Karen grabbed my hand, crying. “He was born
with a heart problem, he needs surgery at a
big hospital. I don’t have the money. He’s your
dad’s child, the blood of the Johnsons, I beg
you.”
Karen didn’t have an education, or a job.
First she had her husband, then she heard
Dad had money, so she left, and came back
to Dad.
When Dad died, all the property was mine, but
Dad had gotten her things that were worth
two million dollars.
She had a house from her ex.
She was already living better than the average
person.
As the saying goes: it is easier to go from
poor to rich than the opposite.
Brittany had lived a princess life.
She couldn’t accept having to cook and not
having a driver.
She couldn’t go abroad.
With the lawsuit over her, she would have to
work to live.
Then someone told her to gamble.
Within a month, Karen and Brittany had
gambled all their money away.
Г
Karen found out, and she was sent to the
hospital.
The baby was born too early and had a heart
problem. He needed surgery.
Karen had no money.
When she lost everything, all her rich friends
disappeared.
She had used John to get to those people,
now they were gone.
Seeing her on her knees, begging.
I remembered a few years ago, when Mom
died, I had done the same.
L
I begged her to let my dad go, and let him
complete the surgery.
Karen was heartless. “That’s just your mom’s
destiny.”
“Even if it’s my dad’s child, so what?” |
laughed. “That’s his destiny.”
Karen trembled.
“Stacy, I know you hate me, you think I stole
your dad, but I didn’t hurt your mom.”
“You just pulled John away, the person who
hurt my mom was John. I hate him, I won’t
save his son.”
I walked away.
<
“The child is innocent!” Karen cried, grabbing
my leg. “Let me kneel at your mom’s grave, I
beg you to save my child.”
I stopped and looked down at her…
“Ok, kneel.”
It had been a long time since I last saw my
mom.
I always had a hard time accepting this.
That’s why I went to a college that was away.
As soon as Karen kneeled, the sky turned
dark, and it poured.
She kowtowed to Mom’s gravestone, saying
sorry three times
Then she looked up at me, the pale lip said
one word.
“Stacy…”
“I’ve already sent the money. What happens
to the boy is up to you.”
Karen got up, thanked me, and left in the rain.
I looked at Mom’s gravestone, saying softly,
“Mom, I came to see you, will you be angry
that it’s been so long?”
“Dad died, saving Brittany. Don’t get angry,
but before he died, he called me.”
I hadn’t expected to get a call from Dad
before he died.
Г
He must have been unable to escape. He
should have called the firefighters, but he
called me.
He said he was sorry.
He said now he realized who Brittany was.
He went into the fire to save Brittany, but got
trapped.
Brittany saw him as she was getting saved,
and he cried for help.
Brittany acted like she didn’t hear him.
If she had helped him, he wouldn’t have died.
It didn’t matter, I said four words.
Г
“Then die.”
I couldn’t see him as my dad.
When he chose Brittany over me for the first
time.
I was a good student, but he never showed up
to parent–teacher conferences.
Brittany would mention it, and he would go.
Mom cried all the time.
She was already sick. John kicked her out
after Karen said she felt unwanted.
I can’t imagine how she got through it.
It was all karma.
I told Mom everything, and the weather
cleared up.
I sold my houses and cars.
And lived in the city where I went to college.
Later, I heard that Brittany was arrested for
sleeping around and selling herself.
The little boy died.
Karen knew it was her fault, and she went
back to her ex–husband.
She wanted to get back to the life she knew,
but his wife beat her up.
She lost her mind.
In June, I graduated.
Everyone was still struggling to find a job. I
had been accepted to graduate school.
I started my first company.
From now on, my life will be filled with sunny
days.
