Hillary_Flesh and Blood (12 page)

Kathy paid close attention to the conversation from where she was stationed in front of the stove but she didn
’
t interject.

“
I don
’
t need to go to church.
”

“
You want to go to hell instead?
”
Michael said, his voice rising steadily in accord with his patience.

You
’
re the one who
’
ll be going to hell...and sooner than you know....

“
Yeah, right,
”
Hillary exclaimed,
“
I
’
m
going to hell?
”
she arched her brow daring him to debate it.

Michael grew incensed by Hillary
’
s defiance. He swiftly stood up, causing Caleigh to jump. She stood as well, allowing him to pass in front of her.

“
You
’
re going to church, that
’
s final!
”
he ordered, pointing as he spoke to emphasize his resolve.

“
No I
’
m not!
”
Hillary shouted back, looking straight into his eyes, challenging him.

“
Hillary, you know we always go to church together every Sunday,
”
Kathy interjected as she turned to see Michael and Hillary glaring fiercely at one another.

“
Stay out of this, Kathy,
”
Michael yelled, without breaking his gaze.

“
Yeah, Kathy, shut up and obey your master,
”
Hillary added.

Kathy
’
s mouth hung open. What had happened in such a short period of time? One moment Hillary happily resembled her former self and the next she was as angry and bitter as ever. Caleigh
’
s eyes were wide with excitement as she sat down to enjoy the show.

“
See, that
’
s exactly why you need to go to church...to learn right from wrong.
”

“
Well then you
’
d better pack a bag and move in,
‘
cause you
’
ve got a lot to learn,
”
Hillary retorted.

Kathy could see that Michael was close to losing control. His eyes were narrowed as he glared at Hillary malignantly. Hillary met his gaze with her own venomous stare. Michael walked over to Hillary, crouched down and placed his head just inches away from hers.

“
We go to church as a family...together,
”
he said slowly and emphatically,
“
you
’
ll be right there next to us when we attend the ten o
’
clock mass.
”

“
No I won
’
t,
”
Hillary said defiantly.

“
You
’
d better watch it, Hillary.
”

“
Or what?
”

“
Or you
’
ll be sorry.
”

He
’
ll be the one who
’
s going to be sorry....

Hillary chuckled.

“
What are you laughing at?
”
Michael shouted, enraged. He stood up and slammed his hand down on the table startling both Caleigh and Kathy. Caleigh was no longer amused. She had never seen her father so angry before. Kathy flipped the half-cooked pancakes onto a plate and rushed over to Hillary.

“
She
’
s going to church,
”
she said nervously,
“
she
’
s just teasing you.
”

“
No I
’
m not,
”
Hillary said indignantly.

“
Honey, it
’
s Sunday, the Lord
’
s day,
”
Kathy said softly to Hillary, trying desperately to reason with her. Hillary didn
’
t turn to face h
er
mother. She sat obstinately firm, staring up at Michael and challenging his authority.

“
You
’
re one to preach,
”
she responded,
“
like you
’
re so good and righteous.
”

“
Don
’
t talk to your mother that way,
”
Michael shouted. He reached out clamped her jaw firmly.

“
No, no,
”
Kathy pleaded fearfully,
“
let her go, let me talk to her....
”

Michael held on to Hillary
’
s face. She neither attempted to pull away nor give any indication that she was distressed by his action.

“
You
’
re going,
”
Michael growled, tightening his grip on her jaw.

Don
’
t cry out...don
’
t let him know it hurts...he
’
ll be the one suffering soon....

Hillary felt as if her father was going to crack the bone but she didn
’
t wince. She continued staring into his eyes.

“
Michael!
”
Kathy yelled loudly.

Michael released his grip on her face and walked away furiously. Hillary watched him go with a smug look on her face.

Kathy stooped beside Hillary and caressed her jaw.

“
I
’
m sorry, sweetie, he didn
’
t mean it, he
’
s just set in his ways...why don
’
t you want to go to church?
”

“
Really,
M
om? You have to ask?
”
Hillary faced Kathy, who took Michael
’
s place at the receiving end of her hateful glare.

