“How long are you going to keep this up?” he snapped. “Just because I didn’t give the heart to Minnie? Is it really that important? Clara needed it more. Don’t you understand? Rachel, you’re a mother too–how can you be so selfish?”
Mina, ever the actress, wiped at nonexistent tears. “If I had known you’d be this upset, I never would have let Clara take the heart -even if it meant she would die! It’s all my fault. You can scold me, hit me if you want…”
Christian immediately rushed to support her, guiding her to the couch. “Don’t blame yourself. I made this decision. You’re too weak to handle this stress. Stop crying. I’ll take care of everything.”
Then, he turned to me, his expression ice–cold. “Do you think you can threaten me with a divorce? The heart is gone, Rachel. It’s done. There’s no point in making a scene! And if you really want to leave me, I swear–you’ll never see Minnie again!”
Without another word, he helped Mina up and led her to her room. When he reached the stairs, he paused, turning back to glare at me. “Don’t bring up divorce again!”
A moment later, the door slammed shut with a loud bang.
I clutched the urn to my chest, holding it as if little Minnie were still with me.
Since I’d walked through that door, Christian hadn’t said a single word of concern for Minnie or me. He hadn’t even looked at the urn in my arms, the one with Minnie’s picture on it. All he saw was my disheveled state–an embarrassment to him.
I glanced around the vast, empty room. Minnie and I had shared so many memories here. She used to dance in this very space, her laughter filling the air. She played here, twirling with joy. And in the end, this was where she collapsed–helpless, breathless. No matter how desperately I tried, I couldn’t lift her back up.
Christian had missed Minnie’s final moments. And just as he had abandoned her, he would never see me again before I died.