7
305words
Noah whispered, "Daddy, I’m okay."
It broke my heart.
Amanda stormed in like a hurricane.
"Ethan Miller! How dare you detain a child?! Charlotte’s only nine!"
I glared at Charlotte hiding her phone.
"Do you know what your ‘nine-year-old’ just did?"
Amanda glanced at Noah’s bandage, dismissive. "Kids roughhouse."
Suddenly, she gasped dramatically, rushing to Charlotte.
"Charlotte! Honey! Your pretty braids! Who messed them up?"
Charlotte glared at Amanda, then pointed maliciously at Noah.
"Aunt Amanda! He did it!"
Amanda whirled on Noah, fury building.
"Noah Miller! Why would you pull her hair?!"
Noah looked at me, scared. "Daddy!"
I dragged Amanda into the hall.
"Noah is five! He should be the little brother here! Four years apart! Who bullied who?"
Amanda ripped her arm free, defiant. "Obviously Noah! Charlotte’s a girl!"
I stared, incredulous.
Amanda sneered. "Charlotte’s brilliant! Straight A’s! Junior Ballet Champion! Noah could never compare!"
Her contempt was undisguised.
I massaged my temples. "Hear yourself?"
"Noah’s barely started kindergarten! How is that a comparison?"
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Exactly! So why won’t you donate a kidney to Charlotte?"
She launched into her twisted pitch.
"Think! Noah’s kidney goes to Charlotte. When she wins trophies, it’s hisvictory!"
"She’ll get into Harvard! Noah gets bragging rights without lifting a finger!"
My fists clenched.
Her warped logic spewed out.
Finally, I snapped.
CRACK!
My palm connected with her cheek.
Amanda staggered, hand flying to her face. "You hit me?!"
She screamed. "What did I say wrong?! That boy shouldn’t have been born! Donating lets him be useful!"
"Charlotte’s a champion! Do you know what losing ballet means?!"
I roared back. "One kidney?! What life does Noah have with only one?!"
Amanda stammered. "You’re rich! Buy him a new one later!"
