Chapter 3

After I shut the door, I could still hear her muttering in the living room. "She has no sense at all. What rotten luck, ending up with a daughter-in-law like that."

That night at dinner, the tension finally blew up. Between the exhaustion and pregnancy symptoms, I barely ate a bite.

Mary slammed down her chopsticks. "Sarah, what is your problem? Who are you pouting at all day? If you don't want to stay here, say it plainly."

Fighting the nausea in my stomach, I said softly, "I don't mean anything by it. I don't feel well." Mary sneered. "I think you're doing this on purpose. You resent Jamie living here, and even your face affects his studying."

The more she talked, the more worked up she got, practically spitting with rage. "I'm telling you, this exam is a huge deal.

She jabbed a finger straight at me, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Anyone or anything that gets in Jamie's way had better move aside. You! Get back to your parents' house right now. Don't bring bad luck here!"

The whole dining room went dead silent. Richard Carter kept his head down, James Carter acted like he heard nothing, and my husband sat there twisting the hem of his shirt without daring to speak.

My heart sank bit by bit, all the way to the bottom of an icy sea.

I spoke calmly. "Mom, this is my house. You're telling me to leave?" Mary shot to her feet. "Your house? Nonsense! You married my son. That makes you one of the Carters."

"You married into our family, which means you belong to the Carters now. Of course your house belongs to the Carters too. What's wrong with me telling you to get out of my son's home?"

"I'm telling you, you're leaving today. Right now." I looked at her twisted face, my weak husband, and this room full of cold so-called family, then suddenly laughed.

At that moment, the final thread of family, forbearance and compromise that kept me going finally snapped.

I didn't argue with Mary anymore. Reason meant nothing in front of someone that hysterical. I only looked at her calmly, stood up, and went back to my room while her shouting grew even louder behind me.

"Look at that attitude. Gone mute now? I told her to get out and she's playing dead. David, is this how you keep your wife in line?"

David's weak voice drifted over. "Mom, say a little less..." She snapped back, "Which part of what I said was wrong?"

I locked the door, shutting all the noise outside. For the first time ever, my heart was quiet too - no anger, no hurt, not even sadness, only a cold, dead calm. So this was what it felt like when your heart finally went numb.

I walked to the vanity and looked at myself in the mirror: pale face, empty eyes.