Mom pulled me out of school.
She looked at me with dead eyes.
“From now on, you take care of your sister.”
“And remember, her life is over because of
you.
I took care of Beth, day in and day out, for
sixteen years.
Dad was always working out of state.
When I wasn’t looking after Beth, I was
helping Mom in the fields.
One day I forgot my hat and went back for it.
I saw a shadow moving through the house.
I thought we were getting robbed.
く
I ran towards the house.
Then I saw Beth through the kitchen window.
She opened the cookie jar, grabbed a handful
of peanuts, and started munching.
I froze.
Beth came out of the kitchen.
I gave up school, a career, even my boyfriend
to take care of my paralyzed sister.
Now I’m thirty–six, my best years are over.
Now I found out Beth’s been faking it.
Who ruined whose life?
<
I was shaking with fury.
I grabbed my phone and called Mom and
Mike, telling them to get home ASAP.
For the sake of all these years, I didn’t throw
her out of bed.
I told her I saw her walking around, clear as
day.
Mike and Mom stood there, giving me the
stink eye.
Beth was lying in bed, tilting her head, pulling
at my shirt.
“Jess, have you been getting enough sleep?”
“Vou’re posing things ”
<
Then she smiled, all sweetness and light.
“Besides, if I’m stuck in this bed, it’s thanks
to you.”
That’s when Mom slapped me, left a bright
red handprint on my face.
Mom sneered.
“Ruining your sister’s life wasn’t enough for
you?”
“Now you gotta make her out to be a liar?”
“Why couldn’t you be the one who ended up
paralyzed?”
I stared at Mom, stunned.
<
I started to defend myself.
I saw it myself.
Why wouldn’t Mom believe me?
Mom saw I was still going to say something.
She slapped me a few more times, and my
head started spinning.
I’ve been getting hit my whole life and eating scraps for as long as I can remember.
My body is even weaker than Beth’s.
Mike stopped Mom.
