A brilliant question :)

Do you think that Britt will every come to terms or be at peace about what happened in her past? I truly hope so. She is a beautiful human being with a wonderful family!

Great question. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how to answer it. What Brittany lived through is so much more than the attack itself. I have realized, through the years of writing this series, that her attack creeps up in ways I don’t expect. I felt it was incredibly important for her to go back and deal with what happened in a way she hadn’t initially, and I’ve always been careful about discussing her actions directly after the assault. What she did was what had to happen for her to survive. She didn’t pursue the attackers because she was simply fighting to live, and in hindsight, although it might have prolonged her pain, it was what she needed to do. Transforming from Barbara to Brittany was her way to survive. It was her only way out.

I think she has come to terms in a way with what happened, and finally having closure by knowing who perpetrated the attack and who was involved has helped immensely. All these years, she knew there were people out there who were sitting back and waiting, and that thought paralyzed everything she did. It was always a when and not if for her, and the way the attack was brought to the forefront right when she met Tommy made it incredibly hard for her to trust herself, and him.

A major issue for Brittany is her health, and ultimately, the attack is a huge reason for that. Her platelet issue isn’t necessarily tied to her HIV, but in her mind, it is. Everything she has done from the moment of her diagnosis has been in order to survive. Being HIV positive was the ultimate betrayal from this assault and although she lives with grace and dignity as someone who is HIV positive, it is a constant reminder of what was done to her. It is something she can’t forget, and the deeper into her marriage and the older Naomi gets, the more realistic the issues she will undoubtedly face become. She knows one day Naomi will need to be told what happened, and for that matter, all of the children will, too. With her celebrity status, it isn’t something that can be hidden and that prospect terrifies Britt, not out of shame, but out of a need to protect her family from the details.

I think what Brittany has gone through in this series has been incredibly challenging to handle. I have never wanted it to be a focus, but by the same extent, I wanted the brutality to be understood. She is a survivor. She is worthwhile. She is a beautiful woman who deserves to feel complete. She is more than that moment and if it takes her a lifetime to learn that, I hope she never stops trying.