Donna's mother was abusive to her daughter beginning in Donna's early years. Donna was lost in a sea of nothingness, scrutinizing the infinite dots dancing before her. The slap that came from her mother and landed on her cheek was an intrusion into her world but did nothing to change it. Her mother would comb her hair, roughly combing through knots and all. By contrast, when her aunt would comb her hair, she took care to gently remove the knots. It seemed as though her mother enjoyed hurting her, although it was difficult for Donna to directly connect with the pain she felt from having her hair pulled.