Chapter 3
The day Mom and Dad came back, it was drizzling outside-one of those gray, miserable afternoons that matched my mood perfectly.
They did their usual routine, showing me my “gift” first like it was some grand gesture.
“Emma, sweetie, that limited edition figure you wanted was sold out everywhere, but don’t worry-Mommy pulled some strings and got you the mini version!”
Pulled some strings?
I stared at the cheap knockoff in my hands, the plastic so flimsy it looked like it might break if 1 breathed on it wrong. The irony was almost funny.
“What’s wrong, honey? Don’t you like it? Mommy worked really hard to get this for you!”
But I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t fake the smile, couldn’t pretend to be grateful for their scraps.
Dad noticed my expression and immediately went off. “Emma Mitchell! Your mother spent good money getting you that gift, and you’re just gonna sit there looking ungrateful? What the hell is wrong with you?”
We’ve spoiled you rotten, that’s what! Look at your brother-he’s not complaining about not getting anything!”
acob’s not complaining?
‘m ungrateful?
Had they been lying for so long they actually believed their own bullshit?
Something inside me just… snapped.
Mom,” I said, my voice cutting through the room like ice, “did you really not find the limited edition figure?”
After that, the silence was deafening.
Mom’s eyes immediately darted to Jacob, and she muttered under her breath, “Dammit, Jacob. I told you not to tell her!”
let out a cold laugh. “Don’t look at him, Mom. I already know everything.”
You-what do you know?” Her voice came out all shaky and defensive.
acob stepped in, crossing his arms. “Mom, I told her about the house and insurance stuff. She was gonna find out eventually anyway. Why keep lying?”
he air in the room felt suffocating.
Mom and Dad’s faces went through about five different shades of ugly before Mom finally straightened up, her guilt morphing into righteous indignation.
Fine. Since you know everything, I won’t sugarcoat it anymore.”
Look me in the eye and tell me we didn’t side with you every single time you and Jacob fought. Every. Single. Time.”
We gave you the favoritism. Jacob gets the inheritance. That’s fair!”
actually started laughing.
Fair?
Wow, that’s rich.
The familiar stabbing pain in my gut hit me like a freight train. I doubled over, clutching my mouth as I stumbled toward the bathroom, dry-heaving so hard I thought my ribs might crack.
Mom’s attitude shifted instantly, her voice softer now. “Emma? What’s wrong, baby? Did you eat something bad?”
I shook my head, gripping the bathroom wall just to stay upright.
Jacob frowned. “She’s been throwing up again. Want me to grab more Advil?”
Mom’s head snapped toward him. “Again? This has happened before?”
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked at my mother-really looked at her. “Mom, if I was really sick… would you even care?”
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, her eyes dropped to my stomach, and I watched her expression change as she put two and two together and got… completely fucking wrong.
The next thing I knew, Mom had stormed into the bathroom and slapped me across the face so hard my ears rang
“You have the nerve to say you’re sick?! Emma Mitchell, you’re twenty one years old! You haven’t even graduated college yet, and you’re already knocked up?!”
Wait… what?
Mom was on a roll now, her voice getting shriller by the second. “I ran into your professor last week, and she mentioned you had ‘several admirers’ at school. she was trying to warn me, wasn’t she?”
Fooling around with boys at your age-absolutely shameless!”
ad heard the commotion and charged into the bathroom, grabbing me by the collar like I was some kind of criminal.
Have you lost your damn mind? Did twenty-one years of raising you right mean absolutely nothing?”
ty legs gave out, but Dad just hauled me back up, his grip tight enough to bruise.
I didn’t-” I tried to explain, my voice barely a whisper. “I really am sick. I have-”
ut Dad wasn’t listening. He dragged me toward the front door and shoved me outside into the rain without a second thought.
Your mother doesn’t lie, Emma. She knows what she saw.”
You want to act like a slut? Go figure it out somewhere else!”
he door slammed shut, leaving me standing in the rain in nothing but my pajamas and slippers.
15-02
