"The new house is far away. It is small and
white and hours from town.
"Is this our house now?" I ask Mommy.
"For a while," she says.
Mommy looks tired.
"Can we walk down to the water?" I ask."
A close look at the opening page, shows noise coming from outside the room where the mother and her son are huddling together. The boy has his hands over his ears; the mother looks with worry at the bedroom door. The storm is not outside. It is inside the house.
As the two sit together, the mother explains what a typhoon is like; how it can be big or small, but often enormous and it scared her when she was younger. The two hold each other close, waiting for the storm to stop. In the morning, with furniture upended and chaos evident, they leave. They take nothing. It's time for a stronger house, she tells her son.
Far away, they find a small, quiet spot that provides safety and comfort. They visit the beach and the water. Listening to a shell reminds them that their heartbeats are where you find home. Their stay is short, before moving on to an even stronger house where they can see breaching whales and the sunshine is warm and bright.
Another move follows, and then another. With each move, they hope the new house is strong enough. Every house is different from the last, and every one seems stronger. When fear and panic arise, they find comfort in each other. They are always together, and the days get easier. Memories fade for what came before, until one day it's time to go back home. The storm has passed.
With help from family and friends, their return is filled with promise for a better, happier life.
"I am not afraid of the thunder.
I am not afraid of the dark.
I know our home is strong.
And I know the two of us together
are stronger than any storm."
An author's note explains the reason for sharing this story of domestic violence; a part of her own life. In it, she encourages those impacted by violence to reach out for the support that is there for them.
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