Wishing for Someday Soon Read Online Free PDF Page A

from the bathroom since we didn’t have any paper towels. In my haste to clean up the mess quickly, the toilet paper became a soggy mess. I knew logically I should have grabbed an empty grocery bag, but my head was still fuzzy from the hit. I didn’t realize my mistake until I was carrying the soggy toilet paper to the kitchen trash, leaving little droplets of milk that slipped between my cupped hands splattering onto the linoleum floor.
    “KATELYN, you stupid ass, you’re dripping milk all over the damn place!” Lucinda screamed at me as I dropped to my knees to clean up the drops of milk. Lucinda’s rage hit the optimal level as she pelted me over and over again with her closed fist. The blows fell heavy on my back and head. I curled up in a ball, waiting for the storm to pass. I knew it would be over soon and that when it passed her rage would be gone. That was the way it always played out, Lucinda hit until she was done being mad.
    After a few moments, she finally left me on the floor as she stormed out of the trailer. I waited several moments to make sure she wasn’t coming back before uncurling my aching body. My head pounded in agony and my back tried to boycott my movements, but after a moment, I was finally able to rise.
    I looked up and saw Kevin standing in the hallway with tears streaming down his cheeks.
    “It’s okay, champ,” I said, grimacing in pain as I tried to smile to reassure him it was okay.
    “I could've stopped her,” he said, looking at me defiantly.
    “No, you couldn’t, and you know that,” I told him sternly. I had drilled it into his head repeatedly, never to interfere. As a rule, Lucinda never really hit him and I didn’t want her to get any ideas. I could take the punishment, but there was no way Kevin was going to.
    “Are you okay?” Kevin asked, accepting my rules once again.
    “Sure, it barely hurts at all. She could hardly get a good angle with me hunched on the floor like that,” I lied easily.
    Kevin wiped the tears off his cheeks and looked relieved at my words.
    “I made us sandwiches,” I said, picking up the now crushed bag on the floor. “Why don’t you get us more milk while I use the bathroom, and then we'll eat in my room like a slumber party, okay?”
    Kevin smiled at my words, “Okay,” he said, scurrying off to the kitchen to get our milk.
    I gingerly picked up the rest of the stuff off the floor and lugged it back to my room before heading to the bathroom. I closed the bathroom door firmly behind me and turned the water on full blast as the shakes completely consumed me. I did not cry since I had a strict rule to never let Kevin see me cry. I’d learned to shut most of my emotions away, but at times like this, my emotional wall would crumble slightly. I wrapped my arms around my midsection as I sank down on the closed toilet seat. Getting the shakes after one of Lucinda’s meltdowns was the only reaction I couldn’t seem to control. Once they took hold, it was all I could do to remain upright. The pain from the multiple blows was insignificant versus the fear that always raced through me during one of her rages. I loathed admitting that Lucinda scared me. I was terrified that one day her rage would not be pacified and she would hit until there was nothing left, leaving Kevin behind, alone.
    After a few moments, I finally pulled myself together, knowing that Kevin would start to worry. I stood on shaky legs in front of the sink and studied my reflection in the mirror. My left cheek looked like I had gone way overboard with the blush, making it resemble half of a clown's face. I touched it gingerly and grimaced in pain. It was tender, but looked like it wouldn’t bruise, which was a relief. I turned and lifted my shirt to see if I could get a glimpse of the damage to my back. I could only see a small section, but saw several bruises were already starting to form. Ugh, it would be painful to sit in a desk chair all day tomorrow. I would have to make