Eighty-Five

Alexis

My father's face was a glowing mask of rage. He looked at me as if I was a disgusting piece of scat, a look that he wore so often.

He was ashamed of me and harbored intense hatred towards D'Angelo for his actions against me. But I hated his direct transfer of aggression onto me. He acted as though I held power over a grown adult's emotions as if I could dictate how they should feel.

D'Angelo didn't want me as a lover. To him, I was just his baby mama. My brother, Caleb, stood behind me, and his eyes drew together in an angry frown.

Caleb wasn't fond of my over-demanding outbursts and was very different from me and Carol, but one thing was for sure: he loved us and was ready to protect us from any abuse we might receive under our fathers’ hands.

I took great pride in this, and the fact that Caleb had my back when everyone else was against me and that he could stand up to my father without fear was comforting.

One of the maids, Mary Ann, notorious for her habit of eavesdropping,