Chapter 3

3 Grandma slammed her hand on the table. "Get out of here if you don't want to eat! You ungrateful brat!"

Then, turning to Ethan with a syrupy smile, she pulled a fifty-dollar bill from her sock and gave it to him.

She cooed at him, even though he hadn't lost anything and had actually gained fifty dollars.

In her eyes, her precious grandson had been terribly wronged.

"There, there, sweetie. Don't cry. Grandma won't give her any money, it's all for you."

Aunt Sarah chimed in, telling Grandma not to spoil him too much.

Even the usually quiet Aunt Carol and Uncle John agreed. "Mom, you need to be reasonable."

Grandma ignored them. "I'll spoil my grandson as much as I like!"

The family resumed their happy dinner. Uncle Mark raised his glass, proposing a toast to the New Year.

The sound of their chatter mingled with the exploding firecrackers outside.

It was New Year's Eve, a time for families to be joyful and together.

But I wasn't joyful.

I sat on the cold floor, watching Dad from the side.

He bounced Ethan on his knee again, feeding him peeled shrimp.

Mom led me to the kitchen and told me to take whatever I wanted.

I shook my head and went to my room.

It was the only New Year's Eve I didn't stay up until midnight.

I didn't go to the roof to watch the fireworks.

I don't remember falling asleep, but when I woke up, my pillow was damp, and my eyes were swollen.

Aunt Sarah was gossiping with some neighbors at the front door.

That's how I learned Dad had been taken to the hospital in the middle of the night.

"You won't believe it, I nearly had a heart attack!"

"I was just about to go to bed when my sister-in-law kicked down the door with a spatula in her hand!"

The neighbors gasped, saying Mom was always so timid and meek.

She was afraid to even kill a chicken during the holidays.

She never talked back, no matter how badly people treated her.

But for me, this timid, meek woman did something no one ever expected.

After Dad fell asleep on New Year's Eve, Mom grabbed a spatula from the kitchen.

She whacked Dad's hand, the one he'd used to hit me.

Dad shot up in bed, groaning in pain.

Mom didn't give him a chance to argue. She marched over to my aunt and uncle's house and kicked down their door.

She made Uncle Mark drive Dad to the hospital on his motorcycle.

Dad spent New Year's Day in the hospital. He'd fractured his hand.

Aunt Sarah, seeing the cast, kept Ethan away from our house.

When Dad came home, his arm in a sling, he still expected me to fetch him tea and food.

I looked at him, then went to Grandma's house to find Ethan.

"My dad brought you a present from the hospital."

Ethan followed me back. Dad was cursing me under his breath.

When he saw Ethan, his face lit up. He reached out to hug him.

"Dad says if you pour him tea, he'll live ten years longer."

I pointed to the stainless steel cup filled with boiling hot water.

Ethan hesitated, then carefully picked up the cup.

"Ethan, put that down! It's hot! Let your cousin do it. Come give your uncle a hug."

Ethan immediately set down the cup and gave me a smug look.

I ignored him and went upstairs, tuning out Dad's yells.