Geneva joined them at an early dinner, their first as a family. Since Ginny was so thoroughly bonded, it was easier to let Geneva feed her. “Tomorrow we’re going to throw away those ragged overalls away and get you some decent clothes.” Ellen told Charley. “”We can’t have you running around looking like a little ragamuffin, can we?”
“No! Don’t throw my ragamuffin overalls away! My overalls are good! Bessie gave ’em to me! I don’t want decent clothes!” Charley protested.
“”Don’t dispute me, young lady. Those overalls are going in the trash after your bath, tonight!” Ellen announced coldly. “Mother, I can’t believe you let my daughter wear hand-me-downs from Cousin Jean’s maid. That’s humiliating. I hope no one saw her! What were you thinking? Don’t you care about my feelings at all?” Ellen was shouting at her mother now. This was the mother Charley remembered and feared. She burst out crying and ran to her grandmother.
“Ellen, I will not be spoken to this way. I have cared for you children when you weren’t able to. There is no shame in hand-me-downs. Bessie was kind enough to share with us for which I am grateful. I won’t have you treating Charley this way!” Geneva was clearly furious as she tried to calm the crying children.
“Ellen, control yourself. Miss Geneva has been a Godsend caring for the children these last months. You should be down on your knees thanking her for all she’s done! You will NOT burn Charley’s overalls!” He turned to Geneva.
“Miss Geneva, could I impose on you to keep the children? I know I have already asked far to much, but Ellen and I have things to talk about.” His wife’s eyes burned with rage at her husband’s words.
“That crazy bitch is not taking my baby, anywhere! Give her to me! You’re not stealing my baby again.” She rushed at her mother, shoving Charley to the floor and scratching her mother’s face in the process. “Give her to me! Give her to me!” Ellen was screaming now, trying to wrestle the terrified baby from Geneva. Charles restrained his furious wife while Cora and Josie helped Geneva.
“Geneva, I am so ashamed and sorry.” He turned to his oldest son George. “George, please drive your grandmother and the girls home. Michael, I need you to help me get your mother to her room. Josie, Cora. My apologies to you for my wife’s appalling behavior She wouldn’t want you to see her like this if she were herself.”
Charles and his son Michael carried Ellen screaming to her room, where Charles sedated her. He was devastated at the disaster his and Ellen’s lives had become.
Mental illness is a terrible and destructive thing.
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So true.
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A horrendous situation for everyone
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It’s toxic!
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I need to go back and start reading from the beginning…love it xxx
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Here is the link to first one. Hope you enjoy. I’ll bet someone in your family is like Ellen!
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Cheers. I’ll start from scratch tomorrow 😀😀 ah stop you wouldn’t want to be like any of my lot. Shower of loop de loops 😂😂😂
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That’s why my site is called Nutsrok, after my nearest and dearest.
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We’ve a few nuts aswell 😂😂😂
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A terrible and unpredictable situation. The volcano can erupt from the smallest trigger. What a trauma for the kids.
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A nightmare!
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I believe that nails it!!
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I love reading your stories, as I am sure you know. Poor Charles and the children. I hope thing take a good turn and look forward to the next part. ☺☺
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Working on it now n it now.
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This is a great story, I look forward to it every day 🙂
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Thanks so much.
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Oh dear, she is going to end up going back for treatment….. please noooooooo
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She is very messed up!
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It seems Ellen has had a serious relapse and will have to be kept sedated for some time. What a shame. 😦 — Suzanne
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It looks bad.
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And so it starts !
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She is so sick.
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Yes. Poor sick family.
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Oh those poor children, and what they are having to witness!
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It is so hard for families.
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