Seeing Corinne's aggrieved expression, Calvin's heart ached for her.
"Queenie, Corinne bought this medicine out of the goodness of her heart. Don't be so ungrateful—just take it and come eat."
I popped a pill from the blister pack and washed it down with water. A flash of triumph flickered across Corinne's eyes.
"Queenie, now that you've taken your medicine, come join us for dinner."
I watched her slip out the door.
Then I grabbed Calvin before he could follow.
"Calvin, the flu's been going around everywhere lately. We traveled all day, and now I'm coming down with a fever. Maybe you should take some cephalosporin too—just to be safe."
He considered this, decided it made sense, and swallowed a pill with water.
The moment he left, I spat the pill into the trash, rinsed my mouth three times, and only then went to dinner.
At the table, Corinne raised her glass.
"Here's to the new year—may our family grow closer and more prosperous. Let's all drink to that!"
Everyone lifted their glasses.
I spoke up quickly. "I can't drink alcohol."
The corner of Corinne's mouth curved upward—exactly as it had in my previous life—and she poured me a glass of juice.
"Then have this instead, Queenie. Juice in place of wine."
Calvin, remembering the cephalosporin he'd just taken, poured himself juice as well.
"I'll do the same."
I watched him drain his glass in one gulp.
Corinne let out a cold laugh.
"You know, Queenie, I put half a glass of liquor in that juice. And look at you—perfectly fine. Seems to me you just wanted to disrespect our family. Show us who's boss on your first visit. Too bad for you, I know exactly how to handle people like that."
Calvin's face went rigid. "You put alcohol in the juice?" His voice rose to a shout. "You can't drink alcohol after taking cephalosporin—don't you know that?"
Corinne clutched his arm, her voice turning soft and wounded. "But Calvin, she was trying to humiliate us! If I don't put her in her place now, I'll never survive in this family. Besides, she's obviously fine—"
I was fine. Calvin, on the other hand, looked like he was about to die.
He clutched his chest, his breathing ragged and shallow, and collapsed.
The color drained from Corinne's face. Panic seized her. "Calvin! What's wrong?"
Her parents scrambled around him, calling his name over and over.
I pressed down the smile threatening to break across my face and forced urgency into my voice. "Oh no—Calvin took cephalosporin before dinner, and then he drank the spiked juice! We need to get him to the hospital now. Any longer and it could be fatal!"
At that, her mother frantically called for an ambulance.
In the end, Calvin spent three days and three nights in the hospital having his stomach pumped—the exact same ordeal I'd suffered in my previous life. Every moment of agony I'd endured, now his to experience.
Outside the emergency room, her mother slapped Corinne across the face.
"You worthless girl! Why would you put alcohol in the juice? Were you trying to kill my son?"
Her father kicked Corinne so hard she stumbled. "If anything happens to him, I will never forgive you."
My lips curved slightly. In my previous life, when I was the one hospitalized, Calvin and his parents had urged me to let it go. Corinne didn't mean it. Don't make a fuss. Funny how the knife only hurts when it cuts your own flesh.
A vicious glint flashed in Corinne's eyes. Suddenly, she turned on me.
"Queenie—why did you make my brother take cephalosporin? You did this on purpose, didn't you? You wanted to hurt him!"
I laughed in disbelief. My voice went cold. "Corinne, how was I supposed to know you'd spike the drinks? Why would I want to hurt Calvin? He's my husband."
Even if, deep down, I wanted nothing more than to watch him die—I still had to keep up appearances.
Corinne's voice rose again, sharp with accusation. "Then why are you fine? You took cephalosporin too!"
