After learning their lesson, they
regretted it.
Chapter 1
My folks, trying to knock some sense into me,
faked a DNA test, claiming I wasn’t their real
daughter.
My brother, ignoring my pleas, was all too
eager to shove me into a mental hospital.
“You’re nothing but trouble, why don’t you
just drop dead?” he’d sneer.
And my fiancé, the guy I was head–over-
heels for, just stood there, cold as ice, even
pulling strings to make sure I suffered in that
hellhole.
Five years.
Five years to learn my lesson.
Now, all of a sudden, they want the old,
spoiled me back?
- 1.
“Ashley, what’s with the princess act again?
Being out this late, are you trying to make us
all worry?”
That’s my brother, Chad, his voice dripping
with annoyance on the phone.
The Landrys finally let me out of the loony
bin.
く
Because it’s Brittany’s birthday, and she’s
feeling generous enough to give me another
chance.
Then Dad takes over the phone.
“I know you resent us for sending you away,
but you were always so disobedient and mean
to Brittany.
We did it for your own good!”
Chad chimes in, “Exactly, and we got you out
now, right?
What more do you want?”
They keep nagging until, half an hour later,
they’re finally done lecturing and start asking
where I am.
זי
“Where are you right now?
We’ll send a car to pick you up!
And behave this time, got it?”
I swallow hard, my throat rasping.
“The mental hospital.”
Yeah.
I’ve been sitting here since dawn, not moving
an inch.
Silence on the other end, then a louder,
angrier voice.
く
“You’re at the hospital and you can’t get
home yourself?
Do we have to come get you?
You know the way!”
“Who are you trying to fool with this act?
Still holding a grudge, huh?
I knew you hadn’t learned your lesson, maybe
we shouldn’t have brought you home after
all!”
They seem to have forgotten that they were
the ones who told me to stay put.
“I’m…I’m sorry, Mr. Landry, Chad, I didn’t
mean to.”
The apology is automatic.
Silence again.
Probably stunned by my compliance, or
maybe by how I addressed them.
Five years ago, we were a family, close as
could be, if it weren’t for that damn DNA test,
I never would have imagined that I, who looks
eight parts like Mom and Dad, wasn’t really
their daughter.
“Whatever!”
He sounds defeated.
“I’ll have your brother pick you up!”
