Chapter 2

Michael paused for a second, then his expression cleared up.

Michael shot me a puzzled look.

He asked, "What does your mom's death have to do with Emily or me? The doctors said it happened because she didn't get help in time. If you'd called the ambulance right away, this wouldn't have happened.

"Sarah, I know you're upset, but you can't just put this on other people."

It was clear that Michael's usual amnesia was kicking in again.

He had totally forgotten he was even there that day and didn't remember me asking him to go downstairs and start the car.

I didn't say anything back. Honestly, what was the point?

Just then, a vivid yellow butterfly drifted over and gently settled on my shoulder.

Mom always told me that seven days after someone died, they returned as a butterfly to visit the ones they loved most.

And yellow was the color Mom loved most.

My whole body was shaking uncontrollably, and I asked, "Mom, is that you? Did you come back to see me?"

The yellow butterfly fluttered its wings twice, almost like it understood me.

Tears spilled from my eyes as I reached out, desperate to touch it.

But Emily beat me to it. She pinched the butterfly's wings between her fingers.

She waved it smugly in front of my face, raising her brows in mocking amusement.

She said, "Seriously, Sarah? You're such a wimp. A moth is all it takes to make you bowl like this?"

"It's not a moth," I said, my voice trembling. "It's a butterfly."

"Who cares? It's all the same, just a bug," Emily scoffed.

With that, she suddenly threw the butterfly to the ground and crushed it under her heel.

"No," I shouted, completely losing control.

I lunged forward, desperately knocking Emily's foot off the butterfly.

She wobbled, shrieked, and as she toppled backward, she grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me down with her.

We both went rolling down the cemetery hillside together.

Luckily, the hill wasn't too steep, so we stopped rolling pretty quickly.

My knee got cut open by a sharp rock, and blood started pouring out, turning my pants red in no time.

Michael came running down the hill, yelling. He didn't even spare me a glance as I lay there, just rushed straight to Emily.

All he cared about was the scrape on her elbow from the branch.

Emily said, "Michael, I just couldn't help myself when Sarah started freaking out over a moth. I never thought she'd lose it like that.

"She totally hates me, and hates that we even hang out together. She nearly killed me just now."

Michael wrapped Emily in his arms, and even his voice was shaking, so unlike his usual calm.

"Don't be scared. As long as I like you, that's enough," he said.

Emily, nestled in Michael's arms, suddenly stopped crying and broke into a coquettish yet earnest smile.

"How much do you like me? Is it more than your wife?" she asked, her tone both playful and serious.

Michael answered without a second thought, "More than anyone."

Even though I knew what was coming, hearing him say it out loud still stabbed me right in the heart.

Five years as his wife, and I still couldn't win against Emily.

As they walked past me, Emily said with exaggerated concern, "Michael, go check on Sarah. Looks like she's hurt a lot worse than I am. I'm fine, really."

But Michael just pulled her in even closer, barely glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

His voice was laced with contempt. He said, "She brought this on herself. She's nothing but a mad animal.

"Maybe it was that rotten attitude of hers that pissed her own mom to death that day."

Every word was like a venomous barb, piercing right through my heart.

Watching them leave together, so close and intimate, the pain in my knee was nothing compared to the heartbreak inside me.

I pulled out my phone and texted that number I hadn't touched in five years.

I sent: [Hey, remember when you said you'd save a spot for me? Does that still count?]