11
We traveled for a whole month. My husband
made some mysterious calls. When we finally
had enough and wanted to go home, we
found Tiffany’s parents were outside our
door, looking guilty.
I put Lily behind me. “What are you doing
here?”
They got on their knees and begged, “Mrs.
Baker, we waited for you! Please let us go!
We have nowhere to go!”
I said “What are you talking about? Why do
you need to act so pitiful?”
“Your husband told everyone that no one is
allowed to do business with us! We’re like
<
rats, and everyone wants us gone!”
I ignored him and looked at my husband. He
said to them, “Whoever did this to you is the
one you should ask to let you go, not my
family. If you bother us again, I will make you
disappear! I’m only letting you off easy
because of my daughter. Now get out of
here!”
They didn’t say anything and ran away.
Later, I found out that Tiffany’s dad’s
company went bankrupt. He and Patricia were
always fighting. Patricia ended up stabbing
her husband in a fight, and he died. Patricia
got 30 years for manslaughter. And Tiffany?
Both sides of the family didn’t want her. The
government had to take her. Her grandma
took her in.
<
LOVN TIQI 111.
When we got home, I calmed Lily down.
My husband and I talked in the living room.
“Did you make that trip to handle all of this?”
“Partially! But also because we haven’t taken
a break in a long time.”
“Is there anything else you haven’t told me?”
“I looked into the school principal and that
teacher. It turned out they were taking money
from the parents. They were caught and lost
their licenses. They’re in jail now.”
“Honey, did that put your work in danger? I
didn’t want to say anything that day because
I didn’t want to mess with your career ”
<
“My silly wife, your well–being and Lily’s
safety is way more important than my work. I joined the military to protect my country, but if I can’t even protect my own family, what was it all for? And I can always retire and support you and Lily! It’s no problem.”
