The bus dropped Kristy off at the end of the block, and she walked up her driveway and towards the house alone. Abby had been in school that day, but for some reason she hadn't taken the bus home. It was just as well, though. Dealing with Abby and her drama was that last thing that Kristy needed right now. Sam hadn't taken the bus home either, and she didn't know why.

She hadn't talked to any of her siblings besides Emily at all yesterday. Everyone had come home from school just as usual, so consumed with their own lives to notice the silence that had descended on the house. It was then that Elizabeth has talked to all the kids either alone or in pairs, and explained to them that Nannie wasn't going to be living with them anymore. Kristy didn't know what pathetic explanation that her mom had given. She hadn't made any move at all to talk to Kristy, who had held Emily Michelle close to her all day, using her as some sort of human shield, protecting both of them from more emotional pain. Kristy and her mom hadn't talked since she had told her the truth about her family and Watson's role in it.

Maybe it was better that way.

It has been just over a day since Nannie left, and Kristy swore that she could feel a visceral difference in the house. Even during the last few months, coming home had felt light and welcoming; Nannie had always been home to greet everyone and to keep everything from falling apart with her love and endless hugs.

Kristy breathed a sigh of relief when she opened the door and heard nothing but an empty silence. She couldn't bear the thought of talking to anybody right now. She crept up to her room slowly and carefully as to avoid being heard by anyone in the house. Really, all that she wanted to do was get to her room and sit. To say that she needed time to her self right now was an understatement.

Making it into her room, she kicked off her shoes, set down her backpack next to her desk, and crumpled into a ball on her bed. She grabbed one of the useless throw pillows her mom had purchased last year when they had redecorated her room and held it tight for comfort. She made no efforts to move and start working on the homework that she was becoming very behind in, or to investigate the sounds that filled the second floor hallways as her siblings arrived home from school. She slowly reduced her world to consist of only herself, her bed, and her pillow, and remained that way for the next hour and a half.

Eventually it became dinner time, and the noise on the second floor ceased as the kids made their way downstairs to the kitchen. Kristy made no efforts to move, and ignored the shouting from various members of the family informing her that dinner was ready. When it has quieted down somewhat, Kristy was relieved, and sure that she had been able to get out of the family meal. She wasn't very hungry anyway.

Closing her eyes and intending to fall asleep, Kristy was disturbed by the sound of her door being opened by her mother.

"Oh I- I'm sorry. Did I- Did I wake you? Were you sleeping?" Elizabeth stammered.

Kristy rolled over, pretending to be simply tired, instead of confused and resigned. "Yes, I'm sleeping. Please go away." At this point there was no point in hiding her true feelings from her mother.

"Were you planning on coming down for dinner? Everyone else is already at the table."

"No." Kristy said, leaving the word to hang in the air. An eternity of silence filled the space between the mother and daughter until Elizabeth spoke again.

"I'm so sorry Kristy, but- I wouldn't ask you to do this unless- It's just that Watson is home for dinner tonight. And he wants to have a family meal. Please." Kristy looked at her mother and had to turn away to avoid seeing the pleading look in her eyes. Elizabeth was a shell of the person that she used to be, and it pained Kristy to look at her.

"I can't mom…I'm sorry."

"Kristy," Elizabeth pleaded. "Please."

Unlike her mother, Kristy was not a shell of the person that she had been before. The last two months had been a horrible reality for herself and her family, and though she was undeniably hurt and changed, she remained at her core a strong and unwavering young woman. If her mother needed her, she would go. It was that simple.

"Okay. I'll come."

"Thank you so much, sweetie." Elizabeth said, the relief obvious in her voice. "You- you know how much I love you, right?"

Instead of responding, Kristy pulled herself out of bed and proceeded down the hallway, her mother trailing behind her. Taking a deep breath, she walked down the stairs and into the dining room, where the rest of her family was seated. She took note of the vodka tonic that Watson was drinking. That wasn't a good sign.

"Hi Kristy," called Karen, seeing her sister. "Are you done being an ungrateful brat now?"

"Karen!" Watson admonished

"What? That is what you said she was doing." Karen pouted.

"Never mind her," Watson said, turning to look toward Kristy. "It's nice to see you, dear."

Something in the tone of Watson's voice sent chills down Kristy's spine. She hurriedly seated herself between Sam and Emily Michelle, hoping for some kind of protection from her older brother, as well as the possibility to busy herself with helping her youngest sister.

"Well it's certainly nice to have a family meal," Elizabeth said, weakly.

"It's not a family meal without Nannie," David Michael pouted. "When is she coming back?"

"Yeah, when is she coming back?" Andrew asked. "I miss Nannie."

"Nannie promised me that she was going to make new dresses for all of my dolls," added Karen.

"Enough!" Watson shouted. "All you kids do is complain and whine. You have no idea how good you have it! Nannie is gone, and she is not coming back. Now I want everyone to shut up and enjoy this meal, God damn it!"

Kristy protectively put her arm around Emily Michelle as she looked across the table to her younger siblings, whose eyes grew as big as saucers. Instead of their usual chatter, a silence filled the room as the family passed plates and bowl and began to eat.

"That's more like it," Watson said, smirking. "But we don't have to eat in silence. Sam, how are things going in school? Are you still keeping your grades up? And how is Stacey- we haven't seen much of her around lately."

"Nu-uh!" Karen yelled. "Stacey was here yesterday and Sam was kissing her!"

"Eww!" David Michael and Andrew yelled.

"Stacey is doing fine," Sam mumbled.

"Settle down, kids," Watson said chuckling. "Stacey is a fine young woman. What about you, Kristy? How is school going?"

Not wanting to play into the happy family routine, Kristy looked down at her plate and said nothing.

"Have you had any babysitting jobs recently" Elizabeth asked, her voice pleading.

Without saying anything, Kristy set down her fork, and pushed back her chair. She wordlessly walked out of the dining room, and was halfway up the stairs before anyone said anything.

"Get back here young lady!" Watson called, his voice booming.

Kristy stopped on the staircase, but made no effort to turn around. Truthfully, she didn't have any idea what she should do. She wanted nothing more than to be in her bed, blocking out everything around her. She was scared of what would happen if she ignored Watson and went to her room. But she was even more scared of what would happen if she were to turn around.

Watson stalked into the entryway, eyeing up Kristy standing on the stairs. "Get down here this instant, Kristin, you are a part of this family and you are damn well going to act like it."

"I never asked to be part of this family!" Kristy shouted, rushing upstairs to her room. She slammed the door shut and sat down in front of it. She hugged her knees to her chest and started crying, letting the tears fall freely.

Kristy's peace lasted only a moment, as Watson was now in the hallway banging on her door. "Let me in-I will break down this door if I have to Kristy!"

Conceding, Kristy stood up and opened the door. She tried not to let onto how scared she was as she looked her stepfather straight in the eye. She said nothing.

"I thought that I made myself clear in our conversation the other night," Watson spat out. "As long as I am providing for you and the rest of your ungrateful family, you need to abide by my rules. You're precious Nannie couldn't do that, so she had to leave. Tell me, are you going to have the same problem?"

Not knowing what to do, Kristy shook her head almost imperceptibly.

"Good." Watson said, shaking his head in disgust. "I'm tired of looking at you- stay in your room for the rest of the evening. "

With that Watson left the room and shut the door. Kristy crumbled to the floor and started sobbing. All that she wanted was to be left alone, but somehow she didn't want this.

She had no idea what to do.