Adam awoke at about 10 AM that Saturday. His eyes were dry and scratchy. He didn’t want to crawl out of bed. He wanted to pick up the phone and dial Summer’s number, but he knew she wouldn’t be there.

He thought about last night, about her voice, so cheerful and sweet. He loved hearing her say his name. He sighed.

Then he heard his Dad enter the room his heart skipped a beat now, the same as it had happened before. His Dad was very disappointed. The vein in his forehead was sticking out. That was not a good sign.

Even with the anger management classes and family therapy sessions, he still blew up. He looked like he was gonna blow. He walked over and yanked the phone cord from the jack, grabbed the phone from my hands, and wrapped it tightly in it’s own gray line. I watched in silent horror as my life-line, my hope, my happiness, was taken from me.

Then Adam cried. He cried until his body ached from the racking sobs. He enjoyed the ache. It felt right to be so physically punished for this emotional pain.