“This lady’s just ripping us off, right, Amy?”
she asked me.
Flashback. My past life.
Patiently explaining, paying for the necklace.
Zero gratitude. Resentment. The seeds of our
doom.
Then came her son. Doctor’s orders. I gave
advice.
She listened intently, then proceeded to do
the exact opposite.
Feed every two hours. The baby nearly
<
starved before she figured out nights
counted.
104°F water for formula. Straight from the
tap. Constant diarrhea.
My explanations? Me poisoning her baby.
He made it to one. Then the gummy bear. I
intervened.
That night, he died.
Helen, eyes blazing, screamed, “He wanted that gummy bear! If he’d had it, he’d be alive!
This is your fault!”
く
Heartbroken, I cut ties. Helen snuck in,
hammer in hand. Lights out.
“You killed my baby! Now you pay!”
Only Mom had a spare key.
My soul watched Mom sign the plea deal.
“Just give us another grandbaby. Don’t worry
about anything else.”
Helen was pregnant again. An unborn child:
get–out–of–jail–free card.
…the saleslady’s words echoed.
く
So many people…not all there…but functional
enough to be considered normal. Enough to
breed. Hence…well, you know.
This time, no saving anyone. Revenge time.
All of them.
Let’s see how much chaos Helen could
unleash.
“Helen,” I said, all innocent. “I think you’re
right. Call the cops.”
The saleslady held firm. Cops arrived. Helen’s
defense: “I shouldn’t have to pay.”
<
derense: I Should I have to pay.
The officer, exasperated, asked if I could
reason with Helen.
I clasped Helen’s hand, earnest. “I think she’s
right. This is a total scam.
“This is crazy! Lawsuit! Jail!”
Helen blanched. I whispered, “Helen, pregnant
women can’t get the death penalty, right?
They can’t touch you.”
Helen’s eyes gleamed. “Let her sue! I’m
pregnant! Come at me!”
く
The officer called my brother, Mark, to
mediate. Mark, thankfully, possessed a few
more brain cells. Apologies, payment. $3,800.
Helen clutched his arm, aghast.
“Mark, honey, don’t! Pregnant ladies don’t go
to jail…”
“Helen, you won’t be pregnant forever! This
is stealing! Criminal record! Think of our
son’s future!”
“Amy, why aren’t you helping? She’s making
a mess!”
I hugged Helen. “Mark, I think she’s right.”
く
Mark rolled his eyes. We finally left. Helen,
bold in public, transformed into a demure
wife around Mark. Her motto: Thorny rose
outside, melting marshmallow inside.
“Mark, baby, I’m so stupid. Hit me! Hit my
stupid head!”
Mark, annoyed, melted. Hugs, consolation.
Whispers, then a strange look my way.
That night, Mark texted: “Amy, no reasoning with Helen. She says it wasn’t all her fault.
Split the cost?”
<
I laughed. Last time, I’d paid. When I asked
Mark for his half, Helen declared it a baby
gift. Family, right? I let it go.
Not this time. Helen was the instigator, but
Mark? He wanted the money, the son, another
kid. He let his mom and wife fight his battles.
He just cashed in. No saint.
Stocks, frozen credit cards, a few hundred
bucks cash. That’s me.
Family dinner. Mom unlocked my phone while
I was at the buffet, tried to Apple Pay.
Decline. Insufficient funds.
L
Silence. I smirked behind my plate of mashed
potatoes.
“Amy, where’s your money? Help Mark with
the necklace! Helen’s pregnant!”
CC
‘Just send the $3,800. A gift for your
nephew.”
Innocent blink. “Mom, didn’t you say we
should wait? What if it’s a girl? No gift!”
“I never said that!” Mom shrieked.
But Helen heard. Romance novel brain
engaged, tears flowed. She grabbed her plate,
<
retreated to a corner. “My unborn child is
unworthy. I don’t deserve gifts. Mother–in–law
is right.”
Cue family meltdown. Mark, after a moment
of shock, Team Helen.
“Mom! How could you? We both want a son
to carry on the family name!”
