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Suddenly,two men stood up,shouting,"There's a cockroach in the food!Where’s your boss!"
All eyes turned.
Mom hurried over,smiling."Gentlemen,serve you new dishes, for free."
"No way I'm eating here again!Pay me$1,000,or I'm calling the cops!"
Mom planted her hands on her hips."Your meal's$20,and you want$1,000?Don’t be ridiculous!"
They pulled out their phones,threatening to call the police.
"You're blackmailing me!My daughter's a bigshot—she won't let you get away!"Mom tried to scare them.
They laughed."Everyone on this street knows you killed your daughter,taking both her kidneys.You're worse than a wicked stepmother!"
Neighbors chimed in."Never seen a mom so cruel.I knew her daughter—such a dutiful girl,waiting tables here since she was little."
Mom hadn't expected outsiders to know.Panicked,she snapped,"She's my daughter—I can do what I want to her!Mind your own business!"
The men,fed up,flipped a table."Never seen a hag so vile!"
Mom shrieked,retreating to the counter."Touch me,and I'll have you arrested!My daughter won't forgive you!"
They left,cursing.
Mom cleaned up until past midnight,exhausted,and came home only to find Dad passed out drunk.
Furious,she woke him up.
"I told you to come to the diner and help me!I'm at the hospital all day,then get harassed at work,and you're here all cozy and drinking?"
"Get lost,you hag!"Dad shoved her aside and went back to sleep.
Enraged,Mom yanked at his sleeve."Who're you calling a hag?Wake up!"
"I've slaved for this family,working all day without even grabbibg a bite,and you're so heartless!"
She sobbed,pounding his back.
"Enough!"Dad flung her to the floor,stunned.
"You hit me?You've grown bold!"
She lunged,scratching and screaming.With alchohol inside him,Dad's strength overwhelmed her,and he beat her.
At dawn,he passed out.
Mom curled in a corner,hair matted,face swollen.
"If my daughter were here,she wouldn't let you bully me."
She touched the gold necklace around her neck.
I remembered my first job—she demanded my entire paycheck for Mother's Day,forcing me to buy her that necklace or she would lock my at home and prevent me to go to work.
Suddenly,her face paled."Where's my daughter?Where's her body?"
She stumbled out,racing to the hospital,grabbing a nurse."Where's my daughter?"
"She's in the morgue—think she’s cremated a couple of days ago.Check the funeral homes."
Mom had caused a scene before;the hospital knew her and her neglected daughter.
"Who told you to cremate her?"Mom roared.
"We called you multiple times.You never come and took her body away."
"Impossible!I never got a call!"
"Your own son told us you don’t want her."
Mom staggered,muttering,"No,James wouldn't do that."
At the funeral home,she clutched my urn,unsure what to do.
She ahd never hugged me since I could remember.
This closeness probably felt wrong to her.
She found a random cemetery,hastily buried me,and hesitated before leaving,glancing back once.
On the gravestone was only"Claire Thompson's Grave"—no photo.
"Be reborn to a good family.Don't blame your brother—he's had a hard life."
He had a hard life?What about mine?
Who ever cared about how I felt?
