I became a father at 18 after my mother left my twin sisters behind — seven years later, she came back with an unexpected demand.

that the rest of us couldn’t see. When she became pregnant with twins, I honestly believed something might shift in her. I thought motherhood might anchor her, give her stability. Instead, she became more restless, more emotionally distant, and harder to understand. She never even told me who the father was, and whenever I asked, the conversation would end in anger.

When Ava and Ellen were born, there were brief moments where it seemed like she might try. For about two weeks, she held them, fed them, and attempted to keep a routine. But even that effort quickly faded. She would disappear into her room for hours, leaving me to manage two newborns while still trying to finish high school. I remember continue reading …