My mother had even worried that Seth was overworking himself. She kept offering to stew chicken soup and deliver it to his office.
Every time, he refused. Said he didn't like chicken soup.
But the truth was, it had nothing to do with chicken soup. Nothing to do with being too busy to come home.
He simply couldn't stand being around my mother.
How pathetic was that?
My mother was known in our village for keeping a spotless house. For as long as I could remember, our home was immaculate.
During this month in the city taking care of me, she'd mopped the floors every single day until they gleamed like mirrors.
But in Seth and Cornelia's mouths, she was something dirty that needed to be sanitized.
I was about to speak up for her when she tugged at my sleeve first, whispering:
"Prudence, it's fine. I'll pay and go."
"Don't make trouble on my account. Please."
Her voice trembled as she said it.
I knew what that trembling meant. She was afraid.
Afraid I'd be put in a difficult position. Afraid I'd suffer because of her. Afraid that if I turned on my in-laws, my life in this house would become unbearable.
She was always like this. Always thinking of me first.