Mikey, why didn’t you answer earlier? We
thought something happened! We’re so useless, making you work on New Year’s Eve. We’re
sorry, honey.”
I gripped my phone, wanting to scream, “Why did you lie to me?” but all that came out was a
sob.
I heard my dad coughing on the other end.
“It’s my fault, son. I’m holding you back.”
Normally, I’d jump in, reassure them.
Not anymore.
Dad seemed to notice my silence.
He thought I was tired.
“Hey, tomorrow’s New Year’s Day. Take a
<
3:23
Hey, tomorrow’s New Year’s Day. Take a
break. We’ll spend some time together.”
Mom chimed in, all mysterious.
“We’ve got a surprise for you.”
I choked out a “Okay.”
Some people stopped to stare at me in the
street.
854
They asked if I needed to call the emergency services.
I sat up.
“I’m fine. But that lady there might need help.”
Under a fur hat, she was an elderly woman with white hair.
“She’s an old lady and we can help you young man but we’re not sure about her You’re a
<
3:23
man, but we’re not sure about her. You’re a
pizza guy, mind your own business.”
The snow was coming down hard.
854
More cars were losing control.
Seeing that woman lying there alone reminded
me of myself.
Without thinking, I helped her to safety and
called 911.
It was almost four in the morning when I got
home.
I looked at myself, covered in cake and dirt.
“Happy birthday,” I whispered.
It was my twenty–second birthday.
My parents were showering a stranger with love
3123
((
854
I took a freezing shower and huddled under my thin blankets.
We lived in a crummy apartment way out in the suburbs.
We couldn’t afford heat.
11
I used to wonder why my dad always got so
sick in the winter.
Now I understood.
They were hiding out in a mansion, living the high life.
When I was little and got sick, they carried me
to the hospital in the pouring rain.
Mom would always make sure the umbrella
covered me, even if she got soaked.
Dad tripped once, falling into a puddle, but he
still held me tight.
They only cared if I was okay, not about
themselves.
How could my parents lie to me about being
sick, pretending to be poor so I’d drop out of
school and take care of them?
I clutched my eyes, tears welling up.
I was so naive.
Their house was in the fanciest part of town.
I couldn’t even afford the property taxes.
What made me think I could take care of them?
I was nothing more than a pawn.
Drion won their rool.con
<
Brian was their real son.
854
The sun started to peek through the gaps in the
curtains.
The alarm went off.
Five AM.
Time for another shift.
Even though the blankets were freezing, I stayed put.
This was the first time in four years that I
wasn’t working.
Eight o’clock came.
Normally, I would have called my dad to check on him.
I saw the note I’d made in my phone.
く
“I’d give anything for my dad to be healthy.”
It felt like a joke.
Around ten, my parents called.
“Mikey, why didn’t you call? Is something
wrong? Are you sick? Did you fall?”
Their voices echoed in my ear, but I felt
nothing.
How could they be such good actors?
They played the concerned parent act so well
that I actually believed it.
“Mikey? Mikey, are you there?”
I took a deep breath.
“I’m tired,” I said.
<
They paused, confused.
“What’s wrong? Is work too hard?”
