From Yours Truly, Edie

Chapter Thirty Two

March 1, 2005

Dear Billy,
Mom married a man from the church and he doesn't like me. Mostly because I have an attitude, I'm not obedient or quiet or soft spoken like Mel is. I question his authority and I fight with him. Mom isn't any help at all, she never sticks up for me even when she knows I'm right. She's always on his side no matter what he does or says.
I really wanted to write you back sooner but he wouldn't let me. He has complete and total control over everything that happens in this house, which means I no longer get allowance, which means I can't buy postage stamps anymore. Jordan already gave up on sending an

Sorry I don't remember what I was going to write. He just got back from the store and I had to take my things and run up to my room before he caught me. Oh, this is dumb but he's put me on a diet because apparently I'm fat and being fat doesn't get you a good husband. I'm not fat, he's fat. He yells at me for not being pretty like Mom or Mel yet doesn't let me wear any makeup or get my hair styled how I like because he says it makes me a painted whore. He thinks it's just absolutely hilarious when Nolan doesn't listen to anybody but him.

He says sexist things, like how females are meant to serve males and do whatever they're told and stay at him to take care of their kids and clean all day. That idiot is going to ruin my baby brother, like how he ruined my mother and sister. They already do whatever he says no matter how dumb it is.

I hate him a thousand times more than Derrick but I know for a fact that my mother won't even think of divorcing him because it's frowned upon by the elders. They believe that they can solve everyone's problems but they can't. I hate this religion so much - we have to go to meetings every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for three hours a night. Then every Saturday we go house to house, knocking on doors to spread 'God's word' to everyone and anyone who will listen, and now the normal people in our town don't like us. Sunday morning is spent listening to boring sermons, and we usually go for lunch with the steptoad's parents and younger brothers. He has eleven and the youngest is about your age. Sometimes I wonder which one of them is gay and in denial.

I'm expected to be baptized as soon as I'm sixteen and hopefully married by twenty, or else I could be disowned and kicked out. But I don't want to risk that, otherwise I won't be able to ever see Nolan and Mel again. Plus I have nowhere to go.
When you're kicked out of the church, no one, not your family or friends, can have anything to do with you unless they want to face being kicked out as well. So you're basically shunned and they'll act as if you never existed.
Oh something else that makes no sense at all, is that the elders advise you against going to the police. They want you to go straight to the elders and let them handle your problems and issues.

Great he's coming up the stairs. I can hear him. Gotta go!

From yours truly,

Edie

P.S.- I really liked the Valentine's card you made me. But I just wish I knew what the poem said. Such a shame you won't tell me! Meanie!

P.P.S.- have you guys been signed?! Please say that you have!!!