“If you hadn't been so vain, constantly pressuring Jimmy to buy you this and that, would he have gotten into an accident on his way to pick out your anniversary gift?"
My mother-in-law also pounced on me, grabbing my arm and twisting it hard. "Jimmy was such an honest and hardworking man. He never had a moment's peace after marrying you!”
“He worked himself to the bone for this family and you were still ungrateful, insisting on some lousy anniversary gift that cost him his life."
My in-laws immediately surrounded me, each one adding their own accusations, placing all the blame on me.
I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I had only casually mentioned that our anniversary was coming up soon and I had never intended to pressure Jimmy to buy anything.
But now, the words were stuck in my throat and I couldn't utter a single one.
Marci Watts, my son's reaction was the most suffocating. He yanked my sleeve and shook me hard.
“Mommy, you’re so bad! Daddy died because you wanted a present. Because of you, I don’t have a daddy anymore.”
Children speak the truth most bluntly—and it hurts the most.
Guilt grew wildly like vines, suffocating me.