When He Finally Believed Me
When my ex-husband, Hanson Rowse, got remarried, I jumped into the ocean with our ten-year-old daughter, Tess Rowse, in my arms.
The police called Hanson and my parents. The wedding reception was cut short, and they all rushed over.
My soul hung in the air above it all, watching as Tess was pulled from the water. The sight of her hit like a blade to the chest.
At the hospital, my parents looked at her with nothing but cold indifference.
My brother, Edward Wells, didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.
"You're just like your mother! Always causing trouble and pulling cheap stunts like this just to get attention."
Hanson's fists clenched. He scanned the area, and when he couldn't see me anywhere, anger spilled into his eyes.
"Where's Melody? She picked my wedding day to pull this stunt, and now she won't even show her face? If she really wanted to die, why leave behind this burden?"
At his words, Tess suddenly moved.
She stumbled toward the window, climbed up, and before anyone could react, she jumped.
The room went dead silent for a heartbeat. Then, the screaming started.
What they didn't know was this: the first thing Tess and I learned at that reform school was obedience.