"Jane, did Mom really take Nicole away?"
"Where did they go? I'm going to find them."
Jane's face paled. Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Charlie, don't worry. I … I saw Nicole just this morning!"
"And Mom? She should be back for dinner soon."
Charlie was not comforted by Jane's words, but became more irritated.
He rolled up his sleeves and looked at the steaming hot water to the side, trying to distract himself.
At that moment, I seemed to sense something and looked out of the yard.
"Charlie, guess what I heard at the commune today?"
My mother-in-law's voice boomed into the yard even before she appeared.
The firewood slipped from Jane's hand as she added it to the fire, falling into the flames and sending sparks flying.
Charlie didn't notice. A smile appeared on his face and he hurried to the door.
But he froze.
"Mom, where's Nicole?"
"Didn't Jane say she went out with you?"
His mother was carrying a bag full of expensive supplements, beaming from ear to ear.
"Nicole? I don't know!"
"Let me tell you, your wife's brother is something else! I heard from the village secretary that he did a great service in the army and will be a big official when he returns!"
"You should quickly talk to Caitlin and have her brother help you get promoted to factory director. That would be truly impressive!"
My mother-in-law didn't notice the strange look in Charlie's eyes at all.
It wasn't until she saw me holding the dead pig, covered in blood, that she shuddered in fright.
The supplements in her hands fell to the ground.
"What in the world is going on?"
"Caitlin, what madness are you up to now?"
That old woman pounded the ground with her hands, wailing as if her heart were breaking.
Charlie turned around and stared at her.
"Mom, Jane told me that Nicole went out with you. Why didn't she come back with you?"
My mother-in-law's body stiffened. Her eyes darted left and right before she suddenly scrambled to her feet.
"Nicole?"
"Yes, she went out with me but had a craving and went to your aunt's house to eat soft-boiled eggs!"
As she finished speaking, my mother-in-law nervously grabbed the army-sent supplements and locked them away in her room.
After hearing this, Charlie felt something was off, but he didn't say anything more.
He walked towards the pig, grabbed its hind legs and began to drag it towards the scalding hot water.
I desperately held onto the pig's head, dragged along the ground by Charlie.