ADVERTISEMENT

My family intentionally humiliated my one-day-old daughter at the hospital. Right after she was born, they put a beanie and a shirt on her embroidered with the words “THE MISTAKE”, right in front of all the nurses. My mother declared loudly, “The child of a failure is also a failure!” My father followed with, “Some babies just aren’t worth celebrating!” My sister laughed and added, “At least now everyone knows the truth!”
One week later, their lives began to unravel.
The fluorescent lights in the delivery room had barely softened when they walked in, buzzing overhead as if they were complicit in what was about to unfold. I was propped against stiff hospital pillows, drained after fourteen hours of labor, my body aching in places I didn’t know existed. My daughter rested against my chest, impossibly small, her heartbeat fluttering like a trapped bird beneath my hand.
Continue reading…
ADVERTISEMENT