My Last Birthday: I Died While Mommy Said She Was Done With Me Chapter 04
I followed Mommy into the master bedroom.
Daddy looked up when he heard her.
“Did Emily come out?”
Mommy sat on the edge of the bed, folding clothes. She shook her head.
“No. Not a peep. She’s getting older. She’s probably feeling embarrassed.”
Daddy took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Emily’s had it hard too.”
“She’s never been to school. She barely has any friends. Of course she feels a little jealous watching Lily get to go to school.”
“Maybe we should get Emily a tutor.”
Mommy’s hands stopped for a second.
“A tutor? With what money? We still owe the hospital for her medicine from last month.”
Daddy sighed and rolled over.
“I’ll drive for a rideshare company.”
“I can do a few hours after work every night. We should be able to put some money together.”
Mommy turned to look at him.
The light from the bedside lamp fell across Daddy’s face.
The dark circles under his eyes were impossible to miss.
“You’re already exhausted from work all day. That could be dangerous.”
Daddy waved his hand.
“I’ll be fine. I’m healthy.”
“My shoulder’s been bothering me lately, though. Can you put some pain medicine on it?”
Daddy turned around.
Mommy pulled down the collar of his pajamas.
His shoulder was red and badly swollen.
I stood beside the bed, staring at that angry red patch.
Tears fell onto the blanket.
I used to complain that Daddy always came home late.
I used to ask why he never had time to play with me.
I never stopped to think about why he was always coming home late.
Every one of those nights, he had been working for me.
I threw my arms around him.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m sorry I was so selfish.”
Mommy pressed the pain patch onto his shoulder.
Then they both lay down and turned off the light.
I lay between them, just like I used to when I was little.
Mommy’s warm breathing was on my left.
Daddy’s slow, steady heartbeat was on my right.
I reached out and wrapped my arms around them, even though my hands could never really touch them.
For the first time in a long while, I felt completely happy.
The next morning, Mommy called us down for breakfast.
As she walked past the dining table, she noticed the strawberry cake was still sitting on the plate.
Not a single bite had been taken.
The frosting had started to sag.
The strawberry on top had gone soft.
The warmth in Mommy’s face slowly disappeared.
She put the plate down and walked toward my bedroom.
She knocked twice.
“Emily, come out.”
No answer.
Her eyes started turning red.
“I already apologized yesterday. What more do you want from me?”
“You won’t even eat the cake. Are you trying to starve yourself just to make a point?”
“Who are you trying to punish? Do you really want to make Mommy this angry?”
Still nothing.
Mommy grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
All the color drained from her face.
She turned around and shouted for Daddy.
“Babe, Emily’s gone!”
“What?” Daddy came running.
“Don’t panic. We’ll look for her. She has to be somewhere in the house.”
Then Lily’s voice came from down the hall.
“Mommy, Emily’s in the bathroom playing with the water.”
I panicked.
I didn’t know what to do.
I only could scream at Lily.
“Lily! Get out! Don’t let Mommy see me!”
But Lily couldn’t hear me.
She reached up and pulled the shower curtain all the way open.
Mommy let out a breath of relief.
Then she stomped over to the tub, still yelling.
“Emily, stop being a baby and get out! Mommy is really mad at you! If you—”
Her voice died.
In the tub, the water was dark and heavy red. And I was in it.
Eyes closed. Skin white.
Then her face turned the same color.