3: 3
Five days later, Grace finally showed up.
She handed me a bunch of lilies.
"Morton, the transplant's this afternoon. Don't worry, I've lined up the best doctors for you. It'll only take a few hours and it'll be over."
The scent of lilies makes me break out.
Theodore's the one who likes them.
But I couldn't afford to care about any of that now. Clinging to my last shred of hope, I grabbed a fistful of her sleeve.
"Don't go! Please, save me! Theodore's trying to hurt me. His type doesn't match mine at all. Go check the doctors' test results for me, please?"
When she'd heard me out, her face suddenly darkened.
"Morton, Theodore is dying, and not only do you refuse to save him, you want to frame him too."
I tried to defend myself. "It's true. I heard the doctors talking. He forged the test report."
I didn't expect her eyes to fill with nothing but disappointment.
"Morton, I see now how selfish you really are. You're so eaten up with jealousy you'd stand by and watch Theodore die. The Morton Delgado I fell for was kind, someone with drive. The man you are now is ugly enough to sicken me."
I fought to explain.
"Grace, I've never once lied to you. Why won't you believe me, just this once?"
But she cut me off, pulling out a photo and flinging it in my face.
"Enough! I already had it checked. Your mother was never sick. For a lousy three thousand dollars, you'd curse your own mother with your whole heart, then lie through your teeth to trick me. Morton Delgado, you're greedy and stupid both. For money, is there anything you wouldn't do?"
The sharp edge of the photo sliced open my cheek.
I didn't care about the cut. I snatched the photo up, and the tears came all at once.
In it, my mother was walking my little brother to school, her smile as bright as the sun, and the date printed in the corner was yesterday.
I pressed a hand to my chest and murmured, "It isn't like that. That day I got a call from the hospital saying my mom was in a car accident, in the ER, and they needed money right away."
Grace rose to her feet, looking down at me, her voice cold.
"I don't believe a single word coming out of your mouth now."
"You wanted to break up, didn't you? You've got your wish. Once you've given Theodore his marrow, I'll give you a breakup settlement."
