Audacity

Epilogue

Dad did end up going through with turning himself in. He narrowly avoided being put in the registry simply because I didn't want to press charges and I know mom wouldn't have wanted to either.

But because Uncle Martin had secretly documented some of his abuse, he ended up having to go to jail for two years.

It won't bring me back my mom, but I'm sure Mom would be happy to know he got punished.

He was getting released in maybe two months. The doctor got implicated, and in fact, dad got the two years because he ratted on the doctor. That blew up in the doc's face with his own lawsuit. Dad encouraged me to submit a claim on Mom's behalf, and the medicine bottle he'd given my dad with his name on it was the biggest implication of his crimes.

Currently, Uncle Martin and Aunt Koki are technically fostering us. I was going to turn eighteen soon, and I planned to adopt my brother when I turned eighteen. Dad was okay with it. Technically speaking, he'd lost custody of us the moment the handcuffs were on his wrists, so it was better for me to adopt him. I loved my dad but I wanted to have a say over him in case anything happened.

I was getting ready to go visit my mom's grave today. I was dressing my little brother up and while he sucked on his pacifier, I combed his hair. He was sitting upright now. A sudden bigger feeling came over me, and it hit me now what Uncle Martin had told me almost three years ago.

Taking a look at my little brother, happy as can be staring at himself in the mirror, I felt a responsibility over him. To care and love him as my own, to adore him and raise him right. It was my job. No one gave it to me, I assigned myself to be his mentor, to teach him right from wrong. To be his second dad.

(Or in this case, first)

To love him the way my mother and uncle loved me.

He deserved it. No matter how difficult the days were without my momma, he deserved someone to be there for him like she always was for me.

I owed it to her.