Words being silently spoken between the distance of each breath. They seemed to think over their next move. “Dove is going to leave before you do anything…”

The main one tilted his head, and just when I thought he was about to say something, my dad opened his mouth. Until I noticed a couple of them were wearing suits. They were wearing plain black bandanas, and on any other day, I would have thought they were street thugs, maybe wanting money. The door swung open, and four men stood still, all with their guns raised. I-words were caught in my throat, threatening to choke me. We all dropped to the ground, my father lying on top of me, his back to my front, shielding me from harm. I remembered my dad shoving me behind him, and the desperate screams coming from my mom. “Come on, kiddo.” Dad pulled me under his arm, kissing the top of my head, just as my mom smiled at me, opening the door. I had been reciting the cheer that would no doubt take home Nationals, so every single step was a dance step. I treaded down the marble stairs, an extra bounce in my step. He wanted to run for office one day, probably sooner rather than later. My mom did nothing but stay at home and work on her garden beds, and my father was into political science. Her emotional desertion only somewhat stabilized me in a way, making me stronger, and anyway, I was one hundred percent a daddy’s girl.Ĭlimbing off the covers, I dashed into my closet to pull on my Ugg boots. When you’d been cultivated by the neglect of your own mother, it’s easy to acclimatize to the callousness of the world. Come on, before your mom starts yelling about your ballerina slippers being left out in the foyer.” Mom complained about everything, but she liked to pick even more when it came to me. What do you want?”ĭad nodded his head toward the hallway. “We’re thinking of getting takeout for dinner. My dad was standing at the threshold, his collar loosened around his neck and a smile on his face. I just didn’t like reminders in general.Ī knock on the door pulled me out of nostalgia. Mine weren’t bad they were actually pretty great. Like, hey! Here’s a reminder of what might have been the worst years of your life. But according to this yearbook, I was the most popular girl at school and a modern-day ballerina.

It’s all I’d known, which was not much at all. I mean, my parents and highly paid shrinks could only bring it down to me suffering from PTSD and suppressed memory. The incident was something we didn’t talk about.

We moved here when I was just short of eleven, right after-the incident.

People were astounded that I became so popular so quickly in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, even as a small child. Cheer captain and most popular girl at Charlston Academy, apparently. But I was about to find out…ĭove Noctem Hendry. Best Car Loans in Canada: A Comparison of Rates, Terms, and Financing

In peace lies havoc read online