#5 The Suckyi Flower

Diane grabbed the spoon, forcing a smile. She didn't want anyone, most especially Leilani or Mrs Madeleine, to know she was upset about what had just happened. She was used to being the jovial and sweat one, the one loved and dotted on by Mrs Madeleine, and she can't just bear to be in the position of the pathetic and rejected one, that was Leilani's spot and it suited her perfectly well.

Diane was good at pretenses. She was able to pull off the forced fake smile for quite some time as she served the stew for herself and Vincent but just as she was about covering the stew, Mrs Madeleine asked her to serve her as well since she was already doing it. Diane almost lost her cool with her, but she kicked right back in, smiling and nodding her head.

"Sure, mother," Diane smiled, reaching for the stew again, but just as she was about to serve Mrs. Madeleine, a portion accidentally poured on her right thumb, burning her. 

Diane groaned in pain, dropping the spoon forcefully and allowing it to scattered all over the table. The forced face smile drifted away as it was replaced by a frown.

Vincent and Mrs. Madeleine quickly rushed towards her as if she were a baby who could probably cry herself to death because of a small burn.

Leilani, on the other hand, didn't flinch. She just sat on her seat, focused on her meal while watching the little drama displaying in front of her. Perhaps she would have cared if it was to be in her previous life. She would have probably been the first to jump on her feet, running halter-shelter scared to death that Diane was hurt and perhaps share in her pain, but not anymore. She didn't care, not with the sense of betrayal she felt every time she looked at them or the fact that Jason was a constant reminder of the fact that her darling husband cheated on her with her high-school bestfriend. 

"Why are you still sitting there like a complete fool? Can't you see Diane is hurt," Mrs Madeleine yelled, snapping Leilani out of her thought. Leilani stared at her. She didn't understand what Mrs Madeleine wanted her to do. "And so what if Diane is hurt, should everyone also get hurt," Leilani felt the urge to say, but she had to retrain herself. She didn't want to raise suspicious around her. She has been the dumb and pathetic daughter in law who takes everything thrown at her just so she could be accepted into the family.

"Go get me some ointment, your dumb ass myst I spell everything out to you," Mrs Madeleine yelled again, seeing that Leilani didn't fiqure out what she would do the first time.

Leilani nodded her head and walked into the kitchen. She didn't care to hasten her step. Why would she when it's not her children that got hurt?

Leilani returned with the ointment moments later. She had intentionally spent time in the kitchen pretending as if she didn't know where the first aid kit was kept.

Everyone watched as Vincent applied the ointment gradually on Diane skin, if you weren't probably informed, you would have thought she was his wife because of the way he treated her with soft and tender care. Watching the way everyone reacted simply because Diane burned herself made Leilani remember what it was like in her previous life when she had faced the same fate as Diane. Aside from Mr George, who seemed a lot concerned that she was burned, no one else cared, not even her darling husband Vincent. He was quick to blame her for having too much to drink at the party, forgetting she had other responsibilities as a mother and wife, he never applied ointment on her thumb. As for Mrs Madeleine, she played the victim card, saying that Leilani wasn't happy that she had ordered her to serve her stew, she went ahead to yell at her as if she was a common maid slave and not her daughter-in-law, at the end of the day, her poor background took the most blame and the fact that she grew up in the orphanage home where no one taught her basic manners.

"I think we need to go to the hospital. Her thumb is really hurt, and it might get infected if we don't take precautions," Vincent said, standing up. 

"Her thumb?" Leilani asked, surprised. She quickly rushed towards Diane and grabbed her right thumb. "What the hell, did Diane just suffer her fate in place of her?" Leilani thought, looking at her thumb, which had the same exact injury, and she didn't need to be told that it would leave the same exact scar.

"Sugar, it really hurts badly. Do you think it would leave a scar," Diane asked. Leilani glanced at her, flashing her a smile. "No it won't, it just a small burn so it won't leave any trace," Leilani said, she already knew what would become of Diane and her thumb injury but she enjoyed the liberty of lying to her, she knew how much Diane cherished her body, she never let's herself gets injured for fear of it leaving a scar but the burn would be her first scar in her body out of many to come.

Diane's little accident ruined lunch for everybody, well aside from Leilani and Mr George, who continued with their meal even after Diane and Vincent left for the hospital.

"Here..." Mr George began placing a flower pot on the table which had the weirdest type of flower Leilani has seen. 

"I got this flower two weeks ago, and I have been thinking of the best time to give it to you, and I can't think of any other moment aside from now," Mr George said. 

"Thank you, Grandfather," Leilani smiled. "I know it's not the most beautiful thing you must have received this season, but I hope you cherish it. You would be glad you did. It's called a stuckyi. It is a rare type of flower that thrives and survives no matter what. It doesn't easily die or winter away," Mr George paused for a while to study Leilani facial expression before he continued.

"I sincerely hope and pray that you would be just like the stuckyi flower that thrives and succeeds no matter what," Mr George added.

"Thanks, Grandfather, this is the best gift I am receiving this season, and I am glad it came from you. Thank you for accepting me into your home, for being kind to me, and treating me more than a daughter-in-law. I promise to cherish not just this flower but you as well," Leilani smiled. 

"Oh, don't tease this old man," Mr George joked, and they both laughed. "I'm serious, Grandfather. I meant every word I said," Leilani said, holding his hand. Just like her twins, she was going to do everything possible to make sure he didn't experience the painful death he had experienced in her previous life.