“What the hell is going on? She’s been
stabbed like fifteen times! Get over here!”
She figured Jack would at least listen to her.
Instead, he scoffed and said, “Mom, are you
in on this too? I just checked. Henderson’s
still back home.”
“Tell her to stop acting. If she’s really dying,
she should call 911. Oh, and I just booked the
cemetery plot. We can bury her anytime.”
Jack’s voice dripped with disgust.
A weak voice came over the phone: “Is that
her? Is Jenny making a fuss? Don’t be mad,
honey. It’s normal for her to get jealous.”
“Why don’t you just go over there and be with
く
her? It’s just…I really want to die. They say
getting burned is the worst way…”
Tiffany.
My mother–in–law’s face went dark. “If you
don’t believe me, I’ll send you a picture.”
Jack didn’t say anything for a couple of
seconds, probably checking the picture.
But he still didn’t sound worried, just sighed.
“Wow, Mom, she’s really pulling out all the
stops this time.”
“Where’d she find the extra? He looks just
like Henderson! And the blood looks real!”
“Oh, and that little face she’s making?
Priceless! Tell her to try out for a movie.”
く
My mother–in–law was speechless, face
scrunched up.
I felt a pang of sadness. How could I have
missed that Jack was such a scumbag?
The people watching from the ground level
couldn’t take it anymore, all yelling at Jack.
He didn’t believe them either: “Did she hire
these people, too? Is everyone in on this
scheme?”
“Have fun, Mom. I’ve gotta go comfort
Tiffany.”
Silence on the roof for a second.
Something Jack said set Henderson off. He
shoved me, hard!
The blade sliced through my skin. The pain
shot from my belly to my head.
I tried to fight, but I didn’t have the strength.
I was about to pass out when two cops came
running out.
Some kind neighbor must have called them.
They managed to wrestle the knife away from
Henderson and slap the cuffs on him.
But I was losing too much blood.
Just before I blacked out, my mother–in–law’s
phone played Jack’s voice. He’d forgotten to
hang up.
L
“Tiffany, I’ve been wanting to divorce her for
ages, but she takes such good care of my
parents.”
“You’re my real wife. She’s just a baby-
making machine.”
“Don’t be sad. I love you. She will regret it.”
Each word was like a knife in my heart.
This time, though, I wasn’t sad. I was just
filled with hate!
I woke up in a hospital bed. The place smelled
like disinfectant.
My mother–in–law rushed to my side,
grabbing my hand: “Oh, honey, we’re so sorry.
<
The baby…it didn’t make it.”
I looked down at my stomach and pulled my
hand away: “Mom, I need to be alone.”
She sighed and left.
I grabbed my phone to take my mind off
things, but I saw a live stream of Jack trying
to convince Tiffany not to die.
Tiffany had doused the living room in gas,
and Jack didn’t seem to mind the smell.
He got down on one knee, pulled out a huge
diamond ring, and looked at Tiffany with
puppy–dog eyes.
“I can’t take Jenny anymore. This time she
hired people to act out being hurt. The next
ume, she WIN LLY LU DUITE IITY NOUSE LU
iy
ground.”
LIE
Then, he looked at the people watching:
“She’s emotionally unstable. Remember to
stay away from her once I divorce her.”
“You can watch our love story on line! We are
sending candy out.”
