4: 4
Half a month later, one hand pressed to a wound that still hadn't fully healed, I went back to the old house to pack my things.
I'd barely reached the door when I heard the laughter spilling out from inside.
The place was decked out, two big banquet tables set up in the living room, relatives raising glasses and toasting.
They were celebrating the pregnancy of Paul's girlfriend.
She sat in the seat of honor, a bowl of premium health tonic in her hands.
"Mom, this tonic's gone a little cold. Go heat it up again. My son can't be having cold things."
Mom took the bowl back with a face full of smiles.
"Oh, my sweet girl, I'll go right now, and mind you don't strain the baby."
Dad saw me come in, and the smile on his face vanished in an instant.
"Good timing. Tomorrow you quit your job, come back home, and devote yourself to looking after Paul's fiancée while she's carrying."
I stood in the entryway and watched him quietly.
"And hand over the passwords to all your cards. From now on your mom manages the money."
He blew out a ring of smoke.
"Cash out that retirement fund of yours too, so Paul can trade up to a bigger van, something roomy for hauling the kid around later."
Mom came out with the reheated tonic, spooning it to the mother-to-be while she wept at me.
"Caroline, so what if the aunt has to swallow a little? It's all for the Head line, for carrying on the family. You're a Head, after all."
I didn't answer any of them. I walked straight to the front of the living room.
That was where the Head family's household deities and ancestral tablets were enshrined.
I grabbed the most valuable teapot off the altar with one hand.
I slammed it down hard into the middle of the table.
Every single one of them stared, wide-eyed.
Dad raised his hand and came at me.
"You've lost your mind! You dare smash a Head family thing! I'll beat you to death today, you ungrateful girl!"
Just as his hand was about to land,
I yanked up my shirt.
The knife scar across my belly, stitches only just out, still weeping blood, laid bare for all of them to see.
Dad's hand froze in midair.
I looked at my whole family, every word drawing blood.
"You traded my life for a house and left me to die in an ER. Is this what a family does?"
I turned and strode toward the door.
Behind me came Dad's hysterical roar.
"Get out! Walk through that door and the Heads have no daughter like you! Die out there for all I care, don't ever come crawling back to me!"
My hand on the door handle, I didn't turn around.
"Good. I'm taking the household record with me. Tomorrow I'm changing my surname."
