- 14.
Mom regretted what she had done.
Everyone could see how much she missed
<
She put my photo on the nightstand, praying
to it everyday.
She cleaned out a room for me, buying me a
bunch of pretty dresses.
She would smile when she talked to people
about me when I was little, and bragged
about me.
She would say my daughter was a good, kind
girl, and that she had failed as a mother.
At night she would always cry, while looking
at my photos and things, softly calling out my
name over and over again.
Jenny, I’m sorry.
I’m so sorry.
<
I saw her doing all of this, and my heart felt a
mix of emotions.
Mom, please don’t.
I desperately wanted your love when I was
alive.
But you didn’t give it to me.
And now that I’m dead, you started to love
- me.
But it’s too late.
I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t. The blood tie
kept me here. I could only watch them day
after day.
Until something big happened.
<
My brother had fallen for an online scam and
got swindled out of a hundred thousand
dollars.
That money was not only his savings, but also
included a loan of eighty thousand.
This amount of money was a total disaster for
our family.
My parents‘ entire savings wouldn’t even be
enough.
That was also the same day Polly came
home.
My brother begged her for help, completely
broken down.
She put her hands on her mouth, shocked,
<
“I don’t have any money! I have to ask for
allowance every month.”
“And even then, he doesn’t always give it to
- me. Tom has been cold to me ever since
Jenny died.”
“He calls me a calculating schemer, and says
I intentionally destroyed his relationship with
her.”
“He always compares me to her! Says she
was smart, made a lot of money…”
“He… he even hits me! Mom, I’m so upset!”
She rolled up her sleeve, showing the bruises,
hoping her mom would take her side.
But my mom was cold, only responding, “Isn’t
<
Polly’s eyes widened, in disbelief that her
mother would say something like that.
“Mom, what are you doing? It’s not like I
killed her! You can’t blame me!”
