I Left My Mother To Burn

Summary

Nine years after my hands were burned into twisted, useless claws, I woke up in the dead of night from a throbbing, phantom ache. That was when I heard my mother talking on the phone out in the living room.

"Rita, you know it hasn't been easy," she murmured into the receiver. "Taking care of him all these years... a brilliant piano prodigy, reduced to this..."

Then, she let out a low, soft chuckle.

"Hard on me?" she continued, her voice devoid of warmth. "Do you have any idea how long I waited for that day?"

Silence hung on the line.