Chapter 3The Slow Bloom

The next morning, the housekeeper let me out.

When I went downstairs, Ethan was sitting at the dining table reading a newspaper. Linda was next to him, eating porridge. She was sitting in my seat, using my small flowered bowl.

"Good morning, sister." She held the spoon in her mouth and blinked at me.

"My bowl." I stared at the small flowered bowl.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. She looked ridiculous. "Sorry, sister. I'm pregnant with Ethan's baby. Ethan said everything in the house belongs to me and the baby. I thought he had told you too."

Ethan looked at her adoringly and didn't say anything.

She rubbed her belly. "Sister's strange illness is hereditary, so she can't have children. I'm suffering in sister's place. I'm just using your bowl and chopsticks. Sister isn't that stingy, right?"

I looked down and counted my toes. Five on the left foot, five on the right foot. Ten in total.

"The chopsticks are Ethan's. The bowl is mine. Mom gave it to me."

When I was little, my mom used this bowl to feed me. After she died, I used this bowl to eat by myself.

Ethan frowned. "June, cut the crap. We're all family. Why are you being so petty?"

Linda gently patted Ethan twice, stood up, held the bowl, and walked up to me. "This bowl is quite unique. Can you give it to me, sister? Let my baby share some of your blessings."

I shook my head. "No blessings. Mom is gone."

Ethan's face darkened. "June, what the hell are you talking about? Why are you saying such unlucky things?"

Linda squeezed out a sweet smile. "It's okay, Ethan. Sister is intellectually disabled. She doesn't know what she's saying. I don't mind."

"Give it back." I reached out to grab the bowl.

The small flowered bowl slipped from her hands, fell to the floor, and shattered. She screamed and fell to the ground, pushing me in the process. I fell too, and it hurt a little. Then she sat on the floor and started crying.

"What's going on?" Ethan's face changed, and he stood up. He stepped over me and hugged Linda.

Linda buried her face in his shoulder and cried, pears bathed in rain. "Ethan... she, she suddenly attacked me... her mind isn't right to begin with, I... I'm scared..."

"I was afraid she would hurt the baby... I just wanted to protect our child..."

Ethan patted her head with heartache and didn't even glance at me. "Don't be scared, baby isn't scared. It's okay now. I'm here."

He used to say similar things to me when it thundered.

He picked up Linda and ordered the housekeeper, "Call an ambulance, quick!"

Then he pointed his finger at me. "June, if anything happens to the child, I will never forgive you!"

The housekeeper walked over carefully. "Ma'am, you first..."

"I am not 'Ma'am' anymore."

Ethan was stunned for a moment, but he continued to hold Linda and left without looking back.

I climbed up, endured the pain, and began to pick up the broken pieces. One piece, two pieces, three pieces...