As Monica spoke, Lauren’s hiccup turned into quiet sobs, and she buried her head in her hands. Everyone grew quiet. “It just seems so stupid.” Lauren looked up and wiped her eyes with the bottom of her tee shirt. “But I love David, I really do.” “It’s not stupid,” Monica said. Tears glistened in Anna’s eyes. “Sometimes he’s so sweet, and sometimes he makes me laugh. I was only sixteen when I met him. I’ve been married to him for almost half my life,” Lauren said. “I’m not sure who I am without him.” “People are complicated. Lives and relationships are complicated,” Monica said. “Situations sometimes seem simple when looking in from the outside. But they’re not.” “I tried to tell my friend that I couldn’t just leave, that Ben was really sorry, and I thought we’d be able to work it out. But she just got mad at me,” Beth said. “Why does she get mad at me?” “Because she’s scared,” Anna said. She pushed the blanket to the ?oor and sat up. Her thin arms shimmered with purple bruises as she popped open a can of diet cola. “She wants you to be safe, and she doesn’t know how to help you, so she gets mad.”
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“I think that’s true. People want to help, and they get frustrated and scared. They just don’t understand.” Monica paused. “You know one thing that we always tell people? Asking ‘Why doesn’t she leave?’ takes the responsibility for stopping the violence o? the abuser and puts it on the victim.” Lauren sat up straighter in her chair. “That’s not fair.” “This sucks,” Anna whispered. “It’s so hard to know what to do,” Beth said. “It is,” Monica said. “It can be overwhelming.” “But you know what?” Beth bounced a little on the couch. “We don’t have to know right now. We don’t have to make any decisions today.” “That’s right,” Monica said. “Take some time to think about your life, to make plans, to look at the possibilities. That’s why you’re here. Let us help you when you can. You’ll ?nd your way.” A shelter vo