The Family Photo That Had Four People And No Me Chapter 04

The Family Photo That Had Four People And No Me Chapter 04

When Dad’s mentor’s daughter arrived, Mom put the purple slippers in front of her. Then she pushed open my bedroom door.

“Give your room to Sophie. You sleep on the couch.”

My pen stopped. I looked up in disbelief. “Mom, I’m about to apply to college.”

“So what? You’re just sleeping somewhere else. It won’t affect you.”

Mom threw my blanket on the floor and put on new sheets.

Sophie saw it and asked awkwardly, “Ma’am, is this okay?”

“You’re only staying a few days. What’s not okay?”

“But. She’s about to apply to college. Will it affect her studying?”

“She’s not a good student anyway. It’s just a few days. It won’t matter.”

Mom always thought I was a bad student.

Because in high school, she went to a parent teacher conference and walked into the wrong classroom.

There happened to be another Wren in that class. That Wren had bad grades.

Mom saw the grades and went home and yelled at me. She said I was embarrassing.

I was confused. I showed her my transcript. She didn’t believe me. She grabbed a broom and hit my back. She said I changed my grades.

After that, I never let Mom and Dad go to a parent teacher conference again.

My phone lit up. It was my teacher asking if my paperwork was done.

If it wasn’t, I needed to print materials ahead of time. For college applications.

I nodded. I went to my room and got paper and a pen. I wrote down what the teacher said.

The next day, I was about to go back to Indiana to get my birth certificate.

Then I heard Sophie scream.

“My diamond hair clip is gone.”

Mom and Dad ran out of their room and saw Sophie panicking. “Did you forget where you put it?”

“I put it on the desk.”

Madison immediately looked at me. “Wren, when you went to the room to get your stuff, did you see Sophie’s hair clip?”

I shook my head.

With a tearful voice, Sophie said, “How could you not see it? I put it right here. The diamond is so shiny.”

I saw Mom and Dad’s suspicious looks. My heart started to race. “Mom, Dad, I really didn’t take it.”

“Wren. If you like it, tell us. Why take someone else’s things? We raised you for so many years and this is what we get? A thief?”

My parents took turns speaking, instantly cementing the accusation against me

“I really didn’t take it.”

I was shaking. I turned my backpack upside down. Everything fell out.

Madison laughed. “Who would be stupid enough to put it in their bag?”

“Wren, you were the only one who went into Sophie’s room yesterday.”

“Are you broke and trying to sell Sophie’s stuff?”

Sophie sniffled and looked at me. “Wren, just give it back. My grandpa gave me that hair clip. It means a lot to me.”

“If you like it, I. I’ll buy you a new one, okay?”

She said it and tears fell on the floor. Mom rushed to comfort her.

Dad saw that I kept denying it. He got angry.

He slapped me across the face.

I staggered back and fell on the floor. My head hit the coffee table.

Dizziness hit me. Dad was still asking if I took it.

I shook my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Madison hand Dad a wooden spoon.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Lily walked in with snacks in her hand.

On her head was the diamond hair clip.

Everyone froze.

Mom yelled, “Lily, did you take the hair clip?”

Lily shrank back. “I went to Wren’s room this morning. I saw it on the desk. It was pretty so I took it.”

“I thought it was Wren’s.”

She said it and pouted like she was about to cry. Dad softened immediately. He picked Lily up and scolded Mom.

“Keep your voice down. Lily didn’t mean to.”

Mom apologized right away. “Sorry Lily. But that hair clip is Sophie’s. How could you take it without asking?”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. As long as it’s back.” Sophie wiped her tears and clutched the hair clip.

Everything was resolved.

Only me. I sat on the floor. My face and the back of my head hurt badly.

“Okay, Mom will buy you slippers later.”

“What color do you want?”

I looked up and said, “No need.”

Mom frowned. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Mom and Dad didn’t mean to accuse you.”

“Fine. Didn’t you want to do your paperwork?”

“When Sophie leaves, Mom will go with you.”

The word “when.” I heard it countless times.

When Mom and Dad buy a bigger house, they’ll come get you.

When the benefits come in, we’ll transfer your paperwork back.

I waited and waited. Their promises never came true.

I got up and put my things back in my backpack one by one. I put it on my shoulder and said, “No need. You’re right. It’s just paperwork. It’s not that important.”

I opened the door and threw the disposable slippers in the trash.

Behind me, Mom complained. “This kid. These slippers are still wearable.”

They were still wearable. But the person wearing them wasn’t coming back.