- 5.
When we opened the door, Dad was feeding
Annabelle.
His back was to us, he thought it was the
doctor.
“Doc, can they have fruit now?”
Mom and I didn’t say anything, we just
watched him.
Annabelle saw us first, mouth full, trying to
speak.
“What’s wrong?”
Dad turned around and dropped the cup on
L
Annabelle.
“Ow! That hurts!”
I smiled.
Warm water on burns? Of course it hurts.
Dad stared at us.
“You’re alive?”
Mom said, “Should we be dead?”
“No…” Dad finally recovered, trying to look
happy.
“I was just worried. I didn’t see you in the fire,
I thought…
L
It’s good you’re okay.”
To get revenge, I pretended to cry.
“Dad, I was so scared.”
The mistress was crying, but Dad had to
comfort us.
I smiled.
A mistress is a mistress, she always comes
last.
Mom started crying again, so I had to get her
out of there.
I stayed at the hospital to take care of Dad.
く
I made sure to show the burns on the other
two girls I was not burned at all.
Soon, Cindy’s eyes started to get mean.
“Lily, how did you not get hurt?”
Dad seemed to finally be able to say what he
was thinking.
“When you called, did I tell you to get
Annabelle?
Did you even go?”
Seeing their hateful stares, the memories
came back.
Last time, I was in the hospital with no one to
care for me, and they blamed me.
く
The junk in the hallway wasn’t ours, but the
reporters acted like they wanted to shove
their cameras in my face.
Every question was a stab.
“Ms. Smith, do you regret this?”
“Because of the junk, four homes burned,
your mother died, how do you feel?”
I hated it!
I hated that I couldn’t take them down with
me!
Dad yelled.
“Answer me!”
<
He hopped toward me and tried to push me,
but I dodged him.
“Did you not go because you were scared?
Are you happy now that they look like this?
I’m a firefighter, I’ve saved so many people,
how did I end up with such a heartless
daughter!
You’re just like your mother!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you wish Mom
and I were dead?”
He raised his hand, but the door opened.
Mom walked in with his firehouse buddies.
