Her ass shaped to the cold seat. With her elbows on her knees, she rolled her head back letting out a slight moan of pleasure as the first trickle’s tone played through her legs. It was the kind of pleasure one can get only after the walls of their bladder have stretched slightly from the build-up of urinary pressure and then waiting until the absolute last minute before allowing the pelvic muscle to relax so a free flow can begin. She buried her face in her hands and rubbed her eyes. She held herself there for a moment, maybe for self-reflection or just to keep from throwing up. She opened her eyes, peeked between her fingers, and saw the stick. She did not even have to look to know what it was for. Within five minutes, an overstuffed black suitcase was propped against the wall next to the front door. Lea sat cross-legged in the floor staring at the black bag, crying. She did not want to leave. “That little fucking cunt,” Lea heard the slurred voice emanating from the back bedroom. Lea was not quite sure what was happening but she was sure Carissa was not coming with her. She imagined being in a dark room, by herself, with only stuffed animals to protect her. Stuffed animals were not real. Lea knew the only reason she was not scared of the dark was because Carissa slept in the bed across the room. Lea could not help the sound but tried to muffle her soft whimpers. Casey heaved to get the bag onto its rollers and moving across the carpet. “Lea quit crying and get in the car,”
