Chapter 5 An August Visitor

Ding! ... Ding! ... Ding!

"Why are you pressing the doorbell so violently?" a voice called from inside.

The door creaked open slowly. The person standing outside had a frozen expression.

"E-dddie-na," she said, dragging the name in a fake accent-who knows where she picked that up. She shoved her way in without an invitation, scanning the house like it was a poorly decorated gingerbread house done hastily on a Christmas morning.

She poked at the walls, eyed the corners with thinly veiled disgust, and did not even spare Lily's small coffee table from her scrutiny. Edna hoped she wasn't about to receive another sermon-she'd had enough of those over the phone, and they'd all bored her to death. If another one was coming, she'd let it in one ear and out the other.

Aunt Frida. A woman who loved controlling people and power like a puppeteer with her strings. She was driven-relentlessly so-and always got what she set her sights on. And yet, her beauty gave off an illusion of kindness.

What was the word again?

Right. Hypocrite.

Aunt Frida embodied that old saying: "As harmless as a dove and as cunning as a fox" Though Edna once respected her deeply, that had long since faded. Now, she was Edna's least favorite person.

"Hi, Aunt Frida," Lily greeted politely, carrying her laptop into another room to give a private space to the uninvited guest and Edna.

"Oh! A blonde. That's... interesting," Aunt Frida said rudely, taking a condescending glance at Lily. "So, you live here now? In this... crappy estate?" She waved a manicured hand in disgust. "I heard you don't even have a house anymore. Why don't you move into one of mine?"

She smiled thinly as her diamond jewelry caught the light, and her hand adjusting her fur shawl for dramatic effect, then sat down-ignoring Lily entirely.

"She never fails to show off her wealth," Edna muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, Aunt Frida, I'm fine here," Edna replied, forcing a polite smile. She could sense the fake concern oozing off her aunt. She knew all this was just to spite her mother, Lucy. Edna smiled inwardly. The way Frida shifted uncomfortably on the couch, eyes flicking around the modest living room.

Sure, Edna had grown up in wealth, but Lily's house wasn't bad at all. Frida was just being... Frida.

"I've been following your activities, and frankly, they've been terrible," Frida said, giving Edna a disapproving look.

"Why would you do that?"

"The quitting your job, your severance pay running out, getting kicked out of your house-I was concerned," she said, stretching her arms as if to offer comfort. "You're my baby. I want the best for you. Come live with me. Let me take care of this."

" Then, why didn't you do something? But I called you back then. Didn't I?" Edna said, voice calm but firm, pulling away from her hug. "Don't worry about me anymore. I've found a job at Shah's Hotel, and I'm doing pretty well."

Frida wrinkled her nose pitching a ear piercing voice. "That hotel for paupers? Ewwww. Why would you work there?" Then, in a lower voice, she added, patting Edna's shoulders, "And I'm sorry, baby, for not listening to you back then. I thought you would find your way back."

"I am working there because I like it. I feel at peace," Edna replied.

"Baby..." she started again.

"No," Edna interrupted. "I have made my decision. It stands."

"You will see," Frida said coldly. "You are twenty-seven, Edna. Twenty-seven, and you don't even have a real life. Trust me-I know your mother did not raise you right, but it's okay. Let me fix that. Look at my daughter. Let me help you. I can do it better."

"My mother did not raise me right?" Edna blinked, stunned. "You know what?"

"What?" Frida asked.

"You can use the door."

Frida stared in shock. Edna had actually said it. This one was truly a handful.

I see what Lucy is dealing with, she thought bitterly. At least now I know my daughter has no competition for the inheritance. Dad will never accept this one.

But out loud, she only gave a wounded look and pretended to be sad.

"Yes, I said it." Edna stood up. "Use the door!" she yelled, her voice full of fire. "This is my life-not some f*****g competition! And what do you mean, 'you can do it better'? Your daughter? You mean the puppet you control? The one who does not even know what it's like to live for herself?"

"She lives better with my tune," Frida snapped.

"Well, you can live better with my tune," Edna said, holding the door open. "And one more thing-you and my mom deserve each other!"

She watched as Frida stepped out, slamming the door behind her.

Edna sank onto the couch, staring blankly ahead, overwhelmed by the storm of emotions. She thought about the kind of women she grew up with. How had she not seen it sooner? They were toxic.

Toxic-and terrible at that.

Her mom and her aunt, constantly at war. Step-sisters who couldn't stand each other, yet every year at Grandpa's family reunions, they'd pretend to get along for one thing only: the inheritance. They competed over everything. And worst of all, they dragged their children into it. And here Frida was,trying to turn her life into a competition again.

Edna hated it.

She trusted them once.

Her phone rang. It was her mother.

She picked up.

The voice on the other end screamed,

"Thank you, Eddie, for making me a loser! A disappointment! And now I'm finally beneath my sister because of you! Frida called telling me all about how you were doing. She told me how I could never be my dad's choice because of what she saw!"

Edna stared at the phone, her voice cold.

"I am glad you are able to feel those emotions. I hope you enjoy them."

She ended the call.