Life’s Expectations

Rough Beginnings

Courtney Hallafax was like no mother any decent person had ever seen.She became pregnant as a teen. She never wanted to keep the baby. She did come to realize having the baby,got her what she needed.But Courtney barely got her baby anything she needed.She was more worried about getting money.The quickest way she knew how to do that was on her back.And she wasn’t above begging.She had no interest in being a mother,at the birth of her daughter she refused to name her.

“Just take it away.”Courtney told the nurse,with a disgusted look on her face.

“Mam you have to name her.”the nurse said,holding the poor crying baby.

“It’s loud!I don’t care what you call it!Get it away from me!”Courtney yelled.

The nurse was flabbergasted." You will need lots of Grace little one. That is a good name, Grace.” Courtney covered her ears.

“How is Grace?” the nurse asked.

“I truly don’t care. Call her Alexander for all I care! Shut that thing up!”she yelled as the nurse took the baby out.

Stopping in the doorway, the nurse asked “Do you know the father’s name?”

“Yes! His name was Shawn Alexander Neely! Like I don’t know who knocked me up. He was my first, but he’s gone!” she said with a snotty attitude.

The nurse just shook her head and continued to leave the room

“Ok little Grace Alexandra Neely, you have a name now. Let’s get you fed,” the nurse said to the bundle in her arms.

Courtney was clever. She manipulated people for years to take care of Grace. Guilting people to watch the baby. And barely having anything to do with rearing her own child. Grace was forced to grow up very fast, at three she was caring for herself. Her mother would lock her in the hall closet with a jar of peanut butter, bread, and a jug of water. Grace only had her teddy, for company.Grace entertained herself with her treasure box, that one of her mother’s friends made. The only comfort she had was a ratty blanket. Grace had to use a small bucket to go to the bathroom. She tried her hardest to only go number one in it.

Any mothering that was done for Grace at that point was all Daisy Lenn’s doing, her mother’s only friend. And Courtney even resented that. She hated any attention Grace got. But Daisy wasn’t always around and when she was Courtney kept her away from Grace.Daisy snuck Grace food and things to try to make her happy.

The making of the treasure box:

Daisy had found a large wooden cigar box and painted it pink. She filled it with many treasures. She collected things she found here and there.And she made things.She put crayons,a tiny drawing pad, some handmade paper dolls, a set of Jax,a small wood-carved horse and a Strawberry Shortcake doll inside.

“Daisy why do you do so much for that little girl?She has a mother!Make her do it” Shane, Daisy’s husband said frustrated.

“Now hun there, is where you’re wrong.That poor little girl has nobody,if I am not there for her.”Grace told him,but clearly that didn’t matter to Shane.

Daisy was there for many milestones,like Grace learning to walk. Courtney would leave Grace soiled all day, so Daisy potty trained her.She taught Grace how to make a sandwich and how to draw. They were all so happy when Grace started school. Daisy knew Grace was safe and fed.Grace was comfortable and relaxed ,unlike at her mother’s.And Courtney was glad to get the brat out of her hair,though she never dealt with Grace.

Daisy taught Grace to wash her one and only dress she had. Courtney refused to buy Grace clothes and wouldn’t let Daisy either. Until the school complained, the dress was too short. Courtney let Daisy take Grace to Second Chances, a charity shop two blocks from their house. Grace was a regular customer for a couple of years. And she loved the old lady that owned it.

After Grace turned nine, Daisy wanted to plan a double-digit party for her next birthday. She wanted to start planning and saving as soon as she could. Daisey was so excited, but Courtney refused and was furious. They argued loudly and there was lots of shoving.

“Grace is not your child!I don’t want you to come back around us, ever again! Get the hell out of my house!”Courtney yelled, pushing Daisy out the front door.

Only a month later, at nine and a half, Grace was pulled out of school. And Courtney started bringing more and more men around. She told Grace that when she turned 10,she would start working. And if Grace was nice to the men, they’d be nice to her.

Courtney’s boyfriend(Rick) wanted to test Grace out before, but Grace refused. Courtney slapped her so hard her lips split. She screamed at her to go to her room (the hall closet) to think about what she had done. Grace did. And she packed her stuff.When Courtney was in the bedroom with Rick, Grace put her stuff out the bathroom window. Grace flushed the toilet,so they wouldn’t be curious.When Grace came into the hall, Rick was waiting. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward the bedroom. Courtney was lying on the bed smiling. He rubbed Grace’s cheek and told her how pretty she was.

Courtney jumped up,” Oh is she prettier than me?”

“No, of course not. She gets it from you, baby,”he said with his slimy smile.

He grabbed both Grace’s cheeks, trying to kiss her. Grace kicked him as hard as she could between his legs. Her mother jumped up and snatched Grace out of the room.

He was yelling,” I am going to kill her! Stupid little b****!”

Courtney dragged her through the house to the front door. She threw her out onto the sidewalk and slammed the door behind her. Grace could hear her telling him not to worry, that she threw out the trash. That was probably the most motherly thing she had ever done for her.

Grace jumped up and ran to grab her stuff.She ducked low under the bathroom window, then snuck away.Tears flowed down her face, but she didn’t stop running until she saw Second Chances.

Grace found a place behind two dumpsters and hid. She ate her peanut butter sandwiches and drank her water for days,until she ran out. She hid behind the dumpsters for about a week. But moved when the trash collectors saw her.

She found a garden gate that was open and went inside. The yard was all grown up and looked abandoned. There was a small cinder block shed next to the garden gate.Grace cleaned it out and put her things inside. As the sun faded and night crept in, she gathered what she needed for atreasure hunt. She snuck out of the garden gate and down the alley.

The first place she searched was Second Chances’ dumpster. She found a torn backpack with a pair of very thick pink curtains and a chipped plate inside. She was so happy! She also found a long pool float, a little lion purse with a missing eye, and a floor cushion with half its stuffing gone. The last thing she found was an ugly faded pillow. She climbed out and went to the next dumpster. It was the bakery’s. She got some slightly burnt bread and some cookies. She heard talking and snuck back to the little shed. Grace carefully went through the gate, reminding herself not to close it. She didn’t want anyone to notice anything different. Besides, the bushes made it like a hideout.

She took all her treasures out and put them where they needed to be. The curtains hung in the window. She washed the plate and fork. She used the pool float as a mattress. She got the ugly pillow and stuffed the floor cushion with it,closing the hole with a safety pin.She grabbed two more safety pins and fixed the backpack. Grace sat on the cushion and ate. After she ate, she pulled the purse out. She saw a coin purse in it, with money inside.