Call Me a Jinx, Cry When I'm Gone

Looking back now, if we were stuck together as a family, I might as well make sure everyone got exactly what they deserved.

I stretched out my hand and asked for money. "I need money to buy fish."

Dad—Derek—was always generous when it came to buying things for Rayne.

He pulled out 20 dollars and handed it to me. "You're the only one who knows how to put on a show, acting like you're dying. What a drama queen.

"Whatever's left over from buying the fish, you bring every cent back to me. If I find out you dared to keep any of it for yourself, I'll beat you to death!"

"It's not enough."

"What did you say?"

The moment Derek heard me ask for more money, he exploded. "You little beast, are you trying to secretly save up your own stash? Since you came into this house, have you done a single thing right? We're already being generous by not making you pay rent."

Alessia, who'd been staring down at her phone the whole time, chimed in, "Finn, your dad's not wrong to call you out. At your age, it's easy to go down the wrong path. Your dad controlling your money is for your own good.

"Besides, if you need money, just ask us. If it's for something legitimate, we'll give it to you, won't we?"

I almost laughed. When I was dying, they wouldn't spare a single cent. What legitimate reason could I possibly have that they'd care about?

I didn't take the bait. I just said flatly, "20 dollars will only get us a dead fish."

"I don't want dead fish! I want crispy glazed salmon!" Rayne's shrill voice rang out.

Derek couldn't stand to see his daughter disappointed. He handed me another 50 bucks. "Pick the best fresh salmon for your sister."

Derek loved making things difficult for me.

It didn't matter though. Whatever fish I bought, I'd be the one cooking it anyway.

I went to the market and found a discount fish that was already going bad, then took a detour to the pharmacy to buy what I needed. Now I just had to wait for the delicious sweet and sour fish to come out of the pan.

"You're only just getting back? Are you deliberately trying to starve Ray? How can you be so heartless?"

Derek only cared how long I'd been gone because it meant Rayne was waiting. Her hunger mattered. He didn't remember that I'd just had surgery.

I was used to it. I didn't even change my clothes before going to cook for them. I swapped out the salt for what I'd bought at the pharmacy, smiling as I stirred it in.

I clutched my stomach with one hand and hobbled over to set the table. Only then did Rayne and her parents leisurely make their way over. Rayne grabbed a huge bite with her fork and smacked her lips.

"Delicious!"

Seeing his daughter enjoying it so much, Derek quickly said to me, "Finn, you have a wound. Fish isn't good for you right now, so you can't eat any. Go back to bed and rest. After we finish eating, you can have the leftovers. Don't let anything go to waste."

I had been rushing around without a break, and I wasn't even allowed to sit at the table. Well, I was used to it.

Finally, I could rest. I looked at the blood in my drainage bag and listened through the door to the happy laughter of Rayne's family.

I wanted to see if they'd still be laughing half an hour from now.