Summary

Michelle quit school in the tenth grade. She wasn’t doing well at school and she was nauseous from her pregnancy and beginning to show. Her parents separated and the house was more peaceful without her father. Michelle was able to stand up to the man who had abused her all those years. She was able to fight him off at least sometimes. She learned that she was having a boy but was worried about how she could support him.

Michelle had her son, Joey, a month before the due date. Although she had her doubts because of all the abuse she had suffered, she believed in God again after she had her baby. Her pet name for him was Huggy Bear. She cared for her son and shared a small room with him in her mother’s house. Michelle’s...