As kids, my brother and I always hated when our parents argued. We’d want it to end quickly and without any long term sense of discord in the house. My Dad was soft spoken, and I rarely heard him raise his voice. Mom was more apt to be feisty and the most vocal. Everyone has their own way; speak their mind, or go silent. Yell, or remain calm. Blow up, be done with it, or stew for days.
You can imagine, considering the circumstances Wallis Ann and her family finds themselves in, there are strong opinions about certain decisions. Some are a matter of life or death. Tempers flare more often and quickly because, as time goes on and reality sinks in, there comes a feeling of hopelessness.
Sometimes the familial unit will start to erode, disintegrate, just like the mountainsides and homes washed away by the storm.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next day Papa was unusually quiet after he and Momma had a spit fight over whether he ought to bring Seph home.
A Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOK Fall/Winter 2017, and a SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) Trio Pick for 2018, THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET releases December 26th, 2017.
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My parents rarely argued, but I still remember those times. I’m sure stress…money…were at the root of the arguments. Considering the stress, worry, confusion, that Wallis Ann’s family was under, it had to have been hard to keep tempers under control.
Same here – and that’s probably why my brother and I hated it. And it was exactly that – about money usually. I love routine and order, knowing what to expect – so I wouldn’t fare so well under a situation like Wallis Ann’s and her parents. I think I’d likely be hard to live with. 🙂
In my family, I’m the scene-maker, the hot-tempered one.
As a kid, every time I raised my voice, my dad closed all the windows for fear the neighbors would hear, and who knows what they’d think? Which, to this day, I don’t get why that was more important than my feelings.
Beautifully written post as always, Donna! It’s such a delight to read every word you write… <3 <3 <3
Now why does that not surprise me? Ha! I’m a bit like your dad I think. I don’t like making a scene or being part of one! 🙂 Thank you, Lilac… <3 <3 <3
According to three of the four marriage counselors I went to with the first wife, you should never go to bed mad. If you have to see four marriage counselors you are past the point of no return. I moved out before we got to the fifth, so the sample size will remain small.
My parents solved by my dad working second shift (3-11). We only had to make it through weekends.
Hope they figure it out before the next chapter, I am not real partial to reading about marital strife.
Solved it, excuse me. Some of my childhood doesn’t come up often in polite conversation.
I’ve gone to bed mad…hm. I wonder what those marriage counselors would think of that?
There’s a deep love between all my characters, and disagreements aren’t the focus but simply set the tone because of what’s happened. They are a family in a tough situation, making tough choices, but generally speaking this story focuses on them trying to survive. We all have our childhood “skeletons in the closet” memories, that’s for sure.