Huh.
Lily’s favorite was braised fish.
Kevin was the one who loved pot roast.
I knew my mom was up to something.
<
2:56
~ 87
So I asked Mike to take Lily for the night and I
went to my mom’s for dinner alone.
I remembered last time, around this time, I had
taken Lily to dinner, and when Lily said that she
wanted to take dance lessons, my mom had
slapped her twice.
I wasn’t going to let my daughter get hurt like
that, ever again!
When I got to my mom’s, before I’d even sat
down, my brother, Mark, came over.
“Hey sis, when are you getting that loan?”
I looked at him sideways. “Two weeks, maybe.”
“Sis, your coffee shop is doing well, you don’t
need to renovate it. Just give me the loan
money so I can buy a house. Kevin needs to live
in a good school district, so he can go to the
best school.”
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87
Geez, he just wouldn’t give up.
This whole family needed to suck my bones dry,
that’s all.
I bowed my head and my eyes started watering. “Mark, I’m sorry, the court called yesterday. They said Mike and I were being sued by his parents for the down payment, like $80,000. Waaah…”
My mom jumped out of the kitchen. “But you’re divorced! The deed is in your name, not Mike’s! Let him pay it himself!”
“But when Mike wrote the IOU to his parents, we were still married, so I’m liable for it… The court already talked to the bank, and as soon as the loan is approved, it’ll be sent directly to
their court account.”
My mom wobbled and nearly fell over.
My brother quickly helped her onto the couch.
He thought for a minute. “Sis, your coffee shop is doing great, why don’t I make the down payment and you can pay off my mortgage? Like, two thousand dollars a month is good
enough,”
Two thousand dollars?
I was stunned, “The coffee shop doesn’t make that much money, What about me and Lily?”
“Let Mike take care of Lily! You can rent out the house, that money will be more than enough
for you to eat,”
“Mike lives in the staff dorm, it’s tiny. Two to a
room, you really think it’s okay for Lily to go
there?”
My mom finally recovered and said to me, “Lu
Ann, when did you become so petty?”
<
2:56
UITITTY you, lit, pelly:
87
I gave a cold laugh. “Maybe it was after you
guys took all of my money.”
My mom was angry. “How can you talk to your
mother like that?”
Kevin saw us arguing and glared at me. He then
grabbed his glass of milk and splashed it all
over my arm!
“Aunt is bad!”
My arm was burning. I ran to the bathroom to
run cold water on it.
Looking at my red, swollen arm, I remembered
how Lily was scalded by the hot pot.
My Lily, how much pain she must have felt!
My blood was boiling.
Г
I wasn’t going to let them get away with it!
After ten minutes, I walked out and slapped
Kevin twice!
“Listen up, if my arm gets a scar, you’re going to be arrested!”
Kevin started crying loudly. I turned around and
walked out.
Tiffany looked at Mark, who then grabbed my arm. “Sis, I’m begging you, you can’t let your
nephew go to a bad school? We have the
money for the down payment, can’t you just
pay my mortgage?”
I suddenly calmed down.
I decided to play nice.
I sighed, acting like I’d caved. “Okay.”
I agreed so they would buy the house.
I wasn’t paying a single cent. Never.
I’d wait for the bank to take their house!
Mark acted quickly. A few days later, they bought an old, rundown condo near our school.
It was about 700 square feet and twenty years old. It cost over $200,000.
Tiffany paid 70,000 for the down payment.
They were broke now.
Tiffany, still worried that I wouldn’t be able to
pay for their mortgage,
came up with a really brilliant idea.
She set me up with a rich older man.
<
5
LO
I knew this day was coming.
Last time around she’d tried to set me up, too.
I thought the old guy was bald and too old, and after seeing him, I refused.
My mom was pissed at me for that.
But after I died and became a ghost, I saw Tiffany get close to that old guy.
It was because she could get money from him,
and also because after Mark’s kidney
transplant, he was no longer good at sex.
This time, Tiffany was trying the same trick, hoping that I would marry the old man and continue supporting their family.
I hugged Buddy and said to him. “They’re
2:56
dreaming if they think that’s going to work.
When they wake up they’ll be crying, right?”
Buddy barked, “Woof!”
For the first meeting with the old man, Tiffany
scheduled it at my coffee shop.
87
The man was a creep, with his eyes glued to my
chest.
I acted shy, but with eyes like fishhooks, reeling
him in.
Just as planned, the old man was very
interested in me.
I also agreed to see how it went.
With the rich old guy in tow, Mark’s family
began to treat me much better,
>
2:56
One day, Tiffany reached out.
87
“Hey sis, it’s been a while since we’ve had hot
pot. Let’s go to China Marna tonight, my treat!”
The first time I’d ever heard her say “my treat,”
it sounded strange.
I checked my calendar.
Oh, it was time for their mortgage payment.
She knew how to give a little to get a lot!
I wasn’t going to refuse a free meal!
That night, I went to the restaurant with Lily,
while the old man brought Buddy.
Tiffany had learned her lesson. She waited until
we were seated before letting the old man
order.
The man ordered a bunch of seafood and most
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I was worried that Lily might get burned, so I
set up a small hot pot for her.
Kevin had to have his own, of course.
Tiffany sat right next to him, constantly telling
her son to be careful.
Mark was always sucking up to the old guy. He
even called him “brother–in–law.”
He finally got to the point. “Brother–in–law, I was going to take you out for a seafood feast today, but we’re about to pay our mortgage, and I’m a little short on cash, so we had to go
with hot pot instead.”
See? The true agenda was revealed!
The old man wasn’t stupid. “What are you
talking about? You’re family. This one’s on me.
And how much is your mortgage? I can help you
out with this month
دو
87
<
2:56
87
Mark didn’t even hesitate. “Brother–in–law, the
mortgage is about $1800 per month. Thank you,
brother–in–law!”
The old man used his phone and sent Mark
$2000. “Keep the rest and buy yourself some
smokes.”
Then, the old man put his hand on mine. “Lu
Ann’s brother is my brother. Lu Ann’s family is
my family. You guys just have to ask if you
need anything!”
I pretended to be picking shrimp for Lily, and
pulled my hand away.
My brother was too sharp. “Brother–in–law,
when are you and my sister getting married?”
The old man was tipsy. “It’s up to your sister.”
At that moment, Lily innocently asked me,
“Mommy, aren’t you married to Daddy? Why do
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87
Then Kevin spoke up. “Your mom and dad got divorced! Your mom is marrying grandpa! You’ll have to call him dad! Hahaha…”
Kevin started laughing.
Lily burst into tears. “You’re lying! My mom and dad aren’t divorced! If you like this grandpa so
much, you call him daddy!”
Kevin got angry. He grabbed his little hot pot
and tried to splash Lily with it!
What the hell?
Was this a family tradition, to throw stuff at
people?
I quickly grabbed Lily by the collar and pulled
her behind me.
Kevin couldn’t see her anymore.
く
2:56
He turned to look for her, but lost his balance
and fell.
The pot of soup splashed all over his legs and
he started screaming like a pig.
I was shocked and quickly picked up Lily.
“Kevin!” Tiffany shrieked and ran to him!
That family was a total mess!
My mom and Tiffany were using ice water on Kevin. Mark was running around like crazy.
His son got what he deserved, but he was
looking for someone to hurt.
Then he saw Buddy.
