My mom and dad divorced when I was 10 and I’ve lived with my dad since. One day this woman shows up on our door. They’ve been friends since the 90s. They’re married now. It hurts that this woman from Barcelona shows me more love than my own mom. My mom told me I ruined her life, my dad ruined her life, and she’d rather party in Vegas, Hawaii, or try to chase down Pitbull in Miami. My new step-mom hugs my dad, is happy to see him, took me to her hometown in Spain for Christmas and treats me like a person, not a burden.

It hurts that I’m learning what love is from someone that isn’t even my own blood and my own mom would rather disown me and considers me a burden. I’d rather call my step-mom my mom because she does love me and I can’t figure out how she can love me when she didn’t birth me.