[Continued from Part 1]
Forcing one foot in front of the other, a step at a
time she finally made it down the stairs and to the dining
room doorway; she paused outside and desperately
gathered her flagging courage before stepping into the
room. She blinked back the tears forming in her eyes,
determined not to lose her last shred of dignity and cry in
front of everyone. Finally she entered the room, and all
eyes turned towards her. She could feel her face flaming
just at the thought that they knew what was coming.
She focused her attention on Henry, who held the
power of both pain and mercy over her. She approached
him on legs gone rubbery and held out the brush. "Here it
is, sir," she said softly, forcing the words past the
tightness in her throat. She had never called him Dad, and
usually called him Henry, but when she was under
punishment all he would accept was "sir".
time she finally made it down the stairs and to the dining
room doorway; she paused outside and desperately
gathered her flagging courage before stepping into the
room. She blinked back the tears forming in her eyes,
determined not to lose her last shred of dignity and cry in
front of everyone. Finally she entered the room, and all
eyes turned towards her. She could feel her face flaming
just at the thought that they knew what was coming.
She focused her attention on Henry, who held the
power of both pain and mercy over her. She approached
him on legs gone rubbery and held out the brush. "Here it
is, sir," she said softly, forcing the words past the
tightness in her throat. She had never called him Dad, and
usually called him Henry, but when she was under
punishment all he would accept was "sir".