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The chat cheered.
“Kids are ungrateful!Teach them early to respect parents!”
“Fiona’s right—kids need tough love!”
She shot me a smug glance.
I grabbed the half-empty bucket and poured its contents on her head.
“Mom,I’m so grateful.You’re sweaty, so let me cool you off!”
Ice water dripped down her neck and she shuddered and sneezed.
“Emily,are you insane?That’s ice,which is cold—”
She stopped,unable to admit it was cold water without revealing her lie.
Snickering inwardly,I grabbed a steel wool scrubber and scoured her back with it.
In my past life,when I upset her,she’d scrub me with steel wool,saying,“I’m building your resilience!I’m your mom—I’d never harm you!”
My tender skin bled,and she never stopped.
Now,I returned the favor.
“Mom,you used to scrub me in this way.You said I must repay you.”
She grimaced in pain but couldn’t snap back,especially not on camera.
The chat stirred.
“She scrubbed her kid with steel wool?Did I hear that right?”
“But Fiona looks like she’s enjoying it—maybe it’s a wellness thing?”
I kept pressing harder.“Mom,does it hurt?”
She gritted her teeth.“No…it doesn’t.”
“Mom,does it hurt?”
“No…doesn’t…”
“Mom,does it hurt?”
“No…”
Sweating,she was unable to take it any longer and ended the stream.“My sweet girl scrubbed my back—feels great,thanks!”
She collapsed on her bed,cursing.Her back ached for weeks.
At a school awards ceremony,my mom,an“outstanding parent”award winner was to speak.
She always wore skimpy tops and miniskirts,full glam,while I was stuck in plain black clothes.
She’d post our videos online,basking in the praise of her fans.
“Fiona looks like her sister,not a mom!”
“Her daughter looks older than her!”
“Fiona’s flawless—queen vibes!”
If I resisted filming,she’d berate me.“Ungrateful brat!I get compliments,and you’re not happy?I should’ve raised a dog!”
I was reborn,I changed course.
I ditched her old-fashioned black glasses for contacts,wearing a vibrant sailor dress and knee-high skirt.
She sneered,“You look ridiculous!It is embarrassing!”
She tried yanking my clothes and I swatted her hand.“What’s wrong?Am I showing too much?Where’s the shame?”
Furious,she filmed me,adding a cutesy pose at the end,and posted it with a caption:Kids today have no shame and picked skimpy clothes.So inappropriate!
