«Just give her time,» they always said.
«Here’s how it is,» Natasha said coldly. «Either you help me strip Vicky of her parental rights, or I walk out that door and you deal with this mess yourselves.»
«Natasha, for heaven’s sake! Shes your sister! My daughter!» Her mother threw up her hands, then clutched at her chest.
«And what am I? Not your daughter?» Natashas voice cracked with hurt. «Sometimes I think you dont even see me as a person. Cant you see whats happening? Ive grown to love Alex like my own. But you… Either help me, or Ill do it alone. But I wont let this go.»
Her mother looked away, torn. Her father kept stirring his tea with a grim expression. Realising their choice, Natasha stood and walked to her room.
It was clear. They hadnt chosen her. Not even Alex.
Natasha packed her thingsshe didnt own much. Her heart ached, but she knew this was necessary.
But how could she stay strong when little Alex clung to her legs, sobbing?
«Mummy, dont go» he begged, watching her pack.
Mummy. The word stabbed her heart. Natasha sighed, knelt down, and forced a smile.
«Im not leaving you, sweetheart,» she whispered, holding him tight. «Im leaving so that one day, things will be better for us. Ill come back. For good.»
Alex wailed, not understanding why the aunt he called Mummy was abandoning him. He clung to her clothes until exhaustion pulled him into sleep. Only then did she slip out, silent as a shadow.
In that moment, Natasha hated Vicky. She was the one whod forced this impossible choice.
Vicky had started her wild lifestyle at sixteenlate nights, then overnight «sleepovers» with «friends.» Everyone knew what kind of friends. Shed stumble home smeared with makeup, sometimes in tears. Their parents coddled her, fussing over her like she was made of glass.
A pregnancy was inevitable. At seventeen, Vicky got knocked up. She didnt even know the fathers last namejust some «bloke from a party.»
Alex was born. Quickly, Vicky realised motherhood wasnt for her. First, she left him overnight. Then she vanished completely.
«Im still young. I wont throw my life away,» she told Natasha over the phone when pressed for answers.
So the burden fell on Natasha. Grandpa barely cared, buying the odd toy. Grandma helped when she could, but work kept her busy.
Natasha was eighteen. She switched to part-time studies to care for the baby. She became his second motherquite literally, since she even stood as his godmother.
It was brutal. Night feeds, sleepless hours, lugging a pram up stairs, exams on no sleep. She studied after putting him to bed, juggled choresher parents were always working.
By six months, shed adjustedbut then Vicky returned. Tears, apologies, promises.
«I was such a fool. Ill change,» she sobbed.
They all believed her. Even Natasha. For a month, Vicky played mum, soaking up praise from neighbours. Then she vanished againthis time, with their mums jewellery.
«Shes struggling. Shell come back. Just give her time,» her mum insisted.
Natasha stopped believing. One disappearance was a mistake. Two was a pattern. But where could she go with Alex? Her parents lived in a fantasy where Vicky deserved endless chances.
So Natasha carried on. Studied, raised Alex, took him to nursery and doctors. She prayed Vicky wouldnt return.
But four years later, she did.
«I thought he loved me,» Vicky sniffed. «I was going to take Alex, start fresh. But he used me. I had nothingno job, no friends. I barely scraped together train fare.»
Natasha scoffed. «You look well-fed for someone who starved.»
Her mother shot her a glare. The spotlight swung back to poor, tragic Vicky.
The worst came when Natasha brought Alex home from nursery. Granny nudged him toward Vicky. He cried, hiding behind Natasha.
«Dont be silly,» Granny cooed. «This is your mummy.»
«Shes not Mummy! She is!» He clung to Natasha.
«Natashas just your aunt. Vickys your real mummy.»
Natashas heart shattered.
And it all repeated.
Vicky lived off them for two months, jobless.
«I have Alex. Whod hire me? Its like Im on maternity leave,» she said when Natasha asked her plans.
Then she disappeared again. No explanation. The truth came in photos with a new «boyfriend»a man twenty years her senior.
Natasha knew. Another drinking buddy. Hope faded. What now?
She confided in her friend, Nina.
«Easy. Strip her of rights. Social services will see shes absent. Then sort it out.»
Natasha hesitated. «But my parents And what if they take Alex?»
«Then wait for Vicky to wreck his life again. Is that what you want? Shell bleed him dry later. And honestly, Natasha» Nina lowered her voice. «Where are you in all this? When do you live your life?»
Natasha had forgotten. Dates ended when men heard she had a «kid.» Few stuck around long enough to learn he was her nephew.
Except Liam. Her uni mate, who knew and still asked her out. After talking to Nina, she gave him a chance.
With him, she felt weightless. He listened. Helped.
She went to him after her ultimatum, just to vent. But he surprised her.
«Ive said it beforelets move in. Maybe nows the time.»
«I cant. Alex»
«So well be three.»
Natasha gaped. «Hes not yours»
«Nat,» he cut in, «Im not blind. If hes family to you, hes family to me.»
Something melted in her chest. Hope flickered.
The next six months were hell. Social workers, courses, paperwork. Worst of all, she couldnt take Alex straight away. He cried for her.
«You stole your sisters child!» her mum accused.
«Like she ever wanted him,» Natasha snapped.
Her parents shut her out. Only Liam and friends stood by her.
But after the storm, comes calm.
Years later, Natasha sat on a bench, watching Alex teach his little sister, Emily, to kick a football. Liam wrapped an arm around her. She smiled. It had been worth it.
She hadnt heard from Vicky in years. Not that she cared. Men, partiesthe same old story. Losing Alex had just been another excuse to play victim.
Her parents never forgave her. Fine. Let them coddle Vicky. Natasha would care for those who needed her.
