Chapter 3 - THE FAMILY STORY
Rebecca’s letters did not begin with accusations.
That made them more believable.
She wrote about ordinary things.
Diane stealing her sweaters.
Their father, Harold Morgan, making pancakes on Sundays.
Their mother, Elaine, playing piano badly.
Summer trips.
School fights.
Then the tone changed.
Harold drank.
Not every night.
But heavily when business failed.
Rebecca wrote:
When Dad was calm, everyone said he was generous. When Dad was angry, everyone measured the room.
Claire recognized the sentence instantly.
Diane still did that.
Measured rooms.
Checked faces.
Controlled tone.
Rebecca described the first time Harold hit her mother.
A slap during an argument over money.
Then apologies.
Flowers.
Silence.
Then another incident.
Rebecca began intervening.
Diane did not.
Rebecca wrote:
Diane learned early that safety meant agreeing with whoever had the most anger.
Claire reread that line several times.
It sounded cruel.
Maybe unfair.
Then one cassette recording contained Rebecca and another voice.
A woman.
Older.
School counselor, apparently.
Rebecca said:
“My dad gets physical with my mom.”
The counselor asked:
“Has he hurt you?”
A pause.
Then:
“Not yet.”
Claire stopped the tape.
May you like
She did not want to hear the rest.
Not alone.
