Chapter 3A Spotless Life

The next morning, as soon as Mark left for work, Aunt Brenda showed up with my cousin, Kevin, in tow.

They were smarter this time, bringing a basket of bruised, mealy-looking apples as a peace offering.

“Oh, Anna, I was just so worried yesterday. I spoke too harshly. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Aunt Brenda set the apples on the table, her eyes already scanning the room.

Finally, her gaze landed on the physical therapy machine humming quietly beside my leg.

Mark had a friend ship it over from Germany. It was worth over eight thousand dollars and was specifically designed to prevent muscle atrophy after surgery like mine. My doctor had been adamant: I needed to use it for at least four hours every single day.

“So this is that therapy machine, huh? Looks pretty high-tech.”

Aunt Brenda walked over and reached for the plug.

“Perfect. My husband’s back has been acting up, and my daughter-in-law is sore all over. We’ll just take it back and let the whole family have a go.”

I slammed my hand down on the machine. “No.”

“This is medical equipment, not a flashlight. You could hurt someone by misusing it. Besides, I’m in the middle of my rehab. I can’t stop.”

Aunt Brenda’s face fell instantly.

“Anna, why are you so selfish? It’s not going to break if we just borrow it!”

Kevin, who had been silent until now, suddenly lunged forward and shoved my hand away.

“Mom, why are you wasting your breath on her? Aunt Sharon already said we could take it!”

With that, he started to lift the machine.

Panicked, I ignored the cast on my leg and struggled to stop him.

“That’s mine! I’m not lending it to you! This is robbery!”

Just then, my mother came out of the kitchen, a spatula still in her hand. She didn’t even look at me, her words aimed directly at my head.

“Anna! Let go!”

“It’s just a stupid machine! What’s the big deal if your cousin uses it for a couple of days?”

“His wife could end up with lifelong health problems from childbirth. A couple of days without it won't kill you!”

I stared at my mother in disbelief.

“Mom, this is my lifeline! The doctor said even one missed day could lead to muscle atrophy!”

“Stop listening to doctors trying to scare you! You’re just being dramatic!” my mother snapped, walking towards me. To help Kevin get the machine, she reached out and shoved me. Hard.

“Let go! Why are you being so difficult!”

I was sitting in a wheelchair. Her push landed squarely on my shoulder, causing the chair to tip over.

My entire body slammed onto the hard marble floor.

The leg that had just been surgically repaired, the bones carefully set, struck the ground with brutal force.

CRACK!

An excruciating pain, sharp as an electric current, shot through my entire body. A piercing scream tore from my throat as cold sweat instantly drenched my clothes.

Aunt Brenda and Kevin froze, nearly dropping the machine. But they didn’t stop. They seized the opportunity, hoisting the therapy unit and bolting for the door.

“She fell on her own! It has nothing to do with us!” Kevin shouted as he ran.

Aunt Brenda was even faster. “That’s right, Sharon, you saw it! We didn’t touch her!”

They vanished out the door, clutching the machine that was supposed to save my leg.

And my own mother just stood there. She looked down at me on the floor, a flicker of panic in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance.

“What are you screaming for? You’re fine.”

“You just had to fight with your own family. You fell? You deserved it!”