The Summer I Was Nobody’s Choice Chapter 07

The Summer I Was Nobody’s Choice Chapter 07

When Mom realized I was gone, her first reaction was anger.

She called Grandma Brooks right away.

Because it was late, the phone rang for quite a while before someone picked up.

“Hey, Mom, is Nora at your place?”

Grandma Brooks’s aged voice came through the line. “No, she’s not. What’s wrong with Nora?”

“She’s not at home, and she’s not with you?!”

“Does she know she did something wrong and is hiding?”

Mom’s anger flared even hotter. She started scolding me right in front of Grandma Brooks.

“Mom, you don’t understand.”

“Nora not only stole Chloe’s things, she also deliberately threw a piece of broken porcelain on the floor to cut

Chloe’s leg.”

“Every part of Chloe is precious to me-I spend all my money taking care of her.”

“As an older sister, this is how she hurts her own little sister?”

“Tell me, hasn’t she gotten too big for her britches? She absolutely refused to go to your place this summer,

even though the wheel landed on-”

At that point, Mom realized she’d said too much and clamped her mouth shut.

The wheel was a secret the four family members shared without ever saying it aloud.

No one else knew about it.

There was a soft sound from the other end, like an old fan creaking back and forth.

“Ahem.”

Grandma Brooks coughed, trying to hold it back.

But she didn’t say a word.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

Mom’s heart skipped. She knew her mother well. When she didn’t speak for a long time, it meant she was

angry.

From the very beginning, Grandma Brooks had been against her having Chloe, afraid something might

happen.

But Mom had been determined, even saying, “Whether I live or die is my own business.”

Back then, Grandma Brooks stood outside the Miller house holding me-just a month old-without a word.

Later, when Mom brought Chloe back to her parents’ home, Grandma Brooks treated her coldly for two

years.

Now Mom was beginning to regret what she’d said.

Of her two daughters, Grandma Brooks was closest to Nora-closer than to her own daughter.

“Mom, I’m sorry to bother you so late. Nora’s just throwing a tantrum.”

Dad, sensing trouble, tried to smooth things over.

Chloe, however, couldn’t stand seeing them cover for me. She muttered resentfully, “She did something

wrong-why can’t we say so?”

Mom glared at her and was about to hang up when Grandma Brooks’s cold voice came through.

Just one sentence was enough to send a chill down Mom’s spine.

“Laura.”

“Mom?”

“What did you mean when you said Nora stole something?”

“And what did you mean about the porcelain cutting Chloe’s leg?”

A look of regret crossed Mom’s face.

“Mom…”

“Laura, don’t you dare hang up.”

“I may be old, but I still know the way to your house.”

That completely dashed Mom’s hopes of finding an excuse to end the call.

Chloe couldn’t bear watching Mom cover for me any longer.

She blurted everything out.

Grandma, Nora stole all the sheet masks and collagen drinks Mom bought for me!”

“I told her off, and she even smashed a bowl to get back at Mom and Dad.”

“Then when we got home tonight, she left the lights off on purpose and made me fall-even though she

knows I can’t have scars!”

After she finished, she waited for Grandma Brooks to scold me too, like before.

But Grandma Brooks just let out a soft “Oh.”

Mom knew Chloe was exaggerating, but she didn’t want to continue the call.

“Mom, that’s all it is-just kids being kids…”

She wanted to wrap it up quickly.

But Grandma Brooks interrupted, her voice calm.

“Laura, what do you mean by ‘the final spin’? Don’t think I’m deaf.”

Mom let out a bitter laugh. “Mom, please don’t ask…”

The call suddenly ended.

Everyone exchanged glances and let out a sigh of relief.

Mom clutched her chest, feeling like she’d overlooked something.

But it was late, and no one wanted to think too deeply about it.

After quickly bandaging Chloe’s leg, everyone went to sleep.