Summary: Chapter 7
When Ellen arrives at Starletta's house after having fled
from her father, she offers Starletta's mother a dollar bill in
exchange for a place to stay. Starletta's mother tells Ellen that
she cannot take money from children but that she is welcome to stay
anyway. When she asks Ellen what is wrong, Ellen wonders why she
even has to ask, as it is obvious that she has run from her father's
physical and sexual abuse. However, to avoid a long explanation,
Ellen lies that she had been locked out of the house.
When Ellen wakes in the morning, she is surprised because
she does not "feel like [she] had slept in a colored house," even
though she slept atop the covers with her jacket on. Ellen returns
home and waits in the woods until she sees her father and his friends
drive away in his truck. After they leave, she goes inside, gathers
up her belongings in a box, and calls her mother's sister, her aunt
Betsy. Ellen calls Betsy because she has recently lost her husband
and thinks that she will want company, especially because she does
not have any children of her own. Ellen asks Betsy if she can stay
with her, and Betsy obliges, saying it will be nice to have a girl
around the house.
Ellen enjoys herself while she is at her aunt's house,
as Betsy is always telling Ellen to "make herself at home," which
Ellen gladly does. As the end of the weekend nears, Betsy asks Ellen
who is coming to pick her up. Ellen is confused, as she had planned
to stay with Betsy permanently. Betsy laughs and tells Ellen that
her visit had only been meant to last for the weekend and that now
she must go home, though she can visit again sometime soon.
After Betsy has driven her home, Ellen vows to lock herself
up in her room to stay safe. Sometimes, though, she forgets to lock
her bedroom door and her father forces his way in, but often Ellen
is strong enough to push him down and wriggle away. Other times,
he will stand outside of her door and taunt her. Ellen perfects
the act of breathing or moving without a sound to avoid giving her
presence away to him.
On Ellen's first day back at school, her teacher notices
the bruise on her arm her father has given her and arranges for
Ellen to live temporarily with her art teacher, as there is no one
else to care for her.
On reflection, Ellen admires how her new mama pays cash
for her groceries and never seems to run out of money. She also
remarks at how she makes everything from scratch because it is more
nutritious.
