How did I get here? Lost, broken down and going through life with five kids and married to a cheater husband Life choices and decisions!! I guess this is the consequences of my decision and I am going to live with it for the rest of my life Don't worry about me,I will figure it out or die trying
It had been a long time since I felt this kind of happiness. The kind that bubbles up from deep within, so intense that it radiates through your every gesture, your every smile. I could feel the weight of everyone's stares-their envy, their curiosity, their resentment. My aunt's gaze, in particular, felt like a dagger, sharp and unrelenting, cutting through the fragile scab of my joy. But nothing could dampen my spirits today. Nothing.
"Victoria! Get back in this house this instant and finish your chores before your father gets here!" My aunt's voice shattered the moment, sharp and commanding, like the crack of a whip. For a split second, fear gripped me. I knew what she was capable of. I had seen it too many times before. How could someone who was supposed to be family harbor so much hatred? It was as if I had personally wronged her, as if I were responsible for every misfortune in her life.
"I've finished my chores, Aunty. The rest are for Jessy," I replied, my voice steady despite the tremor in my chest. My response only seemed to fuel her anger. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips twisted into a sneer.
"Oh, so you think you're free now, do you? Just because your father is coming to take you away?" she spat. I didn't answer. I knew better than to give her an excuse to lay a hand on me. Instead, I turned and hurried to the room I shared with the other girls.
Inside, I found Jessy on her knees, scrubbing the floor, tears streaming down her face. My heart ached for her. "Don't cry, Jessy," I whispered, kneeling beside her. "This will all be over soon." But my words felt hollow, even to me.
Jessy looked up, her eyes red and swollen. "You can say that because you're leaving," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm the one who's stuck here with the devil's daughter." That's what we called my aunt-Aunty Jane. She was the embodiment of rage, a woman perpetually dissatisfied, no matter how much you did for her. I didn't know her story, what had made her this way, but I often found myself praying that she would find the help she so desperately needed.
Around three o'clock, I heard my name being called. "Victoria! Your father is here!" I didn't need to be told twice. I ran as if my life depended on it, my heart pounding in my chest. There he was, standing at the gate, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. I threw myself into his arms, tears streaming down my face like a waterfall.
"What took you so long?" I choked out between sobs. "I've missed you so much. I've missed everyone." My father held me tightly, his presence a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. After exchanging a few polite but strained words with my aunt, he turned to me. "We need to go, Victoria. We have a train to catch."
I quickly said my goodbyes to Jessy, my heart heavy for her. The other girls barely registered in my mind-they had never been kind to me, and I felt no sadness at leaving them behind. As we walked away, I felt a surge of relief. I was finally free of that hellish place. Little did I know, this was only the beginning of my troubles