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do have a mind, Mama. And maybe I want to do more than entertain and volunteer. That’s all Vincent thinks I should do with my time once we’re married. Oh, and let’s not forget taking care of him.”
    “So what’s wrong with that? Do you know how many women would trade places with you in an instant?”
    “Good, then they can have him. I don’t want him.” She put some creamer in her coffee and stirred it, making as much noise as she could, her last statement reverberating in her mind. Yes, Jake and Lucia had helped her to see that. It was time to change her life.
    “You better patch things up with him. We need his money, and you owe me. Do you remember why, or do I have to remind you?”
    “No. Please don’t. You have ingrained that memory in my head. I don’t need to hear it again.” She cringed at the thought of listening to her mother tell the story of their father’s death one more time. He had been killed in a car accident after leaving the house in a fury. Her mother reminded Julia and her sister of that on a daily basis, and she blamed his fury that day on them.
    Her mother kept quiet for a bit. Julia didn’t even want to look at her, so she stared into her coffee. Her face ached, she was so very tired, and she was just sick of it all.
    She lifted her gaze to her mother’s, wanting her to see exactly what Vincent had done to her. Suddenly, a spark of anger lit her inside, hot and bright enough to make her speak her peace. “How’s it look, Mama? Did he hit me hard enough for you?”
    “Don’t you take that tone with me, young lady. I’ve given up everything for you and your sister.” She glared at her, but then she broke down in tears. The same old tears that came out every day. They no longer had the effect they’d once had.
    Her tone changed, crying as she stared at her daughter. “Julia, I don’t want him to hit you. But you should behave.”
    “Mama, I do behave. I do everything he asks me to do, but it’s never good enough for him. I am never good enough for him. Can’t you see? He’ll never be happy.”
    “I don’t like the bruises on your face. Julia, I’m sorry. You know I don’t want him to beat you. You’re so beautiful. Why would he ever want to mar your pretty face?” She rested her face in her hands and started crying in earnest.
    Tiffany came in from her bedroom off the living room. “What’s going on?” She glanced at each of them before declaring, “Oh my God, Julia! What happened to you?”
    “Vincent—he’s what happened to me.” Julia glanced at her sister, but then returned her gaze to the coffee. A few little grounds floated to the top, so she picked them out with her finger, not wanting to look at either her mother or her sister.
    “What the hell did you do?”
    Her head jerked back to her sister. “What the hell did I do? Why would you both assume I’m at fault? You should both know better. Don’t I always take care of you? I clean the house, and I cook for you or bring food home for you from the restaurant. I kiss Vincent’s ass so he can help take care of you, too. What do you two do except snipe at me all the time?”
    Her mother picked her head up from the table and wailed, “Just do as you’re told, Julia. Please.” Her head fell back down and she cried even more. “I can’t take this…I have to go to work at one o’clock and I’ll never be able to make it today.”
    Tiffany glowered at her sister. “She’s right, Julia. Just do as you’re told and there won’t be any more problems.”
    “Tiffany, I would think you’d understand.” She shoved herself away from the table and stalked over to her sister. “How does it look?” She moved her face to within inches of Tiffany’s, but her sister backed away. “What color do you like the best? The black? The blue? How about the purple? How the hell can you say you love me if this doesn’t bother you…if you think I really deserve to get slapped by my own boyfriend?”
    Tiffany’s