
Dear Cousin, Take My ParentsAfter Uncle Frank and Aunt Gina died, my older cousin, Izzy Kramer, moved in with my family.
To make up for the fact that she has lost her parents, everything she has is hers and hers alone. I'm not allowed to even think about touching them.
Summer comes along, and my parents get Izzy a brand new bathtub. I happen to glance at it for just a second longer, and Izzy immediately breaks into tears.
"If you want all of these things, Melanie, go ahead and take them! I just want my parents back!"
Mom and Dad are furious, and Mom storms over to slap me.
"Why are you acting like such a spoiled child? What, have you never seen a bathtub before? Why do you keep staring at Izzy's bathtub, huh?"
My cheek stings.
Ever since then, I've grown too scared to even look at any of Izzy's things.
One day, Izzy invites me to have a soak in her bathtub. Thrilled, I carefully step into the water, but it's not as warm as I expected. In fact, the icy water instinctively gives me the urge to draw backward, but Izzy gives me a hard shove from behind.
She swiftly locks the bathroom door shut after.
"Since you like eyeing other people's things so much, you jealous brat, I'll make sure you have a nice long soak in the tub this time!"
Having lost my footing when she shoved me, I bash my head against the side of the bathtub. I feel something warm trickling down my forehead, but that sensation is quickly replaced by the icy water that surrounds me.
I don't know how much time passed, but eventually, I find myself hovering in the air.
I hear Izzy's voice coming from the other side of the door. She complains to my parents, "Uncle James! Aunt Louise! Melanie snuck into the bathroom to use my bathtub!"