I sat and I cried thinking of all the reasons I might be the worst person in the world for leaving you all alone with all the wolves that once turned even I into a cold young soul. I vowed before you were born to do everything I ever could to make sure that you knew that I love you and I would do anything and everything for you. I knew the circumstances life had dealt you and I wanted to be your helper in your time of need...
And now I'm afraid... so deathly afraid... that I will just be another grownup that let you down.
But in the midst of all my tears and all my guilt I grasped my right hand with my left... stroking each joint on each finger until I coaxed them into a fist. I wiped my tears with my left and rubbed the wetness of it onto my right knuckles thinking...
"These are the knuckles of a fighter."
And baby I'm gonna fight for you. I will make sure that I succeed in being in a position to give you every opportunity I never had as a child.
I promise auntie won't let you down.