When I was younger, as I walked inside the house, I could smell my Nana’s delicious baking. She used to welcome me with open arms and a smile on her face that could light up the world more than the sun. Nana used to sit with me at our kitchen table and I would tell her the adventures I had at school, she would smile and wipe away the crumbs that missed my mouth by my sloppy eating. As long as I remember, I had never seen my grandma angry or upset. It always felt that in her eyes, I could do no wrong. That I was her precious child. Nana always said that when you smile, you can ease the pain, even if just for a moment. I thought it was true.

Since the beginning, it was just me and grandma. From what she told me, the doctors told my mother that her heart was weak and that if she gave birth to me, it would give out. Knowing this, my mother still insisted on giving birth. My father loved my mother and didn’t want her to go through with the pregnancy, however, my mother insisted that I had to be born, for I had a great future ahead of me. My father of course was not happy with that statement.

“How can I just accept this? How can you give up your life for this monster? It’ll will kill you the moment it’s born!”

“I don’t expect you to understand now, but there will come a time in which she will bring greatness to this world” said my mother.

No one understood what she meant by that, my father even less. Not wanting to stay and see the woman he loves die from stupidity, he left and hoped she would come to her senses before it was too late. However, my mother was determined and nine months later, I entered this world and my mother left it with a smile.

After, I was born, my father refused to take me in, therefore, I went into my grandma’s care in which I only knew love and happiness, that was, until the day my grandma passed away.

I was the only one at the funeral that seemed to be truly devastated from her death. I could hear people whisper about me even though I tried my best to block them out.

“Poor Nana. Taking her in must’ve put a toll on her health.”

“I don’t know how she was able to raise her for thirteen years. Her own father couldn’t even stand to take her in”

“Who will take her in now? I already have two children of my own and I cannot take anyone else in.”

“I can’t take her in either. Can you imagine what they would say about me?”

No matter how much I tried, their voices pierced my ears like needles. I always wondered why Nana chose not to attend family gatherings and now I understand. The gossip, the looks that I’m receiving today, she didn’t want me to go through this.

I’m so concentrated on my thoughts that I don’t register that the whispers have gotten louder along with some gasps. I feel a dark presence above me and I can tell the person is glaring at me. It takes me some time to muster up the courage to look up and when I do, I’m met with cold piecing eyes that wish they could kill me with one look. I don’t know how, but I know immediately who it is. There’s only one person in this whole world that could look at me with so much hate.

“Hello Father.”