«Just Give Her Some Time»
«Right. Either you help me strip Vicky of her parental rights, or I walk away, and you can sort this mess yourselves.»
«Nastya, for heavens sake! Shes your sister! My daughter!» Mum threw her hands up, then clutched her chest.
«And what am I? Not your daughter?» Nastyas voice cracked with hurt. «Sometimes I think you dont even see me as a person Cant you see whats happening? Ive grown attached to little Alex. I love him, and you Either help me, or Ill handle it alone. But Im not backing down.»
Mum looked away guiltily, torn between her daughters. Dad just scowled into his plate, stirring his food. Nastya, realising their answer, stood up and walked to her room.
Clearly, her parents hadnt chosen her. Or even Alex.
She began packing, though she didnt have much. Her heart ached, but she knew this had to be done.
But how could she stay strong when a little boy wrapped his arms around her legs, sobbing?
«Mummy, dont go» Alex whimpered, watching her pack.
*Mummy.* That word cut deep every time. Nastya sighed, knelt down, and forced a smile.
«Im not leaving *you*, sweetheart,» she whispered, hugging him. «Im leaving so that one day, everything will be better. Ill come back. For good.»
Alex wailed, unable to understand why his beloved auntthe woman he called *Mum*was suddenly abandoning him. He clung to her clothes so desperately she couldnt leave until he finally fell asleep. Only late that evening did she slip out, tiptoeing into the cold London night.
In that moment, she hated Vicky. She was the one whod forced this impossible choice on them.
Vicky had started her wild streak at sixteen. First, late nights, then sleepovers at «friends» placesthough everyone knew what kind of «friends» they were. Shed stagger home smeared with mascara and lipstick, sometimes in tears. And Mum and Dad would fuss over her like she was made of glass, soothing and coddling.
A pregnancy was inevitable. At seventeen, Vicky got knocked upno other word for it, since she didnt even know the fathers surname. Just some «bloke from a party.»
Little Alex arrived. Soon, Vicky realised motherhood wasnt her calling. First, shed leave him overnight, then vanished altogether.
«Im still young. I wont throw my life away,» shed told Nastya over the phone when pressed for answers.
So the «burden» fell on Nastya. Granddad barely spared a glance for his grandsonmaybe bought him a rattle once. Granny helped when she could but worked full-time.
Nastya was eighteen. She switched to remote studies to care for a baby. She became his second motherliterally, since *she* was the one whod had him christened.
It was brutal. Night feeds, sleepless hours, hauling a pram up and down stairs, exams on no sleep. She studied after tucking him in, managed the housebecause, of course, her parents had jobs.
By six months, shed adjusted. Thenplot twistprodigal mum returned, weeping, begging forgiveness.
«Sorry, I was such an idiot Itll be different now» she sniffled.
Everyone believed her. Even Nastya. She *wanted* to hope. For a month, Vicky actually spent time with Alex. Then, once the novelty wore offshe bolted. This time, with Mums jewellery.
«Shes just struggling to adjust,» Mum excused. «Shell come back. Just give her time.»
But Nastya wasnt buying it. Once was bad luck. Twice? A pattern. Still, what choice did she have? Her parents lived in a delusion where Vicky got infinite chances. But she couldnt just take Alex and vanish.
So she carried on. Studies, raising Alex, nursery runs, doctor visits. Hoping Vicky *wouldnt* return.
Thensurprisefour years later, Vicky reappeared.
«I thought he loved me. Thought wed move in, take Alex Then he used me. I was alone, jobless, in a strange city Had to scrape by,» she sniffed, playing the wounded doe.
«Mustve been *real* hard, judging by the weight youve put on,» Nastya scoffed.
Mum shot her a glare. The spotlight swung back to poor, tragic Vicky.
The worst came when Nastya brought Alex home from nursery. Granny nudged him toward Vicky. He burst into tears, hiding behind Nastya.
«Whats wrong?» Granny cooed. «This is your mummy.»
