A Trip for the Lost

“Caroline ate her apple slices and peanut-butter as if her strength and sole nourishment came from that browning fruit. Her stomach crying for more, she opened the fridge and scanned the shelves until her hands had grabbed the yogurt. She remembered most of the night before and all of its complexities, but what she could not remember was the incident that had caused such a large bruise to surface on the side of her back. Dismissive of it, Caroline called for her mom right as Billy walked through the back door holding a beer in one hand and a newspaper in the other. She held her breath and hoped that he would not notice the depravity of sleep in her eyes or the fear in her heart of sins hoped to be forgotten. He didn’t and instead slumped in the recliner.”