Chapter 5 - The Snake in the Grass
Three days before the custody hearing, my mother decided to change tactics. She realized starving us out wasn't working, so she tried poison.
It was a Tuesday afternoon. I was walking home from the middle school, holding Toby’s hand. The autumn air was crisp, and we were talking about his upcoming science project.
As we turned the corner of our street, a sleek black Mercedes idled by the curb. The tinted window rolled down, revealing my mother. She was wearing a cashmere sweater, her hair blown out perfectly, looking like a stranger.
"Toby, darling," she called out, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.
Toby froze. His grip on my hand tightened like a vise.
"Mom?" he whispered.
She opened the door and stepped out, holding a large, brightly colored Lego set—the exact one Toby had been begging for since last Christmas.
"I bought this for you, baby," she said, kneeling down on the sidewalk. "I miss you so much. Don't you want to come stay with me and Richard? We have a huge house. You'll have your own room. You won't have to eat Mrs. Higgins's awful casseroles anymore."
Toby looked at the Lego set. His eyes grew wide. He was only eight. The temptation was overwhelming. He took a tiny step forward.
My heart hammered against my ribs. I stepped in front of Toby, blocking his path.
"Don't touch him," I snapped, glaring at the woman who had birthed me.
My mother’s sweet smile vanished, replaced by a vicious scowl. "Excuse me? I am your mother. You will show me respect."
"A mother doesn't leave her baby in dirty diapers for a man," I said, my voice shaking but my spine entirely rigid. "A mother doesn't shut off the water so her kids can't drink. You're just a woman who gave birth to us. Clara is our mother now."
Evelyn stood up, her face flushing with rage. "You little brat. Clara is brainwashing you. When we get to court on Friday, the judge is going to see that a nineteen-year-old diner waitress can't raise a family. You'll all be split up, and it will be Clara's fault!"
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"No," Toby suddenly shouted, stepping out from behind me. He looked at the Lego set, then at her. "Keep your stupid toys! I want Clara!"
He turned and ran toward our house. I didn't look back at my mother. I just followed my brother, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk with her bribes. She had underestimated us. We weren't just kids anymore. We were survivors.
