I THOUGHT MY PARENTS WERE IN LOVE GROWING UP, I THOUGHT MY PARENTS WERE IN LOVE. I THOUGHT A SHARED BED AND COMBINED INCOME SIGNIFIED LOVE AND TRUST. AND LET ME ADD THAT MY DAD CAME HOME EVERY NIGHT AND MY MOM DIDN’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS, SO THEY WERE ALWAYS TOGETHER. AND TOGETHER THEY BUILT A FAMILY WHO LIVED IN A BIG BLUE HOUSE WITH A WHITE PICKET FENCE. A DOG, A BIRD AND THE COMMUNITY TRAMPOLINE. I OMMITED THE TOXIC YELLING AND SCREAMING DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE BANGING, THE NAME CALLING AND ALWAYS WATCHING MY MOTHER CRY. BUT IN MY HOUSE, WE ALWAYS HAD FOOD, THE LIGHTS WERE ALWAYS ON AND EVICTION WAS NEVER A THOUGHT IN MY MIND…. BECAUSE WE WERE HAPPY, RIGHT? HAPPY AS LONG AS YOU DON’T WALK TO LOUD, TALK TO LOUD OR MISTAKENLY FALL. IN MY HOME MISTAKES WERE BEATEN OUT OF YOU AND YOUR OPINION WAS THE REASON YOU SPENT HALF THE YEAR IN YOUR ROOM. I HAVE BRUISES THAT I CAN’T SPEAK ABOUT AND WOUNDS THAT ARE STILL BLEEDING. AND I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT CAN BE SEEN BUT THE ONES THAT ARE INTERNAL. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REDONDENT TO TALK ABOUT THE SWITCHES I HAD TO PULL OUT OF MY BACK, OR THE CUTS FROM WHERE THE BELT TORE MY DRY WINTER SKIN. OR HOW THEY TURNED THE SIBLINGS AGAINST EACH OTHER AS A FORM OF ACCOUTABLITY. I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THE FEAR OF BEING WATCHED AND EYES THAT COULD ALWAYS SEE. BUT MY PARENTS WERE IN LOVE, NO THEY DIDN’T KISS, OR DATE, MY DAD NEVER BROUGHT HOME FLOWERS OR GIFTS. WHILE IGNORING SWEAT THAT SEEMED PERMENANTLY BRANDED ON HER BROWS FROM MOTHERING. SHE WAS THE FIRST ONE UP AND THE LAST ONE TO GO TO SLEEP. SHE WAS ALWAYS THE MOST OVERLOOKED AND UNDER APPERICAITED. WE LEARNED THIS FROM OUR DAD. YOU DO NOT THANK PEOPLE FOR DOING WHAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO.