42/46
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Sincerity's Children 4/5
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“I don’t look like a woman who is falling apart do I?” This is what Martha’s mother said to her, concerned, as her daughter crisscrosses town taking care of children. I look through the rearview and see cheerful eyes, though red at the edges framed by a face beyond pale from crying and lack of sleep.
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We leave Children’s Hospital where Martha's 9yr old is brought after having a seizure. Being born six months early caused him to be born paraplegic with hearing and speech issues. From time to time there are seizures. Martha is headed back home to relieve her father who is staying with her two other children. He needs to be home soon, to meet his own autistic son at the school bus.
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“They will wait 5mins, then they leave him."
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“I’m on my way Dad. I’m giving the driver money to take you, so we don’t have to wait for another one to come. I’m already on Eastern and Stewart. I should be there soon. Be ready. Love you dad.” Martha tells me her youngest daughter has the flu and her oldest suffers from migraines, so they’re both home today. "The migraines hurt so much that she has to throw up. And the doctors only fill her up with medicine and send her home.”
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I tell her of a friend going through the same thing, forced to throw up in order to relieve the pressure. “Is it possible stress is making things worse?,” I ask. “I think she feels a need to be perfect, wants to be Miss Popular in high school and impress everyone,” Martha says. "Social media puts a lot of pressure on kids these days to compare themselves to others."
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We pull into a mobile home park, winding over speed bumps and teens walking in the road. “See that light blue house down there? It’s going to be right across from it.” When we pull up, a man wearing a black jacket, hat and boots comes sauntering out from around back, a bit shaky. “Thanks for doing this Dad.”
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She gives him a hug. When he gets in the car, the smell of cigarettes fill the cabin. His eyes have the same redness.
