The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 283
Could it be more boring than the sanatorium? Back when Yvonne was in the facility, her only options besides rehabilitation training were walking in the garden and getting some fresh air. Returning to the Sherwood estate had to be better, surely.
At the mention of this, Yvonne pouted, looking resentful.
“Don’t ask. My mom and brother have been watching me like a hawk lately. They keep saying I’ve just recovered, so I shouldn’t run around outside. They’re afraid something will happen to me again…”
“But I’m not a child! And you know, my mom has been so busy with my brother and Tamara’s wedding recently that her feet barely touch the ground. No one has time for me…”
Realizing she was rambling, Yvonne suddenly stopped. She waved her hand and pulled Leilani toward the mall entrance.
“Enough about that! Let’s just shop and throw all those annoying things to the back of our minds today!”
After being in the sanatorium for so long, this was Yvonne’s first time back at a mall in four years.
Freshly recovered, everything looked new and exciting to her. Full of energy, she dragged Leilani from luxury boutiques to dessert shops. She enthusiastically tried on a pile of clothes before finally carrying several large shopping bags into a high-end restaurant to sit down.
Chewing on her straw, Yvonne suddenly lowered her voice to share the story of how she had snapped at Tamara the other day.
“Leilani, you should have seen it. I just bluffed a little with Tamara, and her expression instantly turned so ugly.”
She paused, her eyes growing complicated. “Actually, there’s something I don’t know if I should say…”
Leilani looked up. “What is it?”
Yvonne hesitated before whispering, “Actually, I’ve always felt that… the person who pushed me four years ago might have been Tamara…”
Leilani’s fingers froze, and her gaze deepened. “You remembered?”
Yvonne nodded, then shook her head. “Just some fragments. It’s very blurry. But Leilani, don’t you think it’s strange? Even though everyone says you were the culprit, I’ve never felt any fear or rejection toward you. But with Tamara… My brother and mom say Tamara is my savior, but every time I see her, I feel uncomfortable in my gut. If she hadn’t done something to me, why would I have this reaction?”
Leilani looked at her quietly. “But your brother is about to marry her. Have you thought about telling your mother?”
Yvonne fell silent for a moment, a bitter look crossing her face. “Before I completely recover my memory, I don’t dare say anything. You know… how much my brother and mom trust Tamara.”
If she tried to claim Tamara was the attempted murderer, it would backfire. Even when she just
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argued or bickered with Tamara normally, Gloria and Milford would only tell her to stop being
childish. It was easy to imagine that if she accused Tamara without solid proof, they wouldn’t believe
her.
In fact, they would probably think Leilani had put the idea in her head. They would drag Leilani down with her. Leilani had cured her legs. Yvonne was incredibly grateful; she couldn’t repay that kindness with trouble.
Hearing Yvonne talk about this, Leilani recalled the Sherwoods’ unconditional trust in Tamara. She fell silent as well. Ultimately, this was an internal matter for the Sherwood family. As an outsider, she couldn’t say much more.
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