Escaping the Shackles of a Toxic Family: My Struggle for Identity

the table and told Julia and me to go eat in

pulled my mom Juli

ised her voice and r

up and caused a s

s make no

1

o react. She screamed, "You little

her hand was already ra

Julia join the dinner? Listen carefully, if you weren't m

my outburst, but she quickly red

a son, and you can't even teach y

e nerve to talk about Julia like t

dy to confront her, bu

ke up. "Linsey, she's your grandma. If you do

ver standing up for h

mily gangs up on J

ost control and ran to th

d me. I'm not afraid of you.

because Elsa and Vince just stoo

n, grabbed Julia's ha

outside, a stream of

2

town, planning to return

st each other, and Julia held me

useless, letting you get

Without her, I wouldn't ev

nce found out I was a girl,

locking Vince with her post-delivery b

eighboring village, Elsa took out the smo

us as it cooked, and I w

inner, Elsa shouted for Ju

d non-stop, deman

at Elsa's actions, took out the only piece of

es of meat in my bowl, his

tried to smoot

nsey wanted some, so I made a little f

ince's face tur

s. That's her real grandma. Wouldn't she giv

hing more, but tears

d. In fact, from childhood to now, Elsa nev

a what I wanted to eat again,

3

t resist Julia's insistence

pions have co

und, I knew who was

home? Are we eating your food or living

lsa to latch onto

ng her postpartum recovery," she said with a smug look,

t like Julia committed a crime for eating

in the future, I went to town and

e five a day, there'd be enough

three eggs again, I'd forc

hing, I had to return

ulia, I'm leaving. If she causes trouble a

. "Don't worry about me. Tak

4

to the hospi

he phone, and I rushed to the

ld, and when I got the

his a

use and tried to catch it. Who would have

, she was severely injured an

and how someone her age

e's V

s out, I realized s

he had some

shocked by this famil

re important tha

calm myself, I handled t

5

daughter. Unlike me, I have several chi

bed said, making the ro

aughter is too busy to visit. Oth

r Julia to be the one

t's not our turn.

ia to say anything, I p

food for my mom? Buy more; Ja

ven left the room, and w

know I was goi

now I decided to stay and wat

ughter, who came empty-handed, with an in

over. I didn't have time to buy anythi

ly signaled

p, I'll buy you lots

ses they couldn't keep

e Elsa smile fr

, Julia and I will leav

ot linger her

o buy food? What ar

told you that?

really leaving, Am

eft, who would be

's turn to take care of her. Since you're here, we'll leave this spot

couldn't act out w

been tired these days. Yo

how much it hurt

6

Julia out for a meal. She had suf

noticed a familiar figure. Not only that, but

at are you

he turned around for a glance, b

eat quickly, and then I'll

eemed familiar, or m

th Julia, I mentioned visiti

frustrated with Julia. Why does

nything's wrong, I'll bring you along. Besides, he

sentence, making sure

t some fruit. After all, with others ar

t, I made my way

, I was stunned by t

everywhere-on the

he used to complain about having no money, yet now s

y didn't you tell me in

as if she was certain I was

ly, she was

to check in. If there's noth

dor hit me, emanating from

d lady, wrinkling m

r mom come and help out?

helmed after just

've rarely visited. Grandma misses you. You sh

tances, she could

to stay at your place. It's not good f

g miserable, and felt a shiver run down my spine.

place is too small

e. Fine, Jacob doesn't want to go anywa

sleep, couldn't hold back when he

responsible if he gets hurt? I have to

time. Without her, I wouldn't ha

hospital, I decided to take advan

7

you buy me

reached my ears, but I di

er you want, Vince

ice sent a shive

ad, the one with

as he

t little boy ca

ng down, I

eated and ev

ce full of smiles, I

shed he would

even once. All I ever

tears were strea

d I done wrong to make him tre

pretending I hadn't seen anyth

's decades of hard wo

myself, I quietl

ppy, as if Julia and I were the on

face radiant, wearing a

let felt like a s

bracelet, but Vince not only refused to buy it but

? What

r it, I recorded a video and returned to the hospit

8

of Elsa and stood up happily, but I

e's m

ct me to ask that and wa

ated, raising my voice a

. he's busy

clearly guilty, h

nying his mistress

he should care for you. I

much better now. No

a was fully aware of Vince's

n, she allowed Vince to stay with

Elsa never considered

se, I would no longer

9

ll Julia about this, but I couldn

wrong? You seem so dow

thered my courage, and

Julia was silent

lia

ld finish, I

rs and hugged me.

ur dad. After all these years

t expect Julia to

it, what reason did

g, we needed to divid

, serving their family like a maid.

lculated our f

county, under both Vinc

much, just two or th

sfer the house to my nam

g, but Julia said after so many years of marri

I'll head to my room." Her voice c

her. All I could do now was rec

1

o the hospital. I heard about Elsa'

ge; it was mostly to criticize Julia for not taking

used to treatin

and them, partly to gather more evidence of his affair and p

d too many melodr

secretly took a strand of his hair. But la

is matter as

home ri

tacted me in ages, su

d, but it was a chance to g

the hospital. Instead of visiting her, you and your mom are

came to a