They Took My Liver,Then They Cried at My Grave

I blinked back the burn in my eyes and turned to leave, but Lina blocked the door.

“Vincent is nervous about the surgery. He wants a quick wedding with me first, just for show, I swear. It’s only to settle his nerves.”

I almost laughed.

Since we were kids, everything Vincent wanted had been handed to him.

My position, my money, my wife.

Everyone let him take it.

Mom came over, put her hand on my arm.

“He’s your little brother, Nick. Family looks out for family. That’s how this works. You owe him this.”

I just smiled.

“Fine. Whatever he wants.”

It’s the last time I’ll ever have to say that.

Once I’m dead, they can have their perfect little family, no troublesome older son to ruin everything.

“I knew you’d be reasonable,” Lina said.

Then Vincent pulled a ring out of his bag and handed it right to Lina.

He whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.

I just stood there, didn’t say a word.

When I walked out, they were still laughing.

No one even called after me.

Got back to the house Lina and I were supposed to live in, packed all my clothes, photos and the stupid gifts I got for all of them over the years, threw them all in the dumpster.

If they don’t want me in their lives, I’m not leaving a single trace of me there.

I leaned against the wall gasping after I was done.

The toxin’s been eating away at me, even walking up the stairs makes me feel like I’m gonna pass out.

I’m really dying here.

I’d barely made it to the bed when the door slammed open.

Lina stormed in first, my parents holding Vincent up between them.

He looked like he was gonna faint any second.

Lina spat, eyes all angry.

“You promised you’d let me marry Vincent, then you ran to Don Vitali, my dad, and told him what was going on? He called Vincent a leech, a bastard!”

Vincent coughed, voice all weak and wobbly.

“I know you’re mad, Nick, but you didn’t have to go to the don. He ordered a private lashing for Lina because of me. It’s my fault, not Lina’s”

Mother’s brow creased with rage.

“What the hell is wrong with you? We don’t air family business outside the house! Now you’re gonna apologize to Vincent, and you’re gonna tell the don you made the whole thing up.”

I knew what had really happened.

Vincent had bragged to his idiot friends, word reached the Vitali crew, and the don found out.

He’d helped me more times than I could count over the years.

He just never stepped in ‘cause it was family business.

When he’d learned what they’d done, he’d dragged Lina home and ordered the lashings without hesitation.

“Not just an apology,” Lina said, staring daggers at me.

“You’re gonna put out a statement saying you asked for the divorce, no hard feelings.”