• "This one is lovely, what do you call it?" A woman asked.
    "The Nile River." I replied plainly
    "If I may ask, why is it red?"
    "I... love the color red. It attracts attention, red is bold."
    "May I buy it? Your'e quite a talented young lady."
    "Ah, yes. $45.00 please." I was so delighted when she bought MY painting when there were so many others were a lot better than my red river. I could never get over the fact that my mother hates my art, and father is never home to see it completed. This woman though, someone of which I never met, bought and cherished my odd painting.
    I was overwelmed but depressed at the same time.

    ~~~

    When arriving home, mother was drunk again. I avoided my mother at all costs when she was drunk. She hurts me somtimes. She hallucinates thinking I'm somone else, breaking in. I made a wish when I was little, that daddy would come home and would tell mommy that she was doing the wrong thing, and mommy would stop drinking forever. Nothing like that would ever happen. Father works late. Mother is an acholic.
    Nothing can be done.

    ~~~

    "Hey Juli! What are you doing?" mother asked.
    "I'm painting." I said in a style that sounded rude.
    "Ugh. That s**t again? Well, at least your making money. Anyway, come get these dishes done." she called from the bottom of the stairs.
    "Yes ma'm..." It's not exactly child abuse, but I do feel pain. She is unappriciative of my talent and overly strict. Father said once, "Dear, please. Calm down. You can be strict without being mean." My mother looked at him coldly and said things I have been instructed not to repeat. I was young when they had this disscusion. I said, "I'm gonna marry someone and treat him nicely. I'm not gonna be mean like mommy." I got spanked for that comment. I've said a lot of things that have gotten me spanked. But what I said when I was older, got me somthing worse than a spanking.
    Much worse.

    ~~~

    "Mother... are we going to church this morning?" I asked her. She was watching TV at 11:00am.
    "No. What did you think dumbass? It's already this late." she said weakly.
    "Sorry. I guess I'll prepare breakfast?" I always wanted to stay on the good side of my mother. If I made her angry, she would just drink.
    "Yeah. I want scrambeled eggs."
    "Ok." I headed to the kitchen, and pulled out the materials for mother's breakfast.
    "Hey Juli." Mother said, startling me.
    "Yes ma'm?"
    "Why do you do all the dirty work around here?" I was scared with this quesiton. What is she planning? What is she thinking? "Well? Juli?"
    "Ah... Um, because you ask me to."
    "You could always go against me."
    "But your my mother! I would never disobay you!" I yelled, worried.
    "Why? Why don't you disobay me?!" I paused, nearly crying.
    "Y-you get abusive when I oppose you!" She slapped me across the face. Finally the tears ran down my cheeks.
    "Don't cry, you b***h!" She kicked me in the stomache. "Abusive? That's how you see me? Even after all the things I've given you?" another comment came out of mouth.
    "You give me everything but love!" She picked up from the ground and threw me back down.
    "I'll show you! You don't ******** with me!" she against the wall and countiusly did this.
    *Click*
    *Errr...*
    The door! I'm saved! I thought to myself. Father ran into the house and pulled my mother away from me.
    "F-Father..." I said, trying to get up.
    "It's alright, I'm taking you to the hospitle." He said hurring.
    "Give back that child to me! She insulted me!" My mother cried from behind us.
    "NO! I'm taking JULI to the hospitle!"
    "Don't you dare tell them it was me! If you, I'll do the same to you, you b*****d!" Father ignored her threats and carefully placed me in the backseat of the car. We drove away to the hospitle, and weakly told my father,
    "D-Don't... tell them about-"
    I fainted, but a singel tear fell from my eye.

    ~~~

    "Juli...!" Voices...? I thought
    "Are you okay..."
    "Wha... Father...?" I said slowly opening my eyes.
    "Yes! It's me Juli! Thank God your alright."
    "Where's mother...?" I hoped that father had spoke to her and she was waiting for outside my hospitle room, ready to comfert me. But no.
    "No. She's in jail for child abuse."
    "Ah... I-I see..." No I didn't. I cried, wishing she was here to kiss me on the forehead, like she did when I was a baby. For some reason, I wanted the person who abused me. Why? I didn't know. I never figured it out. I visited her somtimes. I brought my art once hoping she would accept it. It was a picture of a dad, a mom, and a daughter... in red.
    "I like it." Is what she said. Mabey another artist would be disgusted by the average comment. I wasn't. I cried, and for the first time in a long time, My mother said,
    "I love your painting, and I love you."