4
678words
The condo Zachary and I paid for… she gave it to Leo?
How? Did she just snap her fingers and transfer a seven-hundred-thousand-dollar property?
And she wanted me to forgive them?
I was losing my mind. "What are you saying? I almost died! I lost my baby!"
"You're fine now. You lost the baby because you're weak. Your cousin didn't beat you. His wife did."
"So what? I should just let Leo go and only go after Naomi? Is that it?"
"You can't go after her either! She's carrying my brother's grandson! It's your fault for coming back early! I told Leo you were coming back the day after tomorrow!"
Tears of pure rage spilled down my cheeks.
"It's my home! I can come back whenever I want! Am I some kind of monster who deserves to be beaten? What did my baby do wrong?"
Zachary gently wiped my tears, then stood, guiding my mother toward the door.
"Lily is my wife. If you don't care about her, I do."
Smack.
"This is a family matter! You stay out of it!"
My grandmother marched in and slapped Zachary across the face.
I saw the red handprint bloom on his cheek.
I pointed a trembling finger at my mom, my grandma, my grandpa who'd just appeared. "Get. Out."
Grandma stormed to my bedside, scowling.
"Leo is the only boy in our family. Your uncle's only son. He's your future. Your support."
I let out a cold, bitter laugh.
"My 'support'? My 'support' tried to have me sealed in a wall! Is that the kind of support I can 'lean on'?"
What a crock of shit!
Seeing I wouldn't budge, Grandma slumped to the floor, wailing.
"Lydia! Look at the daughter you raised! Your brother only left Leo behind! Are you trying to end the Lee family line?"
"You were adopted! Have you forgotten the debt you owe this family?"
My mother hurried to pull her up, her face a mask of guilt.
"Mom, of course I haven't forgotten. I'll get Leo and his wife out of this. I gave birth to Lily. She has to listen to me."
The same old story.
After Dad died, Grandma cried, and Mom gave her savings for Leo's school.
She cried again, and Mom sold our house for Leo's study abroad.
Now, the waterworks again.
"You want to be a doormat, that's your choice. Don't drag me into it. I want Leo to rot in prison. He deserves to die there."
Mom looked at me with blame.
"This is all because you wouldn't buy Leo a condo! You have plenty of money! If you'd just helped him, I wouldn't have had to give him yours! None of this would have happened! He's your cousin! Have you no heart? No family loyalty?"
I started shaking, the injustice of it a physical blow.
This was my fault now?
I had no loyalty? Did Leo show meany loyalty? I pointed a finger at her, my voice rising.
"My money is none of his business! You sold our house to fund his fancy degree, and he took it without a second thought!"
"Did he ever offer to share a dime with his cousin who had to take out loans for college?"
"So my money is his, but his money is his alone? Is that it?"
I was done. A hopeless 'family-first' enabler when she was young, now a hopeless 'nephew-first' enabler in her old age.
I thought she at least loved me, her only daughter.
Turns out, I wasn't even worth one of Leo's fingernails.
Grandpa coughed twice. Mom, still hopeful, asked again, "So? Will you sign the waiver or not?"
"Not unless you can bring my child back to life. So, in your dreams!"
Mom glanced nervously at Grandpa.
He scowled. "Why are you looking at me? Remember the kindness we showed you, raising you as our own!"
Stung by his words, Mom made a dash for the window.
She threw it open and started climbing onto the ledge.
