Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Didn't I tell you before we left? Behave yourself, don't go grabbing stuff that isn't yours. Goes in one ear and out the other, doesn't it?! Hand it over, now! You must be sick of living, itching for a taste of juvie, huh? You disobedient little brat-" Martha was swift in her reprimand, scolding right after the slap.

Everyone was too stunned to react.

The kid was dazed.

The woman and the man were dumbfounded.

Even Roseanne stood frozen in place.

"Wahh-Grandma hit me! Waaaaah-"

The troublemaker finally reacted, bursting into real, undiluted tears.

"I didn't take it! I don't even know where the stuff is!"

"Say that one more time? See if I don't tan your hide!" Martha was both angry and scared.

"I won't say! I won't!"

"That'll teach you to disobey! That'll teach you to take things! Hand it over, right now!" Martha got serious, aiming a flurry of slaps at the kid's rear.

The man and the woman tried to intervene, with persuasion and pulling, but to no avail.

"You old witch-how dare you hit me why aren't you dead yet?!"

incensed she nearly

stepped in, and Martha stopped her

was subdued, sniffling and fishing out a stack of documents

could

correct and nodded:

"That's good then."

child's parents: "My door was locked. He climbed in through the window. We're talking a drop from the second floor, at least thirty feet, right? Did you ever stop to think what could happen if such a small child fell?

The parents went pale.

the child, too ashamed to lift his

Martha and her family packed up to leave for

was late, Norris even offered to let them stay the

all good people, not like your mother... Better watch

that, she led her

his eyebrows, trying to figure out who he should

...

and her family

next morning, Madge hired three cleaners to help tidy up the house. After a morning's work, the place was spotless,

After breakfast, Roseanne decided

a

bookstore on West Street where she

only read it there but had