Tl Gang Monologue

I knew we were going to court that day. I didn’t expect to see so many people I knew there. My sisters and I came with our mother, her husband, and their son. Both sets of my grandparents were there: The ones who lived on Lembergh, the street we used to live on, and the ones who raised me and my two older sisters for the past seven years. I wasn’t really sure what was going on. At one point the judged for all attorneys and the three of us girls to go to his chamber. I was confused and nervous. One by one, I remember him asking each of us girls the same question. They each answer clearly and the same. I, on the other hand, broke down in tears. I couldn’t give an answer.
This had all started when my mother decided to leave her abusive
We were the three little girls Dee-Dee never got to have. She was blessed with two boys. I remember she would use those spongy pink rollers in our hair on Saturday night if we had asked to go to church with Granny Mac and her parents, Granny and Papa Turner, who lived a few miles away, across town. Dee-dee even became a Girl Scout leader at one point for the benefit of my oldest sister Tammy. Did I mention that we were the TL Gang? There was Tammy Lynn, Terri Lea and Tina Louise. We stuck together all of the time. I am only 10 ½ months younger than Terri, so we were practically twins. We spent a lot of time at Granny and Papa Mac’s house, too. Their house was smaller, but I remember watching Granny play solitaire at the dining room table, listening to soap operas at the same time. She always cooked good food. Papa worked a lot, so we didn’t see him often. Living with grandparents who loved us and wanted us around was
There would be days when my mother would show up at Dee-Dee’s house. The three of us girls would be made to go play out in the backyard. It didn’t matter. We knew they were fighting. I just remember the yelling, but I don’t remember ever knowing what they were fighting about. That’s the way the grandparents wanted it for us; happy.
I failed to mention that my father and stepmother also lived in Casa Grande. After one move, we lived just down the street from them and our baby brother. But we were told not to bother Brenda. Most kids could ride their bikes down there, but we couldn’t. I guess we weren’t really welcomed there. I didn’t know and didn’t care then. I didn’t care until I became an adult and a parent.
Back to that day in court. It ends up the judge was asking each of us girls who we wanted to live with. Our Mother, or Dee-Dee and Papa. Tammy and Terri both wanted to live with our mother. My experience makes it clear to me why children younger than the age of 12 are not asked these kinds of questions. All I could do was burst into tears. I remember the judge being nice, even though I must have looked like an 11-year-old baby. Eventually, we were all back in the courtroom. I remember sitting with my mother’s t Mildred and Uncle Alvin. They were always nice to us. I guess everyone felt sorry for these three girls who were abandoned and had to have their school permission slips signed by their guardians. After the judge