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almost wants to laugh, but instead there is a tear.

Another tear, and then a smile. Is that strength? For the moment I want to take back what I said
about punching her in the face because she smiles too much. I ask her who did this to her but I
already know who. She can't even say his name.

She leans forward and hugs my body and begins to cry. I maybe should have told her that this shirt
hadn't been washed in a while, but I suppose we are even considering she makes it worse. That and
the fact that she doesn't seem to notice.

Battered person syndrome. If Lynne were to one day murder Silvio, her lawyer could use the
"battered person syndrome" as a defense. The defense has been used in cases where physically and
psychologically abused women kill their abusers. One of the symptoms of this condition is the fear
of endangerment to the person's own life or the lives of their children. David and Sarah can be the
only reasons why she would even tolerate him in her life.

Lynne eventually tells me that she was attempting another relationship with Silvio but soon
realized that it could never work. When she finally told him that herself, and asked him if he could
stop trying to see the kids, he snapped and beat her. Lynne could call the police and have him
arrested. Maybe even make sure that he legally cannot visit the kids now because of what he's
done. The problem is that she won't, and it makes no sense to me. Why do some people stay in
destructive relationships.

Another symptom of the battered person syndrome is the belief that the abuser is omniscient and
omnipresent. I'm guessing this plays a part in her psychology towards Silvio and also plays a large
role in why she doesn't make sense.

There are a lot of things that make me angry, people who prey on the weak is one of them.
Wine-drinking narcissist. Fancy-suit wearing unbalancers. Million-dollar ring wearing frauds.
Fucking manipulating businessmen. Goddamn disease invoking masterminds. Little fucking
politicians and puppet-masters running their own fucking little world. If I could get my hands on
any of them, I swear to both God and Satan and all of their angels and demons that their last breath
would slowly speak my name.

"Give me your car keys." She asks me why, and I tell her because I need to talk to Silvio. "What are
you going to do?" She came here because she wants me to save her, but I can't. All I can do is help.
"If I don't talk to him he's going to keep hurting you." She thinks for a few seconds and then goes
for the front door, then comes back with her car keys.

I drive her to my parents' home and tell her that she has to stay there. When she asks me why, I ask
her if she planned on asking me if she could stay in my apartment. She admits she was going to ask
if she could stay there for a few days just in case Silvio decided to show up. No woman takes a
beating that bad and then waits for the abuser to show up again.

She agrees to stay in my parents' home as long as I promise to come back, which I do. Before she
gets out of the car I ask her if Silvio knows where any of her family lives. She says Claire is out of