- 5.
The anger on their faces turned to disbelief.
They froze, afraid to even turn around.
Then that voice came again, cracking with
tears.
“Dad… Mom…”
“It’s Sarah. Don’t you recognize me? Don’t
you want me anymore?”
Tom snapped out of it first, whipping around.
“Sarah! It really is Sarah! She’s alive! She’s
back!”
Mom’s legs went weak, and she almost fell.
Dad caught her, and they both stumbled
towards the door, where Sarah was standing.
And my husband, Nick, took off the second he
heard Sarah’s voice, grabbing her in a bear
hug.
Mom was crying her eyes out.
“Sarah, my Sarah! It’s really you!”
“This isn’t a dream, is it? My Sarah’s back?
I’m not dreaming?”
“Thank God, thank you for bringing my Sarah
back. I couldn’t have lived without you.”
Everyone there was getting choked up, wiping
their eyes.
Г
I was still on the ground from Mom’s slap, like
a piece of trash.
Because Sarah was back, the Millers and Nick
bailed on the party and went home.
Mom was stroking Sarah’s hand, looking at
her like she was made of glass.
Dad and Tom were asking her where she’d
been. She just cried.
Two years ago, when Sarah jumped off the
bridge, the search teams looked for a week,
but they didn’t find a body.
That became another reason to blame me.
“It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t come back, if
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དཔས་
Li
you
you hadn’t stolen Nick, Sarah would never
have left us!”
11
“She didn’t even want to leave her body
behind. She didn’t want to give us anything to
remember her by.”
“My Sarah. How hopeless must she have
felt?”
But the hopeless one was sitting on the
couch, getting all the attention in the world.
My stomach clenched, and I struggled to
speak.
I looked at Nick. “I don’t feel well. I want to go
home.”
Before Nick could answer Sorah stood
Before Nick could answer, Sarah stood up,
looking distraught. She took my hand.
“I’m sorry, Laura. Are you upset because I’m
back? It’s my fault.”
“Laura, don’t go. I should leave. I shouldn’t
have come back.”
“I just missed Mom and Dad and Tom. I know
I’m not their real daughter, but I love them…”
Nick stood up. “Don’t talk like that, Sarah. It’s
not your fault. She’s just jealous that
everyone likes you!”
“Laura, stop pretending. You’re just upset
that we favor Sarah!”
“Look in the mirror. You’re bitter and jealous.
You can’t compare to Sarah!”
Sarah shook her head, looking guilty. “Nick,
don’t talk like that! She’s your wife.”
Then Mom spoke, grabbing Sarah’s hand and
pulling her back to the couch. She glared at
- me.
“Nick’s right. She’s ungrateful!”
“You were with us for eighteen years, caring
for us. She doesn’t appreciate you at all! She
drove you to jump off the bridge!”
“You’re lucky to be alive, and she can’t even
be nice to you! Just ignore her.”
The room fell silent. I stood up, clutching my
stomach.
Г
“Since that’s how it is, I’ll leave. I don’t want
to ruin your reunion.”
“Oh, and congratulations.”
“Your precious daughter’s back. I’ll just die
and make room for her.”
Maybe I went too far, or maybe Nick wanted
to make it clear to Sarah that he didn’t care
about me.
He grabbed my arm and dragged me out.
“Who are you trying to upset? Are you trying
to ruin everything for everyone?”
“Then go! Just go! We’re leaving together!”
“I’m divorcing you. I’ve had it with you!”
I looked back at the Millers.
They looked so happy.
Sarah was back.
Laura would be dead soon.
