7
But I’m not my mother. I believe in an eye for an eye. I ignored her and pointed directly at Mandy.
15:43
“You’re the bastard,” I spat. “You’re the one who doesn’t belong in this family. Did you really think I didn’t.
know?”
My father was stunned. He never imagined I could possibly know the truth about Mandy.
But he recovered quickly. “Your mother knows about Mandy,” he said, his voice full of self–righteousness.” Even if she’s not my biological child, she’s better than you! Your birth was a product of deceit and filth. Man- dy is a victim of circumstance! You are nothing like her!”
He was right. I wasn’t like her.
She was the product of a love affair. I was the product of a conspiracy.
My grandmother was frantic. “What is going on?!”
My dad, with an air of noble sacrifice, addressed the crowd. “Mandy… my wife and I found her on the side of the road. We felt sorry for the poor child and took her in. We told everyone she was ours because we didn’t want her to be treated differently by family and friends. My conscience is clear on this matter!”
Everyone looked at my mom, who was silent. They took her silence as confirmation.
My grandmother stumbled over to my dad, grabbing his arm. “David, my dear boy, please, calm down. All these years, I’ve loved you like my own son. Let’s not even talk about whether this is true or not. You two have been married for so long, you’ve been a father to Sharon… please don’t say things you’ll regret.”
My dad, ever the good guy, let his eyes redden. “Mom, I can tolerate anything else. But this… this humiliation, I can’t. She could have cheated with anyone! But with her own family- He broke off, too ashamed to finish.
He wasn’t the broke kid from years ago. He was a successful man with a reputation. Now that the secret was out, he wasn’t about to swallow his pride.
His sister, my “aunt,” tried to mediate. “David, you were able to accept Mandy, who has no blood relation to you at all. Can’t you find it in your heart to forgive Sharon, too?”
Meanwhile, other relatives were swarming my mom.
“Catherine, stop crying! Go apologize to David! You’re family, there’s nothing you can’t get through.”
“Catherine, you need to be honest with him, beg for his forgiveness.”
were in the wrong here, y
“Think about Sharon, if not yourself! You can’t let this family fall apart!”
*Exactly! How will Sharon face the world after this? Catherine, don’t be stubborn. You’re not well. Now is the time to be humble.”
Just then, the view count on my live stream shot past ten thousand. The comments were a torrent of abuse almed at my mother.
This is insane. Worse than any soap opera.”
“Look at how her own family is siding with the husband. That tells you everything you need to know about his character. What a thankless woman.”
“Back in the day, women like her would have been run out of town on a rail.”
“That poor girl, Sharon. Having a mother like that is the worst kind of luck.”
My mother looked at my father and Mandy, her face a mask of bitter disappointment. “I have never done anything to betray you. The biggest regret of my life was picking Mandy up off the street and bringing her into our home.”
Mandy just kept her head down, crying. “I know I shouldn’t have done this. I just didn’t want to see Dad get hurt anymore.”
My father’s patience snapped. “Enough of this useless chatter. I’m having my assistant draft the divorce papers right now.”
