My heart leaped. Daddy was home. Nick and Jimmy D. met him as soon as he came in the house. Jimmy D. said in a low, urgent voice, “Tuesday did something bad again, and Mama spanked her really hard.” I heard Daddy walking up the hallway, taking his usual long strides. The door to my bedroom opened. I kept my eyes shut, but I was aware of the light from the hall shining across my face. Through cracked eyelids, I watched him walk in and turn in the direction of my bed. As he approached me, I pretended like I was asleep. I wanted to appear innocent, like a sleeping angel, not an evil killer. I wanted him to see the cut on my lip, and the bloody towel by my head, and to feel sorry for me. I wanted him to get mad at Mama for hurting me, plenty mad. Mad enough to jerk her up from bed and demand an explanation. He knelt on the floor beside me. With his hand he brushed the hair away from my face. I winced when his thumb found a fresh knot on my forehead that I hadn’t been aware of. “Honey, you awake?”
