Spencer sat at her family dinner table picking at her food. Paula and Arthur noticed a changed in Spencer’s attitude, but neither of them knew what it was, they couldn’t just turn to Glen…or could they.

“What’s wrong, Spencer.” Paula asked helping herself to another scoop of her husband’s mashed potatoes. Spencer kept her head down and slowly at her corn, one by one.

Paula looked across the table towards her husband concerned. He shrugged his shoulder and slightly tilted his head towards their son who was eating his meat loaf quickly.

Spencer dropped her fork with a big clank and got out of her seat. “Can I be excused, I’m not feeling well.” Paula nodded her head as Spencer passed by her making her way up the stairs towards her room.

“Glen?” The parents said in unison.

“What?” He mumbled revealing the mashed up food in his mouth.

“Do you know anything about Spencer?”

“Besides that she’s been acting really weird.”

“So you don’t know either?” Arthur asked.

“Nope.” Glen burped loudly and reached for his glass of water gulping it down in one breath.

Spencer’s parents sighed loudly. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

“Are you sure you want to, Glen? What if it’s like…important?”

“She’s my sister. I’ll deal.”

He excused himself from the table and ran up the stairs to his sister’s bedroom. He lightly knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Glen opened the door slowly and made himself comfortable in Spencer’s desk chair. Spencer laid motionless on her bed with her eyes closed.

“What’s up, lil sis?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you serious going to turn me down? Look I’m here for you just in case you want to talk to anyone. Just talk to me, Spence.”

Spencer turned over facing her concerned brother. His eyes were kind and his face relaxed. Spencer took a deep breath and told him what had happened a few days ago.

–

“I’m going to fuck up her dad.”

“Glen, shut up.”

“He can’t get away with this!”

“I know.” Spencer voice cracked. She didn’t like talking about this. “Jessica doesn’t want to say anything.”

“So she just wants to deal with this until her father gets tired of her.”

“I guess.”

“Spencer, aren’t you going to do anything about this.”

“I tried Glen and I almost lost my best friend because of it.”

Glen sighed frustrated and passed me my cell phone. “Call her.” He stood up and kissed Spencer on her forehead and made his way out of her room. Spencer looked at her phone not knowing what to do. She flipped opened her phone and dialed her number.

***

“Jessie.”

“Its okay, Spence. I totally overreacted and I’m sorry.”

“I just want you to be safe, knowing that your dad…” Spencer hesitated, “hurts you, makes me sick. I just want him to stop.”

Jessica fell silent clutching her cell phone to her ear. “I want him to stop too.”

“I want to help you, but I want you to do it on your own.”

“I know, I’m just really scared.”

“You should maybe tell you mom. Have you told Steven? He’s like your best friend right?”

“No…I haven’t.”

“So maybe you should just talk to your mom.”

“I’m just really scared.” Jessica whispered lightly trying to hold back her tears. She never knew this thing effected her that much.

“If you want, I could go with you.”

“Would you, please?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you so much. I love you, Spencer.”

Spencer smiled letting out a big sigh. She knew she did something good. “I love you too, Jess.”