Writer Ann Hite tells an evocative story about her and her brother's struggles after being brought up in a dysfunctional family.
After a scary few years of bad choices, partying too hard and drinking too much, Jeff settled down, found the perfect girl, and married, creating a family of his own, a way to right all the wrongs we experiences as children. He became a plumber, moved into a nice home, and had a beautiful baby daughter. Life was good for both of us. We saw each other occasionally at holidays and family birthdays. We never talked about our childhood. We even tried our best to pretend Mother was normal, an old trick of ours. It was as if none of the bad times had happened. Who said children from dysfunctional parents had to pay a price? We were successful, smart, and good-looking individuals. We beat our fate.
...When my daughter was born, Jeff came to visit. He stood before me with a glazed look in his eyes that was similar to our mother's when she was abusing prescription drugs. My heart sank. Who was this man? Where was my brother?
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