My Mother Sold My Life for a House

Chapter 3

I asked in disbelief, "You called me several times to come back, just so I could pay your bill?"

Lyle shot me a sidelong glance and said, "Yeah, what else?"

I pressed, "But you told me it was something really important..."

My mother cut me off sharply. "Isn't paying our bill important? I only asked you to come pay the bill, and now you're making a sour face at whom?"

She went on, "Elowen, I realize your aunt was absolutely right. I've been spoiling you all along, and that's how I ended up with such an ungrateful child."

My mother said this loud enough to draw glances from guests at nearby tables.

I looked at the expensive seafood on the table, sighed, and said, "I have no money. I can't pay."

Lyle sneered, "Who are you kidding, Elowen? You make over ten thousand a month. How could you not have money?"

I wasn't lying. It was true that I made over ten thousand a month, but I'd only been working for less than two years, and I'd just scraped together five hundred thousand for Mom's surgery. I really didn't have much left.

I looked at Lyle and said each word slowly. "Why don't I have money? Don't you know?"

Lyle was stumped by my words and looked at Mom for help.

Mom caught his signal and immediately stood up with her hands on her hips. "Lyle is right. You earn so much money each month, and you can't even treat your mother to a meal?"

I gritted my teeth and retorted, "Mom, this meal costs at least a few thousand dollars. I don't even have two hundred dollars on me right now."

Hearing that, Mom slammed the table and raised her voice sharply. "Elowen, you've really grown some nerve! I worked hard to raise you all by myself, and now that you're working and making money, you won't even pay for a meal. Do you have any respect for me as your mother?"

The people around heard the commotion and started pointing and whispering about me.

"What's going on? That woman won't pay for her mother's meal?"

"Seems like it. Kids these days have no gratitude for their parents' upbringing."

"Society has changed. Son, don't ever learn from that woman and become an ungrateful brat like her."

Seeing that everyone was on her side, Mom continued playing the victim. "I fed you, clothed you, and put you through school. That's how you got a decent job. But after you started working, not only have you failed to repay me, but now you won't even pay for a meal. If I'd known, I never would have raised you. If you don't pay for today's meal, I'll let everyone see what an unfilial, ungrateful brat you are!"

I never expected my mother would say such things in public, completely disregarding my dignity and leaving me to face everyone's judgment.

In the end, under pressure, I bit the bullet and borrowed another five thousand dollars from a friend to settle the bill.

After my mother saw me pay, she said snidely, "Stop crying poverty. I'm not buying it."

My mother didn't usually eat seafood, so her stomach couldn't handle it. Not long after getting home, she was throwing up and having diarrhea.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to take my mother to the hospital and let her know she really was sick and needed surgery. But as soon as I opened my mouth, Lyle cut me off with a wave of his hand.

Lyle said, "That's enough, Elowen. Are you trying to jinx Mom again? Mom's only like this because you made her angry. Hurry up and buy her some medicine."

Even while sitting on the toilet, Mom shouted, "Exactly! I'm not going to the hospital, it's bad luck!"