Quiet Despair - Two Word Challenge

Quiet Desperation

She existed in that scary old house for so many years, from a small child until she was eighteen. She lived in quiet despair, waiting to be old enough to get out, once and for all. Over the years, she tolerated abuse that defied explanation and was never really a child. Too-old eyes looked out of her small skinny face and when Daddy came home, the shaking started.
At eighteeen, she was on her own, but anyone that tells you that it doesn't affect your grown-up years or change you in a fundemental way, has apparently never been through much.
After two failed marriages, that failed due to lack of trust and her need to marry the same type of person.Over and over again; she found the kind of man that she'd grown up with. Maybe she could make it all right this time? It never worked, she just took more abuse.  She finally had her own baby, left and promptly went to counseling.
Years of help have done most of their job, though the panic attacks still come. A good mom and wife she is though, and she'll never-ever repeat what happened to her with anyone.

mn - 2008