She Just Needs Time
«Listen carefully. Either you help me strip Vicky of her parental rights, or I walk away, and you sort this mess yourselves.»
«Nastya, for heaven’s sake! Shes your sister! My own daughter!» Mum gasped, clutching her chest.
«And what am I? Not your daughter?» Nastyas voice cracked with hurt. «Sometimes I think Im not even a person to you Cant you see whats happening? Ive grown attached to little AlexI love himand you Either help me or Ill do it alone. But I wont let this go.»
Mum looked away, torn between them all. Dad kept stirring his soup with a grim expression. Realising their silence was answer enough, Nastya stood and walked to her room.
Of course they hadnt chosen her. Not even little Alex.
She began packingnot that she owned much. Her heart ached, but she knew this had to be done.
But how could she hold firm when a small child wrapped himself around her legs, sobbing?
«Mummy, dont go» Alex whimpered, watching her stuff clothes into a bag.
*Mummy.* The 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, things will be better for us. Ill come back. For good. Forever.»
Alex wailed, unable to understand why his beloved auntthe woman he called *Mum*was abandoning him. He clung to her coat so desperately she couldnt leave until hed cried himself to sleep. Only late that night did she slip out, silent as a shadow.
In that moment, she hated Vicky. *She* was the one whod forced this impossible choice upon them.
…Vicky had started her wild living at sixteen. At first, she still came home, even if late. Then came the nights at «friends» placesthough everyone knew what kind of «friends» they were. Shed stumble back, smudged mascara, lipstick smeared. Sometimes in tears. And Mum and Dad would fuss over her, cooing and consoling.
A pregnancy was inevitable. At seventeen, Vicky got knocked upthere was no gentler way to put it. She didnt even know the fathers last name. Just some «bloke from a party.»
Little Alex arrived. Quickly, Vicky realised motherhood wasnt for her. First, she left him overnight. Then she vanished entirely.
«Im still young. I wont throw my life away,» shed told Nastya over the phone when pressed for answers.
So the «life thrown away» became Nastyas. Grandad barely acknowledged the boybought him a rattle once, nothing more. Gran helped when she could, but work kept her busy.
Nastya was eighteen. She switched to distance learning to care for the baby. Since then, shed been his mother in all but name. *Literally*shed even been the one to christen him.
It was hard. Brutally so. Nights spent rocking Alex to sleep, lugging a heavy pram up stairwells, exams taken with bloodshot eyes. She studied after bedtime, juggled choresMum and Dad were always working.
By six months, shed almost adjusted. Then the prodigal mother returned, weeping, falling to her knees.
«Forgive me, I was such a fool Ill do better» she sniffled.
They believed her. Even Nastya *wanted* to. For a month, Vicky doted on Alex, took him to the park. Then the novelty wore off. She vanished againthis time, with Mums jewellery in tow.
«She just needs time to adjust,» Mum excused. «Shell come back.»
But Nastya stopped believing. Once was chance. Twice was a pattern. Yet what choice did she have? Mum and Dad lived in a fantasy where Vicky deserved endless chances. But she couldnt just take Alex and disappear.
So she carried on. Studies, raising Alex, nursery runs, doctor visits. Hoping Vicky wouldnt return.
Four years later, Vicky reappeared on the doorstep.
«I thought he loved me. Thought wed live together, take Alex. But he used me Left me jobless, friendless, stranded. Had to scrape by for train fare,» she simpered, batting tearful eyes at Mum.
«Mustve been starving, judging by how *thin* youve stayed,» Nastya muttered.
Mum shot her a glare. The spotlight swung back to poor, tragic Vicky.
Worse came when Nastya brought Alex home from nursery. Gran nudged him toward Vicky. He burst into tears, hiding behind Nastya.
«Dont be silly!» Gran crooned. «This is your *real* mummy.»
«Shes *not*! *This* is Mummy!» Alex clung tighter.
«Nastyas just your aunt. Vickys your *real* mother,» Gran insisted.
Nastyas heart shatteredfor Alex, for the words, for the sickening déjà vu.
And of course, it happened again.
Vicky leeched off them for two months, jobless, shameless.
«Ive got Alex. Whod hire me? Constant sick days. Practically on maternity leave,» she scoffed when Nastya asked about job plans.
Then she vanished. Posted photos with a new «beau»a man twenty years her senior.
«Another drunk,» Nastya thought.
Hope of peace died. But what now?
She confided in her friend, Nina. Needed to unload the weight.
«Convenient, isnt it? One mum loves him, the others blood. Just strip her of rightseasy,» Nina shrugged. «Theyll inspect, see shes absent, and youll sort the rest.»
Nastya froze.
«Its terrifying. I live with my parentstheyll disown me. What if they take Alex? No guarantee Id get him.»
«Then wait for Vickys next return. More trauma for you both. Worth it? And latershe could demand *his* money when shes old. Honestly» Nina lowered her voice. «Your parents, sister, Alex Wheres *your* life? Its time.»
«Where would I go? Ive got Alex»
«Living *for* him? Hell grow up and leave. Then what? And Liam keeps asking about youyou keep brushing him off.»
«When do I have time? And anyway Whod want me? Ive got a kid.»
«If hes asking, he doesnt care.»
Nastya *had* forgotten herself. Early on, shed dateduntil they learned about «her son» and bolted before she could explain.
Liam, her uni mate, knew and still sought her out. But shed buried herself too deep.
That night, she took a chance.
And didnt regret it. With Liam, she felt weightless. He listened. Helped.
So when she gave her parents the ultimatum, she fled to him. Just to vent. But he surprised her.
«Ive said it beforelets move in. Maybe nows the time?»
«I cant. Alex I cant abandon him.»
«So? The three of us.»
Nastya gaped.
«Hes not yours. You dont have to»
«Listen,» Liam cut in. «Im not blind. If hes yours, hes mine too.»
Something in her chest thawed. A fragile hope flickeredthat life could be more than cleaning up after Vicky.
The next six months were hell. Social workers, courses, paperwork. Worse, she couldnt take Alex yet. He cried, waited, missed her.
«Stealing your sisters child!» Mum spat.
«Like she ever wanted him,» Nastya shot back.
They barred her from home. Only Liam and friends stood by her.
But after the storm, the calm.
Years later, Nastya watched Alex teach his little sister, Lily, to kick a football. Liam wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him, knowing it had all been worth it.
She hadnt heard from Vicky in ages. Didnt care to. The same parade of men, parties. Losing Alex had just been another sob story for their parents.
Who, incidentally, never forgave their eldest. Fine. *Let them coddle Vicky forever*, Nastya thought. *Ill take care of the ones who need me. The sun warmed her face as laughter filled the gardenreal, unbroken, hers. Alex looked up, grinning, and shouted, Mum, watch this! And she did, blinking back tears, knowing shed finally given him the life he deservedand found one for herself, too.
