My parents marriage was painfully brief. When I was just four years old, my father walked out of our house and never came back. It was an accident Yet, he left behind a handful of childhood photographs with him, and more importantly, a considerable amount of money set aside in my name at the bank, which quietly grew each year.
Several years later, my mother remarried and gave birth to my younger brother. Life changed completelyit seemed as if I had become the maid for my stepfather and mother, as well as the nanny for my little brother.
Watching my mum with my brother often brought tears to my eyes. She showered him with affectiongoodnight kisses, cuddles, bedtime stories, and gifts of toys and clothes. My stepfather absolutely adored his only son. As for me, I was left on my own but the situation grew worse. My stepfather and mum began to argue constantly, he took to drinking, and soon came the rows. Of course, I bore the brunt of it all. Being the one they didnt love, I was punished most often. Eventually, a few years later, they divorced.
Later on, I moved to Manchester for university, leaving my mum and brother behind in the flat that had belonged to my late father. I rarely visited home as I picked up a part-time job alongside my studies.
When I finally returned home after a long absence, I found strangers in the flat. My mum was sleeping on the sofa in the kitchen and my brothers friends had clearly taken over the place. I decided I needed to speak up. Yet, things only escalated. The next morning, I was woken up and forced to go to the bank to withdraw my fathers life savings. My younger brother had gambled away a huge sum playing cards.
It felt as though I was once again a small girl, being ordered about without any voice of my own.
The irony is, I had come home to share joyful newsI was pregnant, and I thought perhaps we could mend our family ties But fate had another plan. I told my mother and brother to pack their things because theyd now be moving in with our grandmother out in the countryside. The flat was rightfully mine, and I was no longer willing to tolerate being pushed aside.
My mother and brother found the whole thing hilarious, which only reassured me that I was making the right decision. I rang the police, and they helped remove my so-called relatives from the flat. After that, my fiancé and I changed the locks; were now planning to sell the flat and purchase a new home for our own family in a different city. I also changed my bank account numbers since my mother had already tried to get access to those funds.
Im quite sure my dad would have approved of my choiceshe always wanted the best for me. The lesson Ive taken away is clear: You have to stand up for your own happiness, even when it means standing against those closest to you.
