The sun was barely up, but my dad was already rummaging around in the room next to mine, and the aroma of bacon frying made my stomach growl in appreciation. I’d barely slept a wink thinking of what Annabelle had shared with me. The guilt of not being able to protect her overwhelmed me, but the thing I focused on was that I could now. She was not going back to the fucker and I wouldn’t let him near her ever again. Once I showered and dressed, I stepped out to see Mama dancing in front of the stove as she flipped the eggs. “Hey, Mama,” I called out over the music she had on. “Hey, sugar. Eggs and bacon will be ready in a minute.” I sat at the table after pouring a cup of coffee and started to read the paper. Out of the corner my eye a glimpse of yellow startled me, as it looked painfully familiar. I tipped my head to the side and looked under the crossword puzzle section that mama always pulled out to do.
