Chapter 3
Queenie: [It's December 20th. I took Anna to the hospital.]
Before heading to Southerin, I made Landon sign the divorce agreement.
He lay in bed, bandages covering him from head to toe, his voice thick with despair. "Queenie, I said I'd figure something out. Y-You can't be this cruel."
I didn't waver. I went ahead and divorced him.
I took Anna and left.
Owen ran after us, blocking our path.
His eyes were bloodshot, his voice shaking. "I told you. I'm not getting treated. I won't. Trust me. I won't be a burden to you."
He reached out, trying to take my hand, but I stepped back, avoiding his touch.
As we stepped into the elevator, Owen called out from behind, his voice trembling, "Anna, what about you? All these years, Mom and Dad were busy, and I was the one who looked after you the most, way more than Mom ever did.
"So just because I'm sick, you're really going to go with her and leave Dad and me behind?"
Anna's face was covered in tears.
But she just gripped my hand even tighter with her little fingers, her silent answer clear as day.
Behind us, Owen let out a hoarse, bitter laugh. "Fine."
On the southbound train, Anna curled up in my arms. She just kept crying and crying.
I wanted to cry too, but I couldn't. I still had to comfort my daughter.
I sold the bracelet my mom left me when she was dying, a family heirloom.
That made me a pretty lousy daughter.
Even when she was alive, I wasn't much of a daughter to her.
I sold off everything else I could, my wedding ring, my necklace, you name it.
All that, and I still didn't even get 15 thousand for it.
But at least it was enough to cover Anna's hospital stay for a little while.
I just kept wishing, praying for a miracle, that Anna would survive.
Maybe, just maybe, our family could be whole again someday.
*****
That was the end of the second letter.
Landon finished reading, his eyes indifferent, not a flicker of emotion on his face.
He scoffed, voice dripping with disdain, "Isn't all this just an excuse to pawn your stuff for money?"
The cigarette in his left hand had burned down to his fingertips, and he didn't even seem to notice.
He wasn't as cool as he looked on the outside.
Though he acted all disgusted, Landon still turned to the next letter.
Anna: [It's January 1st. Mom told me the bone marrow test results were in. I didn't really understand, but she said it meant I was finally going to get better.]
[Mom can give me her bone marrow, and after that, we'll be able to go home to Dad and Owen.]
[Mom was so happy she cried, hugging me tight and saying, "Anna, don't be scared. Just two weeks, and it won't hurt much at all."]
[I was a little scared. But deep down, what I really wanted to know was if it would hurt Mom when she gave me her bone marrow.]
[I kind of miss Dad and Owen. If they were here, then when I'm asleep for the bone marrow transplant, they could look after Mom.]
Anna's handwriting was getting shaky and uneven as her body grew weaker so quickly, but I still snapped a photo of her.
She was still smiling, flashing a V sign at the camera.
Even though the photo was a bit blurry, one could still see the bluish, swollen marks on the back of her hand.
Because of the chemo, her beautiful long hair had been shaved off.
She shyly tugged at her new hat with her left hand, almost without thinking.
We even got her a hospital gown a size smaller on purpose, but it still hung off her frame, way too loose.
In just two weeks, she was nothing but skin and bones.
Landon held the letter, his eyes fixed on the photo, not moving for a long moment.
For once, the usual sarcasm and mockery just wouldn't come.
Owen, looking like he couldn't care less, glanced over at the photo.
He was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to snap out of it. Then he finally let out a cold, bitter laugh.
Maybe it was the cold wind, but there was a faint tremor in his voice. "Nice job with the editing. The hat really covers everything up.
"She can only wear a hat now. Anna treasured her hair so much. She'd never let anyone actually cut it."
The girl standing in front of them was already in tears. "It's not photoshopped. It's all real. Anna had to shave her head because of the chemo. They really thought they were going to make it."
Her voice was already breaking as she spoke.
Landon's patience finally ran out, his eyes blazing with irritation and anger. "Enough. You've put on such a big act, and now Owen and I have seen it.
"Queenie's a great actress, and she's raised a daughter who's just as much of a performer as she is. Is that enough for you? Are you satisfied now?"
The girl, furious, reached out to snatch the piggy bank back. "Give it back. You're nothing like how Queenie and Anna saw you in their stories."
Landon, completely out of patience, was about to toss the piggy bank straight into the trash.
But Owen reached out and took it from him.
Owen's eyes were full of hatred, his face growing colder by the second. "Looks like they won't let this go until we've watched their whole little play.
"Honestly, I'm starting to get curious. Just how tragic and ridiculous can a cold-blooded person spin their story?"
Landon's face was thunderous as he flicked his cigarette to the ground.
He didn't bother sticking around, snapping at the girl, "If she wants money, tell Queenie to come herself. Don't think your little story's gonna earn you a dime. I'm not paying for anyone's drama."
He shot Owen a glance, still standing there. "If you wanna watch, knock yourself out."
Landon got in the car with the young woman and left without looking back.
The wind couldn't reach a soul.
But as I drifted above, watching Landon's figure disappear into the night, I couldn't help but tear up.
Five years had passed. His broad shoulders always gave Anna and me a sense of security.
Now, even though he got someone new with him, he just looked more and more worn out, almost frail.
I finally pulled my tear-stung gaze away, my eyes aching with emotion.
Then I watched as Owen turned to the next page of the letter.