One Candle Short On This Year’s Birthday Cake

Summary

My mother was the city's most celebrated philanthropist.

Every month, she forced me to donate my entire allowance. On Christmas, instead of letting me have new clothes, she made me spend the holidays volunteering at cold, damp homeless shelters.

I was always the good girl. I did exactly what she asked.

But when my disabled adoptive brother intentionally smashed the hearing aid I had saved up for months to buy, my mother only stroked his hair with a gentle smile.

"Look how lively he is," she said.