"I need you to do something for me."
By noon, Agnes and Abner had already picked up Mildred James and her husband from the airport.
It wasn't until they pulled into the apartment complex that Mildred thought to ask:
"Hey, where's Lorraine? How come she didn't come with you guys?"
"Is she still working or something?"
Abner walked ahead, distracted, pressing the elevator button without answering right away.
Agnes jumped in before he could, practically preening:
"I had her stay home to cook and clean for you all. We're having your favorite today, a big seafood spread for lunch."
Mildred looked surprised:
"Mom, I heard Lorraine's job keeps her really busy. She actually has time for all that?"
Agnes let out a little scoff, not a shred of doubt in her voice:
"She pulled a few all-nighters to bank enough goodwill at work for a couple days off after the wedding."
"Besides, once a woman's married, it doesn't matter how busy her job is. Taking care of her mother-in-law and her husband comes first."
"Otherwise, what did we marry her into this family for?"
Abner sighed, his voice uneasy:
"Mom, Lorraine didn't ask for a single dollar in wedding gifts. She even paid for the entire renovation out of her own pocket. Don't you think we're pushing it?"
Agnes turned on him, her tone sharp with disappointment:
"Pushing it? How?"
"When I was young, I was up before dawn doing farmwork. I was still out planting rice paddies when I was pregnant with you, and I survived just fine."
"That's different..."
"Different how? You can't spoil a woman. The more you coddle her, the more entitled she gets."
Agnes patted Abner on the shoulder, her voice heavy with self-appointed wisdom:
"Abner, I'm your mother. When it comes to handling women, I've got more experience than you."
"Women these days, if you don't keep a firm hand, they'll walk all over you."
"Back in my day, every wife knew her place. Old-fashioned obedience and subservience. You served your husband's family without question."
"Lorraine just married in. This is exactly the time for laying down the law. If you go soft now, you'll never get her under control."
Abner still looked uneasy:
"But what if Lorraine gets upset?"
Agnes smiled, dismissive and utterly sure of herself:
"She wouldn't dare."
"Didn't you see how obedient she was? I told her to do the laundry, she did the laundry. I told her to move out of the master bedroom, she moved out. Not a single complaint."
"I'm making sure she knows who runs this household. That way, when Mildred comes to visit, she won't be made uncomfortable."
The elevator arrived.
Abner said nothing. He walked out in silence.
Agnes fished out her keys as she headed for the front door, still riding high on her own confidence:
"Trust me, after the training I put her through today, Lorraine is completely broken in."
"Right now she's probably got the whole place spotless, a table full of seafood, just waiting for us to sit down and eat."
She slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.
What they saw stopped every single one of them dead.
