Iveliz Explains It All

Content Warning: This section discusses self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Note: These pages contain the poems “Dinner Is Weird Tonight, II,” “Do You Even Get It, Journal?” “After Dinner I Go to Take My Pills” and “Why Did I Survive?”

During dinner, Iveliz’s father appears on the couch. Mami senses something is wrong, but Iveliz, though she opened up to Dr. Turnip, remains wary of her mother. Iveliz continues to feel like a disappointment. She still blames herself for Dad’s death and Mimi’s “escapes.”

After dinner, Iveliz goes to take her medicine, but the orange containers aren’t in the cupboard. Iveliz confronts Mimi, so Mami puts her body between Iveliz and Mimi and tries to account for Mimi’s behavior. Iveliz is livid. She describes herself as an “awful” daughter and granddaughter. She wishes her father had lived and she had died.

Iveliz finds her medicine in the trash. She kicks it over, then runs into the bathroom. Her mother bangs on the door while Iveliz considers hurting herself. She hears Dr. Turnip’s voice, and it calms her. Mami breaks into the bathroom and pulls her off the floor.