He was always the golden child. Everyone loved him. Funny. Charming. Outgoing. The boy among girls. But I never liked him. To me, he was careless, immature, and selfish.
I’ve had hearing problems for years. I finally bought hearing aids. Six thousand dollars. They changed my life.
At my grandmother’s birthday party, we were eating and drinking by the pool. He decided it would be hilarious to throw me in. He grabbed me. I begged him to stop. My voice was serious. My face wasn’t smiling. I wasn’t playing.
He ignored me. He threw me in.
My hearing aids were destroyed.
When I told him, he shrugged. “Whoops. Didn’t know you had them.” No apology. No concern. When I told him the cost, he refused to pay.
So I took him to court. And I won.
But he still refused. So I went back. His wages are now garnished. Twenty percent. Enough to force him to quit college and work more hours. His girlfriend and baby are struggling.
Now my family hates me. They think I went too far. They say I should’ve forgiven him because I earn more. Because he has a child. Because he’s family.
But where was family when he humiliated me? Where was family when he refused to apologize? Where was family when six thousand dollars went into the water?
I didn’t ruin his life. He did.
