Second in Silence

Charles was gone, taken by a plane crash.

I had stayed behind in the Wallace family home to care for his aging mother, Margaret.

However, Margaret had never liked me, not from the moment I stepped through their door.

After Charles passed away, Margaret found even more reasons to chew me out.

It was the 21st century, for crying out loud, but there I was, expected to rise at the crack of dawn every day to help her get ready for the day. Mealtime meant I stood by, ready to serve her, and if I ever slipped up, off to church I went to confess my sins. That was my life for three long years.

Emily, on the other hand, got all the love with just a few kind words.

I did not hold a grudge. I just wanted to show the same love to Charles's family that I had for him. However, I had stumbled upon the truth, and it had hit me like a ton of bricks. I could have been stuck in that thankless cycle forever.

I took a long, hard look at everything Margaret had done, then turned to Charles with a calm, earnest gaze. "For three years, your mom's treated me worse than a slave. Doesn't she owe me an apology?"

Silence hung in the air. Charles opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Emily's voice pierced the tension. "Mom, Mom, what's wrong?"

Margaret's eyes shut, and she slumped into Emily's arms. Charles's concern shifted instantly from our spat to his mother's health, scooping her up to rush to the hospital.

Before they left, he shot me a fierce look. "I treat you like a sister-in-law out of respect for my brother, but you can't talk to my mom like that. She's still your elder. You better hope she's okay, or you'll have me to answer to!"

I could not help but want to give Charles a round of applause right then. What a performance! He had not lost his touch for drama.

"Maybe your mom should take a few acting lessons from you," I said with an icy laugh, turning on my heel to pack my bags. I did not catch the shock on his face as I walked away. I did not have much to pack, anyway.

Two hours had flown by, and I was zipping up my suitcase when a knock at the door startled me. I swung it open to find Charles, clutching something in his hands.

"Alicia, we've just come back from the hospital. Mom's going to be okay," he said, relief washing over his face. "I also wanted to say I'm sorry."

He hesitated before continuing, saying, "About what happened three years ago... Emily realizes she's messed up. She was immature, scared and too shy to deal with my mom's temper. Can you...maybe not tell her?"

While talking, Charles set a bottle of perfume on my table.

"I remember my brother mentioning you like perfumes. This one's from Emily's collection. She wants you to have it as a peace offering. She's hoping you won't stay mad at her."

I glanced down at the perfume, recognizing the code on it instantly. It was the same one I had subtly hinted at wanting on social media, the one I had seen in Charles's car right before our anniversary. I had thought it was for me, but all I got was a scarf that seemed like an afterthought. He had given the perfume to Emily instead.

I picked up the cold bottle, feeling it chill my already frosty heart. Even though I knew Charles did not care for me, seeing him go to those lengths for Emily still hurt.

I handed the perfume back to him. "I lost my taste for perfume three years ago," I said, my voice steady. "I'll keep your secret, but you owe me the truth about one thing."

Charles looked puzzled, a frown creasing his forehead. "What's that?"

I met his eyes, holding his gaze firmly. "The plane crash, three years back. Is there something you're not telling me?"