Unloved Daughter
From a young age, Natalie believed she was adopted. One day, left alone at home, she started rummaging through various documents, hoping to find adoption papers. She only found her birth certificate, which confirmed that her parents were indeed her biological mom and dad.
This should have been a relief, but instead, it left her even more confused about what was wrong in her life.
Natalie was the eldest child in her family. Three years after her birth, her parents welcomed another girl, Sophie. Before her sister’s birth, Natalie had few memories, but from Sophie’s arrival, she recalled plenty.
Sophie was showered with attention. She received the best clothes and toys, while Natalie often wore hand-me-downs from her cousin. At school, if Natalie brought home a poor grade, she was scolded and lost privileges like watching TV or going out with friends. On the other hand, if Sophie came home with a failing grade, their mom would comfort her, saying grades weren’t everything.
The phrase Natalie loathed most was “Sophie is younger.” It always preceded requests like giving up toys or letting Sophie have the last piece of candy.
As they grew older, Sophie began to notice the uneven distribution of parental affection and took advantage of it. She became adept at acting, crying on cue for sympathy, or charming their parents. Natalie, lacking such skills, would only slam doors in frustration at the unfairness.
When Natalie couldn’t secure a scholarship for college, she had to attend a community college instead. Her parents claimed they had no money to cover her tuition, having spent it all on Sophie’s tutors and her education savings.
By the end of her first year, Natalie found a job and rented a room, moving out of her parents’ house. Living with them and her sister was becoming increasingly unbearable.
Sophie, aware that she was off the hook for anything, neglected her studies and partied frequently, confident that her tuition fees would be covered regardless.
Before moving out, Sophie would take Natalie’s clothes and makeup without asking, and once lied to their parents that some cigarettes they found belonged to Natalie. Naturally, they believed Sophie over Natalie.
After moving out, the resentment still lingered. Natalie minimized her interactions with her family since every visit home ended with praise for Sophie and criticisms of her—often unfounded. Her parents’ favoritism and unreasonable blaming hurt deeply.
Upon graduating from college, Natalie landed a good job and started earning a decent salary. She upgraded from her rented room to a spacious apartment, met a wonderful young man, and began therapy. Natalie realized her childhood issues affected her life. She aspired to create a loving family of her own, one filled with care and affection. Though committed to having only one child, fearing that she might replicate her parents’ behavior, no matter how skilled her therapist was.
Soon, Natalie’s boyfriend, Christopher, proposed, and they had a quiet wedding, without her parents. Fortunately, Natalie found a good rapport with Christopher’s mother, who, upon learning about Natalie’s family dynamic, comforted her.
“Don’t take it personally,” she smiled. “You’re perfectly fine. Some people have an infinite capacity for love, while others have only so much. Your parents, unfortunately, fall into the latter category. It’s their fault, not yours. Remember, you’re my daughter now too.”
Gradually, things were getting better for Natalie and Christopher. They got a mortgage on an apartment, adopted a cat, and enjoyed a happy life. Occasionally, Natalie checked in on her parents to ensure they were well, but she had no contact with Sophie, only aware that Sophie was in her third year of college.
One evening, while Natalie and her husband were watching a TV show, the phone rang. It was Natalie’s mom, which surprised her since she was usually the one to call her parents.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, pausing the show.
“It’s terrible!” her mother cried out.
“Is something wrong with Dad?” Natalie asked in a worried tone. No matter their issues, they were still those who raised her, and she loved them with a complicated mixture of affection and grievance.
“No. It’s Sophie.”
Natalie felt nothing but anger and resentment toward her sister. Had Sophie behaved differently, maybe Natalie would have been less aware of their parents’ biased treatment. But Sophie always exploited that bias, constantly making Natalie the scapegoat because she knew everyone believed Saint Sophie.
“What’s the matter?” Natalie asked out of politeness.
“It’s a murky situation…” her mom muttered.
Natalie’s interest piqued. She expected hospitalization or expulsion, but a murky situation…
“It seems Sophie might have hit someone with a car.”
“Does Sophie have a driving license or a car?” Natalie inquired in surprise. She wouldn’t have been shocked if her parents had bought Sophie a car at her whim.
“No,” her mother hesitated, “It was, apparently, a friend’s car. But I don’t believe Sophie is at fault.”
Natalie scoffed inwardly. Of course, Saint Sophie could do no wrong.
“And so?”
“They’re saying she was drunk, and the person is in the hospital. This is a nightmare! She could be jailed! And kicked out of university. We have to do something, Natalie.”
A part of Natalie wanted to retort that if they hadn’t raised Sophie properly, life would teach her. It would be just for Sophie to face consequences, realizing her actions have repercussions. But she knew her mother wouldn’t accept that reasoning. So she simply asked:
“What should I do, Mum?”
“Your dad and I talked, and we’ve decided to bribe the police and pay the victim to drop the charges.”
Natalie couldn’t believe her ears.
“Do you realize what you’re suggesting?” she asked quietly. “You want to break the law to cover up that your daughter, drunk and without a license, hit someone?”
“Yes, she made a mistake,” snapped her mother. “But we must forgive mistakes. We turned a blind eye to yours.”
Natalie laughed bitterly.
“Like when I lost house keys? Or forgot to buy bread?”
“That’s not the point now,” her mother cut her off. “We all need to chip in. You said you’re saving for a car. You should use that money to help your sister. You can save again for a car, but Sophie’s life could be ruined.”
In that moment, Natalie realized she wanted nothing more to do with her family. She had found a new, loving family with her husband and his mother, and that was enough for her.
“I won’t give you the money. Honestly, I’ll be relieved if Sophie goes to prison. She’ll get what she deserves.”
“How can you say that!” shouted her mother. “We didn’t raise you like this!”
“You’re right. You raised me as a second-rate daughter. I never felt loved by you. But you forgave everything and let Sophie behave as she liked. Now you’re facing the result. Your youngest has gone off the rails, and your eldest doesn’t want to know you anymore.”
With that, Natalie hung up. Christopher, who’d overheard the conversation, hugged his trembling wife, and she cried into his shoulder. Once her tears dried up, Natalie felt liberated. She realized she could live without them. She would no longer strive to prove herself as good, smart, or kind. No more seeking their attention.
Time passed, and from relatives, Natalie heard that Sophie got a short sentence. Whether her parents failed to find the money or the bribe didn’t work, she didn’t know.
Eventually, Natalie became pregnant, and when she gave birth to a beautiful daughter, she decided she wanted another child. She gradually realized she could never become like her parents, all thanks to her husband and mother-in-law, who, with words and actions, constantly reassured her she was a wonderful mother.
When her child was born, driven by hormones, Natalie informed her parents they had become grandparents. The response was they now had just one daughter, one who wouldn’t turn away from her family in tough times.
Interestingly, Natalie wasn’t hurt by this. She was relieved. Now she wouldn’t carry the burden of denying her child grandparents. She had offered them a chance, and they refused it. In some way, it seemed simpler for everyone this way.
