**Diary Entry 26th May**
It had to be said. “Look, its simple. Either you help me strip Vicky of her parental rights, or I walk away, and you deal with the mess yourselves.”
Mum gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “For Heavens sake, Amy! Shes your sister! My daughter!”
“And what am I? Not your daughter?” The hurt in Amys voice was sharp as glass. “Sometimes I think you dont even see me as a person. Cant you see whats happening? Ive grown to love little CharlieI *do* love himand you… Either you help me, or Ill do it alone. But I wont let this go.”
Mum looked away, torn. Dad just scowled into his dinner, stirring his fork in silence. Amy understood then. She stood and walked to her room.
It was clear. They hadnt chosen her. Not even Charlie.
She packed her thingsshe didnt have much. Her chest ached, but she knew this was necessary.
But how do you stay strong when a tiny pair of arms wrap around your legs, sobbing?
“Mummy, dont go…” Charlie whimpered, watching her fold clothes into a suitcase.
That word*Mummy*cut deep every time. Amy sighed, knelt, and forced a smile.
“Im not leaving *you*, sweetheart,” she murmured, hugging him tight. “Im leaving so that one day, things will be better for us. I *will* come back. For good.”
Charlie wailed, clinging to her sleeve until exhaustion pulled him under. Only then, late that night, did she slip out, silent as a shadow.
In that moment, she hated Vicky. This was all *her* doing.
…Vicky had been wild since sixteen. First, it was late nights. Then “sleepovers at a friends”though everyone knew what kind of “friends” they were. Shed stumble home smeared with mascara, sometimes crying. And Mum and Dad would fuss over her like she was made of china.
A pregnancy was inevitable. At seventeen, Vicky got knocked upno nicer way to say it. She didnt even know the blokes surname. Just some “mate from a party.”
Charlie arrived. Quickly, Vicky decided motherhood wasnt for her. First, she left him overnight. Then vanished completely.
“Im still young. I wont throw my life away,” shed told Amy over the phone.
So the “life” fell to Amy. Grandad barely noticed Charliea rattle now and then, nothing more. Grandma helped when she could, but work came first.
Amy was eighteen. She switched to remote uni, caring for a baby who saw her as his motherbecause she *was*, in every way that mattered.
It was brutal. Night feeds, sleepless hours, hauling a pram up stairs, exams on two hours rest. She studied after bedtime, managed the housebecause her parents were always “too busy.”
By six months, shed adjusted. Then Vicky returned in tears, begging forgiveness.
“I was such an idiot. Ill do better now…”
They believed her. Even Amy *wanted* to. For a month, Vicky played mumuntil the novelty wore off. Then she bolted again, this time with Mums jewellery.
“Shes struggling. She needs time,” Mum insisted.
But Amy stopped believing. Once was chance. Twice? A pattern.
She carried onuni, nursery runs, doctor visitshoping Vicky wouldnt return.
No such luck. Four years later, there she was.
“I thought he loved me. I was going to take Charlie… But he used me. I had no money, no friends…” Vickys eyes brimmed with crocodile tears.
“Mustve been starving,” Amy muttered, eyeing Vickys new curves.
Mum shot her a look. The spotlight swung back to poor, tragic Vicky.
Worse came when Amy brought Charlie home from nursery. Grandma nudged him toward Vicky. He cried, hiding behind Amy.
“Dont be silly. This is your *mummy*.”
“Shes *not*! *Shes* Mummy!” He clung to Amy.
“Amys just your aunt. Vickys your real mum,” Grandma corrected.
Amys heart shattered.
History repeated. Vicky leeched off them for two months, jobless.
“Whod hire me with Charlie? Im basically on maternity leave,” she scoffed.
Then she vanished againthis time with some bloke twice her age in tow.
Amy confided in her mate, Jenny.
“Easy. Terminate her rights. Theyll check, see shes unfit, and youll sort the rest.”
Amy hesitated. “What if they take Charlie? And Mum and Dad…”
“Or wait for Vicky to wreck his head again. Your call.”
Amy had forgotten *herself* in all this. Dates fled when they heard she had a “kid.” Only Liam, a uni mate, stuck aroundbut shed brushed him off.
“*You* matter too,” Jenny pressed.
So she gave Liam a chance. For once, she felt *light*.
Thats where she went after the ultimatumto Liams.
“Move in with me. Nows the time,” he said.
“I cant. Charlie”
“So well be three.”
Amy gaped. “Hes not yours”
“Listen,” Liam cut in. “I knew what I signed up for. If hes family to you, hes family to me.”
For the first time, hope flickered.
The next six months were hellsocial services, paperwork. Worse, Charlie cried for her.
“You stole your sisters child!” Mum spat.
“Like she ever wanted him.”
Her parents shut her out. Only Liam and friends stood by her.
But after the storm comes calm.
…Years later, Amy watched Charlie teach his little sister, Evie, to kick a football. Liam squeezed her shoulder. She leaned into him, thinking: *It was worth it.*
She hadnt heard from Vicky in yearsdidnt *want* to. Some people never change.
Her parents never forgave her. Fine. Let them coddle Vicky.
*Ill care for the ones who need me.*
