Unmasking Their Lies

in my family' s perfect facade appe

che in his chest. He' d rub the spot over his hea

," he' d say dismissively when

nd my mother brushed me off, calling me an alarmist. He ended up having a mi

ew exactly what

wincing. Eleanor was fluttering around him, offering him an

down m

calm. "Chest pain that radiates like that can be a sign of a hea

scowle

atic, Ava. It' s a

rm, her touch light

, sweetie. You worry too much. I

the couch, not even looking up. "Alw

e dismissal. In my past life, I would have argued. I wou

, I just

id, and went b

hat was their choice. I would not set myse

r, the inevit

ther slumped over in his recliner, gasping for breath, his face a ghastly sha

d, David! Somebod

p from his phone, his

happenin

er eyes, filled with tear

1!" she

ispatcher with a steady voice. While Eleanor continued to sob and Liam s

lted away and was replaced by a familiar, cloying victimhood. She sat in the waiting room, dabbi

er. "It came on so suddenly. I told him to take i

me out to speak wi

heart would have been minimal if he' d come in wh

eyes narrowing. The other family members who ha

led on me like

"She said he should go to the hospital two days ago. But she didn't

r loyal soldi

ed it. If she was really so concerned, why didn' t she do

nor. "Oh, you can' t blame yourself, El

inting me as the cold, uncaring daughter who watched her father suffer. They ignored

were. This pattern of neglect, disaster, and blame was the e

ing room, that I would no longer interfere. Let them make

argument, I played the

d, "You' re right. I' m sorry.

umphant. Liam grunted, satisf

he long hospital corridor and stepped out into the cool nig

k smile touc

avid didn' t have great insurance. His recovery would be long and expensive. And I, the one with a part

le taste of the consequences w