The Day My Family Spoke Over Me

"Faith, don't be rude to your grandmother."

I tried to wipe the sauce off my face, but Faith merely laughed louder and repeated in Datrenan, "What an idiot!"

I burned with humiliation. "Faith, didn't I tell you to use Cathayan at home? I don't understand other languages."

Alas, she just rolled her eyes at me and complained to my son, Noah Chapman, "Dad, Grandma's so dumb. I don't want to sit with her."

Noah and his wife, Zoey Wagner, had their eyes peeled on their phones and had been ignoring Faith's actions. I got angry and smacked the back of Faith's head. "Is this how I taught you? Where are your manners?"

Zoey, who had been silent, looked up immediately and snapped at me, "Nora, Faith is just a child. Why did you do that to her?"

I stared at her in disbelief. "Are you going to ignore the fact that she threw food at me first?"

Zoey shrugged nonchalantly. "She was just being a kid. I'm sure it didn't hurt. Besides, you must've been mistreating her for her to hate you so much."

My chest tightened with fury.

I looked at Noah, who didn't even bother to look up. "Mom, please stop. Why can't you learn from those elderly abroad? Those people have class. No wonder Faith thinks you're embarrassing."

Faith became even bolder upon having his support. "It's all your fault. You're stinky and filthy. Yet, you're still hogging the house. You're the reason why Grandpa and Kasey can't come home!"

I froze. "Your grandpa's been dead for decades. And who is Kasey?"

Faith jumped on the chair and spat on me. "You're the one who should die! Grandpa is alive and well. He's tall and handsome, and even wears an expensive watch. Kasey smells nice. Unlike you. You stink!"

It took me several minutes to process what she had just said. "You've all been hiding something from me? So, Connor isn't dead and has a mistress?"

Zoey frowned. "Nora, what are you saying? They're soulmates. Kindred spirits. How could you call a bond like that cheating?"

I was dizzy with rage. "What is it if not cheating? He ran off with his mistress while I held the family together for over 40 years! I worked myself to the bone to put Noah through school, help him get married, and raise his daughter. Yet, where was he? Who's that Kasey woman?

"You both knew all along, didn't you?"

"Mom!" Noah slammed his phone onto the table.

There wasn't a trace of warmth in his eyes.

Instead, there was nothing but disappointment in his eyes. "Mom, it's been decades, but you're still as vulgar as ever. Look at you now. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. It's no wonder Dad faked his death just to get away from you."

My mind went blank as I stood frozen in place.

…

Moments later, Noah warmly greeted a man and a woman and invited them to sit in the two empty seats.

I looked up. It's been over 30 years, yet Connor Chapman, my husband, didn't have a single strand of gray hair. His hair was still thick and black. His tailored suit was immaculate. He looked every bit the refined intellectual.

The woman beside him barely had any wrinkles. She wore a brown coat, her hair neatly pinned up, and a diamond bracelet resting elegantly on her wrist.

I knew her. She's Kasey Bullock, my old neighbor from decades ago.

Faith threw herself into their arms and called them Grandpa and Grandma, clinging to them affectionately. Connor chuckled happily, and Zoey linked arms with Kasey as they chatted.

Everyone sat down, except me.

Connor glanced at me and said, "If you're not sitting, then ask the waiter to bring two more dishes."

I asked in return, "Don't you have some explaining to do?"

He was annoyed. "About what? Our family finally has a chance to get together for a meal, but you just have to ruin it with that sour look on your face. Stop picking fights. No one is obligated to put up with you."

Faith deliberately dumped a bowl of soup all over my chair and pointed at Kasey. "Why are you still here? See her? She is my real grandma. Not someone like you who only wears ragged clothes."