You're reading the humanity of a woman who was supposed to be an illegal abortion. An abortion interrupted, so to speak.

I remember at age 10, my mother screaming at me, "I didn't ask to give birth to you, you know!" And me screaming back "yeah, well I didn't ask to get born either".

My eldest sister remembers as a toddler being picked up by her hair & bounced off walls. My earliest memory is age 3, getting smacked across the face so hard it made my neck snap. & Watching her turn back to the mirror humming while she smeared on lipstick.

My father's mantra? Mary ruined it. Mary ruins everything.

When both sisters were gone? Parents going away for weekend leaving me at 14 locked out in the street. The last time in an ice storm, when I slipped on the icy ladder & fell through the icy window trying to get in out of the sleet & wet.

Believe or not there are fates far worse than death.

Everyone knew she hated babies & children. It was no secret in the extended family. But thry reassured themselves that "it's different with your own children. And they were right...it was different. She never in a million years would have battered someone else's kid, or they would have ripped her to pieces.

Nobody should be forced to give birth to a baby they hate, don't want & are incapable of caring for.

And nobody should br forced to be born into a world that doesn't want them.