Their sales plummeted, and their stock started
L
<
Even worse, Carter had stolen money to pay off
his gambling debts.
He was a gambling addict who spent most of
his time in Vegas.
He owed way too much money.
Dad had a heart attack.
Carter took the money and ran.
Mom called me crying.
I had just handed in my application for grad school.
Time to go home.
Dad was in a crappy hospital room, gray-
haired, and unconscious.
Mom looked old and tired.
1 1
464
11:41
<
Her jewelry was gone.
She looked me in the eye, and tried to hug me
but I stepped back.
Then she said, “Genesis?”
Seeing me unresponsive, she sobbed, “Do you
hate us now?”
“You didn’t use to be like this.”
Before?
I laughed.
Yeah, I used to be a dog for them.
But that girl was gone.
I put a card in her hand.
“Mom, every penny you spent on me is on this
<
11:41
card.”
“We’re even now.”
I paused.
“If you need money in the future, sue me. I’ll give you the alimony the judge tells me to.”
Mom’s eyes widened.
464
She thought she could play the victim and have
me take care of her.
She didn’t expect this.
She stammered: “Genesis, are you saying this
because we didn’t treat you well enough?”
She glared at me, “It’s all Delilah’s fault!”
“She ruined everything. We love you!”
<
11:42
She tried to give me the card.
I pulled away, smiling.
“You’re so fake.”
((
“You guys knew what Delilah was up to.”
464
“Just admit that you loved her more because
you couldn’t handle an ugly and poor daughter.”
“If you had everything now, would you say the
same thing?”
“Stop lying to yourself.”
“You don’t love Carter, Delilah, or me.”
“You only love yourselves.”
“That’s why your kids are the same.”
Mom was speechless.
<
She couldn’t argue.
I left.
A black Maybach blocked me.
It was Shawn Smith.
My partner in crime.
I’d helped him get out of marrying Delilah.
In exchange, he bought the condemned
building, so the police would have somewhere
to dig up Hank.
Shawn leaned on the car and waved.
“All done?”
I gave him a thumbs up.
“Lunch to celebrate?”
I shook my head, “Flying to Norway this
afternoon.”
“I’ll take you to the airport.”
He opened the door for me.
We talked a bit on the way.
As I was boarding, Shawn said, “Genesis, if
you…if you don’t mind, can I visit you in
Norway?”
“I hear the Northern Lights are beautiful.”
His eyes held hope.
I didn’t answer.
I booped his nose, then ran to the gate, smiling.
“We’ll see!”
The plane rose, passing through the clouds.
From now on, my future was bright.
There would be people who loved me, and
people I loved.
The girl who had been desperate for her
parents‘ love had finally broken free and flown
away.
END.
