I looked over at Kyle, who had somehow managed to slip quietly to the door, shaking his head as though he’d already given up. I never imagined Lucy would go this far. I stood still beside her, utterly stunned.
With food splattered all over him, Michael bellowed in fury “This is absurd! This is absurd! I can’t believe it!” Gloria and Emily huddled together, eyes wide with terror as they stared at Lucy.
My face showed pure astonishment.
Lucy casually wiped her hands and said, “How many years have we been at this, Michael? You never stop repeating yourself, and look at us–nothing has changed.”
Michael pointed accusingly at Kyle and roared, “Kyle! Are you seriously just going to stand there while she causes a scene in our house? Are you even a man? I raised you better than this. What’s the use of you if you can’t even handle your wife?”
Lucy scoffed and looked at Kyle. “It’s the same old script. I’ve heard it so much, my ears are practically numb.”
Gloria swallowed nervously before asking, “What’s your deal, Lucy? This has nothing to do with you. Why are you stirring the pot?”
Lucy shot her a look that shut her up immediately. “You just called Melanie an outsider, didn’t you, Gloria? What about me? Am I not one, too? You meant those words for me, too, didn’t you?
“After all these years of this back–and–forth between us, you think I wouldn’t notice the sting in your words? Now that you’ve brought me into this, I can’t just stand here and take it, can I?”
“Mom didn’t mean it like that, Lucy,” Emily said, trying to sound braver than she felt. “Why take it upon yourself? Melanie’s the one to blame here!”
She turned the blame back on me.
Lucy gave a knowing smile. Then, she glanced in my direction and signaled something with her eyes. It hit me all at once why Wayne had always cautioned me against crossing her.
I kicked a plate out of my way and let out a scornful laugh. “I’m the one to blame? How does that make sense? I’ve been cooking all day for everyone on Christmas Eve, and somehow that’s my fault?”
“Mom’s been working hard for years. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?” Emily retorted.
“You’re her daughter. She raised you, not me. That’s your responsibility, isn’t it?”
“You!” Emily’s lips twisted with contempt. “You’re just being unreasonable.”
Wayne glanced at me but avoided meeting Lucy’s gaze. Finally, he gathered enough nerve to speak. “It’s finally Christmas Eve, Lucy. Don’t you think you’re taking this too far?”
Lucy nudged Wayne, making him freeze. She sneered and said, “You guys were picking on Melanie because she’s younger. At first, I thought she wouldn’t have the guts to stand up for herself, so I stayed out of it.
“But turns out, she’s no pushover. She saw right through all your little games. You guys treated her like dirt and were still hoping for a nice Christmas Eve with all the bells and whistles? Dream on!”
+25 BONUS
Chapter 6
