Member-only story
THIS HAPPENED TO ME
My Little Sister Turns 70 Tomorrow. We No Longer Speak
We survived the same childhood, but somehow lost each other along the way
I have known my little sister since before she took her first breath. I remember placing my tiny hand on my mother’s pregnant belly and feeling the baby kicking inside.
I couldn’t wait to meet this mysterious little person joining our family. When she finally arrived, I was thrilled. My younger brother couldn’t have cared less, but I immediately appointed myself her personal protector.
Somehow, from a very early age, I knew our home wasn’t always safe. I made a silent promise to watch over my baby sister, never imagining how complicated that promise would become over the next seventy years.
The Little Girl I Promised to Protect
It became very clear to me from a very early age that something wasn’t right with my mother.
There was the nice mommy who baked cookies, smiled, and behaved like the loving mothers we saw on television. Then there was the other mommy, unpredictable, who could suddenly erupt into a terrifying rage.
