Dolley knew her husband was a bad man. But he couldn't be all that bad. Right? He stayed with her all these years. Sure, he hit her on occasion, but only when she deserved it. Sure, he hit you, his and Dolley's child, but to spare the rod is to spoil the child, right? That's what Ron always said.

That's why Dolley was sitting with you in the bathroom, wiping blood from your split lip. "You know better than to talk back to your father," she scolded gently.