Prologue
“You’re Moira’s kid aren’t you?” that’s a sentence that never seems to die. I get asked that all the time. I never really thought it was that bad until I got older to realize the reputation that my mother had made for herself, and for us. Being’s Moira’s kid wasn’t always a good thing. I learned that the hard way. Yes I’m Moira’s kid but I’m not her. I’ll never be her, I never wanted to be her; not like I use to anyway. But I’m learning how to deal with it cause no matter what I do, I’ll never not be Moira’s kid.
My Mother (Caleb)
My mother had me when she was 16 years old then 3 years later she had my little sister, Corey, at 16 too. Even at 16 my mother never wanted to grow up; she’d probably stay 16 for the rest of her life if she could. My mother moved out, or was kicked out, when she was 15 (The facts are unclear on which one happened there’s always two sides of the story, as I’m told) and went to go live with my biblical father. Four months later she turned 16; two months later got pregnant with me; and one day later my mother left him or she was kicked out (the facts are unclear about that also.).
For three year we were homeless but I didn’t notice it for a second. One day we would be here and the next day there it was a life that was never boring traveling where ever and whenever we wanted to.
Then we met Joey; and it felt like almost instantly mom was pregnant with Corey. From what I remember he was as big as a tree but as gentle as a flower. I sometimes would wish that he could be my father and not what’s-his-face.
I hadn’t met my father and knew nothing about him. Only what my mother screamed when something happened that reminded her of him. But sometimes I wish I had met him. Or at least have stories like my mother had made up for Corey about her father; no matter how much of a lie it was. I hated when my mother would lie to Corey about what Joey did. Some times in her stories he would be a cop in others a boxer; it didn’t matter what he was just as long as he ended up being a hero. When in reality Joey was nothing but a night store manager. Probably the best job any of mom’s boyfriends had or he may have been the only one with a job.
When Mom told Joey that she was pregnant with Corey, I waited for him to kick us out, but he never did. When Corey was born I was waiting for him to kick us out, but it didn’t happen. He was a good guy my mother would say. And he was he treated me like I was his son and not his current girlfriend’s kid. To me he was the best thing that ever happened to her. And things were going good for a while.
Which is why it surprised me to see the day she came into the living room where Corey and I slept in the middle of the night to tell us that we were leaving.
“What’s going on?” I asked rubbing my eyes.
“We got to go; get Corey and come on.” She said and disappeared into the next room.
Corey was two then and I was five. Even then I knew it wasn’t right for my mother to take us away especially if that meant taking Corey from her father. But that was my mother; it was like when things got too perfect or it seemed like things were getting too 'normal'; she’d run away. It just wasn’t her to stay somewhere for a long time. We never saw Joey after that again.
But that was six years ago. And things with my mother hasn’t changed one bit.
My Mother (Corey)
My mother wasn’t what you would call traditional. She was forever young no matter how many birth days went by. She always said she wish she could be 16 forever. She was and still is the strongest woman I ever met. She didn’t like any man to hold her down. That’s why we were always on the go; because she was just like a beautiful wild horse; any man that got her would try and tame her, and that was just not going to happen. My mother’s motto was to ‘live like it was your last day on earth and live it to its fullest’. Everything about her seemed to glow to me. And I wanted to be just like her.
The thing she did best was tell stories. My favorite kind of story was the ones about my father. He was a courageous gang member and he wanted out so he could be with us more. But the gang wasn’t going to have it; they told my dad they were going to kill him and his family. But my father was an excellent fighter. And even though it was a dozen men against one he still managed to fight them off long enough for my mother, Caleb, and I to get out safe. But sadly my father didn’t make it out alive; but he took six men with him, cause he was that good! My mother says that he put up a great fight compared to how he was alone.
“He died for you, Corey, and he told me before he left he wouldn’t want it either way if it meant saving you.” She‘d say.
“I wish I could have met him.” I’d say.
“I do too; he’d love you even more than he already did and you look just like him.” She’d say.
That was my father. He was multi-talented. The best thing, that ever happened to my mother. I think Caleb gets jealous that mom doesn’t have stories for him about his dad cause every time mom brings him up Caleb always wines and rolling his eyes at all the good parts. But it’s OK my mother says it’s just because he’s a guy and guys don’t understand everything girls do.
Though my father died when I was two, I feel like I know everything there is to know about him. And every night I look at the picture; it’s only a profile but I can still make out his dark brown skin and bald head. It a picture my mother took when she was spending the last few moments with him before he died. He was pointing up at Caleb and me up in a jungle gym at the park.
But that was when I was two now I’m eight and I wish all the time things was like it was in the picture.
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