Mom, I Don't Blame You Anymore

The moment the door handle turned, I stopped breathing. It felt like even my heart had gone still.

"Hey, why are there wounds on your arm, Maple?" Dad exclaimed in shock.

Footsteps immediately changed direction. Mom shrieked, "It must be Willow. It has to be her! She just can't stand that we treat Maple well, so she's been secretly hurting her!"

No, it wasn't me. It was Billy the Bully!

I circled anxiously around Mom, trying to make her understand. Maple could neither speak nor write. She just cried, shaking her head repeatedly.

Mom held her tight, tears pouring down her face. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to bring you and your sister closer. I gave that monster the chance to hurt you!

"Don't worry, I'll protect you from now on. I won't ever let her hurt you again!"

I stood there, staring at Mom. Then, I lowered my head and looked at the cuts scattered across my arms and legs. They were older, more numerous, and far worse than Maple's.

It had been a long time since Mom bathed or slept beside me, so she never noticed.

"Willow used to be such a good girl. She wouldn't do something like this," Dad argued, brows furrowed. "Let's not jump to conclusions yet. What if we've misunderstood her? I think we should find her first and ask what really happened."

"Well, I'll definitely apologize to her if I did misunderstand her," Mom said.

My eyes lit up. I knew it! I knew Mom would believe me!

A mocking smile tugged at her lips. "But that'll never happen. Ever since Maple came back, I've treated them fairly. But Willow is always trying to act pitiful and get my attention.

"Now that she's not the only one being doted on, she's taking it out on her sister. She's too young to be this calculating, Hector."

"What are you talking about? Willow's only five. What can she possibly know about being calculating?" Dad snapped, eyes worried as he glanced toward my room. "And she's been gone all day. Aren't you worried at all?"

"Worried for what? The fact that she's ruthless enough to hurt her sister makes me wish that something would just happen to her outside," Mom seethed. "I mean, even if she does come back, I'll still beat her to death."

"You… You're impossible to reason with! I'm going to find her."

Dad turned and strode out. I rushed forward, reaching for the corner of his shirt. "I'm right here, Dad. I'm not outside. And please don't argue with Mom because of me. It's not worth it!"

The moment the sunlight touched me, it burned. I flinched and pulled back.

In Maple's room, Mom held her and cried. "This is all my fault. I failed to protect you. From now on, I promise I'll deal with your sister if she even attempts to hurt you again!"

It felt like something dull was scraping against my chest. A sour ache spread through me. I shook my head hard. No, I shouldn't be affected by this. Mom was just speaking out of anger.

I used to be such a naughty kid. After Maple went missing, Mom was so afraid of losing me, too, that she spoiled me endlessly. This year, I even broke Great-Grandma's heirloom by accident, and Mom still couldn't bring herself to scold me.

Then, I looked at myself in the mirror, at the body that had already turned transparent.

Mom was right. Maple had suffered so much, and it was only right that Mom cared about her more. Even though I was only five, I was still stronger than Maple. I was a grown ghost who could take care of myself.

Mom wiped the tears off her face, then picked up the new clothes and headed for the laundry room.

Wait, no. Dad wasn't here. If Mom witnessed the scene alone, she would be petrified.

I pressed myself hard against the laundry room door, trying to block her from coming in, but she pushed it open so easily, walking straight through me.

I stumbled forward and fell against the washing machine. Was there nothing I could do to make her leave? I didn't want her to see the state I was in…

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

Mom set the clothes aside and walked toward the front door. As she went, she opened an app on her phone and started the washing machine remotely for pre-washing.