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I thought my mother would at least ask how Herman was.
But after a few seconds of silence, all she said was,
"They didn't know it would happen. Why take it out on Mike and Celia?"
"Fine. I'll apologize to Celia for you, all right? So petty. Nothing like me at all."
She hung up in a rush.
Right after that, she posted an update on social media.
In the grid of photos, she had her arm looped fondly through Celia's, with Mike sitting beside them.
The caption read:
【My good daughter's been away so long, and she's finally home. Her mother is truly happy.】
Someone commented:
【Handsome son-in-law, beautiful daughter, one big happy family.】
My mother didn't explain a thing. She just liked the comment.
The bitterness in my chest turned my stomach.
I pressed hard on the button, trying to shut off the screen.
Instead I ended up answering the call Mike was making.
"Babe, I'm sorry. I can't get over there to be with you and our son."
"Mom says Celia's back, and we're all supposed to have her welcome-home dinner together. I was worried it'd be awkward for you if you came, so how about I come pick you two up after it's over?"
"I'll throw Herman another birthday tomorrow to make up for it. Don't be mad."
I cut him off.
"Did my mother not tell you Herman is in the hospital because of you?"
He went tense at once.
"What do you mean? What happened to Herman?"
"City General Hospital. If you still count yourself as a father, come see what you've done."
But I waited all night, and he never came.
All that came was a message.
【Mom says Herman's not in any real danger. Celia's jet-lagged, she just fell asleep, and if I go out now I'll wake her. I'll come pick you both up tomorrow.】
I sent him the divorce agreement I'd drafted long ago.
The thought of divorce hadn't started that night.
But in that moment, I decided for good.
Just because my mother had married Celia's widowed father,
just because Mike, whom Celia had quietly loved for years, had chosen me, they'd all decided I was the one who owed her.
But I had never done anything wrong.
Why should I keep giving in?
When day broke, the light over the emergency room finally went dark.
A nurse hurried out.
"The child's condition is critical. We need to bring in a specialist from out of state to operate. We have to complete the paperwork now. Did you bring the family registry documents?"
I rushed straight home.
But I entered the code several times in a row, and the lock kept saying it was wrong.
That code was Herman's birthday.
Just as I was about to call Mike, the door suddenly opened.
He stood there bare-chested, hair a mess, and the moment he saw me he shushed me.
"Keep it down, Celia's still sleeping."
Seeing me stare at the keypad lock, he explained awkwardly,
"Celia couldn't remember the old code, so everyone talked it over and changed it to her birthday."
"Everyone?"
"Mom, Neal Swanson, and me."
The down payment on this apartment came from selling the old house my grandmother left me, and I'd been the one paying off the mortgage this whole time.
But when they decided to change the code to my home, I was the only one they didn't ask.
I pushed past him and walked straight to the master bedroom.
Mike hurried to block me.
"What are you looking for? I'll get it for you."
The bedroom door stood half open.
Celia was wearing Mike's pajamas and my slippers, sitting on my bed.
Herman's little pillow and comforter had been dumped in a heap by the trash can.
She quickly pulled her collar closed.
"Sis, don't get the wrong idea. Mike was worried I wouldn't sleep well with the jet lag, so he let me take the master bedroom."
Mike explained too.
"I slept on the couch last night. Don't read into it."
The arguing woke my mother and Neal.
Neal said coldly,
"My daughter finally came home. What's the harm in her sleeping in your room for one night?"
My mother grabbed my arm too.
"It's just a room. Do you really have to make everyone miserable over it?"
I shook her off and went to the safe.
Celia's discarded clothes were piled beside it.
I reached out to push them aside, and two torn-open square wrappers suddenly dropped by my feet.
My eyes went red in an instant.
Mike's face changed, and he rushed to explain,
"It's not what you think."
"Celia had a late-night snack last night. That's the wrapper from the disposable gloves she opened. You know how packaging is these days, it all looks kind of..."
I said nothing. I just bit down hard on my lip, holding my hands steady against the shaking.
I kicked the wrappers aside, crouched down, opened the safe, and took out the family registry and Herman's documents.
Seeing me silent, Mike spoke up, a little awkward.
"Where's Herman? Why didn't he come back with you?"
I slammed the safe door shut, moved past him, and fixed my eyes on my mother.
"Now you finally think of Herman?! Then you might as well ask my mother!"
"Ask her why she didn't tell you?"
"Herman is only six, and you put him on a roller coaster that requires kids to be at least ten."
"He fell off it. They fought all night to save him, and right now he's still lying in the ICU!"
