The relationship between the characters
The relationship between the characters in the short story “Bone Deep” by Martin Malone is marked by the accident which happened a year ago, in which Marcus lost his life and Terry became crippled.
The father feels remorseful about the accident: “Sometimes he looks at Terry and there are deep creases about his eyes. He fell asleep behind the wheel.” (ll. 62-63). This suggests that he, too, feels responsible for the accident, and Terry’s situation serves as a constant reminder of his mistake.
The mother, Ian, and Ann are all unable to forgive the father. The mother and father sometimes do not speak to each other: “For months after the accident Mom and Dad didn’t speak to each other. The anniversary is looming now and the brooding silence between Mum and Dad has returned” (ll. 25-26). The mother does not like leaving Terry...