'Hey,' Marcus greeted Ginny at her locker. 'How did the rest of the weekend go?'

Ginny shut her locker and looked at him flatly.

'How do you think?' she sighed.

'Georgia still hasn't told you anything?'

'Nope. She's just running around pretending it's all normal. And she goes crazy if I try ask anything anymore.'

'Well, you got some stuff out of mystery aunt, right?'

'Some. Basically that Mom's right in keeping me from her parents. Which – fine, that may be true – it's the lying that I can't stand. I just want the truth. I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I feel like I don't know who she is anymore.' She sighed and looked around at the school hall. 'I really don't feel like being here today.'

Marcus looked at her sympathetically and leaned against the row of lockers.

'Maybe you can do some digging.' He met her eyes conspiratorially. 'She'd be at work by now?'

Ginny smiled like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

'I may have been thinking about ditching and going through her personal belongings.'

'Alright, let's go.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

And Marcus led the way out the door. Ginny rushed to catch up with him. She felt impatient, so they caught a ride-share home rather than walk. They stood united in front of the door for a moment; Ginny's home seemed surprisingly daunting when being entered with nefarious purposes.

'Wait in my room?' Ginny asked Marcus as they reached the upstairs landing. 'It's one thing for her daughter to violate her privacy, it's quite another for you.'

Marcus nodded and meandered over to Ginny's room, his hand brushing briefly on Ginny's waist as he left. Knowing he was there made Ginny feel oddly supported, even if she continued into Georgia's room alone. She had a lump in her throat as she started peering into drawers. Bras, sex toys, ugh. Not quite what she was looking for.

Finally, hidden at the base of Georgia's closet, Ginny found a suspicious looking floorboard. Locating a nearby shoehorn, Ginny pried it upwards. Jackpot. Her heart started pounding.

Photos from Georgia's childhood. Why does she keep it under here? A leather jacket. Odd. A gun.

A gun? Ginny's fingers trembled as she turned it over in shock. Was this real? It was heavy in her hands, and the cool metal unnerved her. Had her mother ever shot someone? Ginny had never touched a gun before, and she wasn't sure she liked it.

Ginny heard the telltale click of a gun. Which was odd given that she'd never actually heard a gun in real life; regardless, she knew that noise as it appeared from behind her. Someone was in the house, and in the room with her.

Lungs frozen, Ginny whirled around and brandished the gun she'd found, scrambling away from the assailant.

Mom?

'What the hell, Virginia?! What are you doing home?!' Georgia lowered the gun she had been pointing directly at Ginny.

Ginny hadn't heard that tone come from Georgia's mouth in so long; it was the voice she used when Ginny did something dangerous. The voice of fear. She suddenly felt small and was reminded of when she was five and tried to pull a piece of toast out the toaster with a knife, and earlier when she was four and saw an interesting leaf on the road in the middle of traffic that she wanted to pick up and admire.

'I coulda killed you!' Georgia knelt down in front of Ginny, pulling the gun from her daughter's hand.

'I've never held a gun before.'

'What are you doing in here? Why you pawing through my closet?' Georgia began to hurriedly put away the hidden stash Ginny had uncovered.

'I want answers!' Ginny yelled, standing up. Indignation began to overtake the terror that had flooded her system.

'Answers to what?'

'All of it! Your past, everything! I'm sick of the lies.'

'I don't really care what you're sick of. You have no right to go through my stuff.'

'Don't talk to me about what is right. What is all this stuff? Why are there guns in the house? Why did you have to send Maddie away?'

'That's between me and Maddie,' Georgia sighed, getting up as she was done pushing all of her secret belongings back down into their hidden home.

'She's my aunt. Why couldn't I know that? They're my family.'

'They're not your family. I'm your family.'

'I just want you to be honest with me.'

'I have been honest!'

'Bullshit, Mary!'

In the time it took for Ginny to realise those words may have been a step too far for Georgia, it was too late.

Wham.

Georgia's hand had whipped out and smacked Ginny clean across the face with considerable force. It almost didn't hurt; Ginny's brain focused more on what seemed like an error in information – her mother had just slapped her? That couldn't be right. Her mind went back over it, but no matter how it thought about it there was no other way to see it. Ginny had been hit. By her mother.

She placed a hand on her stinging skin and looked at Georgia in betrayal, confusion and hurt; she barely registered the expression of overwhelming surprise and regret on her mother's typically composed face.

Ginny couldn't stop the tears that welled up and rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She found Marcus standing awkwardly halfway across the hall, clearly having come out to inspect the noise and hovering there, not wanting to intrude. His eyes locked in on Ginny's hand and the reddening skin beneath it. He frowned and looked in concern back at Georgia's closed door.

Ginny grabbed his hand and pulled him quickly back to her room, wrenching her door shut. She looked at her window, thinking of escape, and gasped as sobs suddenly wracked her body with a strength she didn't know they could. Marcus' arms were around her just as her legs gave-way beneath her, and they sank down to the floor.

Underneath Ginny's shock and numbness was a deep grief. Her relationship with Georgia would forever be split in two – the time before her mother hit her, and the time after.

