The Incomplete Daughter
Chapter 1
My daughter, Lily, was left permanently
disabled by her husband, Mark, after he beat
her. When I asked the police if domestic
violence was a crime, my tone was
unnervingly calm.
Nobody knows about the dog. Lily was five
when a rabid dog attacked her. I kicked that
dog to death.
She was eight when a neighbor harassed her.
I beat that neighbor into a lifetime in a
wheelchair. He’s still there.
At fifteen, some thugs targeted her. I stabbed
the ringleader to death and seriously
wounded three others.
く
I spent ten years in a maximum–security.
prison.
Today was my release day.
1
The prison guard told me Lily was in the ICU,
permanently disabled after Mark beat her. All
because she ate a little extra meat at dinner.
He’d shattered her spleen and spine; she’d
need a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. Mark was outside playing video games,
unconcerned.
“A husband beating his wife is perfectly natural. She’s my wife, she’s under my roof. Even if I killed her, the cops couldn’t touch me!”
He showed no remorse. His wedding ring glinted, as cold and sharp as the knife I’d
く
used ten years ago.
I couldn’t believe what he said. My heart
ached, rage burning in my chest. I lunged at
him, but the plainclothes officer stopped me. “Don’t! If you kill him, you’ll go back to jail.” “Do you want your daughter to grow up without a father?”
My fist fell limply.
Mark laughed, slapping a business card onto my face.
“Want to sue me? Hire me as your lawyer. I’m the best in the city.”
“You hillbillies don’t know the law. Domestic
violence isn’t a crime; I could kill her and get away with it.
He turned, his voice even more arrogant. “I
never cared about her. She’s just a nobody,
<
lucky to marry a lawyer. My family’s
connected to the courthouse and the police.
What are you gonna do?”
He shoved me aside and walked away. He
didn’t know the last guy who threatened my
daughter was already six feet under…
2
Lily woke up after two weeks. Seeing me, she
froze, then burst into tears.
Her eyes were swollen, her face pale, she
looked like a shattered doll.
“Dad! You’re back! I missed you so much…” “I thought I’d never see you again…”
My heart twisted. I reached for her, then
stopped, seeing her wounds. She used to
hate pain and love to look pretty. Now she
was ruined, a cripple for life because of Mark.
