Page 26 (1/2)

Della

"I shouldn't have got you If it hadn't been for you crying and keepinga nap I wouldn't have let o to that store It's all your fault, Della All your fault He knows it, too He wanted to stay with me but I was so sleepy So very sleepy You wouldn't let me sleep" Mother roared and reared back and slapped e of the bed before I fell down

"If you had slept at night and let ood mommy toI didn't want another baby Your father wanted a little girl He said it would complete our family You didn't complete us! You destroyed us!" I braced ain I tried not to cry I tried not to whirier I had to stay calo to her room

"Get on that bed and don't et you for being such a bad girl They know it's all your fault They knohat you did to me"

I never understood her when she blamed me for my brother's death---I was a baby when it happened---but I let her yell and hit rier Once she had hit me at breakfast and I didn't wake up until the ht I had been on the kitchen floor with a pillow under my head and a blanket over me She had put two plates of food beside ht back anymore I was scared to

"Get on that bed!" she screamed as I scrambled to do as she commanded "Don't co away and sla the door behind her I heard the familiar click and I knew she'd locked me in My door had always locked froht, Momma," I whispered as I pulled my knees up to my chin and rocked myself back and forth while I pretended that I had a better life One where I could go outside and ride a bike

I opened uest bedroo I had never dreainary blood on otten but her words that day s over and stood up I had dreamed and not screamed I was afraid to hope, but I had never been able to do this I opened my door and stepped out into the dark hallway Braden would be asleep and I didn't want to wake her But I needed to process this

I walked to the kitchen to get a drink of water

Braden was standing at the counter with a glass of ht, when I walked into the room Her eyes shifted to me "Della? Are you okay? I didn't hear you"

I stood there as it really sank in I had dreaht terror "I dreamed about her About my life then AndandI just woke up No blood I never saw the blood I just woke up"

Braden stared at me as she processed what I had told her Then she set her milk down on the bar and ran over tobetter Already, you're getting better," she said in a teary voice

I wanted to cry, too I wanted to cry because I realized Iafter all? What if, underneath all that fear, I had buried someone deep inside as brave and could take on life without so to be okay," I said out loud, because I needed to hear hter "I know you're going to be okay I know it"