17

Another day, Martha beat me up for talking back until she busted my lip open. Violet apologized on my behalf, promising I wouldn’t do it again. Vi apologizes a lot. She also stands with her head bowed, listening to Martha calling her an ugly whore just like her slut of a mother and telling her she should be thankful that they took her in or she would’ve died on the side of the road like her drug addict mama. Violet always swallows the knife with its blood and buries her wounds deep. She never complains or causes trouble and prefers to suffer in silence. It wasn’t until recently that I found out Gerald touches her inappropriately, letting his hands wander and linger where they shouldn’t. To avoid conflict, she chooses to remain silent instead of speaking up, but she always speaks up when it comes to me. She always tries to rectify the situation and shield me under her wings. She always says I need to be careful with my spicy mouth, but I’m nowhere near as patient as she is and get easil