I'd blamed myself for so long. I was convinced that my decision to save money on a pair of cloth shoes by bringing the medicine home to inject them myself had been a fatal mistake. That my incompetence was why Norma couldn't even have meat on the table.
Never once did I imagine that she'd given those pigs to Percival—as a gift to curry his favor.
And now, looking at the bags of supplements in Norma's hands—every single one expensive—where was the woman who supposedly couldn't afford meat?
Tears surged to my eyes. For her deception. And for my own stupidity.
Norma spotted me too. Instinctively, she moved to hide those pricey supplements behind her back, but Percival gripped her arm and held her in place.
He even shot me a look of pure provocation.
"Hey, bro. I haven't been feeling well, so Norma picked up some supplements for me. You don't mind, do you?"
His words seemed to hand Norma a ready-made justification. Before I could even open my mouth, she was already frowning at me.
"Duane! Percival is your own brother! He fainted at the train station from low blood sugar. What's wrong with me buying him a few supplements?"