LAST DINNER

My name is Maya Rodriguez, a business administration student. I study mornings and work evenings at a convenience store. I live with my father and his new family in San Francisco. I have three younger half-siblings; we're close, but distant from their mother.

My dad and I are estranged because of her. I caught her cheating and told Dad, but he wouldn't believe me. I ran away and stayed with a friend.

But my siblings begged me to come home, and Dad finally talked to me.

When I got home, my siblings rushed to hug me.

"We missed you, Maya!" my sister cried, kissing my cheek.

I smiled, handing out the lollipops I'd bought. As they ate them, I noticed Dad calling my siblings over.

"Eat those later. Dinner first. Sit here," he said, his tone firm. They obeyed instantly.

I stood, picking up my bag. I was heading to my room when Dad called me.

"Maya, join us for dinner. Sit here," he said, his voice softer now.

"No, thanks. Isabelle might have poisoned it," I snapped, glaring at his wife, who was avoiding my gaze.

"Maya, stop it…"

I rolled my eyes and turned away.

—————

I woke to Isabelle's sobs and Dad's screams.

"Wake up, kids!" he yelled.

I ran to them. The air reeked of chemicals; vomit covered the floor. My sister lay on the floor; Dad was trying to rouse my brother; the youngest was vomiting uncontrollably.

"W-What happened?!" I gasped, covering my mouth.

"Help me, we need to get them to the hospital!" Dad cried.

Isabelle just sobbed silently, covering her mouth.

"What the f***, Isabelle! Help—" I started to pick up my sister when Isabelle vomited too.

"Hey! What's wrong?!" Her lips were bright red; her breath smelled of chemicals—gasoline or paint thinner. She was writhing in pain.

Then Dad collapsed. His saliva dripped; his pupils constricted.

"F***!! What's happening?!" I screamed.

I frantically called an ambulance, my hands shaking. My vision blurred, but I managed to speak, my tongue thick.

"P-Please h-help… I-It's l-like m-my f-family h-has been p-poisoned. I-I'm Maya Rodriguez… 14th Street 8989, San Francisco, CA 94114."

My vision went black.

—————

I woke up in a white hospital room. I got up quickly.

A doctor and a police officer rushed in.

"D-Doc, what happened?" I cried.

"A slow-acting poison—symptoms appear 7 to 12 hours later. Unfortunately, it wasn't noticed in time. They died from the poison," the doctor said.

"W-What?" I whimpered.

"I'm so sorry. They're all gone," he said, patting my shoulder.

I sobbed uncontrollably.

Afterward, I was taken to see their bodies. I hugged Dad, crying.

"I'm sorry, Dad, why did you leave me? I wish I'd had dinner with you. If I'd known it was your last, I would have… I love you so much. I'm sorry I was stubborn. Please wake up, Dad… just for me… I can't lose you…" I sobbed.

It felt like a nightmare… but it wasn't.

Two days later, exhausted from crying, I was questioned.

"Tell us about Isabelle and your father's relationship. She's his second wife, right?" a police officer asked.

I laughed bitterly. "That bitch Isabelle… she poisoned my dad. That… devil…" My voice was hoarse; I felt my fingernails digging into my palm.

"Isabelle was seeing someone richer. She poisoned Dad to be with him!" I cried.

My palm throbbed; tears mixed with blood.

"Read this," the officer said, handing me a letter.

My eyes widened. It was from my father to Isabelle.

MY DEAREST ISABELLE,

EVEN BEFORE MAYA TOLD ME ABOUT YOU AND THAT OTHER MAN, I KNEW FOR A WHILE. HE'S RICHER AND BETTER-LOOKING THAN ME, SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR ATTRACTION. BUT HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN? WHEN MAYA'S MOTHER DIED, MY WORLD CRASHED, BUT I FOUND A NEW WORLD WITH YOU. WE VOWED BEFORE GOD AND THE LAW TO LOVE ONLY EACH OTHER. BUT NOW YOU'RE POISONING ME TO BE WITH HIM? THEN I'LL EAT YOUR FOOD, PRETENDING IT'S LOVE, NOT POISON. BUT YOU'LL EAT MINE TOO—A LITTLE POISON MIXED WITH LOVE. I LOVE YOU, AND WE'LL DIE TOGETHER, MY ISABELLE.

The words hit me like a tidal wave. I couldn't believe it.

"Your father poisoned his wife; she poisoned him. The question is… who poisoned your siblings?" the officer asked, his eyes piercing. "And why weren't you poisoned?"

I sobbed. "If I'd known… I would have joined them. I didn't because I was angry at Dad for not believing me about Isabelle."

After the questioning, I went home. I sat on the sofa, reading my father's favorite book.

Hours passed. I sat at the dinner table, the food untouched. I kept reading, ignoring the meal.

Then I saw the lollipops under the table. I picked them up, crying, then laughing hysterically.

My siblings… they took Dad's attention away from me. I was jealous. He favored them over me. I was his first child, yet he abandoned me for his children with Isabelle.

"I was jealous… you had all of Dad's attention," I whispered, staring at the lollipops.

I wanted to hurt Isabelle emotionally, so I poisoned their lollipops. I thought their deaths would devastate her, leading to suicide. Then I'd be with Dad, without a rival.

But Dad's dead too. What's the point?

I opened the book to the second-to-last page. Something was written there:

"JEALOUSY IS LIKE POISON; IT CAN CAUSE YOUR DEATH OR YOU CAN KILL A PERSON." — Cupid

I took a small bottle of poison and added it to my food. My hands shook; tears streamed down my face. I slowly ate. This would be my last dinner.

Even through my blurry vision, I opened the book's final page. Added to the previous quote:

IT CAN ALSO BE BOTH, DARLING…

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