. She grabbed the plastic bags filled with heavy bottles of bleach and sur

the door open. The deafening sound of a re

hrown over the armrest. He was aggressively chewing a handful of p

thern walked in. A nasty

d loudly over the TV. "Couldn't f

fa and went into the guest room. She grabbed the handle of her m

scraped loudly against

ick white dish soap bubbles. When she saw the suitcase, her

grabbed the top of the s

er voice trembling. "I'll find a night shift. I'

rted loudly

r," Glenwood threatened, pointing a greasy fing

her head toward the sofa and glared at Glenwood with such violent in

wiped the tears off Gussie's cheek with her thumb. She grabb

ut the marriage certificate-the thin piece of paper she had pic

hands shook as she reac

names printed on the marriage certificate. Her breath hi

hair so fast it tipped over

, pointing a shaking finger a

he table and looked down at the certificate. He thr

dragged some homeless bum off the street to ma

ull glass of cold water sitting on the table an

nose and soaked his shirt. His face turned purple w

e gripped its thick rim, her knuckles turning white, and lifted it lik

Kathern whispered, her

en looked at the absolute lack of fear in Kathern's eyes. He cursed under his breat

face in her hands, trembling not just from the marriage certificate, but from the

she sobbed hysterically. "You sold yourself to some old creep b

's voice made Kathern's throat burn

r knees. She wrapped her arms tightly around Gussie's sha

aid fiercely into Gussie's ear. "

sing to listen, just repeating the

g at the top of his lungs. The sound of her baby crying snapped Gussi

r. She smoothed down Gussie's messy hair, her mind racing to