A winter's day unfolds with memories of a father developing photographs while teaching his only daughter the skill. A child observes, desiring to learn but feeling like an unseen insect. The narrative explores themes of fear instilled by an abusive parent and the competition among siblings for love. Writing about the complexities of abuse and jealousy within the family is acknowledged as a challenging endeavor. The dynamics at a kitchen table symbolize a family’s pecking order, hinting at deeper struggles faced by children in such an environment, particularly those dealing with health issues and emotional neglect.
"My father taught me fear. Small children rely on their parents for sustenance and survival and when a parent is abusive, the only love a child comes to know is corrupted."
"Writing about child sexual abuse is hard. Writing about the unfathomable, yet surprisingly common jealousy experienced as the sibling of an abused child is even harder."
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