“Come get your worthless daughter and take her back,” my mother-in-law shouted my father as I lay broken at the bottom of the stairs after my husband shoved me down. “Your family will answer for it if she has even a scratch,” was the sole warning Dad offered her. They had no notion who my father really was, so they made fun of him.

“What does the page inside say?” Dad pushed.

There was another long silence.

“Just read me the top line of the page,” Dad said in a firm voice.

Dad took the phone from his ear and hung up.

“Did the police read you your rights, Dad?” “I said anxiously.

“I’ve got a hand-written list of dates on a folded up piece of paper in the envelope,” said Dad.

“Dates of what sort?” I said, confused.