5
616words
Asking me about marital issues was pointless.
["I... I don't know. Why is Mark suddenly divorcing you? Just because you donated a kidney?"] I asked, feigning ignorance.
Patricia bit her lip. ["All I did was use his debit card to pay for Kevin's surgery, and he got so mad he slapped me and started yelling that he absolutely wants a divorce."]
["I mean, isn't Kevin his brother-in-law? Shouldn't he, as the brother-in-law, cover the surgery? Why was he so mad?"]
I was stunned. ["So... you're saying you took Mark's money without asking? Used his card?"]
["Thirty thousand dollars!"]
Patricia scoffed dismissively. ["So what? He is family."]
I gave her a thumbs-up. ["You're something else."]
Seeing I couldn't help, Patricia complained a bit more and then left.
Patricia and Mark did divorce, and it happened surprisingly fast.
Rumor was Mark said if Patricia agreed to the divorce, he wouldn't pursue the thirty thousand dollars she'd taken.
Patricia initially refused, but her parents accepted on her behalf.
They hadn't even signed the papers yet when Patricia was kicked out by Mark's mother and went to stay with Kevin.
Kevin's wife, hearing about his illness, had promptly divorced him and taken the kids.
Now Kevin was out of the hospital with no one to care for him. Having his freshly divorced sister to move in and take care of him was perfect for her parents.
A free live-in caretaker!
Patricia moved into Kevin's place feeling indebted. She insisted on doing every chore.
Kevin was still weak after the surgery; the transplanted kidney needed time to settle.
So Patricia got up at 5 AM every day to make breakfast for everyone, then rushed to the grocery store to buy lunch.
After lunch, she washed clothes for four people, mopped floors, and tidied up.
She forgot she was also a recent surgery patient. She pushed herself relentlessly.
The day before I left for Denver, Patricia texted, asking to meet.
Miraculously, she suggested a coffee shop near my office.
She looked even worse than the last time I'd seen her – pale, lips slightly blue, utterly drained.
I bought her a latte and a muffin. She devoured them like she hadn't eaten in days.
["Vanessa, I... I haven't been feeling well at all."]
She pointed to her side. ["Here. It hurts."]
["And I have no energy. I feel sleepy all the time."]
["I told my parents, but they just said I need more exercise. They won't take me to a doctor."]
["I want to go myself, but I have no money."]
She looked at me pleadingly. ["Could... could you take me to see a doctor?"]
I pretended to be shocked. ["Your parents are awful! You just had major surgery too! How can they make you do all the housework and not even take you to a doctor?"]
Patricia immediately jumped to their defense, shaking her head. ["It's not like that. Taking care of my brother is my job as the oldest sister."]
["I just didn't expect my body to be so weak. It's just getting up a bit earlier, doing chores I've always done. Why do I feel so drained?"]
["Maybe I'm not eating enough. My parents don't let me eat too much—they say getting fat will hurt my chances of remarrying."]
“Your parents still expect you to marry again?”
“Of course I have to remarry. Where else would I live? I can’t stay at my brother’s forever. Once he’s better, I’ll have to move out.”
Wow. Her mindset of prioritizing her brother was so deeply ingrained that it was beyond reasoning.
