Stepping on the Wrong Toes

"You're putting in this much effort just to get your credit cards unfrozen?"

Huxley brushed Jennifer aside with slow, deliberate movements and walked up to me.

He lit a cigarette and blew the smoke directly into my face.

The acrid stench made me cough uncontrollably.

He knew I couldn't stand cigarette smoke. He would've never done this to me in the past.

I held back my anger and asked as calmly as I could, "How many times do I have to tell you that they're your parents? Why won't you just go see them?"

"You're a habitual liar. Why should I believe you? For all I know, this is just another one of your sob stories to get money out of me."

I threw my mother-in-law's critical care notice in his face. "Take a good look at whose name is on it!"

He didn't even glance at it. Instead, he stomped on the paper and slapped me across the face.

"You're putting on quite the show, aren't you? You even brought props this time. If you put half as much effort into pleasing me as Jenny does, you wouldn't need to beg me for money. Face it, you've been playing the wrong game."

I wasn't keen on listening to the filth coming out of his mouth. I turned to leave.

"Did I say you could go?"

Huxley walked over, grabbed my arm, and shoved me to the floor. I tried to break free, but his grip was too strong.

"Are you crazy, Huxley? What are you doing?"

Jennifer drove the tip of her stiletto into my cheek. The sharp heel bit into my skin.

Huxley wasn't the least bit concerned by what she was doing. If anything, he was letting it happen.

"Where do you think you're going? Don't want the money anymore? That's not like you at all. Aren't you always scheming to get money? What's with the holier-than-thou act now?"

My cheek burned from the pain. Humiliation surged hot through my veins.

"Let go! You won't save your parents? Fine. But what's the point of rehashing old grudges now?"

I forced the words out through clenched teeth, every syllable trembling with rage and helplessness.

"Still playing the victim? And now you're cursing my parents too?"

Huxley pressed his shoe into my face. The sole ground into my skin like he wanted to break a bone.

I could barely breathe.

Jennifer, clearly enjoying herself, strutted over and kicked me square in the stomach.

A cry of pain escaped me as I curled up on the floor, my insides twisting violently.

Huxley stood by, watching it all unfold with cold indifference, completely devoid of sympathy.

Jennifer sidled up to him, her hands wandering across his chest. "Why are you keeping her here, Hux?"

Huxley grinned, pulling her into his arms. He whispered into her ear, "So she can see how good you are at serving me. If I let her go, who knows what disgusting stunt she'll pull next?"

I lay on the floor like a mangled dog, listening to their sickening exchange with a heart full of ice and fire.

While my in-laws were fighting for their lives at the hospital, I was trapped here.

I was starting to regret it all. I never should have brought them to Huntingburg. If they'd stayed in Sansville, at least they could've had a peaceful holiday.

With my father-in-law's medical bills unpaid, he'd been moved to the hallway.

The weather was only getting colder. How could his aging body possibly withstand that?

A sharp pain twisted through my lower abdomen. I felt myself on the verge of blacking out.

Just then, Huxley's phone began to ring.

He picked it up impatiently and put the call on speaker.

A weak, strained voice came through the line. "Huxley…"

Huxley froze and blurted out in shock, "Dad? Why are you calling from an unknown number?"