When I'm Gone

Time was tight.

Dad could only put me into his backpack and take me to the place they called a private lounge.

But the moment he stepped into the room, I saw Mom in the center of the crowd, with Adrian's arm wrapped around her waist.

The air froze for a second.

Dad reacted first. He lowered his eyes stiffly, walked over, and knelt down to pour drinks for them.

Mom's face turned iron gray. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him up roughly. "What are you doing here?

"Daniel, I told you our family isn't short on money anymore. Why are you still coming out to entertain clients for cash? Why are you degrading yourself like this?"

I clearly saw humiliation flash through Dad's eyes.

He pressed his lips together, then calmly said, "Then give me two thousand dollars. I still need two thousand to buy Caleb a grave."

He made it sound so real.

Mom stared at him, half shocked and half uncertain.

Adrian's eyes shifted. He covered his lips and laughed. "Buy what grave?

"Daniel, you're not about to say Caleb is already dead, are you? Come on. I just saw him at the hospital earlier."

Mom believed him. Anger made the veins at her temples bulge. "Daniel!

"Caleb is your son. How can you curse him like that?"

Dad's lips moved. He probably wanted to explain, but in the end, he said nothing.

He knelt down again and silently poured drinks for them.

Smack!

Mom knocked the bottle out of his hand. It smashed to the floor, and shards flew up, cutting Dad's ankle.

She seemed so angry that she laughed instead. "Fine!

"Since you insist on being so pathetic, since you insist on earning this dirty money, I'll help you.

"Get down and bark like a dog. Crawl around the coffee table. One thousand per lap."

Adrian smiled and egged her on from the side. "Daniel seems desperate for money. He must have run into real trouble.

"How about this? Crawl two laps, and I'll add another thousand."

Dad's body trembled violently. His fingers gripped the strap of the backpack.

I knew he wanted to swing the bag at their heads, curse them out, and walk away.

But then he thought of me, still not buried.

So his legs slowly bent, and he got down on his hands and knees, truly crawling around the coffee table like a dog.

Mom's friends roared with laughter.

"Hahaha, I can't believe there are men this pathetic in the world!"

"Meredith, how could a man like this ever deserve you? You might as well divorce him and marry Adrian."

Adrian gave Dad a smug smile and winked.

Someone stepped on Dad's fingers. Bright red blood spread across the floor, and pain drained the color from his face.

"No, don't bully Dad like that!"

I rushed forward, wanting to push them away, but I could not touch any of them.

I could only kneel down too, kowtowing to Mom over and over. "Mom, Mom, save Dad! Please, Caleb is begging you!"

But Mom only watched Dad with complicated eyes. I did not know what she was thinking. She never spoke.

Suddenly, Adrian noticed something and raised an eyebrow. "Why is Daniel still carrying a bag?

"How can he look like a dog with a bag on? Take it off."

Dad instinctively protected the bag and shook his head wildly. "No! You can't! Don't touch my Caleb!"

But it was useless. The bag was soon snatched away and handed to Adrian.

Adrian pulled out my urn. When he saw Dad's pupils tremble and Dad lunged to grab it back, he smiled brightly.

Then he tossed the urn once in his hand and threw it out the window.

Outside the window was the river. How was that any different from scattering me into nothing?

I instinctively tried to catch the urn, but the next second, I heard it hit the water.

"Caleb!"

Dad screamed. At last, he broke free and rushed forward, shoving Adrian aside before trying to jump after it.

"Dad!"

Thankfully, Mom reacted quickly and grabbed him. Her face was ugly as she shouted, "Are you insane, Daniel?"

Dad's legs went so weak he could barely stand. He finally broke down and sobbed, "That was Caleb!

"Meredith, that was our Caleb!"