Mum was left with three children and nowhere to go. Our father took the money from selling our flat and disappeared.
Until the age of 38, Mum and Dad hadnt managed to have any children. The doctors had tried everything but couldnt work out what was wrong. Mum even gave up hope at one point, resigning herself to a life without children. My father didnt seem too bothered about it. He would just brush it off, saying, Dont worry, its nothing. It always felt like he never really wanted kids in the first place.
Although Mum felt hopeless, she still prayed to God for at least one child. Then, whether by fate or something else, I was born.
Mum was beside herself with joy. But by then, Dad had grown impatient with her, and hed get worked up whenever I cried at night. A year later, Mum gave birth to my identical twin brothers. She was over the moon, always thanking God for finally granting her the greatest happiness: being a mother. As for my dad, wellyou probably already realisechildren werent important to him at all. Thats when he hatched his plan.
He convinced Mum to let him sell the flat, saying that we needed somewhere bigger with three children now. He promised wed buy a larger place, and hed borrow the rest of the money needed. Mum trusted him. But as soon as Dad got his hands on the money from the sale, he vanished. None of us have seen or heard from him since.
Thats how Mum ended up with three children and nowhere to live. Where was she meant to go? In the end, she moved us into her parents house. So, the four of us squeezed in with Nan and Grandad in their two-bedroom home. By then, Mum had lost all faith in men and relationships. She worked herself ragged. Feeding and clothing three children was far from easy.
That was how things were. After a few years, Nan died, and then Grandad passed away as well. It meant there was a bit more space in the house. One summer day, Mum took us to the park, where there was a little playground. One afternoon, a man around her age came over for a chat. Mum wasnt interested and kept politely brushing him off. But he kept turning up at the park, until finally, Mum allowed herself to relax a little. She gave him her phone number, and before long, they started seeing each other, going on dates, and spending time together.
Two months later, we moved into a spacious three-bedroom flat with himAdam. He became our stepdad. To say that our childhood turned completely around would be an understatement. Adam stepped up and became the father figure we never had. Together, we shared our triumphs and supported one another in tough times. Now that were grown up, we call Adam Dad.
So, you see, having children isnt always a burden for a woman. Theres always hope for happiness. While our father ran away from his family, our stepdad, like a true man, welcomed us and made us happy.
