I didn't even argue. Just hung up and started mourning Mom.
She left nothing, so I packed her favorite outfits and set up a marker by Dad's grave.
The landslide was brutal. Most folks moved out, and the village was too shaken up for any condolence feast.
Losing Mom crushed me. We'd been each other's rock for years, thought Alex would add some spark, not more tears.
Home alone, I was sifting through my stuff, planning my exit.
During all this, Alex didn't show one bit of concern.
When I walked in, there he was, sprawled on the couch. He barely glanced up, "Where were you?"
I fired back, "Aware of the mudslide back home? Knew it was deadly, right? Why pull such a sick prank on my mom?"
He shrugged it off, lobbed some shopping bags my way, "Got these for you and Mom. Dropping another twenty thousand on fixing up the old place later."
I just stared. He scratched his nose, "I wasn't really testing her... Just got carried away, you know? Plus, it gives me an out if anyone bad-mouths her later, right?"
Thinking how Mom sold her soul for that man, and died trying to save him, and here he was, still playing games.