I hate dinnertime. Mama avoids everyone's eyes and father glares at me, making my insides churn as I think of the obvious outcome after the meal.

But this meal was to change my life and my way of thinking.

Father had stood up, as one usually did when they had an announcement.

"I have something to say." He declared and we looked up at him expectantly. "I have been thinking a lot and it is time to settle some future plans for Martha."

He looks at us us but we are still, watching intently so he continues.

"So I have decided. She is to be married next month, to a good friend of mine, Hans Fritzherb."

Mama gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. I am still, silent and shocked.

I know about Hans Fritzherb. He is my father's age and owns a butcher shop in the middle of town. Every time I see him, his hands and shirt are covered in pig's blood. It disgusts me. I cant's marry him. I can't.

"But, Frank!" My mother starts, running up to my father and putting her hands on his cheeks. "You cannot be thinking to marry her off to one of your friends! Martha is young, she shall marry a young man!"

My father grabs her shoulders. "Do not patronize me, Lea." He hisses. "I will not speak about this anymore. Martha shall marry Hans and that is that. She is my daughter, she is mine to give to who I like!"

But for once, Mama will have none of it. "I will not let you throw away our child's life on one of your friends! Martha is young and she should live a full life!"

"You cannot tell me what to do, you are only my wife!" Father is almost laughing at Mama.

"Only your wife?" Mama whispers angrily. "I don't want Martha to be 'only a wife'. I want her to be freer than I am, free enough to make her own choices, she will not marry this man!" My mother declares.

"Do not tell me what to do with my daughter, I know best! SHE IS MINE TO GIVE HOWEVER I LIKE!" My father bellows, sizing my mother up.

"WHY? BECAUSE YOU TREAT HER AS YOUR WHORE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT?" My mother screams and I hear a deafening crack as my father's hand whips round and lands on her cheek. I watch in horrible slow motion as she falls to the floor, clutching her face, silent tears streaming down her face.

Father looks down at Mama. "I have made up my mind. Martha is to be married in a month and no-one can stop me."

With one last defiant look at me, he marched out of the room. My mother looks up at me.

"I am so sorry, Martha." She whispers. "I am so, so sorry." She starts crying, almost screaming with anguish and it takes me a while to realize that waves of tears are going down my cheeks.

"Come here, my sweetheart." Mama holds out her arms and I slide off my chair and curl up next to her, as I did when I was a little girl with a hurt leg.

But this pain is different. This pain will take a lot more than a bandage and a kiss better to fix.

And it's a funny thing, really. As my mother rocks me back and forth and I sob into her shoulder, I cannot think about father, or later tonight or even Hans.

I could only think about Georg.

And it scared me to no end.

A/N Soo, yeah. Here it is. Review!