‘I’m on my way,’ said Carlotta, as she got into a cab.
Violetta met Carlotta outside Grace’s apartment. She was struggling with bags of shopping. ‘She had nothing in her house to eat last night,’ explained Violetta.
As they stood while Violetta fumbled for the keys, they heard smashing inside the apartment. Panicking, the sisters struggled with the door. Opening the door, they saw Grace throwing everything she could find against the walls. Vases, books, magazines, her precious collection of snuff boxes. She was filled with a rage that her sisters had never seen before. And then Violetta saw the open bottle of vodka on the table.
Grace turned around and saw them, her eyes glassy, her face red and blotched. ‘Get the fuck out,’ she said to both of them.
They stood, unsure what to do as they watched as their sister rampaged around her apartment. Grace left the room and came back holding a collection of photo albums. ‘Take these and burn them.’ She threw them on the floor and the photos of Grace and her sisters fell out.
‘It’s all a lie,’ she screamed at Violetta.
‘Ok,’ said Violetta softly. ‘What’s a lie Gracie?’
As Grace started to scream over and over again, Carlotta rushed to hold her desperate younger sister.
‘Do something!’ she cried to Violetta.
Violetta grabbed her phone from her bag, ran into the hallway and dialled the only number she could think of.
‘Jeff, Violetta. I need your help.’
*
Jeff stood in the apartment doorway with Violetta and Carlotta. Grace was now in the kitchen, smashing every plate and cup she could find.
‘What the hell do I do?’ asked Violetta, tears streaming down her face. This wasn’t the lovely gentle Grace she knew.
‘What happened to set it off?’ asked Jeff.
‘She had some horrible news about work and some shocking news about our family,’ said Violetta.
‘OK, but there must be something more to it.’
‘I don’t know, every time I ask she throws something at me,’ Violetta told him.
Jeff nodded. ‘OK, let me try. You two stay here.’ He walked into the war zone Grace had created.
After a while the smashing stopped and the sisters sat on the floor of the hallway, listening. Finally the door opened and Jeff put his head out. ‘Violetta, can you help Grace into bed? She’s a bit tired.’
Violetta jumped to her feet. ‘Of course.’
She rushed inside. Grace was sitting on the bed forlorn, drunk and barely able to speak.
‘I’m sorry, Letty,’ she cried.
Violetta pulled her into her arms. ‘Oh Gracie, it’s OK.’
She held Grace as she sobbed and Violetta stroked her hair. Finally Grace pulled away and Violetta laid her on the bed and covered her with her quilt. ‘You sleep, OK?’
Grace reached out and clasped Violetta’s hand. ‘Letty?’
‘Yes, sweetie,’ said Violetta, like Birdie used to say when they were sick.
‘He raped me.’
‘Who?’ asked Violetta, shocked.
‘Matthew,’ said Grace tiredly.
