His hand slipped from her chin, and she reached for it. He looked at their joined hands; then his eyes found hers again, riddled with anguish. She didn’t know why she wanted to hold it, but it made her feel better, and she held it tighter, as much for him as for her. The small smile that appeared tugged at her.

He nodded, as if he understood that she needed the connection, and said, “We were still living in the house my grandmother had left to my mother. It was small. You walked into the living room from the front door, and the kitchen was straight ahead. There were two bedrooms to the right with a bathroom in between. All I had to do was get from the kitchen to my bedroom. I figured they’d go into her room and then I could go into mine. I waited, but their argument escalated to the point that he was shoving her around. I could tell she was blitzed out of her mind because she kept challenging him. I remember thinking, Shut up. Just shut up. I thought she’d get us both killed. Then things happened fast. I heard them land on the couch, and it got really quiet. I stepped behind the kitchen wall because I figured they were going to have sex, and I didn’t want to see it. But then I realized it was too quiet.”

Roni clung to the edge of the cushion, fearing for all he’d been through. He was still looking her in the eye, though now his teeth were clenched.

“There was a slap and a scream, and I ran into the living room. He had her pinned. He was…His pants were around his knees and he was forcing himself on her. His forearm was pressed against her neck. Her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head, and her face was this weird mix of colors. I don’t know. It’s all kind of fuzzy, but I hollered at him to stop and he kept raping her, not letting her breathe. I still had the knife in my hand, and I thought, What would Truman do? The answer came instantly. Protect family,” he said through gritted teeth. “Protect family at all costs. I tried to pull him off her, and he swung his arm out, throwing me back.” Quincy’s arm swung backward as he described it. “My face hit the wall, gashed open my cheek, but I heard my mother gasp a breath. That sent him into a fury. He hit her and leaned on her windpipe, fucking her like she was a rag doll. I didn’t think or anything. I just pushed to my feet and went after him. I didn’t want to kill him. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t, and even when I stabbed him, he kept going at her, so I kept stabbing, until he finally slumped over. I couldn’t breathe. I was shaking, and I stumbled backward and collapsed, thinking he’d already killed her. She was just lying there. I remember thinking, I didn’t do it. It’s not real.”