“
You have to be strong, Hilly, pray for strength, pray for
—”

“
Pray? Pray for what? A father who isn
’
t a creep? A father who doesn
’
t
—”

“
Hillary,
shhhhh,
”
her mother interrupted,
“
Caleigh, go back to your room, I have to speak to Hillary.
”

“
What? That
’
s not fair, I
—”

“
Now
Caleigh,
”
Kathy said sternly and Caleigh exhaled sharply as she stood up and stormed out of the kitchen.

“
I don
’
t want you sp
r
eading lies about your father in front of your sister,
”
Kathy chided angrily.

“
Are you kidding me? I
’
m not lying...you know it, you know it
’
s true, you
—”

“
Shut up, Hillary, shu
t
up!
”
she demanded, clapping her hands over her ears.

She
’
s not even listening....

“
Listen to me....
”
Hillary pleaded.

Kathy applied greater pressure to her ears, refusing to listen. She shook her head to emphasize her objection.

She can
’
t hear you...she WON
’
T hear you....

Hillary stood up and abruptly walked out of
the
room, bumping into Kathy in the process, nearly knocking her back. Kathy quickly swung her hands out behind her to keep from falling. She could hear Hillary stomping up the stairs. She stood up slowly and walked back to the stove to turn over the bacon. It had overcooked to a crisp and she cursed under her breath. She angrily removed the stiff, crunchy pieces from the pan and onto a paper-towel lined dish. She turned her attention to the pancakes while tears rolled down her face.

Minutes after Hillary entered her room, her father joined her, closing the door behind him.

“
No!
”
Hillary exclaimed, answering an unasked question, refusing a silent command.

“
I don
’
t know what
’
s gotten into you, girl, but from now on you
’
ll do what I say when I say it.
”

From now on, things are going to be different....

“
No,
”
Hillary said calmly,
“
from now on, you
’
re going to leave me alone.
”

Michael was outraged but he laughed out loud in spite of himself. Who did Hillary think she was to speak to him so disrespectfully? She was his...he owned her and she would do whatever he wanted. Michael stopped laughing and looked at Hillary. Did she change her hair? Was she wearing makeup? There was something different about her. She didn
’
t have her usual frail, fearful look. She looked...dangerous. Michael wanted to laugh out loud again at his own absurd thought, but didn
’
t, couldn
’
t. There was no doubt that something had happened to change Hillary. She had become confident and daring. Michael was losing his dominance and control. He was not about to let that happen.

“
I should take you right here and now, show you who
’
s in charge.
”

Never again...don
’
t let him touch you....

“
Go on and try,
”
she said tauntingly.

Michael lunged forward. Hillary didn
’
t move. He was just about to grab her when a knock at the door stopped him.

“
Hillary?
”
Caleigh said as she entered the room.

“
Oh, Dad...I didn
’
t know you were here,
”
she said.

“
Go to your room, Caleigh,
”
Michael barked.

Caleigh turned to leave.

“
Stay, Caleigh...you wanna see what Daddy likes to do?
”
Hillary said playfully.

Caleigh froze. What was going on?

“
Out Caleigh!
”
Michael shouted.

“
Daddy wants to touch me now,
”
Hillary said,
“
you can watch if you
’
d like.
”

“
Shut up, Hillary!
”
Michael yelled loudly,
“
don
’
t pay any attention to your sister, Caleigh, she
’
s very disturbed.
”

“
Of course I
’
m disturbed! You would be too, Caleigh, if Dad raped you over and over and
—”

Michael
’
s fist connected with her eye with such force, Hillary was knocked to the floor instantly. Michael hadn
’
t even realized he had lashed out until he saw her small body fly back and fall limply to the floor. It was as if he watched in slow motion. The next thing he knew, Caleigh was running over to Hillary.

He
’
s going to pay for this....

Hillary could feel her eye swelling. Was it just tearing or was she crying?

“
You okay, Hillary?
”
Caleigh asked, genuinely concerned for her sister.

“
Get out of my room!
”
she hissed, startling Caleigh who didn
’
t expect such a reaction from
her. With
hurt feelings, Caleigh turned and ran out of the
bed
room. Hillary stood up quickly, feeling a bit dizzy and disoriented. She stood in place a moment to gather her senses then ran past her father, down the stairs and straight to the kitchen. Caleigh was already there standing by her mother, talking animatedly.