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THE DAY BENNY CAME.

Hes gone. I heard the door go. Ingrid relaxes, her shoulders unwind, the nerves

untense. Just wait he !a" return. #he waits, listens. He does that so!eti!es returns

and stands loo$ing at !e as i% he &ant de&ide a'out !e. No sounds o% hi!. Mu! in

the $it&hen (ots and (ans water running, 'ut not hi!. Ingrid stares 'ehind her in&ase her %ather has snea$ed in without her hearing hi!. No one. #he 'ites her lower

li(. That ti!e shed thought hed gone and she turned and he was there and he

wallo(ed her one a'out the head sa"ing she was loo$ing at hi! evil e"ed. #he loo$s

at the ta'le at her 'rea$%ast 'owl and &ereal. He would den" her even that so!e

!ornings. Been too naught" hed sa" and !ade Mu! ta$e it out and hed sit there

e"eing her and i% he thought she was !a$ing %a&es hed sla( her leg. Hes gone. )elax.

#he 'egins to eat her &ereal. #(oons it in slowl", *ust in &ase he &o!es in suddenl"

out o% nowhere and wha&$ and shed &ho$e. )elax. Her !other in the $it&hen washing

u(. #(oons in !ore &ereal. #he thin$s o% that ti!e shed ta$en a 'is&uit %ro! the *ar

and he said she was a thie% and wha&$ed her hard and !ade a 'ig !ar$ on her. Benn"

noti&ed. Benn" $nows. Her %ather hates Benn". Youre not to see that Benedi&t $id, her

%ather said, i% I see "ou with hi! "oure %or it. #he sees hi! still. +ere the sa!e age,

in the sa!e &lass at s&hool. Nine "ears old. #he !ouths in !ore &ereal. i&$s the

s(oon a%ter. oo$s at the (hotogra(h on the side'oard. Bla&$ and white. -ive o% the!.

Ba&$ then. Her %ather is at the 'a&$ gri! as death, 'la&$ suit and tie, white shirt.

Mu!s next to hi! wide e"ed and (ale as death. That gre" dress. Her 'ig 'rother To!

at the %ront. #!iling. /one now a%ter that 'ig argu!ent with Dad last wee$. #"lvia

!" 'ig sister sitting next to To!. /one last "ear with that #(iv. And !e at the end

glasses and 'u&$ teeth even then. A 'ang at the door. +hos that0 Mu!ll go. istens.1uts her s(oon down. Bites her li(. Blin$s. Ma"'e hes 'a&$ %orgot his $e"s. Bla!e

!e. ast ti!e he did he 'la!ed !e. #aid I hid the!. 2oi&es at the door. Not hi! then.

#he relaxes. 1i&$s u( the s(oon. Eats a s!all !outh%ul. Nervous. Alwa"s a!.

-ootste(s &o!ing. Is it hi!0 #he (uts down the s(oon and stares at the doorwa".

Mu!. #tanding there a &igarette in her !outh e"es s&rewed u( against the s!o$e.

That Benn" 'o"s here at the door. Benn"0 Here0 /ood *o' "our %athers not here or

thered 'e hell to (a", the !other sa"s. +hat does he want0 #a"s he wants to ta$e "ou

out. Ingrid loo$s at her 'owl, %ingers with the s(oon. Can he &o!e in a !inute0 Not

good idea, what i% "our %ather returns unex(e&tedl"0 Just a %ew !inutes while I eat!" 'rea$%ast0 The !other sighs. Have to 'e 'lood" 3ui&$ in &ase "our dad &o!es

'a&$ %or so!e reason. Then well 'oth 'e %or it. The !other goes out and disa((ears.

2oi&es. The door &losing. #he hates the sound o% the door &losing. It usuall" !eans he

ho!e. I% hes singing or hu!!ing it !eans all is well, 'ut i% hes 3uite and sullen then

I! %or it or so!eti!es Mu! gets it %irst and !e a%ter. That sound. Door &losing. #he

stares at the doorwa". Benn" a((ears s!iling. His hair with the 3ui%% the ha4el e"es.

Co!ing out0 He as$s. +here are "ou going0 He sits on the settee, loo$s around the

roo!. Thought wed go to see a 'it o% art. Art0 +hat (aintings and that0 He loo$s at

the her. Yes, National /aller". Costs nothing. #he (i&$s u( her s(oon and eats &ereal,loo$ing at hi!, listening %or the door. How do we get there0 Bus to Tra%algar #3uare.

How !u&h is the %are there0 #he as$s. Not !u&h %or $ids. He loo$s at the (hotogra(h

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on the side'oard. #ee "our old !an is as gri! as ever. #he li&$s the s(oon %or the last

'its o% &ereal. #he &an hear her !other 'anging a'out in the $it&hen. +ill she tell Dad

when he gets ho!e0 Hard to sa". +ell, are "ou &o!ing0 Benn" as$s, loo$ing at the

%ire(la&e. You shouldnt have &o!e here !" dad !ight have 'een here still. I saw the

old 'ugger go, Benn" sa"s, wat&hed hi! wal$ through the #3uare, Benn" sa"s with

that grin o% his. He !ight have &o!e 'a&$, she sa"s, (utting down the s(oon. Thenwhat0 +ho $nows0 Benn" sa"s un&on&erned. #he gets u( and wal$s towards hi!. He

would have hurt !e %or "ou 'eing here. He hurts "ou an"wa". #he %eels uneas". The

'ruise on her thigh is still there *ust under her dress. Ill as$ Mu! i% I &an go. He nods

and s!iles. I% onl" she &ould s!ile li$e that. I% onl". Ill as$ her. He loo$s at her go.

#he %inds her !other sorting out washing %or the &o((er. Can I go out with Benn"0

He still here0 Ingrid nods. Yes. +here0 #ee (aintings. +here0 National /aller". Too

%ar. Not %ar, Benn" sa"s, standing 'ehind Ingrid at the door. Bus ride awa". You

shouldnt &o!e here, the !other sa"s. Not wel&o!ing, Benn" sa"s. Not !eant to 'e,

the !other sa"s. Ingrid 'ites her li(. Her sto!a&h tightens. +hat shall I sa"0 +ill shetell0 Her !other stare stares at her. 5n "our head 'e it I dont want to $now. The

!other turns awa", sorts !ore washing. /ot to go to toilet, Ingrid sa"s. 5$, Benn"

sa"s, Ill wait. Ingrid goes o%% to the toilet lo&$s the door. Benn" stands '" the door

staring at the !other. Ingrid sits down. Her sto!a&h &hurns. #he listens %or voi&es.

Nothing. +hat i% Dad &o!es 'a&$0 #he waits. The 'ruise on her thigh is 'lue and

'la&$.