Chapter 4

After Jason and Myra left, Keith fell silent for a long time.

I didn't comfort him, because I knew he needed time to think things through on his own. That was exactly why I had gone to all this trouble after being reborn.

If I'd simply insisted on not giving them any money, Keith wouldn't have objected.

But he'd have been tormented by it, feeling he hadn't given the children a good life, and he'd have found every way to make it up to them—maybe even grown distant from me.

So I had to let him see these two ingrates clearly for himself, and let him decide to live for his own sake.

Still, seeing him like this hurt me.

The precious son and precious daughter he'd doted on for so many years turned out to be such ingrates.

One wanted money but wouldn't take responsibility for our old age; the other not only wanted money but also wanted to take away the pension. Even trying to pick the tallest among the short, you couldn't choose between them.

Especially since, at my request, he'd pretended to have wrenched his back.

The two of them could plainly see he couldn't walk, yet neither of them cared. They didn't suggest going to the hospital, they didn't offer to help with the housework—instead they ordered him around like always, having him pour tea and fetch water, watching him shuffle along one step at a time.

Now, when they wanted something from us, they were this indifferent.

Once the money was in their hands, how could they ever look after us? How could they possibly do what they claimed—care for us in old age, tend to us when we were sick?

He waited all the way until the middle of the night.

Only then did Keith speak, his voice hoarse.

"Wife, you're right. They're ingrates."

"If we give them the money, we won't just lose the money—we'll gain two enemies too."

"But the property buyout money doesn't have to go to them. We can keep it ourselves, and use it for our own old age!"

I patted him on the shoulder.

I turned on the light, pulled out a tissue, and wiped away his tears.

"That's not enough!"

"I've thought it all through. We..."

Seven:

Over the next few days, Jason and Myra didn't come home, but the calls and texts never stopped. On the day the property buyout money "came through," all four of them came home early.

"Did the money come in?"

"Have you two figured out how to split it?"

Keith and I nodded.

"We have."

"You're both our own flesh and blood, so I've decided to give you each the same amount!"

Jason and Myra glanced at each other, and for once they were in perfect sync, saying in unison:

"Split the buyout money equally? I don't agree!"

Keith and I weren't surprised. We pretended to be puzzled.

"Why won't you agree?"

"You're twins. We've treated you the same your whole lives, yet you always said we played favorites. So isn't giving you equal amounts the fairest thing of all?"

"If we gave one of you more and the other less, wouldn't you accuse us of favoritism even more?"

Even though what Keith and I said was true, the two of them simply wouldn't agree. Each of them felt they'd been in touch with us more lately, been better to us, and each felt they deserved a bigger share—so they quickly started arguing.

The four of them traded barbs right in front of us, nearly coming to blows, but Keith and I just watched it like a show.

In the end.

The four of them talked it over and reached a conclusion.

"Fine, we'll split the buyout money equally—but you have to hand over your pension and savings too!"

"Once we get the money, we'll cut ties. We won't lift a finger for you two biased old wretches!"

I'd finally gotten the words I'd been waiting for.

So I wasn't angry at all. Instead, I nodded thoughtfully.

"We really did mean to split the buyout money equally between you. But now that I look at it, that really isn't quite right!"

"It's fine, though. We have a Plan B."

With that, Keith and I each took out a document envelope and handed one to Jason and one to Myra.

"Open them and take a look. I think you'll be pleased."

Jason and Myra both looked delighted, thinking they'd successfully threatened us.

But after they opened them and looked inside...

The two of them panicked.

"What is this supposed to mean?"