A Chain of Events.....

Well, let me tell you a chain of event story.My dad grew up in the house I now own. My dad use to play with some kids just a few houses down..the *Bett* family. Everyone grew up and away they went.Now Mrs. *Bett* Lost her son early, lost her husband the very next week. Her daughters were hooked on drugs, and not long after, she lost her daughter. She ended up raising her granddaughter Mary. Mary was a handful that eventually had her own 2 kids and bounced in and out of relationships. She to found drugs. Now Mrs Bett was really happy I moved in here (along with the other neighbor elders) because she remembered my dad so well and adored my family. Mrs Bett's GREAT Grand kids Erin & Jake..(Mary's kids) are raised by her and go to the same school as my boys (can you imagine...raising your GREAT grand kids) they to are a handful, sweet, but a handful. Mrs. Bett has cancer..again...4 times now, she isn't even sure what type. She told me it doesn't really matter, does it? She beat it before and she is use to going through this. After all, she must, she is raising her GREAT Grand kids. Last fall, the younger Great Grandson...Jake was brought to my home with blood pouring out his head. I guess you could say our home is the "Kid" hang out. We are located on the corner, the park is behind us, having 3 kids, are doors are always open and kids know that. So in they came with Jake, blood pouring out all over. I sit with Jake and a clean towel pressed firmly on his open wound (got struck with broken concrete thrown by another boy playing a game. Nice game huh?), we can't get a hold of Mrs Bett, or the mom. So while waiting for 911 I sit with Jake. Finally his mom Mary and Great Grandma Mrs Bett show up, then the ER..they are talking to me as if Jake is mine. I redirect him to Mary, however because Mrs Bett raises them, she takes over. Now I can tell Maria is a junky. Her skin is shallow, it's yellow, her eyes are like swollen bugged out eyes, her speech is different. She is pathetic mother in my eyes. They both thank me over and over and off they go. Today while at the school , as I was leaving another mom stopped me, she knew I talked to Mrs Bett; after all, this is a tight neighborhood where most all kids go to this private school. She tells me that Maria is Dead. So here sits Jake and his big sister Erin with a dead mom, a Great Grandma with Cancer. I knew right away it was overdose of drugs. It's not exactly brain surgery to assume.I walk down the street to visit Mrs Bett, her eyes light up a bit, she calls me "Genies Girl...(I'm actually Gene's daughter, who's name is Angie, but this is okay"). She tells me to sit by her and she tells me how it happened.Maria had come by yesterday to shower, she has bounced in and out of living with Mrs. Bett, she asked if she can move back in..AGAIN. And Mrs Bett says no. Mary is okay with that, she knows the pattern has worn thin, not just on Mrs Bett. but her 2 children as well. She packs some things and heads on her way. Today Mrs. Bett comes home to find a Police Detective business car that simply says...CALL. She calls and get the news her granddaughter is dead. (followed the footsteps of her mom). She showed up at a known drug house loaded to the hilt with fresh Heroin she already pumped in her system. Mary doesn't feel well, she goes and sits down. Later, she is found dead.

I wish I could say this is the end of the story, but it is only the end of Maria's story.