Her lungs didn't seem to work, she breathed and gasped but the oxygen didn't seem to make it into her bloodstream. Gaping and choking, she gripped Marcus' arm as she desperately tried to inhale faster and faster. But her chest was frozen and her lungs continued to fail her. Oh god, she was going to die.

She needed her lighter.

'It's okay,' Marcus soothed, his voice sounding so very far away. 'Close your mouth, breathe in through your nose.'

She tried.

'Now hold it,' he whispered.

She tried, but her whimpers bled through her lips.

'It's okay, try again. Breathe in, and hold it for five seconds.' Marcus counted them for her. 'Now exhale.'

Ginny followed his instructions.

'Don't breathe in yet. Hold it... now breathe in.'

She latched onto his words, and found that air started returning to her. She shuddered a little, but she was breathing. Sometimes her ability to breathe would disappear once more, but Marcus gently calmed her.

After a few minutes, Ginny wiped her eyes.

'How'd you do that?'

'You had a panic attack. I've seen them before,' he shrugged.

Ginny took that in briefly.

'Can we go?'

'Yeah, I think we should.'

Ginny rose unsteadily and, without thinking, packed herself an overnight bag. She glanced at Marcus.

'Uh, can I stay at your place tonight?'

He nodded and turned to her window, opening it. He checked on Ginny quickly before he climbed out. Once he was gone, Ginny pocketed her lighter – just in case – and followed him out. On the top of the portico, she awkwardly pulled her window back down; it seemed prudent for some reason, like Georgia would be less likely to follow her despite being perfectly capable of using the front door. With Marcus' help she got down to the ground and they dashed across to the Bakers' house.

'Marcus? What on earth are you doing home?' Ellen looked at the both of them in surprise. She had her bag and keys in hand and was midway through slipping on a shoe, clearly about to leave for work. She visibly took in Ginny's red eyes and the mark on her cheek.

She looked at Marcus, the blood draining from her face with an expression Ginny couldn't place.

'Did you hit her?' she choked out.

'No!' Marcus yelled, instantly infuriated.

Ginny shook her head.

'It was my mom.'

Ellen stared at Ginny.

'Come in, honey,' she finally said. She put her bag and keys down, and beckoned Ginny over to the table. Ginny sat weakly as Ellen fussed about her, inspecting her face. 'Well, there's no cut or anything, so I don't think we need to disinfect. I'll get you an anti-inflammatory though.'

She paused by Marcus as she went to get the pill for Ginny. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

'I'm sorry, Marcus.' She gave him a quick hug. Marcus looked unamused over her shoulder.

'It's fine,' he muttered as she walked off.

Ellen came back with a pill and a glass of water. She sat in front of Ginny.

'I guess I did the right thing then, by not telling Georgia about you and Marcus?' She interlaced her hands on the table. 'I mulled over it for ages after that night you spent here. But I thought maybe there was enough going on between you and your mom without adding Marcus to it, with what you told us.'

'Oh,' said Ginny. Truthfully, she'd kind of forgotten. 'Thank you.'

Ellen glanced at her watch, and sucked in air through her teeth. She looked anxiously at Ginny.

'Are you okay?'

'I'm okay...but can I stay here tonight? I don't think I can face my mom tonight…' Ginny nudged her overnight bag with her foot.

'Yes, but you're sleeping in Maxine's room.'

Ginny caught Marcus rolling his eyes in the background.

'How is that any better?' Marcus asked, seemingly to just be obstinate. 'Max like girls.'

'Well, Ginny doesn't,' Ellen retorted. She suddenly glanced doubtfully at Ginny. 'Right?'

'Yeah,' Ginny laughed.

Ginny's smile faded as she remembered Austin.

'Can Austin sleep here too?'

Ellen clicked her tongue.

'I guess he should. Do you think you're both in danger? Should we be calling the police?'

Ginny was taken aback, and then looked at her shoes.

'I – I don't think we're in danger. You should have seen her face after...she seemed more surprised than me.'

Ellen looked at Marcus.

'Did you see it?'

He shook his head. Ellen pursed her lips and looked back at Ginny.

'Are you sure?'

Ginny nodded.

'Okay...well, if you're okay, I'll go to work and we can sort it out when I get home. You can get set up in Maxine's room, maybe get some sleep. Marcus, you can go back to school, I'll drop you off.'

'What?' he protested. 'I'm not leaving her alone after that.'

But as much as he fought her, Ellen did not budge and she almost manhandled her reluctant son into her car, while he cast frustrated looks back at Ginny.

Left alone, Ginny sat on the floor by Max's bed and ignored the increasing number of incoming calls from Georgia, sending off a text to her dad instead.

G: Dad, it's getting really bad…

When he didn't respond shortly, she fished her lighter from her pocket and seared her thigh worse than ever before.

o
o - o
o - o - o
o - o
o

'Ginny!'

Max's loud voice woke Ginny partially up from her snooze on her belly, and then the full weight of Max unceremoniously landing on her back woke her up in full.

Max held onto Ginny's shoulders and placed her cheek against Ginny's.

'Are you okay? Marcus told me everything.'

'Yeah. Just sad,' Ginny said, her voice muffled a little by the pillow.

