I was the oldest sister in a large family. I fed everyone, cared for them, took them to kindergarten and school. My parents didn’t ask me whether I wanted it or not, that was it.
I had practically no friends, because I didn’t have time to meet them. My peers laughed at me, saying that I only know how to wipe children’s bottoms. I was so offended, I often cried because of it. My father saw this and beat me with a belt. He said he was kicking the shit out of my head.
I didn’t have a childhood. When I finished 9th grade, I went to the local college. My parents made the choice for me, they decided that I should study to become a cook, so that later the whole family would be well fed.
Three years later I got a job in a cafe. My father forced me to steal food, and I refused. My mother accused me of selfishness, saying that everyone stayed hungry because of me. They also took away my first salary. When I got my second, I ran away from home and got on the first train I could find. I didn’t care where I was going, as long as I could get away from this hell. I knew that if I stayed, I would ruin my life.
Yes, it was hard, but being a slave to my parents was harder. I decided to pursue my goal, no matter what it cost me. I scrubbed floors, I swept, I got to the position of dishwasher, and only then was I allowed in the kitchen.
I was saving even when my paycheck increased several times over. I put all my money in a piggy bank. I dreamed of having my own apartment, where I would be the sole mistress. I lived with my elderly grandmother the whole time. She charged me a nominal fee, and I helped her around the house. The old lady was a substitute for my family. She always met me from work with herbal tea and homemade pies. I was the happiest in the world in those moments.
Soon I met my future husband. We didn’t have a wedding – we just signed our names. Then I moved in with his parents. A few months later I had a daughter, and then a son.
I started dreaming about my parents. I talked to my husband, and we decided to visit them. I bought bags full of presents and set myself up for a favorable trip. When they saw me, they started calling me names and throwing fists at me. My brothers drank, my sister went downhill too.
Mom and Dad didn’t even notice that I wasn’t alone. They didn’t look at my grandchildren, they slammed the door in my face. You might say I’m petty, but I turned around and left. I took the hotels with me. I wouldn’t even go to the funeral.
