“You’re angry, and you have every right to be.”
“Don’t fucking tell me how I feel. You know nothing about me.”
Aria nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
The tension in the room grew as she tried to find things to talk about. “Your aunt. Was she a nice person?”
He shrugged. “She didn’t beat me, if that’s what you mean. She knew I was her meal ticket. For as long as she had me, Father paid all her bills.”
“Where is she?”
“Dead. A few years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
“Were you able to go to school and have friends?”
“Yes.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Yeah. I played football and baseball.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. I don’t think I could run if I had to.”
The atmosphere got tense until she heard the front door open, then her daughter’s voice.
She didn’t know how much more she could take.