Christina learned to endure it.

Her husband wouldn’t return home with perfume-smelling clothes, weird bruises on his neck or with someone else’s lingerie. She wouldn’t say no.

For some time, she believed in it. And she allowed him to do whatever he wanted to her.

Somehow, she didn’t feel like it was her anymore. It was as if, anytime something like that happened, someone else was the one doing it, not her.

She laid there, and the bed creaked. She would then get up at the morning and go to work. Get back at night, endure it again.

She used to like doing it. She used to feel thrilled and also that it was fun. Now she felt nothing but sore and empty.

A few weird things started to happen to her body. She started to have multiple yeast infections and small cuts there. However, ointments and lubricants would do the trick, so she learned not to care.

- Christina, you need to expel this man from this house.

Sasha saw her granddaughter’s figure becoming thinner and pale. She looked constantly sick and sad. The number of beauty creams around the house increased a lot, and Christina started to use make-up even when she was alone at home.

- Why grandma?

She would say with a distant voice, without caring about her words. It seemed as if no one could reach her. As if there was a sound proof barrier between Christina and the rest of the world.

The situation got worse and worse, little by little. Little by little, it seemed as if Christina was dissipating in the air - as if she was made of sand.

Sasha decided to do something. She took a lipstick, covered her lips in red, and gently kissed a remote corner of one of Christina’s husband’s clothes.

Still, Christina seemed not to notice it.

Sasha became bolder, fussed over his phone and found evidence that he was still going out with other woman.

Christina looked at her with lifeless eyes.

“That is great grandma.”

Sasha’s heart shook.

***

It was the first of May. Christina got up from her bed and heard some yelling.

- YOU ARE KILLING HER!

- SHUT UP, OLD HAG! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?! SHE ISN’T EATING WELL BECAUSE YOU AREN’T BUYING US ENOUGH FOOD!

- YOU MONSTER! DON’T YOU EVEN HAVE EYES?! CAN YOU EVEN THINK WITH THE HEAD ON TOP OF YOUR SHOULDERS INSTEAD OF THE ONE DOWN THERE?!

- F*CK YOU!

Christina walked through the room with unsteady steps. Sasha’s eyes widened while looking at her. Bony hands. Lifeless eyes. Cracked lips. Skin pale beyond sign. And thinness which could make one despair just by looking at it.

- LOOK AT HER! LOOK AT WHAT YOU’RE DOING WITH HER!

The man in the room looked to the other side and sat on the sofa.

- Nonsense. Christina.

- What?

- Go make us breakfast.

- Okay.

Sasha couldn’t take it anymore. Raising her hand, she grabbed her granddaughter’s arm.

- Don’t you dare obey this man!

Christina’s eyes looked dully at her.

- Why?

On the trees outside, bees buzzed, birds chirped, and the sun shone.