Chapter 2
It was Mom!
She tossed the stool aside. There was blood
on one of the legs.
Dad clutched his hand, blood trickling from a
cut on his forehead.
“Linda! You’re crazy! I’m divorcing you!”
Mom held me close, whispering comfort until
my trembling subsided.
Then, in a chillingly calm voice, she said,
“Touch my daughter again, and I’ll kill you.”
Dad stormed out and went straight to Aunt Sarah’s.
The three of them called Uncle Mark, who
was working out of state, then debated calling the police.
As dusk settled, two figures approached from
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<
the road.
“Is this the Miller residence? Are Ethan’s
parents home?”
Aunt Sarah rushed out with a flashlight, her
voice choked with tears. “Yes, yes, that’s
me!”
Behind Ethan’s teacher, a sheepish Ethan
shuffled along.
0
8
I finished my homework and was heading to
the roof to bring in the laundry when I heard
Ethan wailing, followed by Aunt Sarah’s
curses.
“You little devil! We’ve been searching
everywhere for you!”
“Playing video games at your friend’s house?
I’m going to skin you alive!”
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Lund 1:..
Ethan cried even louder. It was the first time
he’d ever been punished.
“I told Jenny! I told her I was going! How was
I supposed to know she wouldn’t tell you?”
Aunt Sarah flew into a greater rage, grabbing a switch and thrashing him again.
When adults decide you’re guilty, any
explanation just sounds like an excuse.
It only makes things worse. Ethan clearly
didn’t understand this.
He’d never faced consequences before, so he
wouldn’t admit any wrongdoing.
Dad asked, “Are you sure you told your cousin?”
Ethan, his backside stinging, nodded
vigorously, still insisting he’d done nothing
wrong.
He said it was Children’s Day. so he had the
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<
He said it was Cniiaren s Day, so ne naa tne
right to do whatever he wanted.
My failure to relay his message became an
unforgivable sin.
Except I had no idea he’d gone to his friend’s
house.
He’d tried to tell me after school, but I’d
ignored him.
Dad dragged me upstairs to confront Ethan,
who glanced at me nervously.
Grandma chimed in, accusing me of being
malicious.
“You wicked child! What did your brother
ever do to you? You’re trying to get him
killed!”
She pinched my thigh hard. I recoiled in pain.
Dad gripped my collar with his good hand.
I cried out to Mom, who was washing dishes
<
J
in the kitchen, “Mom, help me!”
Since the spatula incident two years ago,
Mom had changed.
She wasn’t the passive, timid woman who
always told me to forgive and forget.
She’d stand up for me when I needed her
most.
Looking at her in her apron, I finally
understood what it felt like to have someone
on your side.
I’d always envied Ethan. Everyone in the
family rushed to his defense.
If he broke a dish, he’d blame me, and
everyone believed him.
If he lost his keys or stole oranges from the
neighbor, he’d blame me, and he’d get away
with it.
<
So, as usual, he pinned the blame on me.
I’d always kept quiet because arguing back
only resulted in harsher punishment.
Just like Ethan was experiencing now. No one
ever believed me, no one ever helped me.
“I left after school. I didn’t talk to him. He
says he told me, but can anyone prove it?” |
clung to Mom’s arm, my voice firm.
Ethan, still kneeling, stared at me in shock.
This was the first time I hadn’t taken the fall
for him.
He stammered, unable to form a coherent
sentence.
He’d never considered this possibility. He’d
always just blamed me, and the adults took
care of the rest.
Aunt Sarah knew perfectly well it was her
con’s fault
L
care of the rest.
Aunt Sarah knew perfectly well it was her
son’s fault.
But with no one else to blame, she raised the
switch again, pretending to continue the
beating.
“You dare lie and blame your cousin? I’m
going to beat you within an inch of your life!”
Grandma shielded Ethan, and Dad intervened,
pretending to scold them both for my and
Mom’s benefit.
Grandma led Ethan inside, and Dad continued
to placate Aunt Sarah.
I grabbed Ethan and demanded an apology.
He just rolled his eyes.
I snatched his backpack, dumped out his
Ethan had always been the family’s golden
boy. A fortune teller had predicted he’d be a
government official someday.
Uncle Mark was strict about his studies,
pinning all his hopes on Ethan going to
college.
Upon hearing the news, Uncle Mark rushed
home.
Mom made sure to tell the story to Mrs.
Gable, the biggest gossip in town.
By the time Uncle Mark arrived, the story of
Ethan skipping school to play video games
had spread like wildfire.
As he walked into town, neighbors stopped
く
him to offer advice on disciplining children.
When Uncle Mark got home, Ethan’s already
healing backside received another round of
punishment.
recounting Ethan’s escapades.
Ethan scrambled to pick up his cards while
Aunt Sarah fumed.