'Aw. I've been dying to come home since he told me, but if Mom made him leave, she definitely wasn't letting me go home early.'

'That's okay.'

Max shuffled down a little and rested her head on Ginny's back. Ginny could feel either tension or excitement in Max's body – she practically vibrated.

'Okay, so I know you're really sad right now and have every reason to be, but can I tell you something?'

'Sure.'

'I apologised to Sophie and we kissed and it was amazing!' she shrieked.

'That's awesome,' Ginny smiled. 'I'm glad.'

'You were so right about it, just be direct and truthful. It worked. So simple.'

'You know what they say...honesty is the best policy…'

Max made happy sounds.

'Hey…' said a quiet voice.

Ginny tried to glance up as Marcus' voice came from the door, but couldn't due to a Max-shaped log on her.

'Hey.' She lifted a clumsy arm and waved as best she could.

Marcus walked into her field of view and set next to her. He shot a disapproving look at Max, who half-heartedly smacked him away.

'Did you want to do anything?' he asked Ginny.

'Like what?'

'I dunno, eat? Watch a movie? Throw eggs at the neighbour house? Smoke?' He raised his eyebrows. 'All valid options.'

'Um...I'm tired...something low energy.'

'Movie?'

'Okay.'

'Loser, put on a movie for Ginny.'

'Fine, bossy.'

He gave Ginny a quiet smile, which she gave back, and then left. Max didn't move for a bit, still balancing on Ginny's back.

'He's nice to you,' she said solemnly.

Ginny nodded.

'You guys really are serious, aren't you?'

'I think so.'

Max sighed, and rolled off of Ginny. She pulled out her laptop and booted up something cheerful. Marcus came back a few minutes later with his own laptop and sat on Max's bed next to Ginny. It was a little squishy with the three of them.

'Marcus!' Max complained.

Marcus made a very rude gesture to Max that Ginny didn't need to know sign language to understand.

'Just because you two are going out, it doesn't mean you get to hang out with us all the time.'

'I know,' Marcus said simply, not looking up from his screen.

'Then why are you here?'

'Because Ginny wants me here.'

Max looked at Ginny, who nodded.

'Just today?' Ginny asked.

'In light of today's circumstances, yes.'

Marcus shot an annoyed look at Max after she'd turned away. He looked down at Ginny softly, who leaned over to rest against Marcus' legs.

Ginny tried to focus on the movie for a bit, but kept thinking of Austin. Austin who was so small and didn't understand what was happening. Austin who needed his big sister.

Ginny abruptly sat up, surprising Marcus and Max. She pulled out her phone and called Georgia.

'Ginny, where are you? I want you to come home right now.'

'Mom, I was just calling to check in on Austin.'

'Austin is fine. Wondering where his sister is, but fine.'

'I want to come pick Austin up.'

'Look, I'm sorry I slapped you. Can you just come home so we can talk?'

'Can I pick him up?'

'No, he's here. With this mother. As he should be. As you should be.'

'So, no, then. That's what I'm hearing.'

'If you wanna see Austin, you'll need to come home.'

Ginny stared at her phone and hung up on Georgia. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. Marcus stood up and walked over.

'I'm going home,' she said to Marcus.

'Ginny, no,' Marcus said. 'After what she did? You should stay here.'

Ginny looked up at him, torn.

'I want to stay. But she won't let me pick up Austin, and I'm not leaving him alone with her.'

Max sat up on the bed and looked at Ginny sadly.

'Maybe we can break him out?' she asked.

'Look, she won't do it again. It's fine,' Ginny muttered, picking up her bag and pulling on her shoes.

She walked downstairs, Max and Marcus following her.

'How do you know?' Marcus asked.

Ginny shrugged.

'I just know. Besides, even if I thought she would, I'd still go back.'

'That's what concerns me,' said Marcus.

Ginny whirled on him.

'Would you leave Max?'

Max and Marcus involuntarily looked at each other, and pulled identical faces of resignation.

'Uh huh,' Ginny said knowingly.

Marcus sighed, and he took Ginny by her waist and pulled her in for a hug. Max groaned.

'Really, Max? Jeez,' Marcus said in disgust.

'Fine,' said Max. She waved her fingers dismissively.

Ginny pulled back and regretted looking into Marcus' eyes. He was reading her, scouring her for any flicker of doubt or insecurity. He'd never fixed her with a gaze so intense as this one, and Ginny felt an appreciation for worried-Marcus.

Ginny brushed their concerns away and walked home.

Georgia at least looked sad and regretful as she apologised to Ginny. She gave her some lines about how if Ginny knew about Georgia's past...she'd never look at her the same, and there wouldn't be any coming back from that. Ginny hid her anger, knowing that the mild swelling in her face marked the larger milestone that Ginny wouldn't be coming back from.

She hid Austin in her room with her, reading him a few chapters from a new book. She somewhat subconsciously placed Austin in bed furthest away from the door, placing herself between them if Georgia were to come in.

She kept her phone near her head and waited. He would call. It might take him a while, sometimes all day, but he would call. She could always depend on that.

More than ever, as the rocky ground of her relationship with Georgia crumbled, Ginny needed her dad.