Chapter 59

• The sun was setting and the air had a chill that wasn’t there earlier in the day. Carmen sat on her porch, watching her father play with the neighbor’s son and their little puppy. Though she was looking at them, her mind felt far away as she silently wondered why life had to be so complicated. She wanted to join them, to laugh and enjoy the simple moments, but her thoughts were telling her otherwise.
• It was all so puzzled, dramatic, and unreasonable. She couldn’t make sense of it all; why did these same things happen to her time and again? Was she really that easily taken advantage of? Did people think she was easy to manipulate and control? Why was she always the one being sacrificed for someone else’s gain? Why did they think so little of her? How had her life spiraled into such a chaotic and tumultuous mess?
• And most importantly, how could she change that?