Without Christ

Jazmine rolled her eyes. “Mom, I am so tired of our life! You have no idea how your actions are impacting me! I am almost sixteen years old, and every time you break up with a man, I watch you cry, be depressed, and say you want to die. As far as the weed, I figured it was safe—you been smoking weed all my life. Most of the time, I’m so stressed from watching you be sad that I can't focus on school.” “You can't do what I do!” Kim snapped. “As a kid, your job is to do as I say, not as I do.” “Mom, you ask me to tell you the truth and I'm trying to do that!” Kim let out a deep sigh and went over to the sofa and sat down. Her daughter joined her. “I hear you on the phone with Lynn and Shelia," she said,“crying about Chris. Mom, I am a kid, and this is too much for me to handle! Not once did you say you wanted to live for me! How do you think that makes me feel? My daddy is dead, and all you talk about is dying. I feel like I am all alone on this earth. I started smoking weed to make the pain go away.” Kim looked at her daughter, her vision blurred with tears. "I never really stopped to think about how my behavior was impacting you, Jazmine. I realize now that I have been treating you like you're one of girls. Jazmine, I am so sorry baby! I promise I will go to the doctor and get some help. I will do better. Thank you for telling me how you feel. I'm proud of you!” The house phone rang and Kim went to the kitchen to answer it. It was her aunt, whom she called“Mother Hattie.”