Drowning In Betrayal: Watch Me Shine Now

The cold liquid from the IV drip traveled down the plastic tube and bit into Amanda's vein. She pulled her knees to her chest on the narrow emergency room bed. Her stomach contracted violently. A fresh layer of cold sweat broke out across her forehead.

The noise from the family in the next curtained cubicle drilled into her head. She reached down with her free hand and pulled the thin white hospital blanket up to her chin. The movement tugged the needle taped to the back of her right hand. A sharp sting shot up her arm.

She reached into her coat pocket with her left hand and pulled out her phone. The screen lit up. The notification center was completely empty. Not a single text message. Not even a generic 'Happy Birthday' from a distant relative. A hollow ache settled right beneath her ribs, heavier than the stomach cramps.

The phone vibrated in her palm. The screen flashed with her mother's name. Mother. Amanda stared at the bright letters for two seconds. Her stomach gave another vicious twist. She slid her thumb across the glass to answer.

Meredith did not say hello. Her voice was sharp and cold.

"Pull that needle out of your arm and get to the estate right now."

Amanda gripped the edges of the phone. Her knuckles turned white.

"I have acute gastroenteritis," Amanda said. Her voice shook from the lack of energy. "The doctor said I need to finish this bag of fluids."

A sharp, clicking sound came through the speaker. Meredith was clicking her tongue against her teeth. It was the sound she always made when Amanda disgusted her.

"You always do this," Meredith said. "You always fake an illness on Billie's important days just to steal the spotlight. It is pathetic."

Amanda stopped breathing. Her chest felt like it had been caved in by a concrete block.

A nurse walked past the curtain, carrying a tray of fresh IV bags. Amanda lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I am not faking," Amanda said. "I have been throwing up since noon."

Meredith let out a dry laugh. "If you are not at the Long Island estate in thirty minutes, I am cutting off every credit card in your name."

Amanda bit down hard on her lower lip. The metallic taste of blood coated her tongue.

"Today is my birthday too," Amanda said.

The line went completely dead for three seconds. Then Meredith's voice came back, louder and harder.

"Shut your mouth. Today is the anniversary of Billie's biological father's death. You do not get to celebrate. You do not get to make this about you."

Amanda's eyes burned. The back of her throat swelled, but she forced the tears down. She pressed her hand against her cramping stomach.

"Is Julio coming to pick me up?" Amanda asked.

"Julio has been here all afternoon," Meredith said. "He is helping Billie choose her dress for tonight."

The stomach cramp hit her so hard she folded