Shhh

“Shhh, they’ll hear us.”

“What? Where?”

“Downstairs... just heard the front door chime.”

“What do we do?”

“Keep quiet and hope they’re distracted and don’t come up here.”

“Why they home so soon? Thought they were at the Finch party.”

“Don’t know. Maybe it got boring. Maybe there wasn’t enough booze.”

“Are they fighting? Your mom sounds weird.”

“Yeah, they do that a lot. Sounds like he caught her talking to someone she shouldn’t have.”

“Huh?”

“Dad’s kinda possessive, especially when he drinks. He doesn’t like when she talks to other men.”

“He’s really giving her Hell. Should we do something?””

“Nah, it’ll blow over. I usually put on headphones.”

“He throwing things around? Is she safe? Oof... he hit something.”

“What do you care? He's not up here. That’s all that matters.”

“He sounds out of his mind.”

“Shhh. Don’t your parents fight?”

“Yeah, but not like this. Sounds like he’s dragging her around the room down there. We should do something."

“Shhh. The last thing we need is to draw his attention up here. Just sit tight. It’ll be over soon.”

“What if he kills her?”

“Nah, sometimes she eggs him on. It’s twisted.”

“He ever go after you?”

“Shhh. Put on the headphones.”

“How can you listen to this?”

“I don’t got a choice. I used to try and help. Never went well for me… or her.”

“What if I scoot out the window and make noise outside - you know, as a distraction, so he stops hurting her.”

“Shhh. Bad idea. If he catches you, we’re done for.”

“Why doesn’t she leave?”

“Too scared, I suppose. He tails her, so she knows better.”

“What? You father he follows your mother? For real?”

“Just part of the job.”

“Yeah, but you’re not supposed to spy on your own family. Shit, did he hit her with something.”

“He likes to go at her with the fire poker sometimes. At least there isn’t a fire lit right now.”

“We gotta call the police. This is bad.”

“Shhh…”

“Shit, he is…?”

“He gets like this when he drinks. It’ll pass.”

“I’m climbing out the window… I'll distract them, or call for help.”

“NO! If he finds you… trust me… you don’t want that.”

“But he’s hurting her. You okay with that?”

“Better her than me.”

“What are you saying?”

“Shhh.”

“He ever hurt you?”

“Shhh.”

“Answer me. Frannie? You’re shaking...”

“Shhh. I'm fine.”

"It's awful quiet down there now."

"See I told you, it'd blow over."

“Fran, someone’s coming up the stairs. Is it her? Is she getting away from him?”

“Quick, get in the closet.”

“No, what if he…”

“Ty, get in the goddamn closet! Now.”

“But..."

"Not Another Word."