Chapter 5 Your Job
"YOU UNGRATEFUL BITCH! I TAKE YOU IN OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART AND YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS!" Beth shouts. "GET THE HELL IN THE KITCHEN JOSIE!"
I stomp my way into the kitchen and start a pot of water boiling and grab out the ground meat to start browning.
"Jo, I can help," came a quiet voice behind me.
I turn around and pull Charlie into my arms. She's my only life line in this damn house. I know I'm supposed to love both my sisters equally, but I don't. I love Charlie so much more.
"No, sweetheart. You go study so you can go to college and be a doctor, just like Mom and Dad wanted. Then you can have the life you finally deserve," I whisper into her hair, before kissing her on her head and sending her on her way.
I will never be able to go to college. Aunt Beth has made sure of that. All the money Mom and Dad saved for me and my sisters to go to school, they used on themselves... It's how they afforded this new house.
I'm hoping Charlie will get a scholarship. She's really smart, and she would make an amazing doctor when she's older.
All I ever wanted to do was dance, but since the day my parents died, I haven't stepped a foot in their studio... Uncle Jay sold it and kept the money for himself. At least Uncle Jay doesn't beat me. He just ignores me completely.
It takes me 20 minutes to finished making spaghetti, garlic bread and steamed veggies. I know if I don't make it, my sisters will go to bed hungry because Aunt Beth won't feed them to punish me.
Olivia is stupid and doesn't see the manipulation. She just blames me for every damn thing that goes wrong because that's the way Aunt Beth spins everything.
I hate her. I want to call the cops, but what would I do after that? Uncle Jay would take his wife's side, and so would Ava. So really, it would be my word against theirs.
"What's taking so long?" Liv demanded as she and Ava came into the kitchen.
"You know, it would go faster if I had help!" I growl back, shoving my way past her as I place the plate of pasta on the table.
The two idiots just laugh at me. "Why would we help? You are the help... We pay you by staying under our roof!" Ava giggles.
"Well, it may have slipped your mind, but I want to get the hell outta this place! You an keep your damn house, that should be long to me and my sisters by the way. Your parents are damn thieves," I snarl back, shoving the plates and Ava.
If she wants to eat, she'd better catch them before they fall on the floor and crash.
Liv and Ava gasp at me. Then Ava huffs and lays the plates there and folds her arms across her chest. "What do you expect me to do, slave? It's your job!"
Some days I wonder if God would forgive me if I murdered Aunt Beth and her spawn... Maybe it could be an accident? Just accidentally push them in front of a bus because I tripped on a random rock?
But then I remember Mom's voice whispering in my ear, "Take care of your sisters, Josie. Set a good example," and then I break down.
I set the table under the watchful eyes of Ava and my brat of a sister Olivia... Maybe if I can run away with Charlie, we could just leave Liv here... She seems to fit right in.
Just as I have everything set, there is a knock at the door.
Finally!