Summary

In Chapter 4, Valerie described how she eventually started working at a pawn shop. She enjoyed working with guns most of all because they made her feel powerful. Valerie recounted her second marriage, which was to a military man named Barry.

Eventually, their marriage turned violent. Valerie said Barry was violent toward her and that besides Ryan witnessing the violence once, the kids never saw it. On the other hand, Ryan and Adrian described Valerie and Barry as both being violent toward each other. They said they heard the loud violence often and sometimes saw it. Ryan recounted when Barry had punched his mom, making her unconscious. He was crying over her, while Adrian was yelling at Barry. Ryan said he hopes that his singing will somehow, gradually, remove the wall between his mom and him.

But one part of Ryan’s past that...