally told Mom that Aaron had been abusing her and that he raped her. She told me how sorry she was for not listening to me before and I told her that she did not have to apologize to me. She was safe now. Mom called the police to report the abuse and the rape. My mom, my sister, and I have never been closer than we are now. My mom promised me that she would become more involved in my life and my sister apologized to my mom about their argument. Finally, we are all okay.




Alice

Finally, for the first time in a year, I am free. I actually feel safe. Aaron is gone and he cannot hurt me ever again. My deadbeat, abusive father is gone. My mom, my sister, and I are all free. I am single. I am a victim of rape and abuse. My dad is in prison for beating my mom. Still, my life has never been better and I have never been happier.