Second chance

Elijah slapped Elizabeth on the cheeks when they arrived home.

"You fool," he barked at her. "How dare you defy me and sneak out of the house when I told you not to?!"

Elizabeth backed off, holding her cheeks. She couldn't look at her father.

Elijah stared at her, his eyes glowing in the shadows of the room. "For years I've raised you to be obedient and wise, and yet you disobeyed me because of a boy. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Elizabeth was quiet. She wanted to say something but the words wouldn't come out.

Sheila watched from the doorway of the dinning room.

Dinner had gone cold, but the pain of watching the fight between her daughter and husband overrode the thought of dinner.

She immediately stepped into the situation. "Honey, that's enough. Let's not go too hard on her."

Elijah ignored her. Instead he held Elizabeth's shoulder and shook her gently. "You knew what you did was bad. You could have gotten yourself hurt. Now, I want you to return to your room and thin