Inescapable by Nancy Mehl Page B

this town. Have you ever voiced your opinion to Father?”
    â€œI have no intention of speaking my mind,” she said with a sigh. “Especially now. If I anger him, he certainly will not allow you to stay. He is a man obsessed, Lizzie. That is why he does not take care of his duties at home or at work. I dare not cause more antagonism by challenging him about his view of our town’s spiritual path. It would only destroy the uneasy peace that still exists in our home.”
    In all the years I’d lived in this house, she’d never stood up to my father. Not when he spoke hurtful words to me, not when he punished me for breaking one of his many rules by locking me in my room without dinner, and not even when he spanked me for things I hadn’t done. It still hurt inside, remembering how she stood by in silence, never challenging him. Never standing up for me. I wanted to ask her why, but I wouldn’t. Not because of any nobility in my own soul, but because I sensed her emotional fragility. No matter what I’d been through, I couldn’t hurt her. The pain she’d already suffered through Father’s lack of compassion had already pushed her to the limits of her strength—yet somehow she’d endured. I wouldn’t be the one to push her over the edge.
    â€œI understand.” I glanced nervously toward the front door, wondering if I’d heard the knob rattle. Why was I still so afraid of him? I tried to remind myself that I was a full-grown adult and a mother myself. “What do you think Father will do when he comes home and finds me here?”
    â€œI do not know. He is so bitter and resentful these days. I must admit that I am afraid.”
    â€œYou don’t need to be afraid for me—or for Charity. Father can’t do anything to hurt me now. Nor would I allow him to harm Charity. I’m not a child anymore, Mother.” I searched her face, seeing the fear etched there. “I won’t allow him to hurt you either.”
    Her eyes widened. “He has never struck me, Daughter. And the discipline he applied to you was never violent. Your father believed it was entirely scriptural.”
    It took effort for me to swallow the anger that rose inside me. My father’s discipline was never administered with love or concern for me. I fought to bring my emotions under control. I grasped my mother’s hand with both of mine. “I’m out of options, Mother. Please try to convince him.” I hoped she’d never think to ask me why I hadn’t stayed in Kansas City and simply found another job. I didn’t want to tell her about my stalker, nor did I want her to know about the charges of theft. Although I tried to convince myself that she would never believe I’d robbed the shelter, I couldn’t be sure. She had to know I’d taken her money when I’d left town. Would she believe I’d also taken money from my employer? Even if she didn’t, I had no desire to worry her.
    She gently pulled her hand away and rose from the table. She took a pencil from a holder near the cookie tin and quickly scribbled a note on a piece of paper. “Take this message to Cora Menlo at the café. Tell her you need a place to pass the time for a while. I will remain here and wait for your father. Let me tell him of your return before he finds out another way. After that, I hope he will allow you and Charity to move back in with us.” Her fingers shook as she handed the paper to me. “You must leave now, though. Hurry, before he arrives.”
    I got up and helped Charity down from her chair. When she begged for another cookie, my mother wrapped a couple of them up to take with us. We hurried to the door, quickly pulling our coats on. Before we stepped outside, Mother hugged us both so hard Charity said, “Grandma, you’re loving me too much.”
    Even though my mother and I couldn’t keep back our tears at having to