mother problems
Being a good mother may be one of the biggest challenges a woman can face, especially if her mother was not a good one. Natalie tried hard to break the mold, she had a few successes along the way but more often was unable to protect her children from the harsh world or provide the sustenance they needed to thrive as adults.
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A Poor and Crowded House
Natalie’s 3rd baby was born in the back seat of an old Chevy on the way to the hospital. She named him Glen after the first U.S. astronaut to circle the Earth, which bothered Bradley. He wouldn’t wish anybody born into the mess that was his family to be named after his hero. But it was thrilling when his Dad Morris brought them home after a few days in the hospital. Glen had a rough start and the doctor had told them it was because Natalie drank too much. But Mo was strutting around the house like a big king rooster, and making phone calls to spread the news. “Hey…
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Fairies in the bushes
“Bradley, Bradley…..Braaaadlyyyyy,” whispered the soft voices around the side yard where a grove of flowering plants separated their small rental cottage from the neighbors. He had a warm feeling in his chest whenever he heard them which was happening every few days. He was always going out to the bushes to check, and sometimes he saw twinkling lights around the flowers and moving up and down the leafy stems. When he stood very still their murmurs would surround him, and they seemed to be telling him everything would be okay, don’t be sad, it will get better. He wasn’t sure if the sounds were coming through his ears or from…