Biased Parents, Ten Years LieChapter 2

At nine o'clock that evening, a knock echoed through the house. Everyone’s heads snapped towards the door.

Mom smirked: “That brat. I knew he wouldn’t last long. He’ll come begging for our forgiveness eventually!”

Finn spoke up, pleading for me: “When Elias comes back, I don’t need his apology. As long as our family is safe and sound, that’s all that matters.”

Dad put down his newspaper, shaking his head. “Finn, you’re too kind. If you forgive him so easily, he’ll only take advantage. Even if the punishment ends, in Mom and Dad’s hearts, he’ll never measure up to you.”

With that, Dad opened the door, ready to speak, but found it wasn't me standing there.

“Mom, we’re coming to see you tomorrow. Why are you here so late?”

An elderly figure walked in. It was Grandma Rose! Since Mom and Dad’s “deaths” ten years ago, Grandma Rose had done everything she could to help me. And no matter how busy I was, I always made sure to visit her before nine every New Year’s Eve. This year, she must have not seen me, and that worried her.

Grandma Rose ignored Dad, her face grim as she entered. Dad quickly poured a glass of water and offered it to her, but she slapped it away.

“Mom, you…” Dad started to speak, but Grandma Rose pointed at Finn, her voice icy: “Robert Miller, you’re a piece of work. Just because Elias accidentally hurt him ten years ago, you punished him for a decade! He didn’t mean it! Do you have any idea what Elias went through these past ten years?” She continued, almost to herself. “He was just a kid, a mere child, and so kind…”

A heavy stone seemed to press on my heart. She was so old, yet she’d walked miles in the cold to find me, still worried. I truly was despicable!

At that moment, Finn wheeled over. “Grandma, please don’t be angry. Mom and Dad were just worried I’d be upset.”

But Grandma Rose didn’t even look at him properly. “You upset? Falling down and ending up with a comminuted fracture? I want to see if that leg of yours is truly broken!” With that, Grandma Rose reached out to pull him up, but Mom blocked her.

“Mom, I respect you as an elder, but Finn is my most beloved child. If anything happens to him, don't blame me for being unkind!”

Dad shielded them both, looking at Grandma Rose with alert eyes. “Mom, we’ll naturally visit you tomorrow, but Finn isn’t in a good mood today. You should go home early.”

Seeing this, Grandma Rose’s eyes welled up. “Fine… fine… I’ll go. I’ll go find Elias. He must be suffering somewhere.”

Worried about Grandma Rose, I followed her out, but for some reason, I couldn’t stray too far from Mom and Dad.