Chapter 4

I lost my resolve upon seeing Mom’s flushed face.

Perhaps what happened last night was only an impulse on Mom’s part?

Maybe she had not meant to be so biased…

I relented.

At the hospital, Mom lay on the bed and kept moaning and groaning. “My whole body hurts… It hurts here and here. Doctor, I want to do a full examination.”

The doctor obligingly ordered the tests. I ran around, paying the fees, getting samples, and getting medication.

Mom wanted to do all sorts of elective tests, from a CT scan of her head to a full-body scan.

I did not complain at all and simply paid for every expense.

Soon, all my savings dwindled to nothing.

“Mom, are all these tests really necessary?” I could not help but ask later in the day.

“Oh, what do you know?” Mom’s voice was loud and shrill. “Shouldn’t I do these tests, given how sick I am? Are you still worried about the money? Do you know how much it cost me to raise you for so many years?”

“I’ll take money out of my fixed deposit,” I interrupted her. “There’s still three days left for it to mature, but I can take it out early.”

Mom’s expression immediately cleared up. “That’s the right thing to do. I knew you cared, Sky.”

That night, I dragged myself back from buying food for Mom from the cafeteria. I was about to open the ward door when I heard her speaking.

“Did he really take it out, Mom?”

“He did. It’s $200,000! It’ll be plenty for us for a while.”

The other person talking was Tyler.

I pressed myself against the door and held my breath.

“Once we get the money, we’ll say my condition can’t be treated here, and we’ll have to go to the city. We’ll make him pay. Once he pays, we’ll block him.

“There’s no rush. Let’s see how it goes once all the money comes through. Skyler’s soft-hearted and easy to manipulate,” said Mom.

My hand shook on the door handle.

This was it.

I took soft steps back and turned away from the ward. When I got to the end of the hallway, I stood before the window for a long time.

The next day, our relatives all came in a flurry for a visit when they heard that Mom had been hospitalized.

The ward was packed to bursting with visitors, and fruit baskets and flower bouquets filled every corner.

Lying in bed, Mom told dramatic stories of how hard it had been to raise her two sons.

Tyler sat by her bed and fed her some water, looking every bit the obedient son.

Once everyone was gathered, I cleared my throat and started speaking. “Since everyone’s here, I’d like your opinion on something.”

The ward fell silent.

“I was planning to buy an apartment unit in the city where I work. I need $60,000 more for the deposit,” I said calmly. “Mom gave Tyler $200,000 so he could have a backup. Is it really too much if I ask for just $60,000 to pay the rest of the deposit?”

The smile on Mom’s face went stiff.

Our relatives exchanged glances. Someone asked softly, “She gave Tyler $200,000? When did that happen?”

Water sloshed out of the cup Tyler was holding and spilled on the bed.

“What do you think, Mom?” I stared straight at Mom. “It’s just $60,000. It’s not that much to you, right? After all, you love your sons so much. You want to treat us both equally, don’t you?”

Mom opened her mouth, and her face went pale. She looked around at the gathered relatives. Some looked at her with curiosity, some with judgment, and some with suspicion.

“I…” she finally said, “I’m sick and in hospital right now. Where am I supposed to find the money?”

“There’s no rush,” I said with a smile. “It can wait until you’re discharged. Maybe you can lend me $60,000 from Tyler’s $200,000? Besides, that’s money for both your sons. Tyler and I are both sons, so you should treat us equally, right?”