- 7.
Jake walked free.
Because I signed the settlement.
<
The price was three million dollars, cash up
front.
My dad grumbled about how women shouldn’t
be so greedy, but he transferred the money to
my account.
He was afraid I wouldn’t sign the deal, and he
did not want his son to end up with a record.
I signed, and Elizabeth asked, “Olivia, what do
you need that money for?”
“It’s not good for a girl to have so much.
money.”
I stared her down. “Because you don’t give a
shit about me. You only care about my grades,
whether I can make you look good.”
“Your son paid people to bully me. Maybe one
day you’ll kick me out.”
“If I don’t take your money, how will I survive?”
She shook her head. “That won’t happen! You’re my daughter!”
I saw her the way she would be in the future,
sighing.
“It’d be so wonderful if Harlow were my real
daughter.”
“You’ve disappointed me. I shouldn’t have had
you.”
“What a curse!”
I turned to leave. “Who knows what’ll happen.”
I took a few days off from school and went
back to Grandpa’s house.
My parents were worried and drove me there.
<
They saw the old house, the broken fence, the
hard dirt floor, the rusty well, and the wire
connecting to the lightbulb.
They didn’t know my life had been so hard.
They stood in the yard, watching me pull
weeds.
I paid some workers to open Grandpa’s grave.
and put his bones in a new urn.
The past and the present merged.
“Olivia, when you go to college and get rich,
Grandpa can rest easy.”
Rain fell, disappearing into the ground.
I knelt, holding Grandpa’s ashes, and cried for
the first time since the first day I had woken up
again in my old body..
8:42
<
I bought the best spot in the cemetery and put
Grandpa’s ashes inside.
I placed the dishes neatly in front of the tomb,
putting a greasy roast chicken leg in the center.
I was seven when I bought Grandpa that
chicken leg with the money I had earned selling
bottles for several days as a birthday gift.
I never knew his birthday, he always said that old people didn’t celebrate their birthdays, so
that chicken leg was the only thing I ever gave
him.
He took a small bite, then smiled and put the
chicken leg in my bowl.
“Delicious! Grandpa’s teeth aren’t good, so you
should eat it.”
Grandpa gently touched my head: “When you
get rich. buy Grandpa chicken leas every day.”
<
But he would never get the chance to eat a
chicken leg his granddaughter bought.
I poured a glass of white wine on his
tombstone, and lit a cigarette, leaning against
the wind.
I tried to light it several times, but my dad came
over to help. I turned away, refusing his offer.
I sucked in the cigarette and coughed up half a
lung.
The lit cigarette was placed in the incense
burner, and I knelt in front of the tomb, bowing
my head three times.
I heard my mom sobbing softly behind me.
I didn’t cry. I didn’t want my tears to disturb
Grandpa.
I rented an apartment near school and moved.
<
I rented an apartment near school and moved
out.
The dorms were bad. I didn’t want anyone.
messing with my studies.
My parents tried to stop me. “There’s room at home. The driver can take you to school. Why
do you need to leave?”
I looked at the maid’s room that was my
bedroom. “It’s better for everyone if I leave.
“You’re a family. I don’t want to get in the way.”
