the family IS strange, but i have known families who talk that little. Not sure why, but i don't have to live it.
BOTH of J's parents are abusive, not just the stepmom. Dad ALLOWS his kids to be abused and when ordered to hurt them in some way he does, with little or no hesitation. It is time to stop seeing the stepmom as so awful and the dad as a wuss who is afraid of anything. That is a pretty classic stereotype, and easy to fall into. Just because Dad appears to love his kids does NOT change his actions. Often doing nothing when someone is hurting your loved one is more abusive than anything you could say or do yourself.
