Shrimp Dumplings and Silence

Outside the door, the dinner party finally ended. Dad supported his drunken supervisor while Mom followed behind, bowing and smiling.

"Director Harris, take care. Please come over for dinner again sometime!"

After seeing everyone off, Mom let out a long breath, unable to hide the satisfaction on her face.

Dad was glowing too, clearly pleased with the night's networking.

When he returned to the living room and saw the broken vase pieces I had knocked over while struggling, he frowned. "What happened here?"

Mom cleaned up the mess and said irritably, "Who else? Your precious daughter."

"She saw how many guests we had tonight and pretended to be sick for attention, so I locked her in."

Dad loosened his tie and collapsed onto the couch. "That child is getting more and more unreasonable."

I wanted to rush over and scream at them. "I wasn't pretending! I was really dying! Please go check on me!"

But my hand passed through Dad's body. They could not hear my voice at all.

Lily ran over with a piece of unfinished tiramisu in her hand.

She went to my bedroom door and knocked gently. "Annie, are you asleep?"

There was no response from inside.

Lily looked up and asked innocently, "Mommy, why isn't Annie answering me?"

I floated over and hugged her lightly. "Lily, be good. I'm not ignoring you."

Mom walked over with a cold face. "Leave her alone. She's throwing a tantrum. Let her go hungry for a meal and she'll behave."

Dad yawned. "I'm going to shower. You should rest too. Don't get angry over that child."

Lily looked at my door eagerly and whispered, "But I want to play with Annie..."

Mom picked her up and fed her a bite of dessert. "Isn't it nice to play with Mommy? Your sister is being bad. We won't pay attention to her."

She dumped Lily's leftover dessert, along with the expensive dishes from dinner, into the trash.

I looked at the bunny-shaped puff pastries mixed with shrimp in the garbage, and my stomach churned.

That was what had killed me.

Mom carried Lily back to her room, leaving only me, a lonely ghost, in the living room.

I floated to my bedroom door and looked at the desperate bloody marks I had left on the wood.

So even after I died, they still did not care.

I was only an unreasonable child, a child who threw tantrums and needed to be "taught a lesson."

Late at night, Mom finished bathing Lily and coaxed her to sleep.

Then she walked to my bedroom door and stood there for a long time.

I thought her conscience had finally awakened. I thought she was finally going to open the door and check on me.

My heart rose into my throat.

She lifted her hand, but only knocked lightly on the door.

"Annie, are you asleep?"

I floated in front of her and looked at the impatience and exhaustion on her face.

"Mommy was a little harsh today, but it was for your own good.

"Do you know how important your father's promotion is to this family? Why can't you understand that?"

She paused, as if waiting for my answer.

But I would never be able to answer her again.

When there was no movement inside, she sighed, as if she had completed some obligation.

"All right. Stop acting like a child. I left milk by the door. Remember to drink it.

"Think things through by tomorrow, then come out and apologize to Mommy."

After that, she turned and went back to her room without the slightest hesitation.

She never touched the doorknob once.

I looked at the still-warm glass of milk by the door and laughed.

I was already dead. What use did I have for milk?

Your apology came too late.

I followed her into the master bedroom.

Dad was already lying down. When he heard her come in, he rolled over. "How is that girl?"

Mom took off her jacket, her voice full of exhaustion. "No movement. She probably fell asleep. Kids these days have such fragile pride."

Dad sighed. "Don't push her too hard. With that body of hers, she hasn't had a comfortable day since she was little."

"Seeing Lily run and jump like that must make her feel bad too."

Mom sat at the vanity and removed her makeup, her movements irritated. "I'm pushing her? She's the one pushing me!"

"Isn't it always like this? The moment we give Lily a little more attention, Annie suddenly 'doesn't feel well.'"