Chapter 1

On Christmas Eve, my mom was bragging about my older brother, Henry Reed, to all the relatives. "Henry's really made something of himself. He's making 100 grand a year."

Then she turned to me with a sneer. "Look at his brother, Cheney. He's twenty-six and still living at home. What a loser."

The relatives all laughed along.

I smiled as well and put down my fork. "You're right, Mom. I really am a loser."

The next day, I packed my suitcase and left home.

*****

My mom's favorite accomplishment was my brother, Henry.

Henry was two years older than me. He was handsome and good at socializing. He went to college in Landia, and now worked at a big international firm.

Whenever he came home, he always knew how to say the right things to make Mom beam with joy.

I was Cheney Reed.

No matter how hard I tried, Mom always saw me as the complete opposite of Henry.

He was the star up above, and I was the dust down below.

The day Henry got accepted into a top university, Mom threw a huge party at home.

When I got into a prestigious university, Mom said, "Henry is doing well enough. Why bother studying so hard?

"You'd better stay in our hometown and find a job here. Then you can also take care of the family."

After I pushed back hard, she compromised and let me attend a regular college in our city.

After college, Henry put down roots in a big city and scored a job making 100 grand a year.

But after I graduated, Mom had a heart attack.

She insisted I turn down a job offer in Sanius and stay home to look after her.

That turned into three years of taking care of her.

During those three years, Henry sent Mom 200 bucks every month.

Mom would go around telling everyone, "Henry is such a good son. I'm so proud of him."

During those three years, I was the one cooking, doing laundry, taking her to the hospital, and getting up at night to bring her water and medicine.

Mom said, "You're never going to amount to anything anyway, so shouldn't you be the one taking care of me?"

On Christmas Eve, Henry arrived at six in the evening.

He walked in carrying a box of health supplements, beautifully packaged.

"Mom, this is imported. It's really good for your heart," he said.

Mom took it, her eyes crinkling with delight. "Henry, you're so thoughtful."

I took a look at the box of supplements.

The packaging was covered in flashy foreign text, but there was a tiny sticker slapped on the side that was in our language.

The manufacturer's address was not accurate, and there wasn't even a formal logo.

But I didn't dare say a word. If I did, Mom would just say I was jealous of Henry.

Halfway through the meal, my uncle asked, "So, Cheney, what do you do for work these days?"

Mom jumped in before I could answer. "What can he do? Just a basic office clerk. The other day he was boasting about some big interview, but they didn't take him in."

Actually, Mom got dizzy that day, so I missed the interview to look after her.

But I didn't bother explaining. If I did, she'd say I was making excuses.

Henry picked up some food and set it on my plate. "Cheney, you really need to start planning for yourself. You can't just live off $1,000 a month and expect the family to support you forever, right?"

The room went quiet for a second. Everyone's eyes were on me.

I put down my fork. "I'm full."

"You've only taken a few bites and you're already full?" Mom frowned. "Why are you sulking? Henry is just trying to help you."

"I'm not," I replied flatly.

"Really? Then what's up with that face?" Mom raised her voice. "It's Christmas Eve. You're killing the vibe. Go clean up the kitchen and stop upsetting me."

I stood up and headed for the kitchen.

My uncle spoke up from behind me, "Cheney is having a hard time, too."

Mom cut him off, "What's so hard about his life? He's staying with me and doesn't have to pay for the food or the place.

"He's been sulking ever since he started cooking, acting like someone's picking on him. Didn't I help out? Do I owe him anything?"

I stopped in my tracks for a moment.

I handled all sixteen dishes and did every step all on my own.

But to be fair, Mom did help.

She did carry the last plate to the table.

While I was doing the dishes, the dish soap got into the burn I'd gotten earlier while cooking, making it sting like hell.

I clenched my teeth and didn't make a sound.

Everyone was laughing in the living room.

Henry was telling everyone how he'd won an iPhone in the raffle at his company's year-end party.

"Henry is so lucky," Mom said, her voice bursting with pride.

I turned off the faucet, and the kitchen went quiet.

Suddenly, I remembered something that happened back in college.

In my senior year, I got an offer from a tech company in Sanius, paying $4,000 a month.

My classmates all said that with my skills, I could see my salary double in three years.

That day, I came home bursting with excitement to tell Mom about my offer.

She was on the phone with Henry. He was really upset after a breakup. "Alright, I'll send you $1,500. Go buy yourself some designer clothes, treat yourself, and try to cheer up..."

After she hung up, she finally looked at me. "What did you just say?"

I said, "I got a job offer in Sanius."

"Sanius?" Mom frowned. "Why go all the way out there? Just stay here in our hometown and find a stable job."

"But Mom, this is a great chance," I said.

"Great? What's so great about it?" Mom suddenly lost it. "Both of you want to run off and leave me behind. Who's going to look after me? Is this what I get for raising you?"

I froze, caught off guard.