«Thats *not* Mummy! *Shes* Mummy!» Alex clung tighter.
«Nastyas just your aunt. Vickys your real mum,» Granny corrected.
Nastyas heart shattered. Alexs fear, Mums words, the sickening déjà vuit was all too much.
And, of course, history repeated.
Vicky mooched off the family for two months, jobless.
«Ive got Alex. Whod hire me? Constant sick days. Its like Im on maternity leave,» shed said when Nastya asked about her plans.
Thenshockshe vanished again. No explanation. The truth came in Instagram posts with her new «boyfriend,» who looked twenty years older.
«Right. Another drinking buddy,» Nastya thought.
Hope that Vicky would leave them alone? Gone. But what now?
She confided in her best mate, Nina.
«Convenient, isnt it? One mum loves him, the others real Just strip her of rights,» Nina shrugged. «Not that hard now. Theyll check, see shes absent, and you sort the rest.»
Nastya hesitated.
«Its scary. I live with my parentstheyll freak. And what if they take Alex? No guarantee Id get him.»
«Then wait for Vickys next comeback. More mind games for you and Alex. Want that? And lets be realshe could demand *his* money when shes old. And between us girls» Nina lowered her voice. «Sis, parents, Alex Wheres *your* life? Its time.»
«Where would I go?» Nastya raised her brows. «Ive got Alex»
«So? Youll live his life? Wont work. Best case, he grows up and leaves. Then its just you. And thats *best* case. Toms been asking about you, but you keep dodging.»
«When do I have *time*? And anyway Why would he want me? Ive got a kidnot even mine.»
«If hes asking, he wants to.»
Nastya *had* forgotten her own life. Dates ended when blokes heard she had a «kid.» She never got to explain he was her nephew.
Tom, a uni mate, knewand still sought her out. But between family chaos, shed brushed him off. After talking to Nina, she gave him a chance.
No regrets. With Tom, her problems faded. For once, she wasnt caretakerjust *herself*. He listened. Helped.
She went to him after her ultimatum, just to vent. But Tom surprised her.
«Ive said it beforelets move in. Maybe nows the time?»
«I cant. Alex I cant leave him.»
«Whats the issue? Well make it work.»
Nastya gaped.
«Hes not yours, you dont have to»
«Listen,» Tom cut in. «Im not daft. I knew what I signed up for. If hes family to you, hes family to me.»
Something in her thawed. A fragile hopemaybe life wasnt just cleaning up others messes.
The next six months were hell. Social services, courses, paperwork. Worseshe couldnt take Alex yet. He cried, waited, missed her.
«Look at you! Stealing your sisters child!» Mum hissed.
«Like she ever *wanted* him,» Nastya shot back.
Her parents barred her from home. To them, she was the villain. Only Tom and friends stood by her.
But after the storm comes the calm.
Years later, Nastya sat on a park bench, watching Alex teach his little sister, Lily, to kick a football. Tom wrapped an arm around her. She smiledit had all been worth it.
She hadnt heard from Vicky lately. Didnt *want* to. Same old cycleblokes, parties. Losing Alex had just been another sob story for their parents.
Speaking ofthey never forgave their eldest. Fine. «If they want to coddle Vicky forever, let them,» Nastya thought. «Ill take care of the ones who *actually* need me. The sun warmed her face as Lily squealed with laughter, chasing the ball too big for her tiny legs. Alex, gangly and proud at ten years old, ran after it and gently guided it back to her. «Kick it like this, Lily!» he called, demonstrating with a soft tap. Nastya leaned into Toms side, breathing in the crisp spring air, the echoes of past battles quiet now, distant thunder. Her phone buzzedanother unread message from Mum, no doubt pleading, guilt-tripping, demanding reconciliation «for familys sake.» She didnt open it. Instead, she squeezed Toms hand, watched her children*her* childrenplay in the dappled light, and knew, with a quiet certainty that settled deep in her bones, that she had finally built something real. Something lasting. Something hers.
