Between Mother and Daughter

“Can you wipe me down, Carys?” Bryan Cumberland parked his wheelchair outside my bedroom door. His request took me by surprise. How was I, a lady, supposed to help him? While I was a year older than him, I was not related to him by blood. Mom brought Bryan home. She and a friend, along with her family, were in a car accident while traveling a week ago. Unfortunately, Bryan’s parents died in the crash. Bryan and Mom were lucky to survive the ordeal. While Mom was alive and well, Bryan’s legs were broken. Given her friendship with the family, Mom volunteered to care for Bryan, and the arrangement would remain until Bryan could walk again. Mom would usually be on top of Bryan’s hygiene care. However, she was out today. Before leaving the house this morning, Mom urged me, “Please watch Bryan, Carys.” Come to think of it, I should give him a good wipe because of his mobility issues. However, I panicked the moment I wheeled Bryan into the bathroom. My heart raced. B

The moan was one of pure ecstasy, and it only grew louder as I approached. The voice sounded familiar… I knew that voice anywhere. Fueled with rage, I pushed open the door. I caught Mom lying in bed. The back of her blouse was pushed up, exposing a patch of skin. Bryan sat on the edge of the bed, his hand still on Mom’s back. Mom turned over and sat up. Her forehead was damp with sweat, and her cheeks flushed. She seemed flustered about seeing me. “What were you up to?!” I clenched my fists and shouted. Bryan gave me the same innocent look as if he had nothing wrong. “I was giving Mrs. Bee a massage, Carys.”The excuse was ridiculous, with the massage extending to the bed. They would have probably taken things further if I hadn’t interrupted them.Bryan was 22 while Mom was pushing fifty. It was mind-boggling. Mom hurried over and grabbed my hand. “It’s not what you think, Carys. Bryan was giving me a massage.” She pulled out her phone to show me the result

Bryan’s remark annoyed me to no end. I was wrong about him. He hit on Mom, and it was not recent, either.Mom pushed me to the ground, the broken shard on the floor piercing into my back.An excruciating pain washed over me. Without looking at me, Mom cupped Bryan’s face between her hands. “Does it hurt, Bryan? Let me blow the pain away.” They made me sick to my stomach. Despite her years on earth, Mom lost all reason and turned against me, her daughter, for a man. “You’ll be sorry if anything happens to Bryan!” She cocked her head back and yelled at me. I could barely recognize Mom with the menacing look on her face. “Mom! Are you sure he loves you? Why did he hit on me then?” I yelled back, finding it hard to breathe. “You’re just jealous that I stole your crush. You’re young. Time is on your side to find someone new, but it’s not often I get to find love again.” Mom held Bryan in her arms, her heart going out to him. It was over. Mom was beyond help. At tha

Before I knew it, Bryan pressed the pillow down on my face, leaving me without air to breathe. My legs thrashed around frantically. For the first time, death was so close. I thought that was it for me. Suddenly, the pillow was removed from my face, and a police officer looked at me in a panic. “Are you alright, young lady?” I sucked in the air to fill my lungs. My tears silently fell now that the police ripped me away from the jaws of death. The police held Bryan down on the ground, and he met my gaze, his eyes red-rimmed. However, I no longer took pity on him. He deserved it. Mom was quickly taken to the emergency room. The doctor said that I’d have lost her if help hadn’t arrived in time. While she was alive, she lost the baby. As she lay in bed, barely able to breathe, I held her hand emotionally. I had never seen Mom so vulnerable. The ever-dominant supermom was now fragile. My tears dripped onto Mom’s hand as she slowly regained consciousness. She had no