The Change, Part Ii

The second time was three years later, when my cousin called me ‘hater,’ she had gone and got pregnant, see, despite only being eighteen. The father had, of course, skipped out, she claimed,”I don’t need him anyhow! I am just fine here on my own, I can’t bring up this kid alone!” Claimed that she didn’t need a man, that on her own she’d proudly stand. I said nothing, but I should have, maybe stopped it from going bad, but my cousin was obstinant, and did not see the detriment, When a year passed I came again, saw what she’d been living in: Basement studio, in downtown, the place where folks don’t hang around, could not work with a young baby, lived off hand-outs, paid for by me, had been robbed twice, never felt safe, all of the light drained from her face, she just said she was,”getting by,” no hint of sparkle in her eyes. I can tell you I was quite disturbed, suggested she seek out the father, see if he could pay his fair share, her furry caught me unaware. She still gave me the same old rant, that she was fine, needed no man, she claimed that she was,”Doing great!” Yet her furniture was packing crates. Despite the fact she was a mom, she was a kid, throwing tantrums, believing that an angry yell could hide the fact she needed help. So I went to the drug store quick, stocked up on more prophylactics, no kid of mine will live that way… another stirring of the change.