2
A staff member handed me a tissue and
muttered, “Sorry for your loss.”
I thanked them, grabbed a rideshare, and left.
<
Back in town, Haley’s giant face was
plastered everywhere.
My head was swimming.
A young couple in the car chattered excitedly.
“Whose daughter is getting married? It’s
insane! They bought out all the billboards!”
“This is like a fairytale!”
“Yeah, it’s Haley’s birthday. Her dad owns like
half the city.”
“She’s so lucky, she can have anything she
wants!”
That’s when it clicked. This whole thing was
Mom and Dad celebrating Haley’s birthday.
^
And my sister and I had never gotten anything
like this.
My phone dinged with a birthday reminder
from Amazon.
Today was my sister’s birthday, too.
I closed my eyes, ignoring the bitterness.
The driver joined in.
“Mr. Davis is throwing a huge party, with a
drone show and fireworks. You guys going?”
“Yeah! Gotta get a good spot.
99
The car pulled up to the town square, and the
couple bolted.
I looked up, and saw hundreds of drones
twinkling in the sky.
They came together to spell out “Happy
Birthday, Haley!”
Fireworks exploded.
The driver started the car. “My buddy works
for the firework company. Mr. Davis started
planning this months ago. Money’s no
object!”
I listened, numb.
I opened Instagram, and Haley’s birthday was
all anyone was talking about.
“OMG! I wish I was her!”
“She’s the only daughter, of course they treat
her like a princess!”
“Haley’s had everything since she was a kid.
She’s so lucky!”
Everyone was celebrating.
Only I was on the outside, watching it all fall
apart.
My parents had told everyone Haley was their
only daughter.
My sister and I had to stay out of sight.
Outside, the cheers were getting louder.
Memories rushed back.
Mom and Dad used to love my sister and I.
The four of us had been happy.
When Haley first came to our house, we had
been thrilled and wanted to take care of her.
But Haley didn’t like us. She ignored us.
She did anything to get our parents‘ attention.
She fell in the pool and said I pushed her.
She caught a cold and said my sister made
her sick.
She always looked so pitiful.
She would tell our parents that my sister and I
Г
Even when we denied it, Mom and Dad
trusted Haley.
They didn’t believe a kid could be so
calculating.
They started restricting our allowance.
I thought about leaving home with my sister.
But she wouldn’t. She thought Mom and Dad
loved us deep down and would change.
Then my sister got in an accident, and my
parents wouldn’t pay the bill.
I went to the underground boxing ring, risking
my life for money.
I got enough for the surgery, but my parents
took it for Haley’s birthday gift.
And my sister died.
I had been wrong.
I should have forced my sister to leave.
I hated my parents for what they did.
It was too late.
This birthday party cost more than the
surgery.
My own daughter’s life was worth less than
making their adopted daughter smile.
<
I didn’t need that kind of love.
