How did Paula cope with the abuse she experienced at the hands of her husband in the novel, The Woman Who Walked Into Doors?

Paula's love for her children is the only force that is strong enough to combat both alcoholism and domestic violence. Paula's children are the only thing that keep her rooted in reality, and through years of abuse, she managed to focus on taking care of them. She recalls, "I limped around the rooms, tucking the children up in their beds. I hung out the washing with a broken finger" (Chapter 27, pg. 205.)