15
Jake’s hands were sweaty.
He hadn’t showered in days.
I pulled my hand away. “Jake, how’s it going?”
I wasn’t angry, but Jake seemed nervous.
く
He knew what he’d said about me back then.
“Tom, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I was just
blinded by this woman. She’s trash!”
Jake kicked Amy.
Amy fell to the ground.
She was crying, covering her face.
I looked at her and smiled at Jake. “It’s okay, I
was just passing by. I’ll pay for the flowers.”
“No, no!” Jake said, bowing.
I got back in the car and said, “Give him five
hundred dollars.”
The driver gave him five hundred dollars
く
Jake looked embarrassed but then smiled.
“Thank you, Tom! Come back any time!”
The Maybach drove off.
I didn’t want to take any more pictures.
I felt like a hero.
That night, I went back home.
My parents were having a party.
Amy’s parents were there, giving my parents
gifts.
My parents were holding Thomas.
Amy’s parents got up when I came in, even
<
bowing.
I didn’t want them to do that. “What are you
doing?”
Amy’s mom started crying. “Tom, Amy came
home. She said she saw you…”
I knew Amy had told them.
I picked up Thomas.
Amy’s dad said, “Tom, you saw Amy… She
regrets everything. She wants to die.”
I didn’t say anything.
My mom said, “Just say what you want. My
son’s busy. The city is giving him land to build
a company.”
L
Amy’s mom said, “Tom, my daughter married
Jake, but she doesn’t have any kids. She
doesn’t love Jake.
“We were disappointed in Amy, so we
stopped talking to her. She had no one to
turn to but Jake.”
Amy’s dad added, “Jake’s been abusing her,
making her work to pay the bills. If she
doesn’t, he hits her. She’s so used to it, she
doesn’t even run away.
“She saw you and decided to come back. She
said she was wrong.”
Amy’s parents were crying.
“So?” I asked.
Г
They looked at each other and said, “Tom,
can you see Amy? She needs your help.”
They wanted me to save Amy.
Amy was broken.
Only I could fix her.
“She wants to see me?” I asked.
“Yes. She won’t eat or drink. She just stares.
We asked her what was wrong, and she said.
she wanted to see you.”
Amy’s mom came closer. “When we got here,
she went to take a shower. She wanted to
clean herself up. She really wants to see you.”
L
“No.”
