Owing My Parents Two Lives

How could I return two lives to my parents?

Two years after graduation, I didn't have a boyfriend, and my parents forced me to go on blind dates three times a week.

After I found a boyfriend I liked, they forced me to break up with him because they didn't like him.

I asked them what they wanted.

They said I owed them two lives.

One life was mine, and as for the other life, I had to give birth to a child.

I held the cancer diagnosis in my hand. How could I give birth to a child? I couldn't even save my own life now.

They were very critical of me when I was alive.

I thought, maybe after I died, I could have peace.

*****

My leader in the company called me over before getting off work and told me about the housing allocation for the employees, asking me if I was interested.

I refused.

If this happened two years ago when I first came to work here, I would have breathed a sigh of relief and agreed without hesitation.

Now, I glanced at the medical record buried under the thick documents.

It was too late.

I stood at the door of my house and took deep breaths for a few minutes out of habit.

I was mentally prepared before pushing the door open.

"You came back so late every day! Your salary is only two or three thousand dollars a month. Why are you happy to work overtime?

"You are such a loser!"

My mother Mary Moore scolded me.

My parents forced me to leave the big city where I went to college and forced me to work here and stay with them.

I waited in silence until she finished scolding me.

Then I said, "Dad, I want to tell you something."

My father Jack Moore was talking on the phone without looking up.

"Got it... Luis.

"Yes, Jessica is my daughter. She graduated from a prestigious university and has a good job.

"She has plenty of time and has no problem taking care of the family.

"I'll tell you her WhatsApp now."

I felt something was wrong and warned Jack in a slightly sharp voice.

"Dad, I haven't broken up with Bruce yet."

"Shut up!"

Jack quickly covered the receiver and yelled at me, "Break up with him now!"

Then he said to the person on the other end of the phone, "I'm sorry, Luis..."

Mary asked me to get some sugar in an anxious tone.

I opened the refrigerator and rummaged through the mess but didn't find it.

I said to Mary, "Mom, there is no sugar in the upper shelf of the refrigerator."

She replied coldly, "It's right there. Are you blind?"

I could only look for it again.

But I still didn't find it.

I opened the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and finally found the sugar, which had been frozen.

"Did you find it?" Mary said impatiently, "It took you so long to find something. You are so stupid!"

The sugar was in a glass bottle and it froze my bones, making me feel pain.

My movements were a little slow.

Mary shouted again, "Remember to close the refrigerator door. You will forget it again.

"You always waste your time on these things. Can you be more efficient?

"You want to go out and make your own way? You are a loser!"

Her voice was so sharp that made my ears feel pain.

My hand slipped and the glass bottle broke into pieces on the ground.

Mary cursed me again, "You are indeed a loser!

"I've raised you for so many years, but you can't do this well. Why don't you just die?"

I thought, "Okay, Mom. I will go die."

I couldn't stand her anymore.

I numbly endured her scolding and opened the door.

She yelled, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to buy some sugar."

"No need. You just think about eating every day. Will you die if you don't eat sugar?

"Can you reflect on yourself? You don't have to deal with the broken glass?

"You're so stupid to break the bottle. You're wasting money every day!"

I completely collapsed.

When I took just one step, Jack caught up with me. "Jessica, Bruce..."

He saw the tears on my face but pretended not to see them.

He continued, "He is a loser. He said he would consider having a child at the age of 30. How ridiculous!

"You should have a child in the second year after marriage. Luis also thinks so. You can have a chat with him on WhatsApp and meet him this weekend. Then we can decide on your marriage as soon as possible.

"Don't worry about the child. We will help you raise it. You are still like a child. You can't take care of the child."

Crying made my voice hoarse.

After a long time, I regained my voice and asked, "Who is Luis?"