a child

who had nothing to do 

with the grown up marriage

with the grown up fighting

with the grown up problems

who simply wanted to enjoy life

had that ripped out from underneath her

a man 

who had one too many drinks

or two or three or four too many

who didn't need to bring a child into this

who didn't need to make her life a living hell

who didn't need to scar her for life

who didn't need to force himself inside her before she knew what that meant

a brother

who was able to stand up for himself 

maybe she didn't need to resent him

maybe she didn't want him pretending to be her father

maybe she didn't want him being the boss of her

while the real adults were god knows where

drinking themselves nearly to death

a mother

who brought him into their lives twice

perhaps she liked him when he was sober.

perhaps she got to see him sober more than the young girl.

perhaps he was charming when he was coherent.

maybe she never noticed the affect on her children

or, perhaps, she didn't care.

a future

that she is finally trying to build for herself

that she can finally see herself having

a past

that she is finally able to forget

that she is finally able to move past

a family

that had once been broken

that is now finally in repair.