And Then She Grew Up

Chapter 3

Flashback- 4 years ago

It was December 2011 and Christmas was in a few days. I couldn't do much since the baby was due any day now.

The whole family was coming the day after Christmas. I mean everyone. My mom has two sisters and three older brothers. They all have kids. My dad has three sisters and one brother. They all have kids too. The whole family knows about my situation, even my aunts and uncles spouses. They all didn't pity me. Thank God.

I hate pity. I hate the sympathetic looks. It gets annoying time after time.

I also hate the judgmental looks. People who judge you off of what they see at first sight and not what the know. A couple months ago actually, it was Summer here in Atlanta.

I hated going outside altogether just because of the looks people would give me, because they see I'm pregnant. They don't see the dead look in my eyes. They don't see that I'm mentally hurting. My mom had to drag me out the house, because she wanted to get some more items for the baby and she wanted my suggestions.

A lady probably mid 30's, who works at the store, comes up to my mom and starts insulting her parenting. Saying that she's not a good mother and calls me a whore. So to get her off my moms back I told her off and I let it slip that I was raped and that she was an inconsiderate human being who should keep her stupid ass opinions to herself.

I dragged my mom who looked like she wanted to cry, out of that store only to get stopped by the manager. He told us that the girl was fired on the spot and that I may choose any items I want for free.

That just goes to show that people judge you by what they see and not know.

Anyways, it was 4 days, to be exact, at 12 p.m December 21, 2011 when my water broke. I was crying so hard, because the pain was unbearable. My dad was trying to calm me down and when that failed, he got my mom. My dad went to get the car and my brothers were freaking out. You probably would've thought they were the pregnant ones. I would've laughed if it didn't hurt so much.

As soon as I got to the hospital they took me to the labor vaginal section. At 5:34 p.m., December 21, 2011 Lauren Jackie Romano was born. I named her Lauren because that's my mothers middle name and Jackie, because that was the name of the lady who saved me. I gave her my last name, because that bastard was never going to be apart of her life.

She is my world. Ever since I held her I was wrapped around her pinky and she didn't even know it. When my parents held her you could see the light shining in their eyes at their grand baby. My mother was bragging about how many clothes she was gonna design for Lauren. That dead look in my eyes was long gone as soon as soon as I laid eyes on my baby.

I was released on Christmas Eve and all my brothers wanted to do was hold the baby when we got home. Even when all the family came over all they each wanted was a turn to hold her. I don't blame them she was a cute baby chubby cheeks, deep dimples, big brown eyes, and her caramel colored skin.

She was the total baby package.

Mom told me to go rest for a while and I couldn't have thanked her more. I was tired. Everyone wanted to talk and the kids wanted to play. All i wanted to do was sleep.

When I got to my room there was a note sitting on my window sill. I walked toward it and opened it up only to find one word written.