Canvas of a Short Life

Mom's face had flushed red as she barked in anger, "Why do you have to compare yourself to me at every turn? It was because I couldn't cook that your dad despised me and wanted a divorce.

"I suffered for it, so you need to learn your lesson and make your marriage work! I'm already divorced. If you end up divorced too, how am I supposed to face anyone?"

I wanted to tell Mom that Dad hadn't divorced her because she couldn't cook. It was her obsessive need for control and her paranoid personality that suffocated him and drove him away. But I lacked the courage to say it.

I lowered my eyes and followed Mom home submissively, admitting my mistakes to Grayson to protect her pride. That night, he beat me again.

Life was truly unfair. Grayson and I were both only five feet and four inches tall, yet he was so much stronger than I was. He had beaten me so badly that I couldn't get out of bed.

When I called Mom to tell her, she spoke with utter disdain, "Beatrice, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable. I'd believe you if you said you and Grayson had a minor conflict, but is it possible he beat you so badly that you couldn't get out of bed? I'm telling you, the man I personally chose isn't that kind of person!"

At that moment, I realized Mom would see only what she wanted. Or rather, she would twist everything into what she wished it to become. She built towering walls around her heart, locked herself in, and shut me out.

…

While Mom was cleaning up the pile of minced meat, Grayson came back.

Grayson's voice cut through the air, tense and sharp. "Mom, what are you doing?"

Mom was incredibly warm. "Grayson, you're home from work. It must have been a long day. Sit down."

Her hands didn't stop as she wrapped the minced meat in layer after layer of plastic bags. "Look at how careless Beatrice is. She didn't even realize she left her phone in the fridge. This meat is low quality, so don't eat it. I'll throw it out for you. By the way, why isn't Beatrice back yet?"

Grayson's voice relaxed instantly. "Thanks, Mom. Beatrice is always like this, sloppy with everything. Mom, give me the phone."

Mom said, "That girl lacks discipline. You need to put more effort into setting her straight."

"Mom, I could never bring myself to do that," Grayson answered.

"What's there to feel bad about? Hit her when she deserves it. If you don't, she'll go wild. Look at this—it's already so late, and she still isn't home," Mom said.

"Beatrice has been busy lately. Please be more understanding," Grayson replied.

"The son-in-law I chose really knows how to treat his wife well," Mom said.

Their words slipped through my fingers as I covered my ears, each one stabbing me like a thousand tiny cuts.

…

About seven days passed.

Every day, Grayson left the house with a bag of minced meat. After he had removed seven bags, Mom returned. When she still found no sign of me in the house, she became furious.

I listened with grim satisfaction as she banged around the room and cursed nonstop.

"Beatrice, are you hiding from me? You heartless brat! Why won't you answer my calls? All I wanted was for you to have a son so you could hold on to Grayson's heart.

"Why can't you understand me? Get out here! Where are you? Get out!"

Give it up, Mom. You would never find me in this lifetime.

I couldn't tell what she was doing inside, but after a flurry of crashing and rummaging sounds, she made another call. "Is this Ms. Robinson? I'm Beatrice's mom. I have something to ask you."

My heart leaped immediately. Emma Robinson was the Dean of Students at my school and my direct supervisor. Since I hadn't gone to work for many days, she must have noticed something. Could this be my chance to be saved?

Mom continued, "Has Beatrice been at work these last few days? She resigned? To prepare for pregnancy? Oh, I see. Yes, that's right. My son-in-law turned in the resignation letter?

"That was nothing unusual, nothing at all. I've wanted her to quit long ago. Why should a woman work when she could stay home and produce a son? It's completely against the natural order.

"As women, we have a duty to carry on the family line, don't we? All these women focused only on their careers and not having children—they've clearly lost their minds from too much schooling."