Part 2Let The Favorite Daughter Save You

I had no home, so I took Luna to a cheap motel near my office.

As soon as we settled in, Mom posted several photos in the family group chat.

[Some people have the nerve to compare themselves to Sandra. Why don’t they reflect on how wonderful Sandra is? Look how much class she has when entertaining family.]

[She booked the best steakhouse in Crestview, gave us so much face. And others? They just storm out in a fit of pique.]

[If a certain ungrateful daughter would come back and pay the bill for this lavish dinner, I might consider letting her live here again.]

In the photos, Mom’s hand rested affectionately on Sandra’s. The heavy gold bracelet I had bought for her was now on Sandra’s wrist.

Sandra’s own social media updated again:

“Congrats to me for escaping my marriage! Mom was so proud of my courage, she gifted me this beautiful gold bracelet. She says her Golden Girl deserves the best of everything.”

I had worked myself to the bone, spending my own savings on that bracelet for Mom, never once buying myself anything so lavish. Now she’d given it away and was trying to shame me into paying for dinner.

It was repulsive.

I opened the group chat and sent a voice message. “One dinner gives you class? I spent a quarter of a million dollars on you! Without me, you’d still be stuck in that run-down farmhouse! Why didn't that give you face?”

“Who is the white wolf here? I poured hundreds of thousands into this family, and a stray dog would’ve shown more loyalty!”

I hit send, left the group, and blocked every single one of them.

A moment later, Uncle Richard called.

“Alexandra, why did you block your parents? Why would you say those things? They’re still your parents, for heaven’s sake.”

“I know you’re upset Dad hit you. I talked to him, he says it won’t happen again. Just come back, honey. We’re celebrating Sandra’s freedom tonight…”

“Freedom?” I interrupted, the words thick with unshed tears.

“When Sandra’s husband yelled at her, Mom and Dad rushed to bring her home. What about me? Todd was beating me senseless.”

“I cried and begged Dad to help me, to let me come home, and he told me to tolerate it. He said a beating was better than him cheating, and to give Todd another chance. He’d learn his lesson.”

“Uncle, there is no ‘after.’ Not a single person in that house cares about me. I’m done.”

I hung up. Luna wrapped her arms around my waist, sobbing. “Mommy, I care about you. I love you. I’m going to grow up fast and make lots and lots of money, and buy you a real home.”

Tears streamed down my face. I hugged her fiercely.

Instead of fighting for their approval, I channeled all my energy into work. I needed to buy a house. We needed our own home.

One afternoon, I went to pick Luna up from daycare, and the teacher told me her grandmother had already taken her.

I raced to the house. Doris was dumping out Luna’s backpack, handing the prized jumbo scallops Luna had saved from the school cafeteria to Sandra’s daughter, Paige.

I was so busy working multiple jobs, I often ate takeout. Luna hated it, so she often saved the best parts of her school lunch for me—a few prized shrimp, a piece of roast chicken. Today, it was the jumbo scallops.

“Those are for my Mommy!” Luna tried to snatch them back, but Doris shoved her to the ground.

“Paige is younger than you, so you let her have them, understand? Your mother has taught you to be small-minded, haven’t she? Getting upset over a couple of scallops.”

Paige stuck her tongue out at Luna. “Your mom is jealous of my mom, and you’re jealous of me! Go ahead, make Grandma give them to you, if you dare.”

When Sandra was small, I had to cater to her. Now, they were forcing my daughter to cater to Sandra’s daughter.

I snapped.

Just as I was about to grab the scallops from Paige, Doris stood up and shoved an apron into my chest. She let out a frustrated sigh.

“What are you doing standing there? If you’re willing to come back, get in the kitchen and start dinner! Do you know what day it is?”

She glanced behind me, her expression darkening. “You’re truly a disappointment. It’s my birthday, and you came back empty-handed.”

Sandra chuckled softly. “Looks like Alexandra forgot your birthday, Mom. Don’t be sad, you still have me.”