Flower Girls

There's always a reason that some humans become monsters. Are some people born monsters? Or are they a product of their environment? Is it a family sub-culture? Perhaps all of that. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 4,000 women will die each year from abuse. It reported that 22-35% of women who visit emergency rooms are there for injuries related to ongoing domestic abuse. The typical male batterer objectifies women. He does not see women as people. He doesn't respect a woman. He sees women as property or a sexual object. In 1969, when Iris and her friend Jeannie Phillips were in high school, Jeannie's boyfriend, Glen Walker, was drafted during the height of the Vietnam War. With the cautious blessing of their parents, the teens married before he left for Vietnam in the fall of 1970. Almost a year later, he perished with his air crew in sabotage. Jeannie was devastated and became mentally lost, mentally stranded. Jeannie began to move on with her life through multiple therapy sessions and a move to a new environment. She met Danny Richardson in 1976 while she was in college. Their relationship blossomed into love. Jeannie and Danny planned to move back to Chicago after graduating to teach high school. Jeannie called Iris to tell her the news. Iris was thrilled to hear that her friend from so long ago was returning with her new love. Iris, Rose, and Lily planned a welcome-home celebration for Jeannie and Danny. He doted on Jeannie. He never left her side. He answered her phone calls, and he made sure to hold her hand or have his arm around her. In his mind, these gestures were his way of showing her he loves her. Iris noticed something that wasn't quite right, a warning sign of the future.