No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.

Author’s Note

For Lulu’s story, read Grampa’s Junkyard Captive and Giving In to Pa and My Twin. Those books have a bit of crossover but this book can be read as a standalone.

Too Many Mouths to Feed

“Jenny, come over here and change Ray’s diaper!”

I sighed. Why did Mama have another baby? We had so many kids at home, we’d run out of space for us all, and even food was scarce. Didn’t she hear of birth control or abstinence? Dad was always grabbing at her and humping her. He was like a dog that needed fixing. We heard them at night, keeping us up through the thin walls with their moaning and banging around on the bed. I didn’t get it. I was 20 and hadn’t had any interest in boys. I think I was turned off it from seeing and hearing it at home so much.

They kept saddling me with caring for the littlest ones. My next youngest sister, Scarlett, helped, too, and she had no ambition to do something with her life. She was better suited to being Mama’s helper than me. I kept complaining, and it pissed our parents off.

I finished high school, but there was no money to send me to get more schooling. I would have liked to take something practical, even a trade, but Mama kept saying she needed my help at home. It only made me less eager to help. I dragged my feet and grumbled, until Mama started saying to Dad that they needed to find another purpose for me. I hoped they would find me a job. I wouldn’t mind bringing home a salary to help out with the family, but I was bored and resentful just being a babysitter. It would be different if they were my kids. I wasn’t against being a mom, I just didn’t want to be one to my siblings.

I changed the diaper, and went to my room to sulk. I shared my room with three sisters, our two bunk beds taking up most of the space. Another room had another two bunk beds, and there were two cribs in Mama and Dad’s room. I hated how tight it was. There was…